Search the Community

SEGA GameGear Disassembly This guide will take you through the disassembly procedures of all 3 variants of the SEGA GameGear for cleaning and/or further repair. Table of Contents Hardware Notes Materials Required Tools, Parts, Additional Supplies Difficulty Time Estimate Console Variant Recognition GameGear Disassembly 1. Hardware Note: There are 3 variations of the SEGA GameGear that were released and this guide was originally based on the VA1. Any differences between VA1 and the VA5/VA5 variants will be noted below each step. 2. Materials Required: Tools: #00 Philips Head Screwdriver 4.5mm GameBit Tamper Proof Security Bit Specialty Scraping Tool (Can use small flat-head screwdriver) Parts: N/A Additional Supplies: N/A 3. Difficulty: Easy 4. Time Estimate: 25-30 Minutes 5. Console Variant Recognition: VA1: Smooth and flat screen cover with color “GameGear” logo in the top left. VA4: Smooth and rounded screen cover with color “GameGear” logo in the top left. VA5 / MAJESCO: Smooth and rounds screen cover with black and white “GameGear” logo in the top left. 6. Console Disassembly: Step 1: Flip the console face down. Step 2: Remove both battery covers, batteries, and game from console. Step 3: Unscrew (1) with the 4.5mm GameBit. Unscrew (2-7) with the #00 Philips screwdriver. Step 4: Gently unplug the cable connectors (1-3) from the audio & power boards. Step 5: Unscrew (1-12) with the #00 Philips screwdriver. Lift main board and set aside. (Note: Watch for the contrast wheel and the screen protector film as they can get stuck.) Step 6: Remove all buttons, D-pad, and screen protection film (1-5). Step 7: Unscrew (1-4) with the #00 Philips screwdriver, remove the metal shielding, and set it aside. Step 8: Unscrew (1-2) with the #00 Philips screwdriver from sound board. Remove the sound board and set it aside. (Note: Watch for the volume wheel as it can get stuck.) Step 9: Unscrew (1-2) with the #00 Philips screwdriver from power board. Pry the black plastic shield (3) with a flat head screwdriver or specialty tool. Remove the power board and set it aside. Complete: Clean and repair the console as required. To reassemble, reverse steps 1-9. (If you see anything incorrect or that you want added, feel free to comment below and the posting will be edited to reflect the corrections.)

Sega GameGear: General Guides Below you will find general guides for everything from disassembly to full restores. Disassembly: If you need to do any work on your GameGear more than likely you will need to start here and then work with the repair guides below to fix any issues that might arise. Click HERE for the forum post OR Click the following for the PDF download. Disassembly - SEGA GameGear Cap Replacement: If your GameGear LCD Screen look washed out, dim, or lacking in contrast, if the sound is non-existent, or if it turns itself off randomly this repair guide could fix all of your issues. LINKS COMING SOON More guides coming soon... (If you see anything incorrect or that you want added, feel free to comment below and the posting will be edited to reflect the corrections.)

Sega GameGear: Welcome to the Next Level On October 9th, 1990, the Sega GameGear was released to the public in Japan. The following year, it was released in North America and Europe, and was released in 1992 in Australia. The handheld system was designed to compete with the Nintendo Game Boy, Atari Lynx and NEC Turbo Express. The hardware included a full-color backlit screen and landscaping format, which led Sega to position the GameGear as superior to the GameBoy. Because of the library of games and affordable price, the GameGear was immediately good competition to the Atari Lynx and TurboExpress, despite being rushed to the market. It fell short, however, in competing with the GameBoy, because it suffered from short battery life and weak support from its parent company, Sega. When Sega began to see its sales decline as a result of Nintendo putting a handheld console on the market, they quickly began to design the GameGear. One of their tactics to make a great product in a short amount of time was to base the hardware of the GameGear on the hardware of the Master System. This was intended to allow Master System games to port to the Game Gear. While the GameGear was certainly designed with more technical capability, the sacrifice of battery life led it to be an inferior option to the Gameboy to many consumers. The Game Boy was capable of running for over 20 hours on four AA batteries while the Game Gear could only run for three to five hours with 6 AA batteries. One of the issues that led to the decline of the Game Gear was the lack of attention to it paid by Sega. At the same time that the GameGear was being marketed, the company was also trying to support the Sega CD and Sega 32X home systems, and design a new home console system, the Sega Saturn. After the decline of the Game Gear, which was discontinued in 1996, Sega designed the Genesis Nomad, the last handheld console the company Sega would release. Over three hundred games were released for the Game Gear, including big names such as Sonic the Hedgehog, The GG Shinobi and The Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. ~Vic Sega GameGear - Model: 2110 ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: 1991 Original Release - Other than a slightly different sports version with the same model number, this was the only version of the GameGear released. The variations of this model include one with a jet black case and a few limited edition models sold in Japan. The most common problem associated with this model is an issue with the sound output chip. In addition, some complain that players have to angle the screen too much for good viewing. Unit Lifetime: 1991 - 1997 Units Sold (Worldwide): 11 Million Authorized Games Released (Worldwide): 390 Backwards Compatibility: N/A Media Type: Cartridge Resolution: 160 x 146 Colors Available: 4096 Colors on Screen: 32 Screen Size: 3.2” Sound Output (All Models): 4 Layer Stereo Power Requirements (All Models): 6 AA Batteries or 10v 850amps (If you see anything incorrect or that you want added, feel free to comment below and the posting will be edited to reflect the corrections.)