Super Metroid Problem

[Shaq-Funaki]

I just bought a copy of Super Metroid for the SNES and when I try to play it, an anti-piracy message pops up and it stays on that screen. The cart looks exactly like a real one so I don't think it's a fake. Any clue to what is wrong with it. Any help would be appreciated.

[Blitzwing256]

are you playing it on a real snes or one of those clones? many snes games have anti-piracy chips in them that attempt to detect whether its in a real snes or not, super metroid earthbound mario arepeegee and donkey kong country are some of the more common ones.

[JLukas]

Dirty cart contacts can cause a bad CRC, which results in the error message on bootup as the game believes the copy protection code was modified. Clean the connector.

[spaceFarmer]

I remember getting that message using a game genie. It erased all my saved data too.

[Shaq-Funaki]

I tried it both on my original snes and my snes mini and the same problem occured on both. I will try cleaning the contacts again and giving it another try.

[skaar]

That's pretty sweet, actually. I mean, sucks you can't play it and all but a cool message nonetheless.

Take a pic or two of the cart?

[fairyland]

This had happened to me before as well. Clean the cart and if that does not work, clean the system pins. Rinse lather repeat if you are still having troubles.

[c0ldb33r]

I had this happen on my SNES with super mario all stars. I just cleaned the hell out of it and it went fine.

[Shaq-Funaki]

Thanks for all the replys. I cleaned the hell out of the contacts until they were shiny and looking new but the stupid screen still pops up. Any other ideas? Could a dead battery cause this?

[c0ldb33r]

Could a dead battery cause this?
Nope - that'd just wipe the save files every time you turned it off.

When's the last time you cleaned the SNES contacts themselves? Try those next.

[Shaq-Funaki]

Nope - that'd just wipe the save files every time you turned it off.

When's the last time you cleaned the SNES contacts themselves? Try those next.

My original SNES I clean often. I just got a mini version which I cleaned throughly. The game doesn't work on either so I dont know what is wrong with it.

[RASK1904]

I have a Snes Mini (Snes2) and my Super Metroid works fine. Just adding this to narrow done the problems.

[rbudrick]

You may have simply not cleaned it enough. The connector is removeable and just pops out, if you have a gamebit to open the SNES.

I recommend a large bowl with a flat bottom filled a half inch with rubbing alcohol. Put the connecter at the bottom of the bowl, grab an old toothbrush and go to town. Let dry and reassemble. Look for pins that are bent too far from overuse too.

-Rob

[fahlim003]

I remember getting that message using a game genie. It erased all my saved data too.

This happened to me too, the erasing of all data. I didn't use a Game Genie but when I plugged my Super Metroid cartridge into my old Bung Game Doctor everything got wiped. No anti-piracy warning though.

[Leo_A]

Its obvious its not the cartridge slot of his console, the chances of the cartridge showing the same behavior in two different systems is extremely small unless its the game itself causing issues.

It has to be a problem with the cartridge itself.

[RASK1904]

Every once in a while I will get a game that I can not get to work. Just wont work, only a scrambled sceen or just white etc. Usually when I take them apart I find that the pins on the board have a or some bad scratches. Are the pins very scratched?

[rbudrick]

Its obvious its not the cartridge slot of his console, the chances of the cartridge showing the same behavior in two different systems is extremely small unless its the game itself causing issues.

It has to be a problem with the cartridge itself.

SNESs are old, btw. Not unlikely at all.

-Rob

[Leo_A]

Sorry, but Super Nintendo's don't suffer from common ailments with their cartridge slots.

The chances of something peculiar being up with the cartridge slot of two different Super Nintendo systems that allows other games to play, but causes Super Metroid to display the same odd error, is slim at best.

Has to be a defect with the cartridge. I guarantee it will turn out that way if he investigates this further, or I give you permission to request me to be banned from this board if I end up wrong. :)

[Shaq-Funaki]

just an update. I cleaned the hell out of it but no dice. I lost the stupid bit to open up carts so I can't check it out at the moment. So for now I will have to put it aside until I can get a bit. No worries though I have another copy of Super Metroid, I just got this copy cheap (and now I know why :bad-words:)

[Cornelius]

just an update. I cleaned the hell out of it but no dice. I lost the stupid bit to open up carts so I can't check it out at the moment. So for now I will have to put it aside until I can get a bit. No worries though I have another copy of Super Metroid, I just got this copy cheap (and now I know why :bad-words:)
In my opinion, if you didn't open it, then you did not "clean the hell out of it". The only way to do it right is to open it up. That's good news in this case, though, because it means you still might get it to work!

[rbudrick]

Sorry, but Super Nintendo's don't suffer from common ailments with their cartridge slots.

The chances of something peculiar being up with the cartridge slot of two different Super Nintendo systems that allows other games to play, but causes Super Metroid to display the same odd error, is slim at best.

Has to be a defect with the cartridge. I guarantee it will turn out that way if he investigates this further, or I give you permission to request me to be banned from this board if I end up wrong. :)

They actually fail somewhat often and is a commonly bought part. People often left a cart in the slot and then did not use the system for long periods. It can weaken the pins. Jeez, no need to request banning! Lol.

I recommend opening the game and putting the old soft white eraser to it.

-Rob

[chrisbid]

my super nes is finicky, i have to slightly pull up the cart to get the game to boot. the pins are slightly loose, but the problem is not blinking NES bad, so i havent looked to fix it