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Battery saves & ageing

Old games are electronics, and electronics age. Here's what actually fails, what it does to value, and what's fixable for a few dollars.

Dead save batteries

Cartridges that save (Zelda, Pokémon, most RPGs) use a coin cell soldered to the board — typically a CR2032 — and after 25–35 years most are dead or dying. A dead battery means the game plays fine but forgets your save. The fix is a few dollars and basic soldering (or a battery holder, so the next swap is trivial). It's routine maintenance, not damage: a listing that says "saves don't hold" is a discount opportunity, not a dealbreaker.

Leaking batteries and capacitors

The nastier version: some boards (and many consoles) carry batteries or electrolytic capacitors that leak, and the electrolyte eats traces. Game Gears, original Xboxes (clock capacitor), Saturns and PC Engines are notorious; any cart stored damp can suffer. Check board photos for fuzzy corrosion, green crust, or stained solder mask. Light corrosion cleans up; eaten traces need real repair. This is the strongest argument for asking for board photos on expensive carts — the same photo that catches repros catches leaks.

Disc rot

Optical discs fail when the reflective layer oxidises — visible as pinholes against a bright light, bronzing, or edge clouding. It's rarer than the internet suggests and heavily batch-dependent, but it's irreversible, so check high-value discs against the light before buying. Resurfacing fixes scratches; nothing fixes rot.

What time does to the packaging

Sun fades spines, humidity warps cardboard, and price stickers tear ink when peeled dry. Store boxes upright, out of sunlight, in stable humidity — the same rules as vinyl. (Our sibling site The Sleeve Notes lives by them.)

The takeaway for buyers