5screw.com

5 screw Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) cartridge back

 

5 screw NES cartridge top/front

In October of 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System, abbreviated NES, was released. The original cartridge design used 5 screws to hold the plastic shell together (four corners and one in the middle). This design was later replaced by a 3 screw design that used plastic clips in the upper corners instead of the top 2 screws. The 5 screw design was phased out in 1988 and those cartridges are generally more sought after as collectibles because they represent something akin to a "first edition" to collectors, although some 3 screw cartridges may be rarer than the 5 screw variants. Additionally, there were a few third party manufacturers that appeared to randomly use 5 screw carts for repairs, which creates a lot of "possible" but not "probable" titles. This site is a place to gather some of the information about the 5 screw cartridges, a list of known cartridges, and links to other sites with additional specifics. It's also a place for general NES related information.

5 Screw Links

• NES cartridge design: https://www.thelegendofnes.com/cartridge-design
• 5 screw history and cartridge variation: https://theoldschoolgamevault.com/blog/articles/the-variations-reasoning-of-nintendo-nes-cartridges-screws
• Details about various early release variations: https://www.videogamesage.com/blogs/entry/19-usa-list-of-nes-hangtabno-ht-5-screw-3-screw-variants-v13
• Non-retail cartridges: https://www.thelegendofnes.com/non-retail-carts
• Some additional history and details: https://blog.pricecharting.com/2017/11/5-screw-nintendo-nes-game-guide-list.html
• NES Black Box guide: https://www.mcmrose.com/the-ultimate-black-box-nes-games-guide

Known 5 Screw Cartridges (non-prototype/demo/repaired carts)

• 10-Yard Fight*
• 1942*+
• 3-D WorldRunner*
• Alpha Mission
• Arkanoid*!
• Athena*
• Athletic World*
• Balloon Fight
• Baseball*
• BreakThru*
• BurgerTime*
• Castlevania*[1](1)
• Chubby Cherub
• Clu Clu Land+
• Commando*
• Deadly Towers*
• Donkey Kong
• Donkey Kong 3
• Donkey Kong Jr+
• Donkey Kong Jr Math
• Double Dribble*
• Duck Hunt*[]+
• Elevator Action*+
• Excitebike**(1)+
• Ghosts 'n Goblins*!
• Golf+
• Goonies II, The
• Gotcha
• Gradius*
• Gumshoe*+
• Gyromite**+
• Hogan's Alley*+
• Ice Climber
• Ikari Warriors*
• Jaws
• Karate Champ*
• Kid Icarus
• Kid Niki Radical Ninja
• Kung Fu
• Legend of Kage, The*!
• Legend of Zelda, The*[1]
• Lode Runner
• Lunar Pool*
• M.U.S.C.L.E.*
• Mach Rider*!
• Mario Bros*
• Mega Man
• Metroid*
• Mighty Bomb Jack
• Mike Tyson's Punch-Out+
• Ninja Kid
• Pinball*+
• Popeye
• Pro Wrestling
• Rad Racer*
• Raid on Bungeling Bay*+
• Ring King*
• Rush'n Attack
• Rygar+
• Section-Z*
• Sky Kid*
• Slalom
• Soccer*+
• Solomon's Key
• Spelunker
• Spy Hunter*
• Sqoon
• Stack-Up+
• Stadium Events
• Star Force
• Star Voyager*
• Stinger
• Super Mario Bros*[]
• Super Pitfall
• Tag Team Wrestling
• Tennis+
• Tiger-Heli*
• Top Gun
• Track and Field
• Trojan*
• Urban Champion*!+
• Volleyball
• Wild Gunman
• Winter Games
• Wizards and Warriors*+
• Wrecking Crew+
• Zanac

• * - In personal collection
• ** - In personal collection with Famicom adapter
• [] - In personal collection in box
• (1) - In personal collection - first edition loose
• [1] - In personal collection - first edition boxed
• ! - Better condition example needed
• + - Possible to contain Famicom adapter; 3.8oz w/o and 4.5oz with

Konami/Ultra Repair/Warranty 5 Screw Cartridges - These were possible to get when a game was repaired, but highly unlikely with only a few known instances

• Adventures of Bayou Billy, The
• Base Wars
• Batman Returns
• Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge
• Blades of Steel
• Bucky O'Hare
• Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
• Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
• Contra
• Contra Force
• Defender of the Crown
• Gyruss
• Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes
• Jackal
• King's Quest V
• Kings of the Beach
• Laser Invasion
• Life Force
• Lone Ranger
• Metal Gear
• Mission Impossible
• Monster in My Pocket
• Nightshade
• Pirates
• Q*Bert
• Rollergames
• Silent Service
• Skate or Die
• Ski or Die
• Snake's Revenge
• Star Trek 25th Anniversary
• Super C
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters
• Tiny Toon Adventures
• Tiny Toon Adventures 2
• Tiny Toon Adventures Cartoon Workshop
• Top Gun the Second Mission
• Track and Field II
• Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
• Zen Intergalactic Ninja

Prototype, Repair, One-off, or Demo 5 Screw Cartridges (images borrowed from other sites)

• Clu Clu Land prototype
• FamicomBox black
• FamicomStation grey
• Hudson Soft Bungeling Bay/Road Fighter prototype?*
• Karate Kid, The~
• Mighty Bomb Jack prototype
• Minnesota State Lottery prototype
• Nintendo World Class Service Legend of Zelda Test
• Nintendo World Class Service Port Test
• Nintendo World Class Service Power Pad Test
• R.C. Pro-Am~
• Side Pocket~
• Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt/World Class Track Meet

• * - In personal collection
• ~ - Rumored to exist; not confirmed; known examples could be refurbished anomalies