How To Clean & Properly Store Nintendo DS/3DS Cartridges So You Don't Lose Your Games

Blowing on Nintendo 64 cartridges, wiping Wii games clean on your t-shirt — There are many old-school, community-approved tips and tricks for keeping retro Nintendo games clean and safe. The Nintendo DS is one of those systems, with a community weighing in on keeping the increasingly scarce cartridges functional, especially since many are now being sold without cases. 

The Nintendo DS came out back in 2004 and has since sold 154.02 million units of all models combined, even surpassing the Game Boy. The innovative console was massively popular, and so were its games. The last game ever sold for the DS was Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay, which was released on October 28, 2014 — a good 10-year run for the DS. Now, another 10 years later, both Nintendo DS and 3DS cartridges are getting harder to come by, especially in original cases. To keep your collection safe, you'll need to clean and store them properly.

Nintendo DS and 3DS cartridges are unique, something Nintendo has continued to do with its other consoles (like the tiny GameCube discs). This means they can't fit in the usual sleeved binders made for video game discs, leaving some Nintendo fans wondering what they can do to keep them safe and organized. 

The best option, of course, is to keep game cartridges inside their original cases. This can be tough to do, however, if you don't have enough room to display a larger collection or want to travel with the cartridges, or if they didn't come with the original case. While some Nintendo gamers have suggested buying blank, empty cases to use instead, that's not always an option for every situation. 

At one point, there were plenty of Nintendo-licensed and third-party cartridge holders on the market. Today, both retro and new ones can be found on Amazon, eBay, and other online retailers. Pick one that has a good capacity, elastic pouches to hold the cartridges in place, a sturdy material used for the outside shell for extra protection, and a zipper to close it. The Simsa brand is a popular choice for DS collectors, but you can also make a game holder yourself. Just remember not to store cartridges anywhere too hot or too cold — and keep them dry! 

Nintendo DS and 3DS cartridges are tough to keep clean due to their size and sensitivity, leaving some collectors worried about how to properly clean them. The official instructions included with games released in the early 2000s advise not to touch the connectors, blow on the cartridge or get the cartridge wet, and do not clean with alcohol or other solvents. This has made gamers all the more confused as to how they can clean them safely. 

As of 2024, The overall consensus from fans and modders is to use a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol (sorry, Nintendo). To clean the cartridge properly, first cut an eraser in half to create a flat nub. Place this side between the pins and the cartridge case and move the eraser back and forth, then up and down with light pressure. After this, apply a small amount of diluted rubbing alcohol onto a cotton swap. Use light pressure as you wipe the exposed pins side to side on both sides of the cartridge. Then, take the dry end of the cotton swab to dry up any excess alcohol. Afterward, test the cartridge to see if it works as intended.