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This article is a quick look back into the NES/SNES days when RPGs where hard to come by in the US. There where many stellar games released in Japan that were deemed uninteresting or too complicated to release. After FF7, things sort of changed… and we get many more releases now. (Well, to be fair, it’s not just a result of FF7’s popularity - but many other factors like easier localization) Also, some of these games finally did make it to the US later on as part of anthology collections and whatnot. But these would have been great games “back in the day” had they seen a US release. (IMHO, of course)

Final Fantasy V

A perfect example of the dumb decisions back then is leaving behind this game with its ingenious character customization system and instead releasing Mystic Quest which though required grinding was a good idea. Nothing says fun like 10 consecutive redundant battles. Not that the game was entirely terrible, but it was nothing compared to this would-be classic. FFV is probably the last “traditional” Final Fantasy game, complete with elemental fields, black mages, and whatnot. (Well, ok FF9 is really the last game like that, but it was more of a “greatest hits” than anything else)

Seiken Densetsu III

Here was an game that almost was released. It was even featured in Nintendo Power, and arguably created some interest and anticipation. Why it was scrapped… who knows. Instead we got a piece of crap called “Secret of Evermore” I have to say, playing through Seiken Densetsu III was a real pleasure. It pushed the limits of the SNES and was surprisingly unique and non-linear. Would have made an excellent ”Secret of Mana II”

Mother (Earthbound Zero)

Earthbound fans are funny creatures, I guess I fall in that category too! The game itself was just as fun, innovative, and unique as the SNES release. The music is great, the story is great, the characters are well done. It’s just overall a good game. Because of it’s modern day setting it’s possible it could have been a big hit. It would also expand the RPG world of the late 80s beyond Square and Enix. What’s really killer about this game is the fact the localization was completed! It was just not green lighted for release because Nintendo of America wanted to focus on the new SNES. A ROM exists today with the official translation. There are even images of the box art. It came so close, but never happened.

Final Fantasy III (NES)

Like FFV, or FFII for that matter - this would have been a great game to have released in the US back then. Although FFII had an offical translation project underway, I think FFIII was a far better game. FFIII set the tone for Final Fantasy for many games after and introduced many conventions that are still part of the game today. It was also a great game, had great music and graphics, and was pretty accessible which also would have made it a great release in the US. With 4 Dragon Warrior games, it would have been nice to see at least one other Final Fantasy release for the NES. Fortunately this game is now getting the love it deserves, with the 3d DS remake that was released a few years back.

Dragon Quest V

Back when the SNES was out I was dying for a Dragon Warrior release on the new console. Nintendo Power teased US readers with Dragon Warrior V, but nothing ever came of it. In fact, nothing came out until DW7 was released on the PlayStation in the 2000s. So why is DQV such a big deal? Well, many people feel this is one of the best entries in the entire series - a series that was so big in Japan that it had to be released on holidays. The game itself would have helped keep interest in the series alive. Back in the NES days Dragon Warrior was the big RPG name, Final Fantasy was great, but arguably it was Dragon Warrior that held the RPG crown. Of course that changed, and Final Fantasy became the giant it is. But in my opinion it was a classic game with great music and story that would have been exciting so see released on the SNES. Like some of the other entries on this list, it also saw a remake - a 3d remake on the DS. But I still can’t help but wonder how great it would have been to see the game back then.

NEStoration: Breathe some life back into your old 8-bit pal.

Do you own one of those little grey boxes known as the NES? If so then you probably don’t use it much or if you do - use it painfully. The problem? The original Nintendos don’t seem to read cartridges any more. Everybody has their own technique - dumping isopropyl alcohol into them or just blowing all the corrosion off the pins.

Here’s the problem: The metal on the pins was prone to corrosion … you can usually scrape off or clean off this gunk, but your best bet is to actually replace the pins all together.

Here are your options for restoring a NES on the blink:

• First, try cleaning it! Use either isopropyl alcohol on cue-tips or buy a video game cleaning kit. If your problem isn’t very severe this might be your solution.
• Buy a new connector with all new pins on the internet. If you’re going this route, be sure to get a connector that is made of gold, or some metal that will not oxidize or corrode.
• Sand down the pins so they are fresh (and gain a few years of use before the corrosion rebuilds!) At least this route is free, just be careful!
• Get a top-loading “top-loader” NES that corrected this metal problem… uses the same metal as the SNES and 64… which works every time. Fun, but expensive: a top-loading NES can run you anywhere from $50-$150!!!

Below is a picture of my solution: I bought this gold pin connector on eBay for ten bucks. Yup this piece of hardware is the culprit! It works like a charm!

Surgery

The NES is fairly basic and easy to take apart - but please be careful and do so at your own risk!

First, make sure it’s unplugged. The case is held together with screws on the bottom of the unit. Simply flip it over and unscrew the screws on the bottom of the case. Inside a metal shroud is held in by screws which must be removed to get access to the board and your culprit connector.There is a whole assembly which holds the cartridge in place and springs it into and up from the system. This connecter is easy to get access to, just be careful not to break anything! You may have to unscrew and remove the assembly to cleanly disconnect the old connector.

Also, the wires inside are probably quite old and dusty. It would not hurt to use some compressed air to clean it up, or if any wires are damaged - to replace them. Of course, replacing wires and other electronic components is slightly riskier, but always a possability.

The new connector solved all of the problems I was experiencing with my NES. Remember, if you’re pins are not making a good solid connection, everything from screen flicker, to some graphics showing up garbled to scratchy music can occur. This made games play flawlessly for me, just like they used to - success on the first try - no flickers and glicthes.