I don't know how many people here still actively play/maintain their older consoles, but since this is the only gaming forum for which I actually have an account I thought I'd ask my questions here. If anyone else has similar questions about some old console or another, feel free to utilize this thread as well if you like.

This is specific to the Sega Genesis. What I've found lately as I attempted to play my old games for the first time in years is that very few actually work, and none consistently. For some, there's only a black screen. For others, it more regularly manages to display the "licenses by sega" screen, but the boot up ends there and it returns to a black screen. Finally, a few can be played, but it often involves many attempts and putting the cartridge at slightly strange angles.

The difficulty with this had me believing my console was more to blame than the games, but I've found those games guaranteed to work that I've bought off of eBay work far, far more often than mine. At this point I think it's likely a combination of both. I should say that my efforts thus far have been vigorous and repeated cutip (apparently neither that nor q-tip is a word?) cleanings using water and rubbing alcohol, and the copper contacts do look pretty darn clean. I'll say that they're more clean looking than my Atari VCS games, and those mostly work just fine.

In the past this method was all that was required for cartridges on my N64/Atari VCS/NES, though on the NES the blinking screen made it clear that I needed a new 72 pin connector, after which it worked fine. Could my Genesis need something similar? I believe the reason it becomes necessary for the NES has to do with it locking games out when it can't verify they're licensed, don't know if Sega did something similar.

So yeah, that's my situation at the moment. Any sega Genesis players out there have any experience with this?

What model of Genesis is it? There are probably some bad connectors due to the fact is super old..

It's the model 2

I use cut out pieces of cardboard from old boxes (to match the cart slot width), douse it in 99% rubbing alcohol (so it evaporates cleanly), and slide the cardboard into and out of the cart slot several times.

Give if 5 minutes to totally evaporate, and test. I've cleaned MANY an old retro system using this method, and you don't have to buy any special kit, just old boxes and rubbing alcohol. Of course q-tip + alcohol clean the games as well.

Beyond that, the next thing that tends to go awry is old capacitors.

Now my advice is that if your cleaning attempts fail, just get another Genesis, they're still quite cheap for now. MK1 'High Definition' models make great Gennys (in general, superior AV performance in my experience, though there is a big guide out there on the subject).

I'm actually trying to find the best way to tear apart the heat shields off of my dead PS3 so I can re-apply thermal paste.

That's interesting, I'd never heard of that cardboard method.

Just wanted to report that a variation of this suggestion worked. I used windex with qtips on the games and, more importantly, improvised something akin to what you described with a pair of breathable fabric boxers (weird I know, only cloth I could find that was thin enough and wouldn't risk leaving strands behind lol) held tightly around a Walgreens membership card doused in windex.

Given that there was zero dirt or residue on the qtips (I'd really cleaned the heck out of the games) it seems it was the latter that got it working. I've since tested the games and every single one boots up immediately and without issue, including one that I'd never succeeded in even reaching the license screen with. I tried putting them in slightly askew and everything, they just work every single time now. Even the game genie is fully functioning now after using the same trick on its cartridge slot.

Thanks a bunch for the help! Very excited to get this working as I didn't want to replace it for sentimental reasons... I'd played others before and my friends/cousins owned the NES etc, but this Genesis in particular was my first console :)

Which model? I could help look for a how-to, and a buddy of mine might know anyway.

Somewhat launch model.  I'm missing the tork screw driver to actually open it up.  The bigger problem is getting the heat shield off of Cell to take a look inside and see if the thermal paste went.  Taking out the heat shield off the RSX isn't as difficult.  They just put a lot of glue on Cell's shield.

Happy 16-bitting! Great news!