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Cleaning Atari Games

Sometimes you will get an Atari cartridge that won't work or the video is all messed up. This mostly happens with 3rd party games, due to the lack of a dust cover. Don't throw them away, you can usually get them to work by cleaning them.


The one on the left is a 3rd party game, the on on the right is a 1st party one.

Method 1
Try this method first, it is a LOT easier.
You will need:

  • Highest % isopropyl alcohol available
  • Q-Tips
  • Something thin and pointy (If it looks like the one on the right.)
If it looks like the one on the right, you will need a thin narrow object (for example, a letter opener), which you will need to insert into one of the two slots that you see. Then you will be able to push the cover back and see the contacts.

Simply dip the q-tip in alcohol, and clean the cartridge contact edge with the alcohol soaked q-tip. You should wind up with a dirty q-tip and a clean cartridge. Severely dirty cartridges may take several cleanings, with vigorous scrubbing. Don't worry, you're not going to damage the cartridge by scrubbing hard.

Method 2
Only use this method if the first one didn't work.
You will need:

  • Highest % isopropyl alcohol available
  • Q-Tips
  • Something thin and pointy
  • Phillips screwdriver
  • Soldering iron
  • Cotton Balls
  • Access to a freezer
  • Plastic (white) eraser
  1. The screws are underneth the label on atari games. Activison games have 2 screws, 1st party ones have 1 screw.
    The one on the right is the screws on an Activison cartrage, the left is a first party one.
  2. Unscrew it, take it appart, and take out the main circut board. Flip it over and use your soldering iron to melt off most of the soder in these places:
  3. Flip it over and use something thin and pointy to twist/pry the metal sheilding off at these places:

    Then it should look like this:
  4. This step is kinda useless and funny, but I did it anyway, just in case.
    Put the circut board in a cold dry place in your freezer, like on top of the ice maker.

    This should keep the circut from staying too hot too long, because that might damage the board. Leave it in for about 2 mins.

  5. Take a cotton ball and soak it with alcohol. Get the front and back of the board completely wet with alcohol. Then let it air dry untill it's completely dry.

  6. Get a plastic (white) eraser like the retractable kind or like this:
    Rub it back and forth across the contacts untill you "erase" all the dirt and junk. Then clean it with the q-tip and alcohol again like in Method 1.

  7. Before we put it back in the case, we should make sure it works.
    Stick something thin and pointy in one of the slots on the Atari to open up the cartrage port.

    Put the board in making sure the black box is faceing away from you.

    It should work, if it dosen't then your game is broken, but it works 99% of the time.

  8. Put it back in the case and screw it shut, making sure the black box is facing up.

Label Repair
If the end of you label came off, here is how to fix it.

Take a strip of wax paper and put super glue on both sides, then slip it in between the cartrage and the label, and press on it.

Wait for it to set, then pull REALLY HARD to get the waxpaper out. Then push the label back on. If it is peeling around the edges, then take some super glue and glue it back on.