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How to Stop a Blinking NES

You have just retrieved your ancient Nintendo Entertainment System from your parents' attic, where it had been sitting for years. You dust it off. You make all the proper connections. You insert the cartridge, press down and the spring-loaded cartridge bay locks the game into place. Your anticipation is building. You press the power button -- but the screen begins to flash, along with the power light. Disappointment floods over you. You have forgotten the problem that plagued many, if not most, NES users. The NES was a rather unreliable game console, and the flashing power light was a common problem. Over the years, many users found ways to beat this problem. If your vintage NES needs help with a flashing power light, you might be able to solve the problem using a set of time-tested techniques.

Things You'll Need

Cotton swab
Rubbing alcohol
NES cleaning kit

Instructions

- 1
  Reset the console several times. Tap the "Reset" button lightly 5 to 20 times. This might cause the NES to "catch." The light could stop blinking and you will be able to play your game.
- 2
  Insert the cartridge at a very slight angle before you press it down into the system. Sometimes the cartridge will not line up properly -- trying it at a different angle can fix this problem.
- 3
  Slide the cartridge less deeply into the NES than you usually would -- just far enough inside so that it makes a rough "click" against the front of the console as you press it down. Sometimes this will allow the proper connection to occur between the NES and the cartridge.
- 4
  Tap the cartridge slightly after it has been locked down into the NES. Reset it after each tap. Sometimes this will align the cartridge and console just right, making the game work.
- 5
  Blow on the metal contacts of the cartridge before you insert it. This is the classic method for stopping the blinking light and making the game play. This may clean away dust or add a slight bit of moisture that makes the contacts work better.
- 6
  Clean the metal contacts of the cartridge with a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol. Find the strip of circuit board protruding from one end of the cartridge. Clean the little metal strips on both sides. Gunk and oxidation can build up on the metal and prevent data from passing correctly between the cartridge and the NES. Cleaning the strips might allow the data to pass correctly.
- 7
  Clean the metal contacts inside the console with a cleaning kit designed for the purpose. These are sometimes available on eBay or at secondhand stores. Follow the instructions for the individual kit. Usually this involves turning off the NES, moistening a cleaning card and inserting it into the NES multiple times. Cleaning the contacts can allow the electronic signal to pass correctly between the cartridge and the console.
- 8
  Try another game. Sometimes a particular game cartridge just won't work. Swap it out for another and you might have more luck.

Classic Console Games