Your childhood console, back on the TV.
NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, N64, and GameCube repair: no-power fixes, dead cartridge readers, dying capacitors, full restorations. Honest quotes, stock-specification restoration, and a diagnosis that's free when you approve the repair.
What the retro bench does
Every console is quoted after diagnosis, before any work starts. Parts are at cost on the quote.
Diagnosis
Free when you approveBench test and a straight answer. The $49 fee applies only if you decline a fixable repair, and if it's not worth fixing, you pay nothing either way.
No power / dead console
Quoted after diagnosisThe 8- and 16-bit greats fail on power regulation and dried capacitors. We find what's dead on the board, replace it, and bring the machine back.
Cartridge reader service
Quoted after diagnosisBlinking screens, no game found, games that only work at an angle. The 72-pin connector and its cousins get cleaned or replaced.
Full restoration service
Quoted after diagnosisDisassembled, deep cleaned inside and out, leaky capacitors replaced, controller ports serviced. The console that outlives you.
Controllers & accessories
Quoted per itemOriginal pads, zappers, memory cards, RF and AV cables: tested and repaired where parts allow, quoted before work.
Disc-based retro
Quoted after diagnosisGameCube, PS1, PS2, Saturn: laser and spindle service for the first disc generation, same bench rules. Quoted before we start.
Everything else retro
AskDreamcast, handhelds, oddballs: if it plays a cartridge or a disc and it matters to you, ask. We'll tell you straight if we can't help.
Why a repair bench and not a swap shop
Retro consoles are getting rarer. We treat them that way.
Repair, not donor-swap
Your console's original board stays your console. We repair it; we don't quietly swap in someone else's and call it fixed.
Stock specification
No mod boards, no region mods, no LED kits. We restore what the factory built. If you want mods, that's a different shop's project.
Capacitors honestly assessed
Leaky capacitors are the silent killer of this generation. We check every can on the board and quote only the ones that need replacing.
The honest answer, free
Some consoles aren't worth fixing, and you'll hear it when it's true. You won't pay to hear it.
What the retro bench doesn't do
Scope stated plainly, so there are no surprises at pickup.
Out of scope, deliberately
- No modchip installs, region mods, or custom firmware. Stock-specification restoration only.
- No IPS or backlight screen kits. We restore handhelds to stock; we don't convert them.
- No CRT televisions or monitors. High voltage inside the tube is a genuine safety hazard. We repair the consoles, not the glass.
- No clone or counterfeit hardware. We work on the real machines.
Walk it in or ship it
Retro consoles travel well in a snug box. Either way, the quote comes first.
How it works
- 01Walk in. 2224 Sunrise Dr, Longmont · Mon–Fri 9–6, Sat–Sun 10–3. Bring the console and one game you've cleaned, and we'll diagnose on the spot where possible.
- 02Ship it in. Anywhere in the U.S.: get an RMA number online, pack it well, and we diagnose within 24 hours of arrival and email a flat quote.
- 03Approve the quote. Nothing gets repaired until you say go. Diagnosis is free when you approve; the $49 fee applies only if you decline a fixable repair.
Retro repair questions
Asked at the counter, answered here.
Straight answers
Every console is quoted after bench diagnosis, before any work starts. Diagnosis is $49 and free when you approve the repair. Simple fixes land at the low end; full restorations with capacitor replacement cost more, and the quote tells you which you're in before you spend anything.
No. Stock-specification restoration only: the console comes back as the factory built it, repaired and working.
Usually the console. The 72-pin cartridge connector wears out or gets grimy, and dirty games make it worse. We service the connector and clean the board so your cleaned games read reliably again.
Usually. Basements mean dust, corrosion, and leaked capacitors, and all three are normal work for this bench. The diagnosis tells you what you're in before you commit to anything.
Cartridge saves live in the cartridge, and their batteries die quietly after a few decades. If we spot a dying save battery while your console or cart is on the bench, we flag it; replacing the battery is stock-specification work.
No. High voltage inside a CRT is genuinely dangerous. We repair the consoles, not the televisions they plug into.
Blinking screen? Bring it in.
Call the shop any time: our AI receptionist answers around the clock and a human follows up. Or run the repair wizard for a first-pass assessment before you commit to anything. Walk-ins welcome at the Longmont bench.