M Network repair

[Wolf9545]

I have a couple of games from the manufacture of M Network like this and the actual board inside has come loose. I want to know how do I open up the cart and what is the best way to keep it from coming loose again.

[shadow460]

I'd wondered this, too, and I thought maybe the adapter end would come off and the board could be removed.

Intellivision games don't have the adapter on them, though.

 

Some of my own Mattel games have a panel on the back of the cartridge that looks like it was glued in place. That might come off, giving you access to the board.

 

Either way you try to open them, though, I don't think you'll get that board to stick down easily after you put them back together.

I pried at Dark Cavern almost to the point of breaking it, then I just moved the board around a little til it stuck in one place. That's probably just blind luck on my part, though.

 

The only other way I can see they're put together is maybe with a screw under the end label to hold that bottom plate on.

 

Hey, wait a sec--Dark Cavern just gave way.

OK, what I just did was to insert a quater inch flat tip screwdriver into the front side of the tab that holds the adapter in place.

 

Mattel/M Network carts are similar for both Intellivision and Atari 2600. The Atari 2600 ones, however, have an adapter attatched to the front of the case that fits the larger cartridge slot on the 2600. That adapter is attatched with two slip tabs on its top.

 

Flip the cart so you can see the connector, and the side with the plastic line in the casing is up. You'll see two square holes above the connector. Insert the flat screwdriver into one of the holes, twist, and pull on the adapter. Keep pulling twist the other tab loose the same way. Don't put too much pressure on them, or the cart case will break.

It may take a few tries, but the adapter and board will pull right out the front of the case.

Now insert your finger into the front of the adapter with the connector. Grab the board from the back (the part that was inside the cart), spread the adaptor with your fingers, and pull the board loose.

Only a cutout in the board holds it in place, and that's held in the cart by two cheap plastic tabs. If they break, you will have to epoxy the board back into place.

 

Hey man, thanks for posting this thread. I had given up on fixing Dark Cavern til I read it, then I got curious as to how to open Mattel cases.

For Intellivision owners, well, you might be out of luck. It looks like that bottom plate is glued solid to the cart, and that's how you'd have to split an Inty cart open.

Edited February 28, 2006 by shadow460