When it comes to retro gaming, whether you're a collector, someone who loves to repair and restore old gaming cartridges or you simply just want to see what the inside of a retro video game cartridge looks like, then understanding the tools required to disassemble these games is essential. One of the most crucial tools in your gaming kit when dealing with classic game carts such as, but not limited to, the Nintendo NES, SNES, and the Sega Genesis is the Gamebit screwdriver. These specialized tools are designed to handle the unique screws used in these systems, particularly the 3.8mm and 4.5mm variants. These games aren’t getting any younger and if you want to really get in and clean those dirty carts or just study a board, then let’s educate ourselves on the gaming bit required to disassemble those bad boys!

Dude… What Are Gamebit Screws?

Gamebit screws are distinctive, five-pointed screws used in many retro gaming cartridges. Their unique shape is designed to prevent tampering and unauthorized repairs, making them a pain for anyone trying to disassemble these devices without the right tools. Remember, Amazon didn’t have cheap and super-fast shipping back when this preventative measure was first implemented. Although, back in the 80s and 90s, people still got their hands on these bits and would sometimes switch out the boards in game cartridges from the video rental store. Remember those? To open up these game cartridges, you need a 3.8mm or 4.5mm Gamebit screwdriver... most of the time. We’ll dive deeper. However, these sizes are the most common for accessing the internal cartridge components safely and effectively

Is my SNES a 1 Chip model? The very first Super Nintendo system was released in 1991 in North America. The Super Nintendo console delighted video game enthusiasts with its improved sound, visuals, and accompanying game library.

Although even the first Super Nintendo was groundbreaking in these areas, a later model released around 1995 called the "1-CHIP" SNES was especially pioneering. The motherboard design of the 1-CHIP SNES enables it to output better graphics than earlier revisions of this Nintendo system. The 1-CHIP is highly sought after by collectors because it offers some of the best gameplay visuals you can get on a Super Nintendo. It is also somewhat rare to find, which makes treasure hunting for it even more thrilling!

Prior to the year 1995 or so, Nintendo designed their Super Nintendo console motherboards so that they used 3 chips for graphics and central processing. These three chips are called the CPU, PPU1, and PPU2. When Nintendo revised the SNES motherboard around 1995, all 3 of these chips were combined into one single chip called the S-CPUN. This hardware change is what gave this model of the SNES more graphics processing power.

How do I know if my SNES is a 1-CHIP version?

1. Look at the serial number.

The serial number barcode is printed on a sticker located on the bottom of the console beneath a barcode.

One obvious indicator that you may have a SNES with a 1-CHIP motherboard design is if the console's serial number begins with "UN3". A 1-CHIP SNES serial number will always start with a UN3. However,

After a time of turmoil for the video game market in the early 1980s, Nintendo introduced a brand new console that took the world by storm. This system was the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES for short. The NES launched with 17 black box titles and critics may have thought that this system would fail like its predecessors. However, Nintendo succeeded in dominating the home console video game market for several years to come. There were many reasons for the NES console's success, but perhaps the most memorable thing about this system is its fun to play and well developed game library which many retro gamers and collectors enjoy to this day. 

Nintendo was careful to do extensive market research before entering the U.S. market, which had nearly collapsed in 1983 due to an overflow of poor quality games and a large quantity of inferior systems. So, Nintendo tread the U.S. waters carefully when they decided to enter this now booming gaming market. In October of 1985, Nintendo released a limited number of the NES consoles (approximately 100,00 or less) into select U.S. cities. Perhaps, they were trying to gauge whether the North American market was a good place to do business. How would consumers respond to this new NES console and should Nintendo invest in expanding their operations in America? 

By limiting the number of systems available in America to the public, Nintendo created exclusivity for their product. Consumers wanted what they couldn't have (Sort of like Eric Cartman's denial to customers at his amusement park). Nintendo was very careful to present their new system and its affiliated launch titles in a new way that would build trust and intrigue for American consumers who had become disillusioned with the failing home video game market of the early 1980's.

So why was Nintendo so successful? Their packaging was deliberate and consistent across all NES releases. The NES console featured a black box and so did the original 17 launch titles and the 13 black box titles released shortly after. (See our detailed blog on boxed games). This simple artwork with 8 bit graphics and a black background stood out in contrast to the elaborate video game artwork of the time, so it grabbed people's attention. In addition, Nintendo went a step further building trust by putting an official seal of quality on every game, console, and accessory they sold. This seal assured consumers that the content purchased met Nintendo's rigorous standard of quality. 

Nintendo even backed their products with a dedicated phone line for customer support. This way consumers could trust Nintendo to be there if they experienced any issues with a product because they always included a phone number and address where they could be reached for support.

st part a large majority of Sony PlayStation 1 games can be played on the PlayStation 2, however a few games just refuse to be played on anything other than the classic PS1 console. Some games may load and you may even be able to get to a certain point in the story, however these games will experience some compatibility issues ranging from vanishing images to glitchy sound effects. Plea

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