iFixit - Answers With Device "Game Boy Advance Cartridge"

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Putting a fallen chip back on

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 11:53:31 -0700

I opened up my pokemon sapphire cartridge up to see what was wrong with it after a long time of absence and discovered a chip came right off.

i have no soldering experiences so I would have to go in this repair blind. So i want to at least ask if this level of damages is fixable or not.

⟐ Answer accepted April 09, 2023 at 11:53 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Is save data recovery possible in Emerald?

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 22:34:09 -0700

Hey! So I have a pokemon Emerald game that was my FIRST video game that I ever owned. There are several cartridge connector pads that are missing. Would it be at all possible to transfer the main chips to another copy of Emerald and retain the save data, and if so what would this take? Where should I start looking for help?

⟐ Commented June 05, 2023 at 22:34 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Can copper contacts be repaired

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:40:24 -0700

so I have an authentic copy of Pokemon sapphire that only works here and there as such I have taken to keeping it in my spare gameboy for now but can the missing copper contact be repaired? I would likely look for a pro as I have never soldered anything myself

doesn't appear to be working for some reason not sure

⟐ Commented February 07, 2022 at 17:40 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: How to replace the battery and fix solar sensor in a boktai cartridge?

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 08:45:47 -0700

So, the boktai GBA is unique due to the fact that it has a solar sensor on top and it uses the battery not for saving but for counting time.

(The solar sensor is found on the top the cartridge, it is also a UV sensor) The problem I’m with is that the solar sensor isn’t picking up much light as usual and the battery is dead. I just want to know how to fix these issues, what the battery is and if their is any precautions I should take.

⟐ Commented March 19, 2023 at 8:45 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Pokémon Emerald Game Problem

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 11:59:37 -0700

So I bought the Pokemon Emerald cartridge(The previous owner glued a new battery with tape...). When I started the game I've noticed that the start screen logo was messed up also some other graphics were missing from the game. For instance I couldn't see the three pokeballs in the beginning when it was the time to choose my first Pokemon. As soon as I saw that I've opened the cartridge and found some corroded pins and traces(Some of them missing). The RTC IC had a missing and corroded trace.

I've cleaned them and re soldered the Rom and Flash Ic's, but nothing changed. Could it be that the ROM is faulty or something else?

⟐ Answer edited October 01, 2022 at 11:59 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Game crashed, scratch on cartridge?

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 11:06:02 -0700

Hey, I know it is not the right section to ask this but I haven’t found the one for 3ds cartridges.

My game has been crashing for a while now after 80 hours of gameplay or so. I got around it today and saw that it looks like there’s a scratch on the cartridge?

I thought I could try and rub it with alcohol but I’m afraid of doing more damage.

Thanks for your help

⟐ Answered October 01, 2022 at 11:06 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Why won't my game start?

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 21:23:07 -0700

While attempting to solder a new battery for a copy of Pokemon Sapphire, I accidentally installed the battery backwards (i.e. the negative tab was connected to the positive contact and vice versa) the game was working fine before, and I am confident that I didn't accidentally bridge anything on the board, but when attempting to launch the game, I get the normal "Gameboy Nintendo" logo and then it freezes on the white transition screen.

Is there a possible fuse that I blew, or did I do something irreparable?

Thanks,

Caleb

⟐ Answered February 07, 2025 at 21:23 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Metroid: Fusion glitching/not booting up

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:19:02 -0700

My (hopefully) authentic copy of Metroid: Fusion doesn't usually start up, and when it does it either has some weird lines on the Gameboy logo or it starts the first cutscene and then freezes. The problem isn't with my Gameboy as I've tried it on multiple and it is the same result. Battery has been replaced and board cleaned.

⟐ Answer edited July 28, 2023 at 16:19 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Why did this turned into silver?

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 09:26:25 -0700

So I’ve recently bought an expensive gba game, Pokemon Leafgreen, I decided to look the inside of the cartridge and I’ve noticed a discoloration

That should be colored gold right? Like this?

https://chieftain20.files.wordpress.com/...

What is the reason why it changed to silver? Is this normal? What should I do?

Can this ruin my cartridge in the near future? Help

⟐ Answer edited July 13, 2020 at 9:26 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Can you replace save chip in Pokemon leafgrean cartridge

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 19:27:24 -0700

My Pokemon Leafgreen cart save chip is dead and if I could replace it or not and if possible it's cheaper than buying a new cart

⟐ Answer accepted April 28, 2019 at 19:27 MST

Game Boy Advance Cartridge: Can't get it to work

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 11:37:19 -0700

Hi there, I have a copy of Metroid Fusion which I think had water damage. I have cleaned the contacts with a magic eraser and cleaned the board with WD40 contact cleaner but I'm still having no luck. I've taken the old battery out to clean underneath it as well. Happy to send photos of it for more help. Cheers.