Yeah, Whitestar does use batteries.
Busted? What exactly does he mean by busted? The game will boot and play if the batteries are dead or missing. So I assume he means the batteries leaked?
If the batteries leaked, the damage, and difficulty in repairing the damage, could range from minor to significant. Depends on the amount of leakage and how long it's been going on.
Got any more info on exactly what he meant by busted? How 'bout some pictures of the battery area of the board?
D