Let's Fix this Broken Grind Stormer on Sega Genesis

[@JohnRiggs]

Fixing TMNT for NES - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJTRoY2niKmeq7s Fixing a Game boy color game - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpqkXpyZmtCMmKM

[@thelostdecade7767]

Hey John can you please do this swap for me??? Please! I just got grind stormer and my doesn't start! Please I've tried everything!

[@BumperSam]

I recently had this same issue and everyone seemed to be saying a board swap is the only way to fix it. Turns out the issue is a design flaw with the vias that cause them to become corroded. The game can be repaired simply by cleaning the vias by poking a resistor leg through them. Not sure if I'm allowed to post links here but I recently did a writeup on how to fix it on the ConsoleMods wiki for anyone who wants a guide on how to fix it this way.

[@low_e_music]

I always take some thin needle nose pliers, tweezers, or even my finger and gently wiggle each pin after desoldering to make sure that the pins are free to help avoid pulling up any traces. Learned that lesson the hard way, haha.

[@Kara_Kay_Eschel]

I read needle as noodle.

[@low_e_music]

@@Kara_Kay_Eschel Haha!

[@MagisterTuomo]

I used to do these things during the 90´s when the NES, SNES and Mega drive were the hot ones. I always enjoyed getting a call from someone who needed helt, and then the satisfaction from getting the work done. These videos give me the same satisfaction. Awesome work, John :). /Tuomo, Sweden.

[@benozkleenex]

Followed these instructions to the T and saved my grind stormer copy thanks.

[@GarmrNL]

What I usually do when removing a chip from a board is to first wiggle all desoldered legs of the chip to make sure they're actually loose from the board, and then push the legs in (from the undersize). Usually the chip will come off clean and you don't risk ripping legs off or traces out :-)

[@JohnRiggs]

Same. Genesis is always the cleanest, I think I needed to clean my desoldering gun as it had been a while since I last used it.

[@GarmrNL]

@@JohnRiggs Yeah I keep forgetting to clean the gun aswell, but it’s a great tool to have! I actually bought mine because of one of your video’s and it’s one of the best purchases I made!

[@TwistedIdentity]

When I first saw your open cart surgery videos I was like "whoop de doo you can use a q tip" but I love watching the ones where you have to replace the pcb and all. :P Great video as always.

[@AbdullaSulaimani]

Some Sega Genesis games like Flashback the quest for identity are 8 megs. This game was called a CDROM on a cartridge back then.

[@HieronymousLex]

I love Toaplan shooters. You can really see elements of modern bullet hells emerge throughout their catalog. Great video!

[@zankheal]

Such a great channel, it brings me so many good memories from my early days with gaming.

[@LoricElf]

You gave me the courage to test my Grind Stormer I bought about ten years ago. I treated it like Shrodingers cat after learning of the high fail rate.

[@frankstrasser6108]

You may not have needed to swap boards for this game most genesis games you can add 1k pull downs to a couple addresses to fix them but ya that’s a sure fire way to fix so cool. Also if you ever want to know if a game is still good(the rom, if the rom is not corrupt) you can dump the contents and see if they match up to a working roms dump to compare

[@thelostdecade7767]

I have sent that. Do you know where I can get someone to do this? I have one that doesn't work right now

[@frankstrasser6108]

@@thelostdecade7767 I could fix it if you want let me know and we could work it out

[@leefischer5814]

I love when I hear the sped up footage of the Hakko. Sounds like you're saying something dirty to Ecco the Dolphin for cutting you off in traffic 😂

[@calvinthedestroyer]

Metcal makes the best solder sucker, but it's pricey, plus it connects to an air compressor. But boy does it work good!

[@TheSocialGamer]

RIGGs.... do as you say not as you do... My OCD is going nuts seeing the 3 small scratches from the screwdriver when lifting the chip... 3:40 😆👀

[@HunterZBNS]

I was like "okay yeah we've all done it" - until I saw it wasn't a flat-bladed screwdriver, and then I was like "Riggs noooo!" lol

[@deltonviera2051]

Happy holidays Riggs🎄

[@brigurugi]

Is that the new screen/monitor from the semi-recent vid that you tested the game on? It looks fantastic hooked up with the Analog.

[@JohnRiggs]

It is! I did a review on it recently. Replaced my old screen (finally)

[@GamesfromtheGrave]

I have a copy of Pit Fighter sitting around waiting for the day.

[@daffyrwt]

you had me at hakko, john.... it's been sooooooo long since you've used that in one of these videos

[@RDJ134]

Standard Like :) Didnt new this game, looks like a lot of fun, glad you saved it and made me notice this one. Going to hunt the ROM for it, thanks.

[@miatakid2]

I love these videos. but I swear sometimes I expect you go full Paul Harvey cause God made a gamer

[@naturekid1335]

The intensity on your face was mesmerizing

[@ProWrestlingGamer]

I'll never understand why people would go through all this when you can just download the rom and emulate it if you really wanna play these old games.

[@chaseman94]

Nice job John. I still have my original copy of Grind Stormer stored away. I haven't played it years I hope it still works.

[@JohnRiggs]

better check, just in case.

[@devinkrike5968]

You can just beep the traces to see which one is broken and then solder a small wire where its broken. Granted this method is going to need small case modification so I guess board swap is a better option if you want to preserve the case. Not sure why sega designed a cart that makes the case rub on the pcb to the point of failure, that's a pretty bad oversight on their part.

[@randomretroplays3123]

Open cart, love it john 😊👍⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@danchristian7282]

Ol crazy eyes 😆 gotta love being nearsighted!

[@ZonicMirage]

Pit Fighter was on a Sega-made board, so Grind Stormer will be just fine.

[@tonyah.960]

Wonderful video John Riggs!

[@weedman1168]

Great video very interesting seeing your cart surgery

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

I’m still lucky with mine, still works for now.

[@ike-2357]

use to have Felix the cat for gameboy, i loved that game. it got lost in 2008 during a move, and i am always looking for a replacement, looking at the prices,.... Dang haven't tried it for nes, i have a nes but not that version, how does it play? great video!

[@mtshark7]

Excellent job John!😀

[@RonHelton]

Felix the Cat for NES? I guess I missed seeing that game.

[@TheJeremyHolloway]

Pretty sure all Tengen PCBs for the Sega Genesis go bad. They’re like as bad as Activision PCBs for the Atari 5200 sans the Actiplaque issue. I find that interesting considering both companies’ pedigrees.

[@jessefinnegan1719]

I have this exact same game with the exact same problem and don't have or wish to use a donor. Would Muramasa's GEN MD Basic work as a replacement board? Or do I need the advanced or some other board?

[@eastcoastandloveit3857]

I miss the old theme song it was great !.

[@JohnRiggs]

Same, but so many people just skipped over it I decided to drop it.

[@Owazrim]

It's Alive! Glad you addressed why you were using a donor board instead of getting a newly manufactured one. The Mega SG is great and with all of the adapters you can play Sega's 8-bit games and the Gen/MD library.

[@JohnRiggs]

I do love my Mega SG

[@jacktheripper4517]

These videos are great but hang on a minute Sodder??? You mean Solder :-)

[@calvinthedestroyer]

What goes wrong with the circuit board? Can I fix it with some bodge wires (rework wire)?

[@HunterZBNS]

Curious about this too, but I know it's not John's wheelhouse. Could be anything from rotted traces to cracked solder joints to failed capacitors?

[@calvinthedestroyer]

Johnriggs or someone, can you send me a bad board/s so that I can take a look at them?

[@EndUser2090]

How does the board fail? Do the contacts erode?

[@dereka4570]

Great vid! I’ve got a Krazy Kreatures nes cart that won’t work I’m tempted to send you.

[@jefflavenz7285]

I've been tempted to send him my copy of DJ Boy which hasn't worked at all since I got it secondhand, so I know that feeling.

[@JohnRiggs]

try cleaning it! most of the time that's all it is.

[@joeyjo-joshabadu9636]

How many times has Riggs fixed this game?

[@NotePadStudio]

I love these videos!

[@stephens9772]

I want the pocket so badly.

[@americansupervillain4595]

Does anyone know why the board always fails? It looks so basic that I cannot see what could fail on it.

[@JohnRiggs]

Wish I knew. Tengen-quality?

[@VintageTechRepairs]

Poor quality pcb. It delaminates and breaks traces on the board 👍

[@americansupervillain4595]

@@VintageTechRepairs Thank you.

[@ShinryuZensen]

I wonder if covering the whole pcb with clear nail polish before the board goes bad can prevent it to fail....

[@jeremygregorio7472]

I know it's a bit much but I would love to see you or frankly anyone fix a hucard

[@JohnRiggs]

I did an Open Cart Surgery on a HuCard recently.

[@jeremygregorio7472]

@@JohnRiggs holy crap I missed that. I'm going to go dig that up that's amazing.

[@diegocrusius]

you just killed Pit Fighter one of my favorite games on the system :(

[@tylerbowling]

Nothing wrong with "the push and shove." Use it myself.

[@kyurkus1]

What about Pit Fighter! Just joking, that game should be trashed. Glad Grind Stormer lives on.

[@sxhbk]

mad scientist

[@Digital_Ninja279]

Can I have the bad Grind Stormer board?

[@kevinstrade2752]

Lol. I have an original SG...it started getting more difficult to fire up. So....I bought a pirated copy. Lol no bad caps.

[@1985milkdud]

Do you fix cds I need your skills on my mass destruction Sega Saturn game lol

[@JohnRiggs]

I don't. Wish I could.

[@1985milkdud]

@@JohnRiggs me to I love that game and Saturn games getting expensive lol

[@frankstrasser6108]

Just fixed one without needing to transfer the pcb if anyone needs one fixed let me know

[@marior6299]

Sounds like someone shoulda took beano before filming

[@josvandoesburg8746]

Glad to see some actual use for this travesty called Pit-Fighter. :D

[@landmind666]

You should use flux

[@OppressedApe]

Pit Fighter on Genesis, ew.

[@Xx1SailorScoutxX]

still better than the SNES port

[@JohnRiggs]

better than the SNES port.

[@reapermtl]

Use flux hahah