Hardware GBA SP won't play GBC games

[DiggityDiglett]

I've had a Advanced SP for a few years now. Was never able to play color games unless you pressed down hard on the color cartridge and then the game would start but freeze up if you stop pressing down on the cartridge. All the color games I've tried work if you play them on a gameboy color and the SP plays normal advanced games just fine. Any suggestions on a fix, maybe cleaning contacts?

 

[N64]

try cleaning the contacts. most likely it seems the switch that is pressed when a GBC game is inserted is what's the problem.

 

[FAST6191]

Only working when pressing would seem to indicate some kind of contact failure. You have the classic contacts, bent contact and dirt somewhere in there thing but you also have a little tiny black slider switch down in there. Also make sure that is free and clear.

 

[DiggityDiglett]

Alright will try that out, thanks for the advice

 

[DiggityDiglett]

Update: So I'm able to get some gbc games to run after playing around with the black switch, (had some food crumb behind it). But now I can only get gbc to play when the back cover is off . Any ideas on that?

 

[FAST6191]

That is a curious diagnostics routine you have there.

Covers and cases can induce all sorts of stresses into a machine. The lack of a rear panel might well have done something that sees the stresses work to your advantage here.

 

[slaphappygamer]

Is your battery swelled up? Something seems to be tweaking your sp so the games won't fit right.

 

[DiggityDiglett]

Not that I know of, the battery life seems normal and nothing physically looks wrong with the battery. There is definitely a lot of play with the GBC games they move around more than they should when inserted, only work if you push them in the right direction and hold them there.

 

[skaman]

Sounds like the GB/GBA switch is faulty.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I'd swap the motherboard.