Your worst condition game... what's it look like?

[snes_collector]

I used to put my NES in a cabnet under the tv. One day, one wsa sticking out too far and got the plastic broken in a place where it shut on it. I've also got a copy of one of the TMNT games for NES that is completely missing the strip of plastic next to the label. Didn't even notice it when I bought it.

[izarate]

No, the junk on them is not just dirt, it's actually stained it had been there so long, and the plastic is bubbling up due to mold. Plus the connectors are so dirty and rusty no matter how much cleaning I did the only one I could get to play was SMB 3.

Have you tried using a wet toothbrush with some washing powder? I get games like that almost every week. The latest were Super Tennis and Sim City:

Before:

After:



Oh, here is my Secret of Evermore duplicate, along with his CIB sibling

[aclbandit]

My worst-condition game was my copy of Bubble Bobble for the NES. All the plastic on the thing was a disgusting brown color, and (better description unavailable) the label looked like it had rotted.

After cleaning the contacts furiously for nearly an hour, I got the damn thing to boot, and it's been running fine ever since.

It doesn't look so bad anymore, though -- I took a "donor" cart (the Gyromite I got my Famicom converter from, in fact) and peeled/alcohol-rubbed the label off, then printed and laminated it a new one. Looks much better, though obviously not original.

[PentiumMMX]

That would easily go to my copy of X-Men 2 on the Sega Genesis. The cartridge doesn't even have a label anymore; I made one myself using a small piece of note paper and some shipping tape. I don't know what it is, but I enjoy scooping up games I find that don't have labels, because they usually cost next-to-nothing and sometimes I end up with a game that's actually good.

[p_b]

I win.

I was waiting for that pic. You do win

[scooterb23]

By far my worst condition games have to be my sealed, Mint in Box games that have a couple creases in the shrinkwrapping. I'm so ashamed of them, I can't even bear to send them in for grading, for fear of being graded anything below an 85.

Seriously? Probably my Donkey Kong Junior for the Colecovision that has a half ripped off label. Maybe the Sears Blackjack Picture cart I have that is just covered in dirt. I can't clean the cart without destroying the label.

And for what it's worth...the carts in Sonicwolf's pic are nothing compared to some I've seen / heard of over the years in here.

[BetaWolf47]

And for what it's worth...the carts in Sonicwolf's pic are nothing compared to some I've seen / heard of over the years in here.

Am I missing something? I don't see any pics posted by sonicwolf.

Also, I have a copy of Bust-A-Move that's in near mint condition, maybe even mint. However, for some strange reason, the game won't start. Before people recommend to clean it, I have hundreds of cart based games which I've gotten to work, including ones that people thought were broken. I've tried sanding the contacts, rubbing alcohol, and cooktop cleaner, all very good at cleaning carts, but to no avail.

[aingevt]

My brother bought a copy of Mega Man 2 about 10 years ago. Where the board is suppose to be white, it was dark dark brown. Also some of the connectors were broken. To get it to work, he took the circuit board out of the case and scraped off the end of it with a knife to accommodate the broken connectors. Since he ripped the screws out of it, the case wouldn't go back on. So we stuck the bare board into the game genie and it worked perfectly. I eventually got a clean boxed copy, but the old one still works.

[kupomogli]

The original Dragon Warrior. I have no idea how it got this way or what, but someone must have did it on purpose(and someone who had some sortof access to my house.)

The top of the game and front of the game, the label, is ripped off. Now there is part of the label on the front cover showing, but it's sortof mid right and down that's showing. Looks like it was ripped top right down to bottom left almost.

[123►Genei-Jin]

My Kirby Super Star had a dead roach inside that was half eaten by ants. The cart no longer works.

Also had a Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter for the saturn with small holes on the recording surface, it had problems skipping some audio tracks but was playable.

Also have a Famicom game with no shell, PCB only (don't quite remember what game it was)

[izarate]

Also, I have a copy of Bust-A-Move that's in near mint condition, maybe even mint. However, for some strange reason, the game won't start. Before people recommend to clean it, I have hundreds of cart based games which I've gotten to work, including ones that people thought were broken. I've tried sanding the contacts, rubbing alcohol, and cooktop cleaner, all very good at cleaning carts, but to no avail.

Maybe a cold solder joint? Or a broken solder pad? I was given a MUSHA cart that had a missing solder pad. A little sanding and soldering was all it took:

[SparTonberry]

Most of my games are pretty good.
I think I ruined a Tekken 3 CD by Disc-Doctoring it, and I got a few crappy PS1 discs from EB when they were getting rid of them.
Got a bad used copy of FF Tactics with a dirty manual. It seemed to work in an emulator, but my PS2 would freeze in the opening scene.
I got a clean copy later.

I keep my games away, but somehow my dog managed to bite my Final Fantasy Legend 2 and Megaman & Bass (GBA) carts.
But they both worked fine when I last played them. I might have had to wiggle FFL2 into the GB cart slot.
I got Guardian Legend with a sun-damaged case (darkened plastic and faded label). Complete Castlevania for NES, though the box was probably flattened and the manual water-damaged when I got it.

[Diosoth]

My spare Sonic 3 has a pretty worn label. Though give me another few days of being unable to sell that Genesis and it's going to get a hammer taken to it with plenty of pics posted of the damage.

[scooterb23]

Am I missing something? I don't see any pics posted by sonicwolf.

Yeah, darkslime, sonicwolf...same thing :P

[darkslime]

Yeah, darkslime, sonicwolf...same thing :P

You discovered my secret!

[Haoie]

Maybe it's me, or do PS1 black discs scratch a lot easier than any other CD?

[Sailorneorune]

It does seem like it, but my $4 disc only Symphony of the Night, bought at Book Broker from genuine couch cushion change during my 2nd year of high school, still works just fine.

[Lady Jaye]

My worst condition game ever, although I no longer have it, was my copy of Jedi Arena for the 2600. The label had gone and somewhat it was easy to take apart the cart. To keep it closed, I used a Panini sticker of Stéphane Richer from the Montreal Canadiens (heh, that was in the late 80s).

One cart that made me giggle was a loose copy of Plaque Attack with a bad case of actiplaque on the label. That was in SlyDC's stock, way back in the day (doubt he still has it).

[FlufflePuff]

My copy of Snow Brothers has almost no label on it. It has been shredded to the point that I can see "Snow" and "thers". Ironically enough, the rest of the cart is in great shape. Normally I wouldn't have purchased a cart in that shape, but it's hard enough to find that I justified it.

[SamuraiSmurfette]

As far as label condition goes, probably these:



If you can't tell, it's Megaman X2 and X3.
I traded them away for a Jaguar.


Also, I bought a model 1 SCD at a thrift a few weeks back. I assumed it wouldn't work, as was my luck with SCD units. To my surprise, it was flawless. Not only that, but there was a copy of Lethal Enforcers in it that played! I took the disc out and....wow...it honestly looked like it had been mauled by a bear eating peanut butter. Chipped edges, holes in the foil layer, gunky fingerprints...I threw it out.