Game Boy Pocket Troubleshooting

No matter what you do, you can’t get your Game Boy Pocket to turn on.

If the contrast wheel is turned too far, the screen will be black. Try lowering the contrast to see if you can make out anything on the screen. If your Game Boy’s problem is not so easily solved, read on.

It is possible that one (or both) of the AAA batteries in your Game Boy is dead or low on juice. Make sure the batteries are properly inserted, and if they are try replacing them with fresh ones.

If there is no activity on your Game Boy’s screen after turning it on, it is possible that the display is bad and must be replaced. See the guide on how to replace a LCD screen.

Your Game Boy turns on, but you can barely make out what is display on the screen.

Locate the contrast wheel on the right edge of the Game Boy. Use your finger to move the wheel up or down until the screen displays your desired brightness.

Your Game Boy turns on and shows the Nintendo logo, but the game does not start.

If the game cartridge is not properly inserted into the game slot, a weak connection may prevent the game from starting. Remove the cartridge from the slot, and make sure there is nothing in the slot or cartridge that would block the two from connecting. If there is, remove it and carefully insert the cartridge back into the slot.

If a lot of dirt or dust accumulates in the game cartridge or game slot, you may need to do some cleaning. Holding an air spray can an inch or two away, spray inside the bottom of the cartridge. If needed, do the same to the slot. Another method is to use a moist Q-tip to wipe up any dust, and then use a dry Q-Tip or a paper towel to remove any excess water.

If the game cartridge suffers extensive damage (e.g. crushed, water damage) it may be best to repurchase the game and discard the damaged one.

Your Game Boy Pocket turns on and appears to work, but there is no sound coming from the speaker.

Before diving into the guts of your Game Boy, try turning up the volume wheel - it may be too low. If your problem is not so easily fixed, read on.

There may be a connection problem with the internal speaker which needs replacement.

The female jack has a built-in switch to turn the speaker off when a headset it plugged. Try to see if there is something stuck in the hole. If there is nothing visible, try to plug a headset and remove it.

Your Game Boy Pocket turns on and appears to work, but there is no sound when headphones are plugged in.

If there is dirt, dust, or other particles in the headphone jack, a weak connection may prevent your headphones from emitting sound. Using an air spray can, clean out the jack.

If there is sound coming from the speaker, but you don’t hear sound when headphones are plugged in, try a different set of headphones. The ones you are using may be malfunctioning.

If there is still no sound from the headphone jack, there may be an internal hardware issue that needs replacement.

Your Game Boy shuts off and dies soon after turning it on.

If batteries are not properly inserted in the Game Boy, a weak connection could be the problem. Make sure the batteries are in their proper positions and did not shift in place.

Batteries that are low on juice and about to die may cause your Game Boy to have a short battery life. Try replacing the batteries with fresh ones.