Nintendo DS Game Card Troubleshooting
- Game freezes or locks up
Occasional lockups with video games can happen from time-to-time and do not necessarily indicate a need for repair or replacement. If you
are experiencing frequent lockups, or a particular game always locks up in the same area, please see the information below.
- Make sure you are using only licensed accessories. Unlicensed products and accessories do not undergo Nintendo's testing and evaluation process. They may not work at all with our game systems, and they may have compatibility problems with certain games or accessories.
- Check for visible contamination or foreign material on the connector pins of your Game Cards or Game Paks. If you see contamination or foreign material on a Game Card, please click here for replacement information.
- If possible, try the Game Card in another Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS Lite.
If the game works properly in another system, the problem is with
your Nintendo DS Lite. Please check out our system repair
options. If the game still does not work in another system,
it is likely a problem with the Game Card. Please review our Nintendo
DS Game Card replacement options to determine how to get your
game replaced.
If you are not able to try the game in another system, or the above
troubleshooting steps haven't narrowed the problem down, it is impossible
to determine for certain whether the problem is the Nintendo DS
Lite or the Game Card. For repair information in Latin America, please click here.
- System won't play Game Boy Advance Games
If the system settings have been set to "Automatic Mode," a Game Boy
Advance game will not play if a Nintendo DS Game Card is inserted
in the system. You can still play a Game Boy Advance game by removing
the DS Game Card, or you can hold down the Start button while powering
on the DS to select the Game Game Boy Advance game from the main menu.
You can also switch the DS system back to manual mode. For information
on changing this setting, click here.
If the above information does not solve the problem, we recommend having your system repaired. Click here
for repair options.
- Can't play multiplayer
Game Boy Advance Games
The Nintendo DS Lite does not have a port for the Game Boy Advance Link
Cable or Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter. Because of this, there
is no way to play multiplayer Game Boy Advance games that require
these accessories for multiplayer action. If you wish to play multiplayer
Game Boy Advance games, you may want to purchase a Game Boy Advance
or Game Boy Advance SP.
- Game Card will not eject:
Press down on the top of the Game Card. It should spring up slightly,
giving you enough of a grip to remove the card. If after doing this
the Game Card still does not eject, your system will need to be
repaired. Click here
for repair options.
- Problems with one game
The following steps are for problems with a single Game Card, or if
you only own one game. If more than one game is experiencing problems,
please link here.
| Note: It is possible that
the problem you have may be game play related. For example,
if you cannot defeat a particular enemy, or are missing an item
you need to complete an area, the problem is likely game play
related and there is nothing wrong with your game. Please check
our game play help
for assistance. |
- Check the list of specific
game issues to see if there are any known problems for the
game you are playing.
- Check for Unlicensed
products. Make sure that you're using only licensed products
with your Nintendo system. Unlicensed products are not tested
for compatibility and may not work correctly with all games. Try
playing the game without the unlicensed accessory.
- Inspect the connector pins of the the game. If they are bent,
or contaminated with foreign material, the game may not work and
may cause damage to the Nintendo DS system. If the connector pins
appear damaged, click here for replacement options.
- Ensure the game is being loaded properly. Click here for step-by-step instructions on inserting and beginning
a Nintendo DS game.
- If possible, try the Game Card in another Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS Lite.
If the game works properly in another system, the problem is with
your Nintendo DS Lite. Please check out our system repair
options. If the game still does not work in another system,
it is likely a problem with the Game Card. Please review our Nintendo
DS Game Card replacement options to determine how to get your
game replaced.
If you are not able to try the game in another system and the other
troubleshooting steps haven't narrowed the problem down, it is impossible
to determine for certain whether the problem is the Nintendo DS
or the Game Card. For repair information in Latin America, please click here.
- Problems with multiple games:
If you are having problems with more than one game, but are able to
get at least one of your games to work, please use the information
below.
- Check for Unlicensed products.
Make sure that you're using only licensed products with your Nintendo
system. Unlicensed products are not tested for compatibility and
may not work correctly with all games. Try playing the game without
the unlicensed accessory.
- Ensure the game is being loaded properly. Click here for step-by-step instructions on inserting and beginning
a Nintendo DS game.
- If you are having difficulty playing wireless multiplayer games,
click here.
- If you are having difficulty playing Game Boy Advance games
on your Nintendo DS Lite because a Nintendo DS Game Card keeps starting
up automatically, it is likely your system is set to "Automatic
Start-up." Click here for information
on changing this setting.
Our experience shows that if at least one game works, the problem
is likely not with the system. Please click here
for repair options on Nintendo DS Game Cards. If
you are having difficulty with Game
Boy Advance games, please .
- Problems with all games:
If you are having problems with all of your games, please use the information
below.
- Check for Unlicensed products.
Make sure that you're using only licensed products with your Nintendo
system. Unlicensed products are not tested for compatibility and
may not work correctly with all games. Try playing the game without
the unlicensed accessory.
- Ensure the games are being loaded properly. Click here for step-by-step instructions on inserting and beginning
a Nintendo DS game.
- If you are only having difficulty playing wireless multiplayer
games, click here.
If the steps above do not solve your problem, your system will need to be repaired. Click here
for repair options.
- Game is difficult to control while using the stylus
Because many Nintendo DS games use a new and innovative way to control
the action on the screen by using a touch screen and stylus, some
players may find it difficult or awkward to control their character
in the game. Please consider the following if you are having difficulty
with using the stylus:
- Check the game's manual to see if there are alternative control
settings that may work better for you. Many games feature several control settings -- some
that may make using the stylus easier. There may also be settings that use the DS Lite's Control Pad and buttons only.
- Give it time and practice. When Super Mario 64 was released
for the Nintendo 64 back in 1996, it was one of the first games
to introduce 3D environments and analog control. While many people
may have found the new style of control awkward at first, Super
Mario 64's graphics and controls went on to redefine the video
game industry, as well as becoming one of the top-selling games
of all time!
- Game Boy Game doesn't
fit
Game Boy Color and original Game Boy games do not work with the
Nintendo DS Lite. For more information, click here.
