Why does cleaning a cartridge make it work?

Over time, cartridge contacts can accumulate dust, oxidation, and grime—especially if they've been stored in humid environments or handled frequently. These contaminants interfere with the electrical connection between the cartridge and the console, causing games to fail to load, glitch, or freeze.

Cleaning the cartridge removes this buildup from the metal contacts, restoring a clean path for the console to read the game data. It’s not about fixing the game itself—it’s about restoring the connection. In most cases, a proper cleaning is all it takes to bring a “dead” cartridge back to life.