Blowing the cartridge

Blowing on the cartridge meant pulling the game cartridge out of the TV console when a game wouldn't load, blowing into it, and pushing it back in.

Era: 90s & 2000s

What it was like

Everyone believed it cleared the dust. Most of the time, simply seating the cartridge properly again was what did the trick.

Multi-game cartridges promised hundreds of games, but the same few kept coming round again.

Did blowing on the cartridge really work?: Not really. Reseating the cartridge usually did the trick, and the moisture in your breath could even do harm.