Restoring this nasty GameBoy I bought
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- I bought a GameBoy collection locally. It had all been stored in a case which had protected it from the outside world, but in the process covered the contents in disgusting sticky mouldy foam. Definitely needs a good ol' clean!
#GameBoy #Restoration #TheRetroFuture
I'm glad you bought a GameBoy, I know you needed one.
Hahah well it provides tens of thousands of people with entertainment! So that’s why I bought it.
@@TheRetroFuture I know, I'm being silly. I'm here for it.
lol
Plot twist: he throws them all away after each video but has a hella stash of Game Gears
@@DrewpieDrew He's a filthy Game Gear lover! I knew it!
So..I have 2 of those cases from my childhood and during the early part of last year I decided to get back into video game stuff and repairs. Anyway, I had this same issue with my cases. What a mess...I kept mine though..sentimental attachment and all...but I get why you’d chuck that. 👍🏻 Love the content on both channels.
Same here! Mine was making a mess on all of my GB stuff. Decided to take everything out of it, but still keep it. That thing made a lot of trips to grandma's with me.
Bring back childhood memories to see prices in francs (French currency before Euro began a thing around 2000/2001) and the hand writed bill from a tiny local shop is stunning. Big nostalgia vibes for me, as a 90’s French kid. Keep up the good Work Elliot !
every time you say IPA, my brain thinks of beer.
Me too hahaha
Ipa stands for International Phonetic Alphabet
Likewise 🙂
Finally, another guy that restores stuff and commentates. I don't like restorations that are just music and the things being fixed and cleaned up.
Their always fake pretty much. Thx Elliot
I can listen to that robocop soundtrack all day! Great video, thanks for the upload!
6:49 as dankpods would say, "SOMEONE'S BEEN IN 'ERE"
At least 10 of us get the reference! This is a good sign
haha
GEIR!
I was just thinking last night how cool would a dank pods/retro future colab be
That’s exactly what I was thinking lol
I love these types of videos. Great work! Can’t wait to see more videos from this channel and your main channel too.
Thank you!
Dude, everything i know about refurbs comes frome your two channels, thanks for being my fav youtuber.
Oh god, when you first open the pack. I struggled to hold down my breakfast. You did a great job Elliot!
Honestly, if that had been real mold, like fungus grossness, I'd have done that whole thing wearing a P100 respirator and nitriles. Definitely prefer dealing with disintegrated plastics than mold
@@archkull eh, we havent gone extinct yet. micro plastics are everywhere, and although i dont suggest intentionally ingesting or inhaling them, im sure we all have a fair share of it inside of us.
FYI, this video is a fake restoration....a lot of these types of videos are.
@@agent109g8this guy is legit
Oh man! Back in 1996-97 I got my first gameboy pocket for my 6th birthday and Mole Mania was the first game I got! Seeing this game cardridge brings back so many memories!
My favorite part of these videos are the cleaning of the contrast and volume wheels. So oddly satisfying.
"Oh no, I said 'fantastic' twice" is a sensation I'm all too familiar with.
Just a tip @ 14:27. You want to make sure that the plastic screw holes don't have water in them before screwing together the chassis. The screw will compress the water and the plastic will eventually crack. Water will often stick to those holes and it can be a little hard to get it out. I usually blow into them with my mouth to make them dry (make your mouth dry first too).
I cleared them!
@@elliotcoll Great! :)
The fact every single one of these games was in the case upside down drove me insane... There's even an indent that lines up exactly with the top of the cart... It's so infuriating.. Lol.
Imagine how they'd look if they weren't in them, though... the annoyance is definitely the lesser of two evils here
A major improvement! How do you keep track of the history of each GameBoy once you've restored them and they all look so similar?
I would guess that he tracks them by serial number. That is the most obvious solution.
Many years ago, I actively collected and resold Atari 2600 consoles. Somewhere in storage, I still have the records of the serial numbers, what I paid for each unit, etc.
When i repaired NES consoles for a game store I would always write on the inside of the shell with a marker the year it was repaired, and what was repaired. Just a nice little easter egg if someone fixes another problem years down the line, like watch makers marks.
@@mdog1678 youre an awesome person for that. also reassuring for whoever opens it next, sometimes you can tell when things have been opened and messed with, but you cant always tell what they messed with.
I have the same bag from childhood and the foam is broken down in the same way. Loved that case it went everywhere with me as a kid :D
Same for me. It ended so bad that I decided to trash it.
Same. I took that top foam piece out and gave it a vigorous brushing until all the black stuff was off. It came clean and the bag still holds my games etc to this day.
I love a good restoration, soooo satisfying. I got one of these for Christmas 1990, that Robocop game is nostalgic.
that gameboy looks... fantastic :)
its interesting that ive seen maybe a dozen videos like this from you but i learn a new thing about gameboy restoration every time
I love watching a good long Let's Refurb right before work. Put's me a good mood
Kudos to you for keeping it the way it is, nice to see the little guy getting some tlc. I've recently acquired an original gb in a box of stuff, but it's in worse condition. The snes console that I keep out for use is really yellow and alot of the plastic is broken. I nicknamed it "the tank" because it works perfectly, and I kept the $29.99 thrift store price sticker on it for added bling.
Gotta go check out that sountrack now!
i've had that same black carrycase since the early 90's. i love it.
I want that robocop soundtrack to be the outro on all vids in the retro future...
I had the same thing happen to the case I had since 1991 for. my Game Gear. Just disintegrated all over my (thankfully) cased games and console. Not too bad to clean. Had to send it out to get new capacitors, but it was fine after that. Just some banding on the aging screen that will have to be replaced at some point.
Look great, especially for a stock DMG! I am partial to glass lenses but a good plastic one does keep it looking original. Great job.
This video has been in my watch later for months. I just watched it today, (07/05/2021) 3 weeks ago tomorrow, (16/04/2021) my younger brother died from a huge heamorage just hours after being told he'll be going home from soon (from hospital).
Every friday for the last year, we played games together and the last time he was here, we both sat and listened to the Robocop theme track for the Amstrad Version. When you mentioned the theme song at the end, I couldn't believe the theme was the same. It's one of our favourite video game theme tracks of all time.
Amazing.
My brother didn't deserve to have his life cut short, I'm so heart broken that he'll never get to listen to that music ever again.
33 years old and to spend his last month in hospital, that's no way to go.
Scott, Brother, I love you and miss you.
Elliot, thank you very much for this video and letting the song ring out.
Legend has it, if you've ever owned a GameBoy you manifest a copy of WWF Superstars somewhere in your home....Also, Robocop is a banger of a game
I know that from experience, somehow I had two copies of WWF Superstars appear out of nowhere when I had my old Game Boy
Always great to watch a regular game boy restoration :)
Just plugged my Gameboy Color into my headphones, stuck in that 61 in 1 multicart you reviewed once and put on RoboCop just to listen. Banging tune mate!
I love your channel I've watched most of your videos! Keep up the great work and super jealous of the gameboy collection you got going on!
1:47: Next game we got here is "Mould Mania" 🤣
Hearing the Robocop soundtrack brought back some good memories, Ocean games really had amazing soundtracks
Thanks! This is like "how to clean a Game Boy" video with neat tips, just what I was looking for before cleaning my own Game Boy :)
i've put bags like that through a baby clothing boil wash and they've come out looking great, it helps to put some towels or bedding you don't care about in with it so it doesn't get too beaten up but worth a try :D
I picked one up probably 10 years ago and just stored it in a closet in my game room. I see now I need to get it put and restore it as well. Mine needed a new case cause some idiot took white out and used it like paint and painted it. I'll probably pick up a new case for mine though. It did come with about 8 games and a small carrying case but not a big case like you have in the video. Great content.
I got something EXTREMLY similar to this at a garage sale. It came with the SAME EXACT bag, disintegrating and everything, a Gameboy, and a few games. I tried to save the bag, but ended up throwing it out. The Gameboy wouldn't turn on at first, but after giving the battery contacts a good clean, it flickered on. The screen had a lot of lines on it, but I fixed it with my old soldiering iron, which I threw out a few days later because it melted itself and no longer heated up. The games worked great, after cleaning them, of course. I later accidentally tore the speaker out and, with no soldering iron at the time, had to live with it. I haven't soldered the speaker back on yet, but it works!
There's nothing quite like the feeling of "Clean button confidence"
Totally a shame that you don’t have more subscribers! I’m not big in the community, basically because I’m the hugest lurker in existence, anyways, imo you’re one of the retro modding ogs. At least on TH-cam, and sure you haven’t been around since the beginning but you’re incredibly knowledgeable and it’s obvious you appreciate the significance of the items that come into your hands. I would absolutely trust you with restoring any of my consoles or handhelds. It would be like a badge of honor to me if you repaired or even modded my N3DSXL.
Loved that you you played robocop I've not heard that into since I had my original gameboy back in the early 90s, absolute blast from the past!
Brilliant, just in time for lunch!
Enjoy! The lunch and the video.
@@TheRetroFuture yeah but not both at the same time lmao
It’s 6:45 am over here lol
@@udon601 Central European Time it's 12:55 my friend :)
Please tell me that you washed your hands, like.... 7 times 😳
Why he's not using latex gloves and a mask is beyond me, does he WANT to get infected lungs ?
Black mold isn't a joke. Spores are invisible.
Take a drink every time he says “nice”, “clean”, and “fantastic” lol
omg the ending holy moly
i was almost in tears that sound track is fire
Yes I'm here even before the HD version of the video is available! 360p team!
I'll be back later when I got the time to actually watch :P
Thanks Ryan
@@TheRetroFuture lmao
@@TheRetroFuture Watched it! Great vid as always. You should definitely play Mole Mania if you haven't.
I sneezed looking at the dust 🤧
Never seen more dust in my life 😂
It’s rough ey.
Yes
my bed room says hi
@@IanC14 hello 😂
12:47 You can also use this method for fixing crunchy noises coming from the headphones, and sound coming from the speaker when muted.
Great Gameboy and cool games. And a nice cleaning. Much love.
I have this exact problem! Bag turned to dust and now gameboy is all fucked up! Godamn. Crazy seeing this.
I actually did buy a DMG from eBay that came in the same case, same situation. I wound up having to chuck the case, the DMG aside from the mold was in pristine condition, and cleaned very nicely. Overall was a great deal
Wow, 20 years ago the same box was stolen from me. Specially for the two tetris.....one was from a friend, we was gaming in our school anual trip using the link cable on a bus....great memories. Missing it....
Thanks for making this video, it helped me repair a "broken" GameBoy.
Elliot you are a brave sole my friend. That DMG was a horrible mess you did it justice! Cheers!
Is it bad that I knew EXACTLY which case that had been sitting in from the preview photo? Those foam inserts are notoriously bad. Loved the video!!!
You seem like the kinda guy that could fix something rare like a nintendo virtual boy, mine bust after moving home so has been boxed for a year or so now
Same thing happened to my gameboy. Left it in the same case, forgot about it as I grew up. Looked exactly like this when I opened it 20 years later.
"Oh no I said fantastic twice." Best quote.
did you at least salvage the tray from the bag? could be quite handy!
Best thing to use to get the corrosion off the battery contacts is a brass bristled brush, I do that and then clean up the whole thing with IPA.
Edit: best short of unsoldering and soaking in vinegar.
Can I use water on the battery contacts? When I was younger, I forgot to take out the batteries and one spilled acid. The Gameboy is fine but I think, I should clean it now. So, you recommend water or vinegar on the dried up acid?
@@MaryArts I would clean them with some vinegar and a tooth brush to get the build up off. Once you’ve used the vinegar (an acid) to clean off the battery acid, mix up baking soda with a little water making it a paste like consistency. Place the contacts into the paste and coat them well and let sit for a few mins, it will neutralize the remaining acid to stop further corrosion. Then clean the baking soda paste mix off with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol, this will clean them without introducing water which will cause corrosion while drying super fast.
Ya it is annoying when when the foam in an old carrying case disintegrates. A few years ago, I found a case of audiocassettes hiding under the desk in the storage room. And when I opened it to find out which audiocassettes were inside, I discovered that everything was covered in foam dust. It had even gotten inside the norelco boxes! At the time I thought it was mold due to the fact that this trailer has a mold problem, among other flaws. Perhaps there was also some mold, but a year ago I found out that the dust was most likely what's left of the foam. I still find foam dust in that case! One of these days, maybe I should vacuum out the remaining dust and put in some archival foam. But the question remains: Why did COAST use a cloth with circular holes to hold the foam padding in place? If it was the industry standard, why? At least Case Logic had the common sense to use cloth without holes _and_ better foam. All you have to worry about with those cases are corroded zippers. I would say to just use leather briefcases, but then you have to worry about cracks in the leather...
His realization of saying fantastic 2 times in a row was hilarious
Hey Elliot, what might interest you is the fact the Gameboy screws are not in fact Philips, but JIS (Japanese Industry Standard). There are quite significant differences and this is also why it's so common to find Gameboys with rounded screws. Philips head and JIS screws are not a perfect match :)
You best put some RESPECT on the name of WWF Superstars.
You got an awesome pitch up there, lucky. Awesome video as always 👍🏾
Last year I bought the exact same case with a gameboy and games. First look inside I thought it'd be mold. Luckily just the case desintegrating. Pretty easy clean 🙂
WWF Superstars just has a habit of materializing in the collection of every single Game Boy owner without exception even if they're not actually collecting shit.
You're like the guy from Toy Story 2 that fixes Woody but with Game Boys - it's a nice vibe
Ah yes the infamous 'dilbert 3' music!
Robocop will always have a place in my gaming library. I turn it on for the menu music alone from time to time.
That's a really decent haul , , good score Elliott 👽👍
My cousin's Gameboy case and games has this same exact issue! So I guess it's a case defect overtime
The looney toons game is awesome! Each level is a different style of platforming done really well.
I have that same bag. And the foam padding crumbled as well as yours. I feel your struggle
I bought basically this exact same case and Gameboy from a garage sale for $20!!!!!! I lucked out, the Gameboy is in like new condition now :)
You lucky dog. Id love a cache like that!
Can't wait for the Switch unboxing/restorations here in 30 years or so!
Awesome, as always :)
Thank you!
Tbh that doesn't look like mold tho. It just looks like the inside foam/flocking material deteriorated with time
ye its called clickbaiting, i'll be unsubscribing due to this. clickbaiting is despicable.
@@gremblobeans5004 wouldn't you say that his channels content is well worth the slight clickbate? I feel like it wouldn't be worth it to unsub
@@gremblobeans5004 while I'm pretty sure it isn't mould, it isn't clickbait lmfao neither the title or the thumbnail ever said it was mould, it was only in the video that said it was mould which isn't even clickbait
@@gibraltar4841 actually the title did say mouldy but he edited it
@@calvinmiller3959 yeah you're right, but honestly i can't respect clickbaiting. gain views by making interesting and truthful content. it'd just be a shame if he got tons more views from the clickbait title then found it profitable to keep using clickbaity titles. i've been subbed for a few years now, and i wouldnt want to see of my favourite youtubers turn to that just for a profit. i wont unsub but this didnt sit right with me
My uncle had the same bag and it disintegrated like that. We threw out the same bag with the game boy but I kept all the games. This was well over 10 years ago so it must have been sitting like this for a long time.
Tea, a sandwich & a new upload.
Perfect lunch.
You didn't know WWF Superstars??? This game was soooo cool back in the 90s. Everyone in my class was watching wrestling and this game was a must-have.
I was eating breakfast while watching this. Now I don't have to worry about what I am going to have for lunch today. Great restoration!
I have the same case and it did the same thing, haven't touched it for 20 years and was welcomed to this powder mess upon opening it.
Noticing on those Game Boy game manuals, the little green triangle on the Game Boy logo is a EU or UK indicator. The ones without seem to be USA version manuals. I think I have exactly one UK manual of my own that maybe I should go find it and a check (Batman).
I've just re bought WF Superstars! put SO many hours into it as a kid. It's the foundation of me recollecting amd playing 🤘😁
In this bag is my childhood.
Great video! Just my 2 cents but a new glass lens and gently using magic eraser around the discolored spots and the GameBoy would look 100% like new while still being totally original.
Everyone:MR CLEAN
Elliot:mr sheen
I don't know how you're able to touch the mold with your bare hands, I'd be too scared to touch the mold even with gloves on lol
damn gotta give the robocop soundtrack a listen
that Robocop music totally reminds me of the C64 SID chip music.
Gawwwwdamn that Robocop sound track is burnt into me. The Spectrum version is also amazing.
Me looking at my Gameboy, apologizing that I don't clean it as beautifully as you do.
Hey just make sure to blow out the A/B buttons (or any with a deep hole like that) with air as the water tension will hold water at the top until it eventually runs down when pressed, which it will! It can be seen in the video around 15mins. Otherwise a solid job. :)
20:42 And on.... and on... and on... and Ariston...
Thanks, that's now stuck in my head again XD
I used to have that same Gameboy case as a kid and it did the same thing with all those dots getting on everything.
Hydrogen peroxide also works if you don’t have vinegar handy. I think it actually works better and it becomes pH neutral. It’s very mildly acidic but it oxidizes the crap out of the corrosion and then turns into pH neutral water!
Hope you copped that logo patch off the outside of the bag. Could re-sew it onto something!
I recently buyed a gameboy radio cardridge and it had the same damage. There was a headphone in the box and had all of its dust over it. I looked closer and closer. .. pulled it out, the old headphone’s foam is starting to wear off … the end