You can find tri-wing screwdrivers suitable for the security screw used in GBA carts on eBay or elsewhere. The batteries are typically spot-welded to the original battery terminals, so trying to reuse the terminals is not easy. There are some videos on youtube that demonstrate methods of replacing batteries, some that require soldering and some that don't, and you'll have to decide which approach you prefer. However, soldering wires directly to the battery is discouraged, as it's generally not a good idea to heat up lithium batteries...

Edit: still have to break out the soldering iron, but this looks handy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/380705414321

I've got a few that need doing, which I keep putting off. Be interested to hea5r how you get on. 😀

I have zero soldering experience... hmm...

Provide me the materials (batteries and old carts, I already have suitable screwdrivers) and I'll replace them for you if you can't do it yourselves (for free ofcourse , assuming paying for shipping is not a problem for you guys)

I think its best to find new batteries with the connectors already spot welded. However, make sure they are relatively new.

I am not sure, but there may be suitable clips that allow for easy removal of the battery that you may be able to solder onto the leads.

Solder sucker and solder wick should get rid of the old solder, then apply the solder liberally.

I kinda find it ironic how much more power those quartz clocks burn compared to keeping the memory in a RAM chip intact for save games. The battery in my original copy of Pokémon Blue is perfectly fine, yet the battery in my original copy of Pokémon Silver has been very dead for a few years now. :P

...maybe I should just get one of the more "recent" Pokémon games instead to fuel my mild renewed interest... SoulSilver is for the DS and has almost all of my favourite Pokémon in it... :B

*checks eBay prices*

.................

*checks Amazon prices*

.................

*facepalms*

You can use an emulator. 😎

I've replaced several batteries in pokemon games. Its actually VERY simple to do with a normal soldering iron.

here is a sample bay auction, it shows the inside of the cartridge so you can get an idea of what it will take to replace.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110792752416

I'll do it for free as well, Shipping should be relatively cheap, they are only an ounce or two. You can almost do it with a standard envelope. I also don't have any of the batteries.

EDIT: Turns out Pokémon White Version 2 has a good number of my favourites in it; Not all of them, more like 75%, but still more than Black 2. Though it also has my top three favourites, so that's good enough really, and I may be able to find it from local EB Games stores for a decent price new; Might as well take a look. :B

luckybob wrote:

I'll do it for free as well, Shipping should be relatively cheap, they are only an ounce or two. You can almost do it with a standard envelope. I also don't have any of the batteries.

I'm only going to take someone up on this offer if they're in Canada, otherwise the cost to post starts to jump and I'd rather spend that money on a new game than fixing the battery in an old one.

Firtasik wrote:

You can use an emulator. :cool:

Not during a thunderstorm, which is when I've been playing. :P

I was talking to a friend of mine recently, and apparently the save batteries in some of his dad's old NES carts still work fine. I've noticed the same thing with some of my SNES carts. I wonder what went wrong, where cartridge batteries started dying out more quickly. Could it have something to do with the clock chips some games started using?

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

I was talking to a friend of mine recently, and apparently the save batteries in some of his dad's old NES carts still work fine. I've noticed the same thing with some of my SNES carts. I wonder what went wrong, where cartridge batteries started dying out more quickly. Could it have something to do with the clock chips some games started using?

ALL of my video game cart batteries still work, with only two exceptions: Pokémon Silver and Pokémon Ruby, and those are also the only two game carts I have with clocks in them. :P

What's curious about this is that people's cart batteries do indeed die out, as the first used copy of Phantasy Star IV I bought awhile back had a DOA battery, while the second one I bought a few years later was fine.

I'm going to hazard a guess that it's related to not keeping the contacts and pins in one's consoles and carts clean, because that's the ONLY thing I can figure out would be the cause, as I always keep my systems and games clean, yet not everyone did. I also know from experience that turning a console on and off rapidly is a surefire way to damage save data. :P

It's more likely just to do with the factories having multiple sources for batteries. Some are better, some aren't so good, but they would have all lasted for some Nintendo-mandated minimum period (like 3-5 years, say), and any life you get after that is a crapshoot.

I've seen huge variations in my collection. For instance: I have an original Japanese Pokemon Green cartridge that still has the save file on it, but all of my own English GB and GBC games (Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Crystal) are long dead. Go figure.

SquallStrife wrote:

It's more likely just to do with the factories having multiple sources for batteries. Some are better, some aren't so good, but they would have all lasted for some Nintendo-mandated minimum period (like 3-5 years, say), and any life you get after that is a crapshoot.

I've seen huge variations in my collection. For instance: I have an original Japanese Pokemon Green cartridge that still has the save file on it, but all of my own English GB and GBC games (Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Crystal) are long dead. Go figure.

Also, I think usage comes into play as well. If you played the game for 100's of hours, thats 100's of hours less the backup battery has to do its job. Even non-rechargeable batteries will absorb some power back.

So I did indeed pick up Pokémon White Version 2. 'twas the last new copy at the store I went to; wasn't even on the shelves; cashier had to go searching through a couple back drawers to find it when the computer said it was indeed in stock. :B

So far, seems like a typical Pokémon game but really decked out as far as the presentation. The storyline though is just... wholly geeze, when did everyone in the Pokémon universe start taking happy pills every day?! Let me contrast the start of the game with each of the main series games I've played:

Pokémon Red/Blue: OMGDON'TWALKINTHEGRASS but I need you to run an errand for me... so here's a Pokémon to keep you safe. You'll get a Pokédex later once you've proved your skill.

Pokémon Gold/Silver: Please run an errand for me. Here's a Pokémon to keep you safe. You'll get your Pokédex later once you've proved your skill.

Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire: OMGPROF'SINTROUBLESAVEHIMWITHPOKEMON! Hey, you fight well, keep it and come back for a Pokédex when you can.

Pokémon White2/Black2: Want a Pokémon, a Pokédex, and all this cool stuff? Here you go! Now go grind away all your Lv 100 Dragonites. :P

*shakes head* ...I was so tempted to just say "no" when the game asked right off the bat if I wanted a Pokémon. XD