Misc. Genesis Questions From A New Owner

[BlueBlur]

Hi all, I just got my Genesis in the mail the other day and I have some inquiries.

1. Does AAAHH! Real Monsters require the 6-button controller? All I have is a 3-button and I can't figure out how to switch between the characters.

2. The sound is fine on the rest of the games I have, but there's no sound on Animaniacs. Also, when I play Sonic 1, it takes about a level and a half before the full audio is heard (before that I only hear half of it). Is this a problem with the hardware (model 1, 1601) or the software?

3. On Caesar's Palace, I go to play the slots, but it won't let me out to do anything else in the game. Does this one require the 6-button pad?

4. I can't get Marko to work in my system. It won't boot up at all. All I get is "produced by or under license from sega" followed by a black screen.

Any help with this would be appreciated.

[Joe Redifer]

1. No game REQUIRES the 6-button pad. Some games definitely benefit from having it, but all games are made with 3-button owners in mind as well.

2. That is really odd.

3. Try looking in the instruction manual to see how to play, or maybe GameFAQS.com has some info on what you are supposed to do.

4. Could be a bad cart, but then again....

I think the cartridge port connector on your Genesis needs to be cleaned as well as your games. Get some Isopropyl alcohol, the more alcohol the better (I use about 94%). Take a Q-tip or a swab and get it really wet with the alcohol and rub it all over the pins on the bottom of a Genesis cart of your choice. Make sure it gets really wet. Don't blow on it or try to dry it. While it is still really wet, shove the cart into your Genesis and remove it again and again. This will help get alcohol on the connector pins. Repeat this process at least once. Now clean the carts with a soaked swab. Both sides, of course. The swab may become dirty, so be sure to have a few extra. Again, don't try to dry the alcohol. It won't hurt anything. As a last resort, try using some fine sandpaper on the cart pins. Rub both sides well and then blow it off.

Now check to see if your games have the same problems.

[0x15e]

Something to try on the cart after you use the alcohol but before sandpaper would be to use one of those big pink erasers on the contacts. Clean with alcohol, then use the eraser, then clean with alcohol again. I've only ever had one cart where the eraser didn't work. It was a Neo Geo MVS cart with rust on the contacts and it took sandpaper to get it working.

[VinnyT]

Hi all, I just got my Genesis in the mail the other day and I have some inquiries.

1. Does AAAHH! Real Monsters require the 6-button controller? All I have is a 3-button and I can't figure out how to switch between the characters.

2. The sound is fine on the rest of the games I have, but there's no sound on Animaniacs. Also, when I play Sonic 1, it takes about a level and a half before the full audio is heard (before that I only hear half of it). Is this a problem with the hardware (model 1, 1601) or the software?

3. On Caesar's Palace, I go to play the slots, but it won't let me out to do anything else in the game. Does this one require the 6-button pad?


4. I can't get Marko to work in my system. It won't boot up at all. All I get is "produced by or under license from sega" followed by a black screen.

Any help with this would be appreciated.


1. I believe it involves pressing A+C and the same time, unless i'm absolutely mixing games up.

2. Broken games.

3. Down+A when you want to leave. And pressing C brings up your wallet.

4. Did it work before? Did you clean the crap out of it? If it has never worked, you got sold a LEMON!

[BlueBlur]

Well, the seller told me the stuff had belonged to her son and "he always took good care of his things". I'm realizing she may be a bit clueless. I'll try cleaning Marko, though, and see if I can get it to work. Thanks.

[0x15e]

The Marko problem definitely sounds like a dirty cart to me (and / or dirty slots). After you clean it, if it still gives you problems, try this: Insert the cart into the slot all the way, then slightly pull one side (as in, the left or right side) up a little so the cart is in the slot at a very small angle. That's helped with some of my really picky Genesis carts / systems.

[BlueBlur]

I'll try that. Thanks for the suggestion.

[David J.]

The other games you might need to clean...

I had a copy of Metal Head for the 32X and it would lock up after the first level. I cleaned it, and it worked. And I think after I sold it to Nick it still worked.

[Genesis Knight]

Yup, it worked ace until I sold it to Vinny. Vinny, does it work?

[Joe Redifer]

Is this some sort of Metal Head hot potato?

[VinnyT]

Hey Joe, need a copy of Metal Head?

Seriously, it works just fine!

[megabomberman]

Hey guys shouldn't this thread be in the tech-aid subforum? Also great advice, I can try some of this stuff on some of my dodgy carts, Also Joe et all, why don't ye do a feature where a group of the sega-16 tech heads have a discussion on how best to fix broken carts?

There are tonnes of sites out there with good knowledge on how to mod segas, or fix them or replace parts... with all the knowledge thats on this site, why should anyone have to go any further? There should be an article....


PS If there is one already ignore this please ;)

[Joe Redifer]

I'd do a feature like that, but I don't have a drill sander and there would definitely need to be humorous remedies as well.

[Zebbe]

Why not make a feature about the Sega-16 whore Metal Head?

[zeed]

all good advice but I think cleaning the cart before using it to clean the genesis edge connector would be the proper order.

[Genesis Knight]

Why not make a feature about the Sega-16 whore Metal Head?

Vinny and I are actually working on that. Not kidding.

[Archie]

Thanks everyone for the great tip about cleaning with alcohol! I tried it tonight and it worked like a charm--Prior to this, some of my carts wouldn't fire up and others I had to fiddle with to get them to engage--after cleaning, everything is up and running perfectly. Much appreciated...Archie