Guides Written by the Crew That Actually Cracked Open the Shells
Step-by-step walkthroughs from the Aswan crew, built for modders and collectors who want to understand their retro consoles inside and out.
The Guides Archive
Long-form tutorials from hands-on teardown sessions, not copy-pasted forum threads
Reading a PCB Before You Solder
Learn to identify board revisions, spot corroded traces, and recognize which capacitors need replacing before you ever touch an iron.
Choosing Your First Mod Chip
A breakdown of region-free and RGB mod options for classic hardware, weighing difficulty, reversibility, and what each chip actually changes.
Cleaning Cartridge Contacts the Right Way
The Aswan crew tested isopropyl ratios, contact cleaners, and pin-burnishing tools so you don't ruin a rare cartridge chasing a clean boot.
Understanding Composite vs RGB Output
A visual and technical walkthrough of why RGB SCART wiring transforms picture quality on consoles never designed with modern displays in mind.
Sourcing Parts Without Getting Burned
Where the community finds legitimate replacement shells, buttons, and boards, plus red flags that signal a bootleg or non-functional lot.
Documenting Your Build for the Community
How to photograph, log, and write up a modding project so other collectors can learn from your successes and your mistakes alike.
Ready to Open the Shell and Learn Something?
Every guide here was tested on real hardware by people who took the console apart themselves, more than once.