All media is distributed with an expected life. We were told 5 1/4" floppy disks would hold data for 1-2 years, but there are 30+ year old games still alive and well.
NES battery games are supposed to have around a five year life. And of course anyone who collects old carts will find carts with dead batteries that need to be replaced.
Well, I sat down to play some NES tonight. On a whim, I checked my Zelda II cart that I received for Christmas 1988 along with my NES.
Below: my original Zelda II save game from 1989, still on the cart! Thirty-one years later!
So, what is your oldest save game?
Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
- VideoGameCritic
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
I few lessons here. First, those little batteries are a miracle of technology. I've had to replace very few batteries from the NES/SNES collection because frankly they tend to all still work!
Second, this is why people don't trust the so-called "experts". That guy I talked to at Babbages in 1982 didn't know how long a floppy disk would last, but he didn't want to look dumb so he just gave his best guess, and of course he was way off.
Second, this is why people don't trust the so-called "experts". That guy I talked to at Babbages in 1982 didn't know how long a floppy disk would last, but he didn't want to look dumb so he just gave his best guess, and of course he was way off.
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
Can’t say for sure my oldest cart. I know almost all still saved last time I checked, except Zelda NES. I was always kind of impressed that I never once replaced my Sega CD battery but it just keeps on going.
- VideoGameCritic
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
Shapur wrote:Can’t say for sure my oldest cart. I know almost all still saved last time I checked, except Zelda NES. I was always kind of impressed that I never once replaced my Sega CD battery but it just keeps on going.
So apparently the Sega CD has a rechargeable battery that will retain data if you fire it up every few weeks or so. Typically when I turn mine on that internal memory is gone. I vaguely recall watching a YouTube video about someone replacing their Sega CD battery, which was a big project. It's not a CR2032 or anything like that.
- Gentlegamer
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
There's a tragic ending to this story. I played through the entire second quest to discover my number of crystals is glitched, prohibiting me from accessing the Great Palace and finishing the game.
Curse you, Glitch Gremlin!
Curse you, Glitch Gremlin!
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
My Zelda I (grey cart) still had its saves last time I played it (but that was a few years ago). However, my copy of Kirby's Dreamland 2 (GB) needs a new battery and possibly my Kirby Superstar. Otoh, after 7 years I've yet to replace the batteries in my keyfobs. Those CR2032 batteries are a bit unpredictable.
- pacman000
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
Probably Kirby's Pinball Land, since I've never reset the high-score table. I have other mid-90's games with working save systems, but I've restarted & deleted my old saves from-time-to-time.
At least, I hope the saves functions still work; they worked last year.
At least, I hope the saves functions still work; they worked last year.
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
As of the fall of 2019 (yes, I write these things down) my original NES Tecmo Super Bowl still saves the season.
Also that fall, I tried every Sega Genesis Madden game where I started a season but come the next time I turned it on nothing was saved - except Madden '94. I was able to play a full season.
Someday I need to find one of those Youtube videos on replacing these batteries..........
Also that fall, I tried every Sega Genesis Madden game where I started a season but come the next time I turned it on nothing was saved - except Madden '94. I was able to play a full season.
Someday I need to find one of those Youtube videos on replacing these batteries..........
- travistouchdown
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Re: Battery Save Games (Your Oldest Save)
Zelda: Links Awakening, started 1993 when the game was released. Got to Dungeon 6 before getting stuck.
Picked it back up and finished it from the same save file a few months back. Save file is going strong after 27 years.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sn69N9aZiJfw5Vuh9
Picked it back up and finished it from the same save file a few months back. Save file is going strong after 27 years.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sn69N9aZiJfw5Vuh9