Wii, Wii U, 3DS, DS and Game Boy repair

Earlier Nintendo consoles and handhelds, and the saves held in consoles, on SD cards and inside cartridges.

What goes wrong

Nintendo hardware is tough, and a great deal of it is still in use. The faults are the ones age brings: hinges and ribbon cables on folding handhelds, worn lasers on the Wii, tired batteries, and screens that have yellowed or cracked.

Saves are the complication. Depending on the system they may be in the console, on an SD card or inside the game cartridge, and each needs a different approach.

Repairs

Screens

Top and bottom screens, touch panels and lenses on DS and 3DS models.

Hinges and cables

Broken hinges and the ribbon cables that run through them.

Disc drive

Wii and GameCube lasers and mechanisms.

Charging and batteries

Ports, fuses and replacement batteries.

Buttons, pads and sliders

Worn contacts and circle pads.

Wii U GamePad

Screens, charging and sync faults.

Your saves and data

On the Wii and Wii U, saves are in the console's internal memory. On the 3DS, downloaded games save to the SD card in encrypted form tied to the console, while cartridge games save inside the cartridge. DS games save in the cartridge.

Older Game Boy and some N64 cartridges keep their saves alive with a small battery inside the cartridge, and when it runs flat the save is lost. If you have a cartridge with a save you care about, ask us before the battery dies or is changed, as the save needs to be backed up first.

Sending a console

Take out any disc or game card, and remove memory cards you want to keep at home.
Send the console itself and its power lead. Controllers are only needed if they are part of the fault.
Box it with at least 5cm of padding on every side. The original box alone is not enough protection.
Add a note with your name, phone number and what the console does. Include your sign-in PIN if one is set.

We collect by insured courier from anywhere in the UK, or you can bring it to the workshop in London SE1. Every repair starts with a free assessment and a fixed price, and carries a 3-month warranty. See console repair prices and how the courier service works.

Common questions

My 3DS SD card is corrupt. Can the saves be recovered?

The files can often be recovered from the card, and they will work again in the same console they came from.

Can the save battery in a Game Boy cartridge be replaced without losing the save?

Only if the save is backed up first. Tell us that the save matters before any work is done.

Get a price from a technician

Tell us the make, the model and what has gone wrong. A technician replies with a price and the quickest way to get your laptop to us – normally the same working day.

020 7237 6805

Creative IT workshop
Unit 1, 80 Willow Walk, London SE1 5SY
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm