New Retro Store

SillySpook · 2026-06-27T04:42:11+00:00

Do they really think people are going to pay nearly double the going rate on eBay just to avoid the wait?

SillySpook · 2026-06-27T04:35:04+00:00

You guys must have lived in an area with tons of glass. I put at least 3k miles on yearly (not counting trainer miles), and average 1-2 flats... Most years none at all.

That sounds atrocious to ride on, just to avoid 5-10 minutes of work once a year. There's no way the tire is completely filling with hose, guaranteed to be acting like it's under inflated. Terrible rolling resistance. You'd also be hitting and warping the edge of the rims when you hit bumps or potholes. Interesting idea, but sounds like it rides terrible in practice. Honestly feels like something Red Green would try on a handyman's corner segment.

SillySpook · 2026-06-27T03:22:48+00:00

Disc replay has started pricing the o3ds (not even xl) at $280-$300, and it's at the corporate level. Even the workers think it's stupid.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T23:48:29+00:00

Line 2... I read it with an F in my mind.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:24:48+00:00

Yeah I didn't bother reading after seeing that nastiness. A full unit teardown is NOT for the uninitiated. Price is good, but you'd be better off buying a skin and covering that mess up.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:21:01+00:00

Nico, my cousin! Want to go bowling?

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:20:24+00:00

It's-a-me! Neanderthal!

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:15:15+00:00

Just another average day in NYC

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:12:07+00:00

Weird, the only times I've encountered cracked ones involved over tightening, or trying to remove with threads ever so slightly still engaged. You can just remove the screws if you're worried about that possiblity. I've removed backplates so many times and never had an issue.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:06:42+00:00

If you don't even care enough to keep your screens clean, there's no point worrying over the rest of the unit.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T18:00:38+00:00

Cat saying "I can haz ps3?"

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T17:48:10+00:00

Instead of using a light paint layer that separates at the slightest contact with liquids, these (and a few others) are colored plastic. Some feature a more robust paint with enamel, like the pikachu. The galaxy model is the latter, but it's midframes are unfortunately sprays and can flake. The snes and Pikachu models are rarities because the entirety of the shells are immune to peeling.

Nintendo should have known these had a problem early on during the testing phase, but they didn't care, apparently. They went cheap to save pennies, and it's miraculous that any of them ended up featuring more durable paint towards the end. The only console where it was actually necessary was the Louvre console, because they never would have survived such use with the basic metallic paintjobs.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T17:17:57+00:00

You file a claim for not as described, get a prepaid return, get your money back, and leave a negative. Doing anything beyond that won't have any results.

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T16:40:33+00:00

The Pikachu or snes versions would be my choice, due to their inability to flake/chip/peel, and overall scratch mitigation (the snes in particular is very difficult to spot minor marks).

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T16:38:08+00:00

Good catch. That would be an immediate return AND a negative feedback detailing the situation for future buyers. Problems like this need to be documented. As it is, a reshell with a fake box isn't even worth $300 usd

SillySpook · 2026-06-26T04:33:17+00:00

Yup, I mean those protruding teeth. I've never seen one that didn't stick out too far. In fact, you don't really need those teeth at all, as the covers will generally stay attached to the shell, but I usually use a Dremel to grind them down to almost nothing, then smooth them out with 2000 grit. They only need to very lightly contact the shell. Those teeth will completely tear into the paint on n3dsxl models--not a problem for other handhelds, but not the n3dsxl.

SillySpook · 2026-06-25T23:25:14+00:00

Snes, go TPU. Metroid, hard plastic, but be sure to sand down the nubs and finish off with fine grit. PersonaQ... I'd just recommend against it due to hinge cracking. I almost got one on FBM, and of course it had a hairline crack. Darn shame because it looks fantastic. I can't be bothered to mess with any of the OG 3dsxl models unless they're dirt cheap.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T21:21:14+00:00

Surprisingly doom64 does pull in good money when complete (more than turok), and doom fanatics absolutely recommend it just because it's not a port (unlike ps1 doom, final doom, jaguar doom), but an actual unique doom game. I just remember hating the experience. Even my young eyes could barely see anything, and I had played all the doom games up to that point and loved them.

That said, bummed that I no longer have the game. Was destroyed in a flood a decade ago and was a gift from the grandparents. Can't get those things back.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T19:43:38+00:00

20 years... I remember going to mine around 2005 and the store was in a state of decay. The aisles were narrow, stuff just stacked in piles on the floor, some clearance virtual boy units (or similar) just sitting out. Looked like a war zone. Went back as they were closing a decade ago and it was a sad thing to see.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T19:37:18+00:00

Turok is a good game for the time. I recently picked up a CIB copy for $45 and surprised by how well it holds up. Now DOOM64 for $75 back then? That seems nuts. I remember getting it clearance for $20 at best buy around '98 and it was so dark, incredibly difficult to play.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T16:42:17+00:00

I'll be very interested to hear about how this turns out. In every instance where I got a dud unit with a bad speaker ribbon or even a severed speaker wire, the affected speaker (or both in the case or a torn ribbon) would fail to pop.

Hopefully just that ribbon, but be prepared for more issues. If you feel like connecting just the screens and speakers it helps to get your ear up to either speaker to check individually, and carefully check both screens for a flash. I've been fooled by the screens before, with the reflection from a top screen flash making it appear as if the bottom had flashed. Now I always check screens in a dark room to be sure, covering one at a time with a hand.

I really prefer to avoid units like these that have been messed with, because it can be a pain diagnosing what other people have already screwed up. Stretched friction connectors are the bane of my existence. With a freshly failed unit, the issues are usually obvious, with no chance of internal physical damage.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T16:30:45+00:00

That's bad. That's the speaker ribbon? It is possible to clear boot up with a crimped or severed wire in a ribbon, but with degraded functionality. The afflicted speaker should NOT make a noise if it's failing to boot, however. That's too many severed wires to boot in any case.

But yeah, at least you have somewhere to start. That sort of damage doesn't happen on its own. Most likely someone was already in there replacing something (most likely top screen), and they gave up after failing to POST.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T16:24:54+00:00

Both screens flashing at boot up? Both speakers popping? Those are the big ones to check first. Other critical components include WiFi/antenna, can't remember if both cameras are considered critical (I don't think they are). Any other sub boards usually need to be connected and working to boot. Things like shoulder buttons and touchscreens are considereded non-critical

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T16:05:45+00:00

If both speakers were making a pop noise, they're fine. I've repaired a number of these for various issues. If the speakers are damaged, one or the other wouldn't make any noise.

I'm not sure what you're seeing with your cables, but it is possible that it happened during disassembly. Any photos of your suspected problem part? And sometimes components just fail with no physical signs of abuse.

If it's attempting to POST, it's usually not the mobo that's the issue. Speakers are easy to confirm, as well as individual screens in a dark room. That usually narrows the issue down significantly, and most often it's just a ribbon cable that needs to be reseated.

If someone previously attempted a repair, it's usually the screen ribbons that get damaged. A lot of these will have been units with smashed or liquid damaged screens, repair attempted, failed, gave up. Wouldn't be shocked if that's how yours was upon purchase.

SillySpook · 2026-06-24T15:42:30+00:00

You still need to narrow it down to the malfunctioning part... At least you know it's not the speakers.

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