Very serious problem.

[Shenny]

My Zoids Saga game doesn't want to save!!!!

I just got one off ebay because I'm trying to legitimately get all the games I had ROMs of before my laptop went kaput, and I finally got my hands on Zoids Saga. Except the game doesn't want to save!!!! I THINK this might be due to an unusual blue marking on the cartridge part sticking out of the casing. It's not touching the metal strips, but it's on the very edge of the chip. Does anyone know of a way to clean games? Is there anything I can do? Have I been seriously ripped off (please let's no go off-topic with this one, I really need help or I'll really cry)?

[Andy F²]

How do you mean? Does it say that it's saved even though it hasn't or does it come up with error messages?

You know that you have to confirm the save with 2 boxes which both need to be answered 'yes'?

[KAndrw]

You might be able to clear the cartridge by holding down start, select L and R all at once (possibly while booting) - I've successfuly used similar sorts of things on second hand cartridges before to blank them.

If you cannot clear the cartridge, post a picture of the weird bit, and let us know how you paid for it. If it's faulty or dodgy you should be entitled to a refund, even on eBay.

[Shenny]

It doesn't give any error messages when I try to save. It just says what I assume is "Game saved" and the game proceeds like normally. I don't think I remember Saga having two boxes come up to save, only one. But I've tried both choices and neither has brought up another box. And I don't think that start, select, L, R trick works on Japanese games, kinda like how you can't restart them with start, select, A, and B. Doing the LR doesn't seem to work either.

I got it from a girl named "chaotic-century." I'm sure some of you might have dealt with her before. This is what she says about it:
Hi: I never used/played the game, I only displayed it in the box on one of my Zoids shelves since it had a nice color pic on the box. That must be how it came to me, I got it from a seller in Japan and I never questioned it since I didn't know without playing it, Sorry, it was certainly not intentional. Sincerely, Katy

I'd provide a pic if I could, but that won't happen for a couple more weeks when my sis comes down for Christmas. She has a digital camera. It's hard to describe the marking. All I can tell is that it's only on the very edge of the chip and not touching the metal strips. It may be pen or marker. I don't think it's paint.

[raul]

well, sorry for you, it happen the same thing for me, the saga2 dont want to save, even booting it!!!!!!
however, i bought the US version, and hopefully it saves, ouf...
RAÙL

[Stompy]

If the mark isn't touching any of the metal strips, I can't see it being much of a problem in itself - unless it hinders the cart being slotted in completely? I think the problem may be something else - like Raul said, it might be a problem with the cart itself. Sorry to say.

[Shenny]

Thanks for your help guys. I'm going to call a video game store tomorrow and see what they say. Someone suggested replacing the battery in the cart. I'm not at all looking forward to opening it up and tinkering with it with my inexperienced hands, but I suppose when you look at it having a game that doesn't work isn't much different from a game that doesn't save.

[Stompy]

A flat (more likely faulty) battery makes a lot of sense. I'm sure you know you'll need one of those funky-headed screwdrivers, though!

[Shenny]

Yeah, the screw has triangular indentation.

Gamestop was only able to give me Nintendo's hotline. I haven't called yet since I doubt they'd help me since the game is Japanese.