Game Boy (DMG) - Fix Missing Vertical Lines

Missing vertical lines on a "Dot-Matrix" Game Boy LCD are a common problem. In this tutorial I'll show you how to fix this issue with a soldering iron.

NOTE: I am not responsible for any damage that may happen to your Game Boy. Also, this tutorial won't work if your display has missing horizontal lines, this will only work with missing vertical lines.

Things you will need:

• tri-wing screwdriver
• cross-tip screwdriver
• temperature controlled soldering iron

Nintendo used a special type of screw head (tri-wing) for the Game Boy and other consoles, that isn't included in most screwdriver sets. I got mine on Ebay for about 3 €. If you own a secure bit set, chances are that you already have one.

Now disassemble your Game Boy, but leave everything connected inside (we need to power it on to see our progress). After disassembling you can heat up your soldering iron to about 300 °C (572 °F):

Power on your Game Boy (with full contrast) and heat up the solder connections of the ribbon cable underneath the display (don't worry, it won't melt):

Take your time and make some pauses after a few seconds to prevent heating damage. When all lines reappeard, let everything cool down for a few hours, then repeat the process.

When everything is working again, it's time for some excessive testing with your favourite game ;-)