let's play guessing game: WTF is wrong with my Legend of Zelda cart

LincolnLincoln
in The Brewery
see here: 



the cart has been cleaned well and everything appears fine. no weird corrosion or anything. battery has a good charge and the tabs are intact, so it should hold a save fine (if there is a game to save). tested on two freshly cleaned toasters.



symptons: drawing the screen incorrectly, apparently fails to create a save file in sram.



I'm thinking the mapper chip is fubar. I think that is a reasonable possibilty that explains the screen drawing incorrectly and not just random garbage, and the failure to write a proper save file.



thoughts?

Comments

  • SnoopKattSnoopKatt
    Wow, that's weird! Try burning a new PRG (maybe Zelda: Outlands) to rule out a bad PRG chip. You could also switch out the CHR-RAM chip out with one from a similar cartridge to rule that out. If neither of those work out, then it's probably the mapper.



    The mapper seems the most likely though. It looks like it's activating incorrect address lines which results in incorrect graphic/code pulls.
  • GorillazeroGorillazero
    Snoop, with that added work, you could buy a whole "new" one.



    It sounds like the same issue I had with Batman Return of the Joker, which the Mapper went bad.
  • SnoopKattSnoopKatt
    Oh yeah, MMC1 isn't the surface mount mapper; switching that out is pretty easy.
  • ulasamosaulasamosa
    Yea I dont know too much on the subject but when its the PRG, you don't get as much progress as you are. Id bet mapper like the others say.
  • dfisch05dfisch05
    Did you record that video with a legend of zelda cart? Jk I agree with the above commenters. Just buy a new one they're pretty cheap
  • JeroJero
    It's the mapper. The screen not updating is definitely incorrect mirorring and MMC1 controls that.
  • Taco!Taco!
    I've also seen a zelda 1 with a mapper fail so it's not just you lincoln.
  • removed04092017removed04092017
    I bet either mirroring, or it's the PAL ROM.
  • Taco!Taco!
    After watching the video I have to say that's one of the coolest defect carts I've seen yet. That beats the LOZ mapper fail I encountered, just wouldn't do anything except show a solid grey screen. Yours is much more functional even if it is damaged.
  • SinNombreSinNombre
    I have a cart that does this exact thing. Once it starts it wipes your save file.



    UPDATE:

    I changed out the MM1C chip with one from a different copy of Zelda I have that has seriously corrupted graphics. Problem was resolved! Glad I read this thread.
  • MottZillaMottZilla
    The mapper chip may be fine. You may have had a bad solder joint.
  • LincolnLincoln

    Originally posted by: Taco!



    I've also seen a zelda 1 with a mapper fail so it's not just you lincoln.





    Hey Taco! didn't see you had posted here. nice to see you around again.



    Anway, updates: I swapped out the MMC1 and everything is fine now. I have the (presumed bad) chip if someone wants to make their own defectvie zelda for some reason.
  • Taco!Taco!

    Originally posted by: Lincoln




    Originally posted by: Taco!



    I've also seen a zelda 1 with a mapper fail so it's not just you lincoln.





    Hey Taco! didn't see you had posted here. nice to see you around again.



    Anway, updates: I swapped out the MMC1 and everything is fine now. I have the (presumed bad) chip if someone wants to make their own defectvie zelda for some reason.



    Thanks man, I'll be lurking as usual, as long as my health stays somewhat stable.



    Glad you were able to fix this. When I had my run in with that defective LOZ I ended up replacing everything on the board before I swapped the mapper out. Just for clarity the mapper isn't super specific, you should be able to pull one from a regular SL/SN/SK board and be able to use that just fine. I remember cutting an MMC1 out of something cheap like operation wolf or one of those common SL titles and it would play / save / load just fine.
Sign In or Register to comment.