Retro Console Specialists · Charlotte, NC
The Nintendo you grew up with deserves to live again.
That NES from Christmas morning. The SNES you and your brother fought over for the controller. They’re not just hardware — they’re part of your story. Bring it to us and we’ll get it running like the day you unwrapped it — or better.
Not in Charlotte? Mail it in.
We take board-level work from anywhere in the US — free diagnostic, free insured return shipping, and no fee if we can't fix it.
Some consoles are worth saving.
Remember Saturday mornings — waking up before your parents and spending the whole day in front of the TV? That NES or SNES wasn’t just a toy. It was split-screen multiplayer with your best friend. It was staying up way too late trying to beat one more dungeon. It was childhood.
A cheap mini-clone is not the same thing. Playing a ROM is not the same thing. Your console — the one with the scuff on the corner from that one time, the one your parents threatened to take away — is irreplaceable. We get that. So we repair the original hardware, not swap it out. We treat every console that comes through our door the way we’d want someone to treat ours.
Don’t give up on it. Bring it to us.
Repair at a glance
Free diagnostics
We inspect your console and tell you exactly what it needs before you commit to anything.
Board-level repair
We solder, recap, and trace — no swap-and-ship, everything done in-house by our own technicians.
90-day warranty
Every repair is covered. If the same issue returns within 90 days, we fix it free.
Local or mail-in
Drop off at our Charlotte shop or ship it to us safely — we repair for customers across the US.
Does this sound familiar?
These are the most common problems we see — and fix — every week.
Blinking red light
Blinks but never boots — the classic 72-pin failure.
Won't power on
Dead silent when you flip the switch.
Black screen / no picture
Powers on but nothing on the TV.
No or crackly sound
Silence or static instead of your favourite chiptunes.
Games won't save
Your progress disappears every time you power off.
Yellowed or grimy shell
Decades of UV have turned it the wrong shade.
What we fix
All repairs quoted free before any work begins.
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- Blinking-light / 72-pin connector
New high-tension connector, board clean, alignment test.
- No-power / power-jack repair
Fuse, voltage regulator, barrel-jack replacement.
- Video & AV output repair
AV port re-solder, RF modulator bypass, signal trace repair.
- Capacitor recap
All electrolytics replaced with modern equivalents.
- Cartridge-slot & port cleaning
Ultrasonic clean + contact re-tensioning.
- Deep clean & cosmetic restoration
Shell disassembly, full internal clean, deoxide..
Super Nintendo (SNES)
- No-video / black-screen repair
PPU diagnosis, cap replacement, AV port re-solder.
- Audio repair
SPC700 diagnosis, cap-related hiss, crackle resolved.
- Capacitor recap
Full board recap using long-life capacitors.
- Power & reset switch repair
Switch replacement or contact cleaning.
- Cartridge-slot / pin repair
Connector replacement or professional cleaning.
- Safe power-supply replacement
Original PSU can fail dangerously — we replace it safely.
Ready to get this fixed?
Free diagnostic, firm quote before any work begins.
Keep the console — upgrade the experience.
These mods and restorations are optional — your console is great as-is. But if you want it to look and play better than ever, we can make that happen.
HDMI Output
Play on any modern TV in crisp digital video — no adapter chain needed.
RGB Upgrade
Extract the console's best possible analogue signal for CRT purists.
Save-Battery Replacement
Never lose a Zelda file again. Fresh CR2032 in your cart.
Region-Free & Imports
Play PAL and Japanese titles on your console without a convertor.
Retrobright Restoration
Reverse decades of UV yellowing and get back to that original grey.
Controller Refurb
Worn d-pads, sticky buttons, frayed cables — all sorted.
Getting back into retro?
Whether you want to buy, sell, or trade, we can help.
How it works
Tell us the story
Call, text, or walk in. Describe what it's doing (or not doing). We'll set expectations honestly.
Get your quote
Free diagnostic — we inspect it and give you a clear quote before we touch a soldering iron.
We revive it
Board-level repair, done in-house by our own technicians. Most consoles are back within a few days.
Play it again
Pick it up, plug it in, and finally load that save file you've been missing for 20 years.
Why Charlotte Tech Repair
Board-level experts
We don't just swap parts — we diagnose and repair at the circuit-board level. That's the only way to truly fix 30-year-old hardware.
We get the sentiment
We repair the original hardware. No cheap replacements, no "good enough." Because your console isn't just a machine.
Fast & fully in-house
Everything is done at our Charlotte shop on E W.T. Harris Blvd — never shipped to a third party, never a mystery queue.
4.9★ across 1,500+ reviews
Over a decade of retro repairs and a review record that speaks for itself. We stand behind every job with a 90-day warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fix a Nintendo I've had since childhood?
Absolutely — that is exactly what we love doing. We repair original NES and SNES hardware at the board level, and we treat every console as irreplaceable because it is. Bring it in and we will tell you exactly what it needs.
Why does my NES blink and not play games?
The classic blinking red light is almost always a worn 72-pin cartridge connector. After decades the contacts oxidise and lose tension, preventing a clean connection. We replace the connector with a new high-quality part and also clean the board — most NES units play perfectly after this repair.
My SNES powers on but the screen is black — is it dead?
Almost certainly not. A black screen with power is usually a failed capacitor on the video circuit, a PPU chip issue, or a bad AV port — all things we diagnose and repair at the board level. Bring it in for a free diagnostic.
Can you make my console better than it was originally?
Yes. We offer HDMI output mods, RGB signal upgrades, region-free modifications, new save batteries, and cosmetic Retrobright restoration. You get the authentic experience your console was always capable of, just modernised.
Do you repair by mail or only in person?
Both. Charlotte-area customers are welcome to drop off at our shop at 1001 E W.T. Harris Blvd. If you are outside the area, contact us and we will arrange a safe mail-in repair with tracked shipping.
My games won't save anymore — can you help?
Yes. NES and SNES cartridges use a small CR2032-style battery to retain saves. After 30+ years those batteries are dead or leaking. We replace the save battery in the cartridge, and if there has been any leakage we clean and repair the PCB.
Other consoles we repair
Ready to get this fixed?
Free diagnostic, firm quote before any work begins.