Intellivision Restoration

[Shepy]

I am most likely going to be purchasing an Intellivision and 27 games from someone of craigslist in the next couple of days, but I have no idea how to restore the system or the games to original working condition. If it's anything like NES restortation I would know how to do it but I really just want to know how to all of it in good, clean, working condition. Thanks!

[Duke.Togo]

The good news is that the system itself and the games are pretty reliable. The cart pins are exposed, so they are easy to clean in the same manner as NES games, and the usual tricks will work for the cart slot (I use coffee filters and alcohol). The only point you may have issues with are the controllers. The buttons used can be a problem, particularly if they have had a lot of wear. They don't use the easy conductive pads like most modern controllers, so I'd recommend replacing whole bad controllers if you have problems.

The end labels of the carts aren't laminated in most cases, so be careful if you try to clean them. The controller inserts are mylar, so they can crack and may fade with alcohol use. Just use a damp paper towel to give them a gentle cleaning. I believe you can also order new replica replacement inserts somewhere.

Be sure to post when you get the items, and if you run into any issues.