Faulty eBay Nintendo GAME & WATCH - Squish - Trying to FIX

[@StezStixFix]

Very nice Vince 👍 Only you would think of using a pencil to fill in the carbon track - Genius! Now you have the Game & Watch buzz, you'll definitely want more of them. They are simply beautiful little devices.

[@TheCod3r]

I love the ingenuity in some of these videos 😃 hey stez by the way 👋

[@StezStixFix]

@@TheCod3r Hey Phil! 👋

[@TheCod3r]

@@StezStixFix your channel seems to be doing quite well now mate, well done 👏

[@StezStixFix]

@@TheCod3r thanks Phil. Your subs seem to be going up every minute! Happy days! 😍

[@TheCod3r]

@@StezStixFix haha yeah my videos are showing in recommended for tronicsfix videos now so it's giving me a huge boost 😃

[@TheCod3r]

Steve and Vince in the same hour! My eyes deceive me, the world is balancing out 😆🤣

[@calzonemoto4651]

who's steve?

[@adubstyle81]

Whose steve

[@TheCod3r]

@@adubstyle81 TronicsFix on KZbin mate he's awesome

[@rbuschy]

I just wanted to say that before finding your channel I never would have thought to track a Trace Line, Scrapping it to find another solder point. I recently had to redo a gaming mouse I had done before and all 5 Traces lifted during the repair. So I just traced them out and scrapped the board, added some flux and resoldered it. Worked like a charm, so thanks for the vids.

[@markbradley1975]

It’s brought back memories of when I was about 6 or 7 years old and getting a game and watch game. Cutting edge technology of the hand held world in the very early 80’s. well done Vince on the fix.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

Great perseverance with this one Vince.I’d have got fed up by now with it so great stuff.

[@calzonemoto4651]

Vince, I don't know if you read the comments, but your videos inspired me to fix a few things at home I normally would have thrown out of paid someone else to fix. I was successful in fixing an old xbox360 disc tray and a vacuum food saver that wouldn't make vacuum. Thanks!!

[@ToxoRetro]

I genuinely thought this was knackered. But of course MMV doesn't give in easily, pushing further than many would even dare. G&W is such an iconic line of gaming relics, so well done on saving one. Bravo!

[@RetroTechRepair]

Great repair Vince. At each twist and turn I was sure you'd fixed it. Got to admire your patience. The pencil was genius! Nice work

[@Mymatevince]

Thanks Retro :-)

[@thedutchretrogamer]

wow mate that realy gave me a trip down memory lane i had 3 of them back in the day thank you have a retro weekend

[@thedutchretrogamer]

thank you

[@TheSkaldenmettrunk]

It works absolutely fine. Very interesting Video.

[@AcornElectron]

Keep up the good work fella and stay safe. Switch are the bane of my life currently for fixes. When will Nintendo redesign the stick? Never!

[@EgoChip]

I have been binge watching your videos, I don't necessarily understand everything that is happening in them but I love seeing this old stuff come back to life. Old technology is fascinating and it's kind of sad how everything seems to have converged into one smartphone device these days. True originality and innovation seem to be a thing of the past.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

What you say is so true We are a world of lazy people,everything in one place on a phone.if they had thought in the early 80s when phones first came out that they’d have everything in one place on the phone they’d have laughed at you.......these old devices are the best.you could buy different things and that was the way to do things

[@zebeezy5141]

I use to WATCH your how to connect past controllers to switch and the wii, wii u, xbox, etc. But I miss watching you channel I love you and your family i gotta make sure I subscribe after I finish this comment.

[@internetjunkie5241]

In my childhood I used to have a snoopy tennis and my friend had a donkey Kong game and watch. Great video.

[@tom_123]

Given how dirty many of these old devices are, inside and out, I’d be tempted to sterilise as much of the device as possible, not just wiping down with wet wipes. Another good video!

[@HavingFunRepairs]

3 days to fix and sometimes 3 days of video editing too. LOL. Wonderful repair. It reminded me that I should probably purchase a conductive ink pen or PCB repair pen.

[@abdulhkeem.alhadhrami]

Thanks for posting this Vince, i was really bored, fun watch!

[@Richiecandylover]

I love this video! Great repair! And good to know I can use this video for a 30 minute nap with the alarm at the end :-)

[@Umbreon_Eevee]

The Game and Watch Gallery series is really fun

[@Bloodyguts75]

Way to keep at it Vince!

[@PUHCsi]

A good way to clean the black carbon pads on the underside of the rubber buttons is simply to drag them on a piece of writing paper

[@sweetlilmre]

Nice! These are fiddly as F to work on. If you ever get one with an old faded polariser you can use the polariser from a broken lcd monitor to replace with. Rescued 7 this way and they are 100% now.

[@hgvmatt6710]

I have several Nintendo game & watches (had them as a 70s/80’s kid!) but won’t be taking them apart.., think the hammer would’ve been out after 2nd-3rd attempt of fixing!.., very interesting videos 👍

[@mrjsv4935]

Nice fix :) I remember these and have a one screen game myself from 1983, a Q&Q King Kong game still works, but had to bend a bit the battery contact metal stripe as it didn't make good contact after being 25 years in cold storage. In the 80's, school teachers didn't much like these beeping little electronic games :D

[@AnonymousRepair]

Nice repair well done

[@android01978]

Good job with the repair. I think you could make replacement membranes for the buttons. I managed to get a Mario bros watch which was missing a button and managed to cast some rtv silicone into a 3D printed mould to recreate the buttons and membrane. I guess it depends how much time you want to invest though.

[@Blitterbug]

Loving your vids, Vince. Tip: Clean items thoroughly, especially round the battery contacts before powering up, and if water damage is suspected this goes double. It can really fook a piece of electronics if you don't!

[@ThePoxun]

The screws on handhelds like these were often just regular steel screws which would rust fairly easily due to the perspiration from the hands of people playing them.

[@jasonsandford2987]

Thoroughly enjoyed that one when i was younger i had a donkey kong one kept me entertained for hours

[@coldfire0101]

i remember using a pencil to overclock the old AMD Athlon processors. that silver paint looks like its seen better days

[@Puremindgames]

Vince: nice to get something that doesn't take 3 days to fix *4 Days Later

[@JuicyJakeRepairs]

great fix, i imagine this is a common issue!

[@BaconSniffer578]

That music when you were cleaning 😭😭😭 don’t mind me just jumping out the window

[@Recordable2000]

No, Don't do that!

[@BaconSniffer578]

@@Recordable2000 we good. I’m on the ground floor.

[@stephenjones5079]

Great fix video, something different.

[@patprop74]

As a collectable that one is no good as its missing, its original faceplate screw covers One on the bottom right sides that indicates clock and alarm settings and the two top ones. nice little fix though, you could always use a bit of masking tape to define a trough before applying your conductive material and to spread it out more evenly.

[@humacao01]

Nice fix Vince. I used to loved these growing up. Too bad they have become super expensive, maybe try getting them from Japan like Elliot does. I loved the Super Mario one and the orange and gold Donkey Kong one as well as a green Donkey Kong which I think is Jr. Yeah these are super cool.

[@dom291]

Great vid Vince. Avoid using IPA to clean carbon traces/contacts it will erode them away, you could clean and clean with IPA and it would ultimately just remove all the carbon, instead use contact cleaner or WD-40 (worst case) which will not eat away at these. Loved the idea with the pencil, I've seen the all black style glue on ebay and wonder if it is just a graphite powederised glue which may be better suitwd for this.

[@leegoderz83]

Great video fella 👍👍

[@robertlawrence9000]

I had 2 Game & Watches in the 80's. I wish I still had them. That one you had looks like a more expensive one. I had Super Mario and a Donkey Kong one. They were both single screen without the clamshell design.

[@MrStereoify]

I'd try to scrape off the "test pads" and solder jumper wire between them around the buttons. You can see one already has copper showing through. The plastic will rub through anyway again I think.

[@dodgydruid]

Just finishing up an afternoon fixing some of my unique straps for my watches today like my TW Steel chrono's one which let go the locked keeper and buckle and the horrid aliexpress "authentic" replacement I got for it was absolutely dreadful. Am in the process of cataloguing my watch collection as its gotten a bit out of control and doing it in sections for a nice video and I think some will be surprised at the Soviet collection's size but also the Pulsar selection I have accumulated made me blink a bit as I was sure I didn't buy half of 'em O.o Going to finish listening and watching your vid whilst I replace my very sexeh Accurist AS10's alarm piezo contact spring and another job done :D

[@israelgutierrez9304]

Nice, that was the one i have as a Child, still got It.

[@Tim_3100]

Great video vince

[@turbojoe74]

Great video Vince. Would love more game and watch fixes. I have a Mario Bros dual screen with sprites that flicker on and off at random on the right screen. I assume it's a connection issue somewhere but I cant find anyone who has fixed a similar problem anywhere on youtube ☹️

[@JASTV-qd9md]

Excellent work. I have a game and watch that works well, but only if I press the unit together. In other words, there are no sounds or visuals, but if I put my finger on the front of the game, my thumb on the back and apply pressure, it works. I opened it up and cleaned it well, also thinking perhaps it just hadn't been screwed back together firmly...nope. Then I put some thin cardboard inside the unit and got partial visuals & sound. Something inside is just not touching something else as it should, but I can't figure it out. Any suggestions?

[@Operational117]

I kinda had a feelin’ pencil graphite would work. It is a pure carbon material, like the carbon pads used (for both the button presses and the overhead traces). Never seen a circuit board use overhead traces, though... usually, it’s interconnected with pins or (if the designers felt especially lazy) wires. But carbon traces have a resistance, so maybe they used that instead of regular traces and resistors to limit the current flow while maintaining the low profile design? They might not have had access to affordable multi-layer circuit boards back in mid-80s, much less affordable low-profile SMD resistors, and the Game & Watch-series was designed with affordability in mind.

[@johan2856]

This is a great video 🏆 if you allow me I have a question . . . . I recently bought a Game & Watch - Mickey & Donald from 1982, it works fine, however I need to change the polarization of the lower screen . . . . . but the real problem is that one of the hinges that hold the upper screen is loose and the other hinge is broken . . . I don't quite understand if it has a screw or something inside for this function ?. I would really appreciate your advice to solve this problem.

[@GadgetUK164]

=D Great job, but do you know what the easier fix is - scratch the trace (well before that broken part), solder a fine wire onto the trace, find part of a trace that leads to the other disconnected side, and solder the wire there. Just a single strand of wire around the outside of where the direction pad fits, so it doesnt get pressed on etc. The probleem with any kind of fix directly under the pad, with use the pad with wear through the fix =/

[@markdeon3516]

Hey Vince ,can we see a next eBay repair challenge between you tronics fix,Tampa tec,the retro future,stezstix fix

[@solveit1304]

This is clever cheap design - instead of resistors they use carbon tracks.

[@wphanoo]

i think they use them more as jumpers than resistors, because otherwise it's a 1-layer board

[@solveit1304]

@@wphanoo who gonna use carbon track as jumper wire with 1kOhm resistance?

[@wphanoo]

@@solveit1304 because it's doesn't matter for most signals (almost no current flows), for example you could have a 10k or more resistor in series with you button input it would work as well.

[@solveit1304]

@@wphanoo so why not use copper trace? And why they got 1k Ohm, not 0.8k or 1.3k? You can stop commenting now, cause you not gonna convince me that they made all that carbon track hassle instead of copper track for signal.

[@wphanoo]

@@solveit1304 Because single layer copper is cheaper, especially back in the days. They had to have a carbon layer anyway for the button pads, so if they can also use that to do tracks they'll do it. It's ok if i don't convince you, I'm just here to share thoughts. For that kind of signal path 1K ohm or 1.3 doesn't matter, it just need not to be overly huge (like 1M) so the chip can still sense the voltage.

[@drunkensamurai3172]

on the silver backing card is there a special polarising film ? as ive had to swap one out and there's no display even when I put new film on

[@SimonNemeth]

My electronics teacher always pronounced it 'peezo'. They're versatile little things. I've got a few old Yamaha DD drum sets (the little units with the rubber pads) and they use these to detect hits. There's one under each pad. The way they work means they're velocity sensitive as well.

[@DK640OBrianYT]

Vince. There must be better solutions around with refurbishing carbon pads/tracks than to cover them with silver paint. I have some sticks from IBM that are deliberately made electrically conductive for the specific purpose of making tracks. These looks more or less identical to thick pencil leads. How about tracking down some of these or experiment with Staedler's softer pencils, that are made to leave thick carbon traces behind ? There's also carbon spray made for the purpose of producing conductive tracks, manufactoring potentiometers, et cetera. With a stencil you could refurbish the entire board with new pads and tracks.

[@christopherperry8693]

Pencil trick, reminds me of overclocking the AMD Athlon chip back in the 90's

[@pocksm]

Love the old game and watch

[@MK-qo1rz]

I tried to clean my Donald Kong mirror flip up game an watch... then I got the plastic screen bits fall off and the ribbon just come off... just like your one but now its not working been like that for over a year... I may try again after watching this. : )

[@Savage_7_99]

I had the zelda dual screen like this as a kid back in the 80's. Sold it for $100 couple years ago. Kind of wish I would have kept it.

[@iulianispas8634]

you got a good price considering the Argos start seling agian nintendo game wach with mario

[@michaelmartinez5217]

Finnaly some quality videos from someone who ain't some company trying to sell me some crap. Buy our merch. . . Nope oddly I would buy vince's merch if.he had any.lol

[@RetroFix]

My favorite quote from the video: “It’s cuz these have a little caulk on them, don’t they.”

[@distant2soul]

Tip of the hat

[@stevesmusic1862]

MAME supports these games I believe, and Isnt there a website where you can play them online? Snoopys Tennis the classic I remember playing back in childhood. Lovely design by Nintendo. A forerunner of the DS for sure!!

[@cheslinellis1707]

I still have my nintendo GnW Fire. When the buttons wore out I use the back of two pencils to control the left and right. Later I used buttons from a calculator. Now that ebay has been founded I might just get some replacement buttons.

[@neddy1287]

I used tin foil to replace the worn down carbon button as i cut it down to size and a dap of superglue works every time

[@borgred]

Another good fix

[@TheAxelay]

Ah Squish one of the 1st Nintendo Game & Watch games that I bought in the early to mid 80's! Great game but it can be cheap if your playing well as you'll eventually have a full on wall crush you to kingdom come! Ah that part via the cheap deaths really got on me. Never a problem with my copy except the panel with the directional UP/DOWN controller fell off and I had to glue it back on sigh...

[@dan_1150]

Hi Vince, please do a Trying To Fix Faulty Radio Controlled K9, I’ve bought two of them off eBay with a very strange fault, only the “Try Me” button works and they do not go through their normal boot sequence with the “On” button. I’ve tested the switch which is fine, the unit is getting power. I have jumped across a ribbon cable which has gotten it to boot, although continuity across the cable itself is good. Seems to be a strange common fault. Would be interesting to watch!

[@jevfot4526]

Nice vince

[@dodgydruid]

Oh those AG13 batteries you had, I used them in my Soviet quartz and it was that brand that killed my "big red star" Slava quartz, was in there less than a year and it just exploded inside... you prob want to get some Renata LR44's and have some peace of mind its not going to dissolve from the inside like some dodgy B rated alien movie O.o

[@dodgydruid]

JCB and Duracelll AG13/LR44's are also not too bad and I saw in the opening shots one of the cells looked a bit puffy on the flat bit and its something about these Chinese cheapo cells that the second they run out of angry pixies they consume the seal and spray corrosive goo all over your delicates, my Slave virtually all the tracks on the circuit board were gone, the coil looked like a dirty brown mess of partially dissolved copper, the stepper motor was gone and the main brass wheels looked like someone had munched thru 'em :( :(

[@AdmiralJonB]

What was the music that started around 8:55?

[@geoticci2833]

Bonjour, moi j'ai un souci sur les impulsion des boutons sur le (wide mickey) , rien ne repond malgre le nettoyage des boutton ni casser ni abîmé ni oxydé aucune reaction? penser vous que cela vienne de la puce de la carte mere ? Cdlt.

[@stephencresswell4760]

4.3 mm are the length of screws that are safe to use so that they don’t go too deep and cause damage. Also, I’d be replacing those rubber pads. They can cause issues.

[@frozenfritz]

Could you do a sewing machine next? This would be great to understand...

[@megamanfan3]

The mechanics for Squich was later reused for the Famicom game Devil World.

[@DonTsolovvv]

Nice deduction.

[@TampaTec]

Wow that's nostalgic.

[@Uncontrollable_Sphere]

YOU

[@distant2soul]

Aww good times

[@metrochel2575]

I have an idea for the next video: Multiple controllers working on NES Classic or Famicom Classic

[@codychadwick8179]

Hi VINCE I think i still have a broken drone if you want it let me know love your vids

[@brentpolk2431]

You could have placed the smallest amount of silicone on the inside of the button pads, where its separating. Once it was dry, the button would be stronger.

[@MizuhoChan]

I think I would've used some thin magnet wire rather than trying to repair the cheap fake dual layer carbon track that will probably be damaged by the up/down again. Still, at least it's working eh, congrats 👍

[@-Scraggyanne-]

I have some game n watch games, my favourite one is donkey Kong. Lost my original one so bought another off ebay a good few years ago 🙂

[@gustavefrankfurter6462]

Was this sold in the U.S.? I've never seen one. Please let me know. Cheers

[@Phil.I.Am1]

Hi Vince. Fabulous video as always. I have a Donkey Kong 2 Game & Watch I'd be happy to donate. It powers up ok but I think there's some wear on the ribbon that connects to the screens. Might be a nice 'Trying to Fix' video. Let me know if you're interested and we can arrange for me to send it to you 😁👍

[@AcornElectron]

Nice dual screen Squish... shame it’s in pretty poor condition.

[@cyberdracula6449]

Hello, you tried to use conductive ink to repair electronic card

[@william9apr]

love this video

[@Fifury161]

Reminds me of a Spectrum game called Splat!

[@fyphfoko]

when your game is over, you press "time" to, effectively, switch it off. you can't do it mid game for some reason. game B is game A but on hard mode. i'm assuming they all work this way

[@davidhale9730]

I've never understood why various eBay sellers describe items as "dirty" or "grubby"? When surely, it would only take a couple of minutes to give them a wipe over, and hopefully increase the value of the final sale? o.O

[@PUHCsi]

Hey Vince, you can't turn them off, as it's a watch

[@andreg.4184]

"Hi there! Vince here!" OMFG! Where's your "Hi! My name is Vince from mymatevince.com"? Got triggered after 10 seconds! :-p

[@brady72.]

Same

[@amaiorano]

I think you got this one for cheap! Game and Watch are so expensive these days.

[@ßssssssas]

Hi Vince, My friend added his account onto my Nintendo Switch I would like to remove it off of my Switch without deleting his account. Do you know how?

[@LEECHINLEONG0705]

nice

[@Vermilicious]

Cheap "dual layer" board. They really should've routed things differently, away from such spots. I think I'd just use a tiny wire instead in this case, if there are some good solder points. Maybe there isn't any. The solder resist wouldn't last forever, something the scratching made apparent. The silver paint might also wear off.

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

Of course lead pencils have conductive tip

[@albergoni2191]

My 7 year old cousin was by my side while playing in my 3ds and he looked at the video and said, what a weird 3ds

[@professorparabeetle]

1.) there is no best Lego Super Mario Player 2.) there is no rules 3.) there is no limit 4.) there is no legitimacy but your own judgement 5.) there is only fun

[@borisdg]

Cool! More videos like this are welcome. :)

[@shortboypinoy]

Hold a tick.... was the Aqua Blue 3DS based off the Squish MG-61??? My mind has been 17 years late blown!

[@SirZanZa]

Vince you didn't really sound cheerful on this video not sure if you are just tired or sick? don't feel you need to make video's when you are not feeling it, YT burnout is a real thing especially if you are ill . - Great bit of 80's kit though love it

[@currytigre]

You do know that a paper towel is like sand paper to those clear plastic screens you were cleaning, right?