iFixit - Active Questions With Device "Game Boy"

Game Boy: Why will my Game Boy not turn on?

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 01:20:24 -0700

I have my Moms old Game Boy. she had it in college, and after college it sat in my grandparents basement for years in a box. when we found it again, we cleaned it a little bit , put batteries in and it ran just fine. then, it sat in my closet for a little while.

but, one day, I put batteries in, and it didn't start up.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix it?

⟐ Commented January 29, 2026 at 1:20 MST

Game Boy: Light spot stuck on the screen after backlight mod

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:14:20 -0700

After doing the bivert and backlight mod on my dmg It looked fine for a while, but recently this light spot appeared. I tried disassembling and cleaning the screen, but it seems to be within the actual screen. My thought is it might be dead pixels, but the shape itself looks very much like something trapped under the screen. What do you think it could be?

⟐ Answered January 16, 2026 at 1:14 MST

Game Boy: Does anyone know where I can find an LCD for this?

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:16:54 -0700

Hello! I took apart my original model Game Boy because the screen was showing vertical lines on the edges, and I've heard that it's usually a problem with the LCD ribbon wire. I tried gluing it down again, which didn't work, so now I think I'm better off getting a new LCD with a pre-attached ribbon wire. I've searched around the internet a little, but all of the LCDs for sale require you to attach the ribbon wire yourself, which I haven't had much success with, as aforementioned. Does anyone know if I can get one with the ribbon wire attached?

⟐ Answer accepted December 24, 2025 at 16:16 MST

Game Boy: When I turn it on, the Nintendo logo is a black bar, can this be fixed

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 19:50:06 -0700

So I don't have any games for it, but I've been wanting to sell this game boy and I was wondering if there were a way to fix it. When I put batteries in it, and turn it on a black bar falls from the top of the screen (I'm assuming it says gameboy, or Nintendo.) Also the battery light is red. I'm not sure if that's good or not, but I'm just wondering if you could help me. Thank you for your time!!

⟐ Answered November 29, 2025 at 19:50 MST

Game Boy: Red light turns on but device won't boot

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:47:36 -0700

I have some experience repairing gb's but never encountered this before..

The gameboy turns on (the red light turns on) but won't boot, no sound, no screen

BUT when I remove a battery (while I leave the console ON) and put the battery back in place now it 100% of the time boots up the game.

Any suggestions?

Contacts are cleaned, speaker replaced, vertical lines fixed, contrast/volume wheel/OnOff button are all working

⟐ Commented November 13, 2025 at 15:47 MST

Game Boy: Screen not displaying correctly

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:33:07 -0700

When I turn my gameboy on the screen has a big black box on it. If I put a game in it makes the Nintendo ding but nothing happens. I’ve attached pictures of the screen. I’m assuming it’s a gameboy issue and not a game issue or is it a both issue? Is it fixable !?

⟐ Commented November 08, 2025 at 18:33 MST

Game Boy: How do I fix horizontal screen lines?

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 06:13:54 -0700

When I turn on my Original Gameboy, it has horizontal lines running from each side of the screen . They are not running up and down like vertical lines. Can’t find anything on the internet that can help.

⟐ Answered August 15, 2025 at 6:13 MST

Game Boy: DMG-01 works only when motherboard is hot

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 14:34:30 -0700

I have a strange issue with my Gameboy Classic (DMG-01) that I am trying to fix. Bootup sequence is good, with logo and sound but everyting dissapear after a second and no game is loaded.

I cleaned everything, replaced cartridge socket, resoldered CPU and memory but no luck so far. What is interesting that everything works perfectly IF motherboard is heated with a hotair.

Also what is worth to mention Tetris works fine regardless temperature but no luck with Super Mario Land 1 and 2 at 'normal' working temps.

Could you please advise or tell me what else to check? Thanks a lot!

⟐ Answer accepted August 03, 2025 at 14:34 MST

Game Boy: Front shell letters have faded / deleted

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 10:34:08 -0700

So I have a play it loud, red Game Boy. I would like to replace the letterw on the fron shell. I have Tried finding aftermarket shells, howevere they have blue letters. Anypne can show me a link to decents decals or to a replacement with black letterw please?

⟐ Answered July 05, 2025 at 10:34 MST

Game Boy: What adhesive should be used to re attach the screen guard.

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 10:34:24 -0700

I have an original Gameboy which has over the years deteriorated and the plastic screen guard has detached from the front. What is the best adhesive to use for re attachment please?

⟐ Answer accepted June 28, 2025 at 10:34 MST

Game Boy: Only the “Up” button of the directional pad does not work

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 01:37:22 -0700

Hello everyone,

After installing an IPS screen in my Gameboy Classic, the top button of the directional pad no longer works. All other buttons work perfectly fine. Since switching to an IPS screen also changes the circuit board with the button contacts, these are new. Cleaning the contacts, as is always suggested for such button problems, does not help here. I now suspect the fault could be somewhere on the old circuit board, as I have already successfully measured the signal from the button to the ribbon cable with a multimeter. So the button contact is obviously transmitting signals, but they are being lost somewhere on the old main board.

⟐ Commented June 27, 2025 at 1:37 MST

Game Boy: Moving Black Vertical Lines on Display

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:15:32 -0700

Hello! I have a Game Boy DMG01 that has moving vertical black lines on the display while playing games. I have tried recapping the display board and main board with no change. I also tried a soldering iron to heat the ribbon connector which fixes non-moving black lines for most people, but this did nothing for me. Has anyone else ran into this issue?

⟐ Answered May 23, 2025 at 0:15 MST

Game Boy: How do I fix my battery spring corrosion

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 21:25:51 -0700

I have an original Gameboy but the battery springs are corroded.

⟐ Commented April 26, 2025 at 21:25 MST

Game Boy: Original Gameboy will not turn on.

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:28:40 -0700

I found an original Game Boy that i haven't play in a long time. I have added new batteries and turned it on but nothing, not even the red light will turn on. I haven't opened the console yet to check what may be wrong. I do not want this console to go to waste. What should I do?

⟐ Answer edited December 16, 2024 at 14:28 MST

Game Boy: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins question issue

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:46:47 -0700

My boyfriend and I got Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and found out that there is glue inside the cartridge and can't open to replace the battery for the game. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

⟐ Commented August 07, 2024 at 11:46 MST

Game Boy: Faint "scan" lines moving across screen

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 10:17:58 -0700

I have a fully original gameboy that up to this point has operated perfectly and has never been abused. Today I noticed what looks like faint darker contrast lines moving slowly upward across the screen. Like the effect you see when shooting video of an old crt screen with a video camera (but not so extreme). Here's a link showing it. I am adjusting the contrast to show how it becomes more noticeable the darker the contrast goes.

https://youtube.com/shorts/gsBS-95T3YQ

⟐ Answered July 30, 2024 at 10:17 MST

Game Boy: Damaged Screen pins on Gameboy dmg-01

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:40:04 -0700

so I found my dads old game boy dmg-01 and the screen wasn’t working, so took the system apart and saw this, is there any way I can fix it or do I need to buy a new screen. I have very little soldering skills and experience.

⟐ Answer accepted July 22, 2024 at 8:40 MST

Game Boy: Red light, no picture or sound

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 08:52:51 -0700

Hi,

Iv purchaced a gameboy that has power to the led but no picture or sound.

Iv tested the output from the battery and its outputting 6.4v.

Psu points are

Vcc 6.26v

Gnd 0

Minus -276mv

Plus -151mv

Now i no these outputs are wrong but im getting 6.24v on the board up by the switch when its turned on.

Strangly when i was checking the voltages i shorted the Vcc & ground together and the device started up, screen & volume was working and i was able to use the device, but when i turn it off it wont turn back on, would this suggest a short on the psu or on the board?

Any advice appreciated

https://ibb.co/4KH2N7k

https://ibb.co/VT6X6dQ

⟐ Edited by author July 07, 2024 at 8:52 MST

Game Boy: Screen burn and not turning on, is it fixable?

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 00:39:55 -0700

I'm trying to fix this Gameboy and wondered if this screen is fixable?

The Gameboy turns on and has sound, but the screen doesn't do anything and I'm not sure if screen burn can cause a screen to not show anything, or if something else is causing this.

There's were a lot of screws that were black and rotting and there is also one that I'm gonna struggle to remove under the screen also (see picture), but not sure if this would stop the screen working.

Any help would be appreciated

⟐ Answer accepted June 02, 2024 at 0:39 MST

Game Boy: Gameboy DMG no sound, logo stuck, failed booting

Wed, 29 May 2024 05:18:14 -0700

I have a gameboy dmg 01

The red LED can turn on, but there is no sound and the black stripe logo appears, not the Nintendo writing/logo, and when the game cart is installed it doesn't work.

how to fix it?

⟐ Commented May 29, 2024 at 5:18 MST