Lots of late charcoal models also have translucent green cartridge trays. This is because the first translucent console was the Jungle Green and it was the best selling one due to the DK64 bundle. For economies of scale, Nintendo continued using them for charcoal consoles.
Correct. They had quite a bit of left over premixed resin so they used it for the cart slot since it wouldn't be seen. Some people say that Nintendo also did this because of supply shortages of the gray resin so they made this decsision to make sure they had enough for other gray components that used the same resin. That's never been confirmed though.
2:42 The green thing under the hood, is the part that Made the N64 to be used in certain regions. The games from US, JAP are slightly different. And this part was also replaced If you wanted to make your N64 region free
@YeOldeGeezer it's better than alot of pokemon games honestly. Its one of my favorites. I like Pokemon Rumble as well. It isnt a n64 game but its one of my favorite pokemon games
I know I've posted this before, but I love my iFixit toolkit. I have the same pro kit you used. I can vouch about their warranty as well. I had a pad on one of the tweezers snap off. I contacted them, and they sent me a two new sets of pads. Easy replacement and still use my tool kit. Worth buying one.
I like taking apart old electronics from 20 or 30 years ago. Not all, but some products have so much excess space inside the case. Miniturization was a thing, but they didn't go crazy with it back in the day 😂. Also, seems easier to work with when the parts are spaced apart more.
Absolutely amazing that all it needed was the contacts to be cleaned. It just goes to show you that there are people who don’t know what needs to be done to “fix” your console with just a cleaning. Now off to the cleaning of this console video. haha
I totally agree! I am having an issue with a non-working Atari 2600 cartridge that I got recently since I have cleaned the contacts while still in the shell. I don’t want to damage the label since the screw is underneath. I may try buying Deoxit instead of using IPA and even Brasso with IPA afterwards. I’m not giving up on it.
I bought this same edition about a year ago for 60£. I was told it was faulty but I took the risk and with the same cleaning you did I managed to fix it and expand my console collection :)
I got the full set (including the original blue-green controller) for around 50 Euros years ago, it was only missing the little blue cover over the Jumper Pak. You can get literally any replacement colour jumper pak cover from China, except the blue one. Was a massive pain to get the blue replacement cover, I think it took me two years to finally find one.
Steve, all you needed was the plastic thumbstick and not any of the mechanisms, just pull off the un-broken thubstick (replacement part) and pop it on the pin on the pokemon one.
I have one of the first iFixit gray roll up tool kits and the bits started to rust. The Chrome plated start to come off and I reached out to iFixit and they was glad to ship me a replacement tool kit! I use my tools to take apart laptops and printers every day! I heavily rely on my tools kit. I totally agree what you said about them! iFixit is awesome!
A fellow toothbrush user for cleaning I see. Honestly it's one of the best things I have ever decided to dedicate to my toolbox, gentle enough not to break anything, but it also gets cleaner nicely into every crevice. Saved me many times. Great video as always.
I came here looking for a comment about the toothbrush. What should I use on the toothbrush to clean this? My N64 Pikachu edition just decided to stop working but I suspect it's due to the same reasons as the one in the video 😅
You can think of Magic eraser like really fine sandpaper. It’s a type of melamine foam. Im not sure what the equivalent grit would be. But it is in fact an abrasive.
I'm kinda bummed you just needed to clean it. I wanted to see you get into the machine more deeply. I hope you do more N64s in the future! Maybe PS1 or Genesis? Or even something more obscure, could you find and fix something like a 3D0?
For cleaning the cartridge fingers can I suggest using one of those white vinyl erasers? They do a great job in removing crud and are totally non-abrasive.
i've ripped apart many an oem and aftermarket n64 controller. i don't recall seeing the caged pot style like sony/xbox controllers have, in the oems. they all look like the style in the other one and the replacement part/parts kit. and the oem controllers that came with the pikachu (big body) systems were dark blue on top (with white bordered yellow text pokemon logo), yellow on bottom, like the consoles. oem controllers also have the jst connectors on the jotstick assembly and aren't soldered in. also the rubber z button pad is captive to the clips that hold in the pcb to the joystick housing. later separately released pikachu controllers came with orange (two shades, depending on region) or lighter blue tops with white/yellow text saying Pikachu with nintendo 64 under it, and outlined lightning bolts around it. the jp pikachu edition bundled the orange top controllers with an orange top n64 at some point. the nintendo logo on the top of all of them is slightly recessed to the body face, and the text recessed further still. the never bundled (with this style of system, but were with later regular shaped ones with blue/yellow plastic tops/buttons/cart doors) yellow top blue bottom controller just had a blue outline pokemon logo on it, and a yellow shell on the plug. for that matter, all the pokemon/pikachu controllers have color matching plug shells, as do 99% of all oem n64 controllers. that was definitely a knockoff. on a lark i tried to find the brand that made the ones with the caged style of stick... iNNEXT. around $15 brand new each. okay rated, so-so quality. they only seem to sell the yellow top blue bottom variants in the multi-packs, 2 or 4. so around 25-30 for the 2 pack up to around 50 for the 4 pack.
Wow, the picture on your HDTV is surprisingly sharp and clear for a composite only outputting console. Are you using an upscaler or is the TV just a model that knows what to do with 240i?
My uncle gave me his when I was in middle school and when we moved houses I found out my grandma sold it for like $15. My uncle and I were very disappointed
I believe the Yellow n64 controller you got isn’t genuine Nintendo, and doesn’t have the Nintendo logo on the top of it, and that’s the reason you couldn’t fix it. Great video tho! 8:53
A Pikachu N64 popped up at a local game store a few months back with a plain gray controller for around $250. I knew it was a deal but I passed on it. I'm still kicking myself for not picking it up.
Hi, I've just watched your video fixing the pokemon N64, loved it and i always watch your content! I noticed you couldn't get that controller working. I've actually got the exact same consol and the original controller that came with it with a whole bunch of games that I've been contemplating selling to the right buyer. Obviously it has sentimental value as I grew up playing it for many years! I'm reaching out to you to see if you would like to purchase my old friend, the analog is a bit sticky and sometimes games don't always load up, which is probably due to needing a good deep clean, but I know a man of your talents with the Ifixit tool kit would work wonders on this absolute gem of a consol. Let me know if your interested and I'll send over some pictures of the consol and games.
All that yellow-top controller is missing is the actual plastic-thumb-stick part, replace that and you're good! (could drill a precision hole in a cut-down stick from a worn-out original-style mechanism and use that)
I can't imagine how many people would have just tossed the system in the garbage and bought a new one. A little work can save you $$$. Nice job Steve! How about an Atari 2600 or an old Colecovision system for a future video?
These were the first controllers I took apart 22 years ago and it was hell putting the authentic joystick back together without a video showing the easy way to do it! That I found out about like a year ago 😩 My favorite console to take apart to clean is the GameCube! Directions are printed on the motherboard pieces!
the way people scrub these gold contacts to "clean" them left me always worried, if i remember correctly, not long ago (2-3 years) i think it was gpu or ram related were companies said dont clean them with alcohol and abrasive material, the gold contacts "plated" to prevent dirt building up (something like that or it will ruin the finish to make proper contact) and if you really need to clean them they said microfaber cloth, a bit IPA & swipe it 2-3 times at most, the dark "residue" is not dirt and will always appear even on new products. i dont know if it is true especially on older products. have to admit i did it too, on older ram but it was basically unused and used 99,9% alcohol & a cotton swab and black stuff came up on the swab - i could used 3-4 swabs and prob still more would come off of it. (couldnt see the "dirt" on the ram before, but it was suggested to clean it from a "tech" yt -> 1-2 weeks later it was advised not to do it like that)
N64s are pretty indestructible, I flip video game stuff locally and they usually just need a clean of the expansion/game slots to work. Everything I sell gets a deep clean in the sink (shell, buttons, etc) and N64 transformations can be pretty drastic with how much dust gets in those vents on the top.
OG N64 Controllers used an optical joystick that are difficult and expensive to reproduce. Aftermarket controllers, and even the new N64 Switch controllers all use potentiometers instead in various layouts. Most of them do not replicate the feel of the original very well. I believe there is one manufacturer of optical replacements but I don't know the quality. I would try to replace the mechanical components to salvage the original hardware.
I read somewhere that in europe they made more Pokomon N64's than any other colour. I remember buying mine for £20 brand new when no one wanted them anymore 😆
I'm building a prusa mk4 today. I'll be using my brand new electric screw driver and my ifixit kit for assembly. They give you tools. I know from past experience they make your hands hurt like hell. lol Building a printer with 99% just an allen key is not a good time. lol
I also fixed a Japanese Pikachu NUS-CPU-09-1 with the stamped heat sink (no heat blocks) by accidentally shorting pins 1 & 2 on the NUS-AMP chip. It had no audio but this instantly restored full audio. I had already replaced all capacitors between the NUS-AMP and the multi-out as well as replacing the NUS-AMP chip but none of that worked. I was slowly working my way through one component at a time with a cap kit and a known-good spare parts board so I could figure the exact component that was responsible. The accidental short happened when I was checking voltage on the NUS-AMP which sent 12v into a nearby capacitor (25v rated so it’s fine), instantly “reforming” it. It was one of the caps which had not yet been replaced. I stopped replacing things immediately so I could see if it would fail again. I’ve tested it once a year for three years since and it hasn’t failed again. The reason you see so many late-model consoles with issues like this is because that’s when Panasonic began reformulating their capacitors for future RoHS compliance. They don’t have the black square to indicate Pb-free but they are definitely failing at a higher rate than earlier N64 consoles. Earlier revisions pretty much never need caps… though their power supplies are another story.
I didn't see Picachu's cheeks lighting up red when powering up the N64 at the end, so I can't accept this console as fully fixed, only partially working 🙂
I just realized the other day that they are supposed to light up. They do work now so not sure what happened in the video. Maybe I just forgot to plug them in.
I have one of those that got pretty dirty just from regular use, and I feel like I should take it apart to deep clean it, but at the same time I'm scared of breaking it since it's fully functionnal right now
Use to have a pikachu N64 when I was a kid. Unfortunately the power supply died on it so we replaced that power supply with a power supply from a different N64. It worked well for another few months and then the console just died with a puff of smoke. Sad day.
I had to tear down a used N64 I bought since it wasn't working, and all of its internal issues were solved by a really, REALLY good clean. Pro tip, if your cart and jumper pak are clean but they still aren't reading (and you know they're good), you can remove the shielding down to the board and remove the cart reader itself. Once the screws are removed for everything else, it's only held on by the pins and should come right off, possibly with some mild wiggling involved. I had to do this a few times and really clean in/under it before it would come to life again. Unfortunately the jumper pak reader doesn't do the same. :( I also noticed that the charcoal OEM shells can get awfully brittle over time; mine was already chipped when I got it and just unscrewing things caused it to break further. I opted to replace it with a third party Atomic Purple one because most OEM charcoal replacements I saw online were chipped or broken just like mine.
@@Merkantoine Yeah, I would think so. 😂 The Xbox is basically a modern computer with an optical drive whereas the N64 is a cartridge-based 90's video game system. It's like comparing a modern smartphone to a 90's telephone!
Yeah that controller is not an OEM one To get the stick fixed I would suggest putting on a cap (?) OR since it is shaped like and oem controller, get a donor board and just put the replacement you had in the video, that would be easier tbh, its so weird how many options we have for n64 sticks replacements, yes only a bunch are actually good 😅 Other option I have seen some stick replacements whit that kind of connection, but would be hard to tell, since the controller of this video seems to be factured with that stick, so maybe after marketing sticks would just not work probably Great video and yeah N64s like 90% of the time are just dirty and that's why they don't work so, Word of avise everyone, if you think your n64 doesnt work Nah, just open them up and clean contacts, you'll be golden 😃
Kitch-bent sells analog joystick parts relatively cheap. It would require taking apart the analog module itself which isn't too hard considering how far you already went with taking the controller apart.
Hey i love your channel since you explain in a great detail, can i know if you ok with fixing a broken hard drive i know most people will say just get a new one, but i feel like it will be great content if you can fix one, not just clicking problem, try revive a shocked hard drive?
My fav console variant tbh. I got one at the beginning of the pandemic, for a far less price mentioned, but it's way cleaner than this, plus it came with the original controller, and a Pokemon game. N64 is also my fav retro console.
I’ve only ever bought and fixed up one of these Pikachu N64 in my life so far. That was back in 2014. Even then, finding a broken or untested unit with the stickers in tact was pretty difficult.
Imagine being the person who sold this at a low price, just to see some basic cleaning and a widely available joystick module would have had it running just fine
Hi TronicsFix , I have a question regarding a PS5 ... should I remove the 40+ plate screws and remove the plate whenever I want to clean the heatsink and power supply? or I just can leave the plate on and remove the entire plate and pcb together from the housing?
I got one of those secondhand as a gift from a family friend 20 years ago with a Pikachu controller. Mine still works, but it didn't read games most of the time, and the original Pikachu controller had a bad connection and the Z button didn't work anymore. Turns out the console was water damaged by the last owner, but thanks to the metal casings it wasn't damaged too badly. After a good clean, it now reads games all the time. And the controller needed little soldering. However, my controller looked the same inside as in the video, but it should be original. So weird! It's been over a year, so I'll check again. I have two Nintendo controllers and one newer aftermarket controller.
Bought one of these for 20$ a good while back. Guy sold it to me that cheap if I promised Id restore it. Which I did. It had to have been owned by a kid of course at some point. Dorito chips, a hair clip, a piece of a fork? And soda were on the inside of the console. I had to redo the shell due to some major damage. So itll never be original but in the end. It looks so nice and works very well! Even found stickers or ash and so on to place on the newly painted shell.
I have two broken super nintendos both have the same issue. I screwed up and killed the solder pad for the power connector attempting to resolder the new power connectors on. I would love to see if they can be fixed.
Lots of late charcoal models also have translucent green cartridge trays. This is because the first translucent console was the Jungle Green and it was the best selling one due to the DK64 bundle. For economies of scale, Nintendo continued using them for charcoal consoles.
That's good to know. Thanks for the comment.
Indeed and I used to have that Edition......
Correct. They had quite a bit of left over premixed resin so they used it for the cart slot since it wouldn't be seen. Some people say that Nintendo also did this because of supply shortages of the gray resin so they made this decsision to make sure they had enough for other gray components that used the same resin. That's never been confirmed though.
Any idea what model numbers/year they did this?
@@Merkantoine I first recall hearing about it with the Star Wars EP1 bundle.
You're right, that's an aftermarket controller. Genuine controllers have "Nintendo" branding on the face, but this one has none. (7:25)
2:42 The green thing under the hood, is the part that Made the N64 to be used in certain regions. The games from US, JAP are slightly different. And this part was also replaced If you wanted to make your N64 region free
What you need to do now is get a copy of HEY YOU PIKACHU and do a livestream 😊
Actually better idea is Stadium or Stadium 2 or both
@@michaelpopowich5095 yeah stadium for sure
Or Hey You Pikachu and both stadium games 🤷♂️
Inside joke?
@YeOldeGeezer it's better than alot of pokemon games honestly. Its one of my favorites. I like Pokemon Rumble as well. It isnt a n64 game but its one of my favorite pokemon games
Looks like that Yellow controller is also an aftermarket - no Nintendo logo on the front where it should be.
Yep
Bringing these old consoles back to life is so satisfying. These consoles deserve it.
I know I've posted this before, but I love my iFixit toolkit. I have the same pro kit you used. I can vouch about their warranty as well. I had a pad on one of the tweezers snap off. I contacted them, and they sent me a two new sets of pads. Easy replacement and still use my tool kit. Worth buying one.
I like taking apart old electronics from 20 or 30 years ago. Not all, but some products have so much excess space inside the case. Miniturization was a thing, but they didn't go crazy with it back in the day 😂. Also, seems easier to work with when the parts are spaced apart more.
Absolutely amazing that all it needed was the contacts to be cleaned. It just goes to show you that there are people who don’t know what needs to be done to “fix” your console with just a cleaning. Now off to the cleaning of this console video. haha
It's crazy how just a good cleaning will get things working sometimes.
I totally agree! I am having an issue with a non-working Atari 2600 cartridge that I got recently since I have cleaned the contacts while still in the shell. I don’t want to damage the label since the screw is underneath. I may try buying Deoxit instead of using IPA and even Brasso with IPA afterwards. I’m not giving up on it.
To save alot of time and keep it clean just run your console through the dishwasher once a month.
I bought this same edition about a year ago for 60£. I was told it was faulty but I took the risk and with the same cleaning you did I managed to fix it and expand my console collection :)
Did I see a button or something on Pikachu's paw?
What is that?
That's awesome! Such a good console for collection
@@volvo09 It's the reset button
@@davisael thanks
I got the full set (including the original blue-green controller) for around 50 Euros years ago, it was only missing the little blue cover over the Jumper Pak. You can get literally any replacement colour jumper pak cover from China, except the blue one. Was a massive pain to get the blue replacement cover, I think it took me two years to finally find one.
Steve, all you needed was the plastic thumbstick and not any of the mechanisms, just pull off the un-broken thubstick (replacement part) and pop it on the pin on the pokemon one.
I have one of the first iFixit gray roll up tool kits and the bits started to rust. The Chrome plated start to come off and I reached out to iFixit and they was glad to ship me a replacement tool kit! I use my tools to take apart laptops and printers every day! I heavily rely on my tools kit. I totally agree what you said about them! iFixit is awesome!
Another retro console saved from going into the landfill! Awesome work
Glad you liked it!
Absolutely loving all the retro repairs lately!??🤟
At least you fixed the console. That's a win!
Yes, definitely!
A fellow toothbrush user for cleaning I see. Honestly it's one of the best things I have ever decided to dedicate to my toolbox, gentle enough not to break anything, but it also gets cleaner nicely into every crevice. Saved me many times.
Great video as always.
I came here looking for a comment about the toothbrush. What should I use on the toothbrush to clean this?
My N64 Pikachu edition just decided to stop working but I suspect it's due to the same reasons as the one in the video 😅
I just love when you work on older consoles ❤
Glad you like them!
Magic erasers are abrasive too 😅 that’s how they work 🤣
Agreed, multiple ways to clean contacts. I started using barkeeper's friend with a tad bit of water to make a paste and love that method.
As a kid I took everything apart before I knew how to fix it. Watching your videos is fun and entertaining. Thank you for the content!
This was an amazing video! So glad to see another special edition back to its former glory! You did amazing!
Glad you enjoyed this!
please more retro consoles. love these videos👍👍👍
SO glad you enjoy these. I'll keep making more.
i got REALLY surprised to hear you've never opened up a N64 before. even super inexperienced me has opened up one and cleaned it before😅
Best thing about friday.. TronicsFix Day! 😀
Love it! So glad you look forward to my videos!
Happy Friday Steve and thanks again for the cool video!
Same to you! Glad you enjoyed it
Great video as always Steve!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
You can think of Magic eraser like really fine sandpaper. It’s a type of melamine foam. Im not sure what the equivalent grit would be. But it is in fact an abrasive.
Yup. Learnt that the hard way
Came here to say the same. It's usually around 4k-6k grit, depending on the manufacturer.
I’ve watched a ton of your videos and I’m now just subscribing
I'm kinda bummed you just needed to clean it. I wanted to see you get into the machine more deeply. I hope you do more N64s in the future! Maybe PS1 or Genesis? Or even something more obscure, could you find and fix something like a 3D0?
You know it’s going to be a good day when a new tronicsfix video drops!
Recently found your channel. Love your videos bro!
Love this console, especially thia special edition. And it's good you made it work again.
I have that same n64 and it still works! Glad it still has some value.
Its amazing how the N64 is built like a tank. Its a very simple machine and the fixes usually involve cleaning grime off a part
Those white 'ribbon cables' in the joystick look like the metal wirestrips that come with my trashbags. Interesting.
That's what they feel like. They're very strange.
Amazing Video Steve
Glad you enjoyed it
i love these retro repair videos
So glad you enjoy. They're fun to make too
"Come ooonnn....YES!!"✊ that always cracks me up...
For cleaning the cartridge fingers can I suggest using one of those white vinyl erasers? They do a great job in removing crud and are totally non-abrasive.
i've ripped apart many an oem and aftermarket n64 controller. i don't recall seeing the caged pot style like sony/xbox controllers have, in the oems. they all look like the style in the other one and the replacement part/parts kit.
and the oem controllers that came with the pikachu (big body) systems were dark blue on top (with white bordered yellow text pokemon logo), yellow on bottom, like the consoles. oem controllers also have the jst connectors on the jotstick assembly and aren't soldered in. also the rubber z button pad is captive to the clips that hold in the pcb to the joystick housing.
later separately released pikachu controllers came with orange (two shades, depending on region) or lighter blue tops with white/yellow text saying Pikachu with nintendo 64 under it, and outlined lightning bolts around it. the jp pikachu edition bundled the orange top controllers with an orange top n64 at some point.
the nintendo logo on the top of all of them is slightly recessed to the body face, and the text recessed further still.
the never bundled (with this style of system, but were with later regular shaped ones with blue/yellow plastic tops/buttons/cart doors) yellow top blue bottom controller just had a blue outline pokemon logo on it, and a yellow shell on the plug. for that matter, all the pokemon/pikachu controllers have color matching plug shells, as do 99% of all oem n64 controllers.
that was definitely a knockoff.
on a lark i tried to find the brand that made the ones with the caged style of stick... iNNEXT. around $15 brand new each. okay rated, so-so quality. they only seem to sell the yellow top blue bottom variants in the multi-packs, 2 or 4. so around 25-30 for the 2 pack up to around 50 for the 4 pack.
I thought they may have swapped the internals but kept the shell.
That N64 is amazing. Great fix. I hope you can fix the controller ❤
Still got mine in box. Bought it back in 2002 at Toys R US clearance at $25. I bought it immediately along with a couple of games.
I love when sometimes people don't even bother to clean their old electronics before saying they're broken
Why would they? When a console is broken it's bought as seen usually. They're not going to waste time and energy cleaning it.
Nicely done Steve!
Wow, the picture on your HDTV is surprisingly sharp and clear for a composite only outputting console. Are you using an upscaler or is the TV just a model that knows what to do with 240i?
My uncle gave me his when I was in middle school and when we moved houses I found out my grandma sold it for like $15. My uncle and I were very disappointed
Noooooooo...now I'm disappointed in her too, lol
I believe the Yellow n64 controller you got isn’t genuine Nintendo, and doesn’t have the Nintendo logo on the top of it, and that’s the reason you couldn’t fix it. Great video tho! 8:53
A Pikachu N64 popped up at a local game store a few months back with a plain gray controller for around $250. I knew it was a deal but I passed on it. I'm still kicking myself for not picking it up.
Bro is so smart at fixing stuff
Hi, I've just watched your video fixing the pokemon N64, loved it and i always watch your content! I noticed you couldn't get that controller working. I've actually got the exact same consol and the original controller that came with it with a whole bunch of games that I've been contemplating selling to the right buyer. Obviously it has sentimental value as I grew up playing it for many years!
I'm reaching out to you to see if you would like to purchase my old friend, the analog is a bit sticky and sometimes games don't always load up, which is probably due to needing a good deep clean, but I know a man of your talents with the Ifixit tool kit would work wonders on this absolute gem of a consol.
Let me know if your interested and I'll send over some pictures of the consol and games.
All that yellow-top controller is missing is the actual plastic-thumb-stick part, replace that and you're good!
(could drill a precision hole in a cut-down stick from a worn-out original-style mechanism and use that)
I can't imagine how many people would have just tossed the system in the garbage and bought a new one. A little work can save you $$$. Nice job Steve! How about an Atari 2600 or an old Colecovision system for a future video?
These were the first controllers I took apart 22 years ago and it was hell putting the authentic joystick back together without a video showing the easy way to do it! That I found out about like a year ago 😩
My favorite console to take apart to clean is the GameCube! Directions are printed on the motherboard pieces!
the way people scrub these gold contacts to "clean" them left me always worried, if i remember correctly, not long ago (2-3 years) i think it was gpu or ram related were companies said dont clean them with alcohol and abrasive material, the gold contacts "plated" to prevent dirt building up (something like that or it will ruin the finish to make proper contact) and if you really need to clean them they said microfaber cloth, a bit IPA & swipe it 2-3 times at most, the dark "residue" is not dirt and will always appear even on new products. i dont know if it is true especially on older products.
have to admit i did it too, on older ram but it was basically unused and used 99,9% alcohol & a cotton swab and black stuff came up on the swab - i could used 3-4 swabs and prob still more would come off of it. (couldnt see the "dirt" on the ram before, but it was suggested to clean it from a "tech" yt -> 1-2 weeks later it was advised not to do it like that)
love ur videos tronics fix
Thanks! Glad you enjoy
Good stuff man 😊😊
Nice work on the console!
N64s are pretty indestructible, I flip video game stuff locally and they usually just need a clean of the expansion/game slots to work. Everything I sell gets a deep clean in the sink (shell, buttons, etc) and N64 transformations can be pretty drastic with how much dust gets in those vents on the top.
OG N64 Controllers used an optical joystick that are difficult and expensive to reproduce. Aftermarket controllers, and even the new N64 Switch controllers all use potentiometers instead in various layouts. Most of them do not replicate the feel of the original very well. I believe there is one manufacturer of optical replacements but I don't know the quality. I would try to replace the mechanical components to salvage the original hardware.
I've been dieing to know. How much isopropyl do you go through? Lol. Q-tips?
Love the channel man. GG.
I love how he knows most of those systems are crap but somehow manages not to lose interest in fixing them
If Pika sneezes, is he Pika - A - Choo? 😅😂
I read somewhere that in europe they made more Pokomon N64's than any other colour. I remember buying mine for £20 brand new when no one wanted them anymore 😆
I'm building a prusa mk4 today. I'll be using my brand new electric screw driver and my ifixit kit for assembly. They give you tools. I know from past experience they make your hands hurt like hell. lol Building a printer with 99% just an allen key is not a good time. lol
Sounds like you've got a good tool setup! Yes, protect the hands
I also fixed a Japanese Pikachu NUS-CPU-09-1 with the stamped heat sink (no heat blocks) by accidentally shorting pins 1 & 2 on the NUS-AMP chip. It had no audio but this instantly restored full audio.
I had already replaced all capacitors between the NUS-AMP and the multi-out as well as replacing the NUS-AMP chip but none of that worked. I was slowly working my way through one component at a time with a cap kit and a known-good spare parts board so I could figure the exact component that was responsible.
The accidental short happened when I was checking voltage on the NUS-AMP which sent 12v into a nearby capacitor (25v rated so it’s fine), instantly “reforming” it. It was one of the caps which had not yet been replaced. I stopped replacing things immediately so I could see if it would fail again. I’ve tested it once a year for three years since and it hasn’t failed again.
The reason you see so many late-model consoles with issues like this is because that’s when Panasonic began reformulating their capacitors for future RoHS compliance. They don’t have the black square to indicate Pb-free but they are definitely failing at a higher rate than earlier N64 consoles. Earlier revisions pretty much never need caps… though their power supplies are another story.
Oh yeah: I also happened to get the moment on video but it’s on Facebook, IMGUR, and Twitter instead of here.
Interesting. Thanks for the info
I didn't see Picachu's cheeks lighting up red when powering up the N64 at the end, so I can't accept this console as fully fixed, only partially working 🙂
I just realized the other day that they are supposed to light up. They do work now so not sure what happened in the video. Maybe I just forgot to plug them in.
Ive never actually seen an n64 repair video only a one for a n64 power supply repair👍
I have one of those that got pretty dirty just from regular use, and I feel like I should take it apart to deep clean it, but at the same time I'm scared of breaking it since it's fully functionnal right now
Fix it ‘til it’s broke…
Yeah, you don't want to break it for sure. But it looks so nice when it's clean.
Use to have a pikachu N64 when I was a kid. Unfortunately the power supply died on it so we replaced that power supply with a power supply from a different N64. It worked well for another few months and then the console just died with a puff of smoke. Sad day.
The most important lesson here is begin with the basics. Clean things up, test, then go from there.
Wow, that looks amazing! 😍
I had to tear down a used N64 I bought since it wasn't working, and all of its internal issues were solved by a really, REALLY good clean. Pro tip, if your cart and jumper pak are clean but they still aren't reading (and you know they're good), you can remove the shielding down to the board and remove the cart reader itself. Once the screws are removed for everything else, it's only held on by the pins and should come right off, possibly with some mild wiggling involved. I had to do this a few times and really clean in/under it before it would come to life again. Unfortunately the jumper pak reader doesn't do the same. :(
I also noticed that the charcoal OEM shells can get awfully brittle over time; mine was already chipped when I got it and just unscrewing things caused it to break further. I opted to replace it with a third party Atomic Purple one because most OEM charcoal replacements I saw online were chipped or broken just like mine.
I love how dramatically different the inside of the N64 looks compared to an Xbox series x
Yeah, way different
I mean you'd hope things would look dramatically different with a 24 year gap in technology 😂
@@Merkantoine Yeah, I would think so. 😂
The Xbox is basically a modern computer with an optical drive whereas the N64 is a cartridge-based 90's video game system.
It's like comparing a modern smartphone to a 90's telephone!
Great Video!!
Thanks!
For cleaning those gold fingers or any corosion on electronics a fiberglass pen works like a charm!
I had one of those Pikachu N64s, I played Golden Eye and Conker's Bad Fur Day on it lol. I don't remember at all what happened to it.
The controller is Third Party, Nintendo logo not on controller and connector tip is gray. Awesome video about a great console
Yeah that controller is not an OEM one
To get the stick fixed I would suggest putting on a cap (?) OR since it is shaped like and oem controller, get a donor board and just put the replacement you had in the video, that would be easier tbh, its so weird how many options we have for n64 sticks replacements, yes only a bunch are actually good 😅
Other option I have seen some stick replacements whit that kind of connection, but would be hard to tell, since the controller of this video seems to be factured with that stick, so maybe after marketing sticks would just not work probably
Great video and yeah N64s like 90% of the time are just dirty and that's why they don't work so, Word of avise everyone, if you think your n64 doesnt work
Nah, just open them up and clean contacts, you'll be golden 😃
0:27 The joystick for the n64 controller is missing.
You forgot a n64 expansion pak for Donkey Kong 64, Zelda Majora's Mask, and Perfect Dark.
I love anything to do wtih Pikachu, thank you for the wonderful video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video! I need to do this to my n64.
Yes, definitely
Kitch-bent sells analog joystick parts relatively cheap. It would require taking apart the analog module itself which isn't too hard considering how far you already went with taking the controller apart.
I loved that N64 so much so I have the Japanese variant. Need to get the orange version as well.
Hey i love your channel since you explain in a great detail, can i know if you ok with fixing a broken hard drive i know most people will say just get a new one, but i feel like it will be great content if you can fix one, not just clicking problem, try revive a shocked hard drive?
My fav console variant tbh. I got one at the beginning of the pandemic, for a far less price mentioned, but it's way cleaner than this, plus it came with the original controller, and a Pokemon game. N64 is also my fav retro console.
I’ve only ever bought and fixed up one of these Pikachu N64 in my life so far. That was back in 2014. Even then, finding a broken or untested unit with the stickers in tact was pretty difficult.
Thanks for reminding me that I sell one of those with all accesories and box and all for practically 0. great video!
i do have one, and i love it id never sell it! always entertaining to watch you fix stuff
Old consoles rarely need a bigger fix, most of the times it's just some cleaning
Imagine being the person who sold this at a low price, just to see some basic cleaning and a widely available joystick module would have had it running just fine
don't even need a new module (assuming it's not worn out). Just replace the thumbstick. Like a 75 cent piece.
Hi TronicsFix , I have a question regarding a PS5 ... should I remove the 40+ plate screws and remove the plate whenever I want to clean the heatsink and power supply? or I just can leave the plate on and remove the entire plate and pcb together from the housing?
I got one of those secondhand as a gift from a family friend 20 years ago with a Pikachu controller. Mine still works, but it didn't read games most of the time, and the original Pikachu controller had a bad connection and the Z button didn't work anymore.
Turns out the console was water damaged by the last owner, but thanks to the metal casings it wasn't damaged too badly. After a good clean, it now reads games all the time. And the controller needed little soldering. However, my controller looked the same inside as in the video, but it should be original. So weird! It's been over a year, so I'll check again. I have two Nintendo controllers and one newer aftermarket controller.
Couldn't you have swapped out the controller mainboard as well, just to have a good matching controller? Or did the screw pattern not line up too?
Have you ever used those pink erasers on those contacts? That's what my parents swear by and they had a computer repair company when I was young
I actually one of those when I was a kid, sadly it was destroyed when our house caught fire.
That Pikachu controller is an aftermarket copy-cat, that’s why the stickbox couldn’t be replaced.
Bought one of these for 20$ a good while back. Guy sold it to me that cheap if I promised Id restore it. Which I did. It had to have been owned by a kid of course at some point. Dorito chips, a hair clip, a piece of a fork? And soda were on the inside of the console. I had to redo the shell due to some major damage. So itll never be original but in the end. It looks so nice and works very well! Even found stickers or ash and so on to place on the newly painted shell.
I have two broken super nintendos both have the same issue. I screwed up and killed the solder pad for the power connector attempting to resolder the new power connectors on. I would love to see if they can be fixed.
That n64 looks so cool!
YEs! Agreed.
thats crazy. if i want to see you clean it i have to watch an entire different video.