Just file a PayPal claim at this point. PayPal will ask you to return the stuff, and you will get your money including original shipping cost refunded.

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I never pushed down any of the carts in the "ninja grips" and still had trouble with them... even after trying to break them in. I refurbish NES consoles all the time by reconditioning the original connectors without issues. My buddy suggested I should buy new connectors since they take very little time to install [compared to time reconditioning original connectors take] and work great every time. So broke down and bought some from the same source as my buddy. The connectors I received were slightly different from his [he ordered a huge lot of them 6 or so months prior]. I had problems no matter how much I tried to break them in. Even tried boiling them as I had see suggested here. Still a no-go. There are some crap connectors out there, unfortunately. :-/

No no, this is for emergency "getting screwed over" things like this. Still, buy a cheap NES locally and fix it much, you'll have fun, learn the system, and have a much better time if you want to put it in.

And haha, yeah weimans for cleaning games! It's the absolutely the best. It doesn't jack up the games as long as you use a sane amount of it, and it doesn't make the connector rough or any of that crap. And while I wouldn't intentionally stretch out the connector, when you do get the Ninjas down from death grip, they're perfectly fine. Just might have to take it apart once in awhile and scrub it in the sink with a toothbrush, as the dust still will make games finicky. Never push them down either, like said.

But yeah, get a new NES and we'll guide ya through the process of fixing it, what parts you need etc. A new connector is about $10, controller pads are $2-$3 each per controller you have to fix, and other than that it's mostly just time you need to invest, maybe 2 hours for a new guy, about 45 minutes for an experienced person to clean and fix a messed up setup.

^^^ I second this ^^^

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I don't see the problem here. So... games don't work 100% of the time? Even with a brand new 72pin this doesn't sound abnormal to me.

New pin connectors are always INSANELY tight. Wear will loosen them. If you want a quick way to loosen it up then shove a Game Genie in it. ( I would just let it loosen naturally but if you have a weak grip, well....) ALL GAMES MUST BE CLEANED BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN A NEW CONNECTOR. Buy a game bit, take them apart, and clean the pins thoroughly with either brass polish/rubbing alcohol or weimanns. They will work flawlessly afterwards. You say the controllers were filthy, then most likely the games were as well.

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But have you cleaned a game since you've gotten it? Your symptoms do point to a dirty cartridge connector if the games are glitchy upon startup or the blinking screen of death. If you have then it's likely the connector inside the Nintendo is not good, or was never replaced at all.

Also, I've noticed that you said to have bought a NTSC NES, but you mention Euros when you talk about money. If you're in England and buying a NTSC NES, that's probably your problem there. You need either modification or to buy a PAL system with PAL games.

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So why do you need an NTSC NES and why won't you just fix it yourself? If you own a screwdriver, you'd have to be pretty terrible using it not to be qualified to take apart an NES.

So many different problems could be at work here. The NES is really quite bulletproof. Someone with some deeper knowledge needs to open it up. When he swapped the 72 pin, perhaps he didn't clean the connector edge on the mother board? Maybe he was being sloppy with his work and didn't line it up correctly? PAL games in a NTSC console? Did he try to clip the lockout chip and made a mistake on the correct leg?
Personally, I have zero confidence in those ninja grip connectors, and have personally have had exceptional results with the boil and bake method of the original pin connector. In the last month since using that method on my player NES, I have yet to have a flicker or green screen.

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Very true.. The one caveat to this (for a first timer) is making sure the cartridge tray tab is correctly aligned when putting it back together.

It wouldnt hurt. Maybe a closeup of where the pin connector hooks to the motherboard, maybe the pin itself. Check for obvious corrosion or other dirt/contaminants.

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Do you mean on the metal RF shield?

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Wow.. Thats sloppy for sure. I dont imagine you have access to any? I'm not 100% sure if they contribute to proper pin alignment, but I bet some of them do. Particularly the longer two silver screws that should go through the tray carriage and pin connector. Whether or not it is enough to keep proper alignment I dont know, but its a good place to start. Im not sure where to pick up some extra screws that are the same as those used in the NES.

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