Odd Error Message on Tetris Attack

[onReload]

A friend of mine was telling me how his SNES (which is 13 years old now) apparently will freeze up with any slight movement of the console. Apparently while playing Tetris Attack, the console moved a bit, but instead of locking up as usual, a message popped up about pirating games, and the text also told him to consult a certain part of his Nintendo Users' Guide or something to that effect.

He reset the system several times with only the same message appearing, even reseating the cart; eventually he put in Yoshi's Island, which worked properly, then put Tetris Attack back in and the message was gone.

I don't have the exact text with me right now, but I figured someone would know what this was about. Any idea what caused it, or what it means?

[Famidrive-16]

I got this message when I tried using a game genie with it...

[skaar]

I hate when you can't reproduce stuff like that.

One time playing Zelda:LttP I went in to the area where you sneak into the castle at the beginning and got some message about something to do with a Nintendo Power winner's secret room or something and fell into a weird room full of stuff.... could never do it again, despite the hours I spent trying.

I'm going to google that one actually.

Edit: aha - http://www.eeggs.com/items/26809.html

Well there's my mystery solved ;)

[c0ldb33r]

Yeah that was a contest that some nintendo power kid won. I've never done it. Apparently Nintendo remove the room from the GBA remake.

I had a weird message pop up while I was playing Super Mario All Stars on SNES. Luckily I had my camera right next to me.


WARNING: IT IS A SERIOUS
CRIME TO COPY VIDEO GAMES.

18 USC 2319 PLEASE REFER
TO YOUR NINTENDO GAME
INSTRUCTION BOOKLET FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION.

I think it must have just been dirty because I gave everything a cleaning and it went away. OnReload, I expect your friend's SNES is also just dirty and should be cleaned thoroughly with a cleaning kit to get down inside the cart slot and also clean all the games.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/th_026.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/?action=view&current=026.jpg)

[onReload]

Yeah that was a contest that some nintendo power kid won. I've never done it. Apparently Nintendo remove the room from the GBA remake.

I had a weird message pop up while I was playing Super Mario All Stars on SNES. Luckily I had my camera right next to me.



I think it must have just been dirty because I gave everything a cleaning and it went away. OnReload, I expect your friend's SNES is also just dirty and should be cleaned thoroughly with a cleaning kit to get down inside the cart slot and also clean all the games.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/th_026.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/?action=view&current=026.jpg)
Any recommendations on the materials used for that?

[megasdkirby]

I remember seeing a similar message on Donkey Kong Country 2, but it had a nice jungle-like background.

[c0ldb33r]

Any recommendations on the materials used for that?
I'd use the search function and limit results to the technical and restoration subforum. You'll get lots of in depth responses and instructions on how to clean consoles and cartridges.

Put simply though, I start cleaning the console with a blast of compressed air, then I take some rubbing alcohol and wipe it onto a piece of plastic that fits perfectly into the cartridge slot (I got this from a third party console cleaning kit) and I stick the plastic piece into the slot and pull it out, put it in, pull it out. I do it gently but repreat it. After this I use more compressed air, clean all the carts, test, and repeat if necessary. If you can't get your hands on a console cleaning kit, the thing I use is just a thin piece of plastic that fits into the cartridge slot, nothing magic.

Cleaning most carts is very simple. I use a small piece of sponge attached to a plastic handle (came from that same cleaning kit, but Q-tips work), dip it into rubbing alcohol and rub it along the metal contacts until they're clean. If your carts are really dirty, or if this doesn't work, search the forums for the eraser method.

[ooXxXoo]

I remember seeing a similar message on Donkey Kong Country 2, but it had a nice jungle-like background.

It has Donkey Kong Jr. and the female Kong behind bars....

[badinsults]

Those kind of messages are in a lot of games, actually. Giving it a good cleaning should fix it.

[onReload]

Any idea on the origin?

[RASK1904]

Would this have to do with why there is only one non lisensed american release for the Snes. Is this a lock-out sorta thing. Or a warning your cart might be fake thing?:dance:

[c0ldb33r]

I assume that dirt is preventing the game from making proper contact with the SNES, so the cart thinks that instead of being plugged into a SNES, it's being plugged into something else, for instance maybe a SNES game copier.

[rbudrick]

I've seen similar messages on games dumped to a game copier. Yeah, it thinks it's a pirated copy or a copier. You definitely need a cleaning. There's no reason for that to happen with a legit cart. I clean all carts using a white soft eraser and then alcohol (you'll need a security bit). I clean all cart slots with a toothbrush and rubbing alcohol. Hold the system upside down while you clean it and dry it if the slot is not of the removeable type....luckily NES and SNES slots are removeable. For NES and SNES slots, I remove them, fill a roughly flat-bottomed bowl (like a margarine tub) with rubbing alcohol a half inch or so, stick the connector under the alcohol and go to town with the toothbrush.

-Rob