My leapster wont reconize the camera

Try this: Leapster unresponsive screen fix

You can try calibrating the stylus pen before trying to replace it. Hope this works :) Here are step by step instructions straight from the Leapster2 website:

If your Leapster2 does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated. Calibrating the Leapster2 is easy:

1) Ensure that a game cartridge is not inserted in the Leapster2

2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER2 menu appears. Remember that you need to hold the "Hint" button down the whole time while you are pressing the power button, and releasing it.

3) The LEAPSTER2 menu will show the options Base Info, Cart1 Info, Cart2 Info, Cart3 Info, and Touch Calib. If you do not see this menu after powering on the Leapster2, turn the Leapster2 off and repeat steps 1 & 2 until you see the menu.

4) When the LEAPSTER2 menu screen appears, press the A button on your handheld.

5) Using the stylus pen, touch each of the crosshairs that appear

6) Restart unit

I had the same problem. I tried to clean it, brush out crumbs, gently "bleed" it and so on until I saw Quebol96's answer to the same problem: www.fixya.com/support/t3077478-leapster_will_not_recognize_pen_first

Quebol96's solution worked perfectly!

From Quebol96:
Answer If your Leapster2 does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated. Calibrating the Leapster2 is easy:
1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted 2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER menu appears. 3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button 4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus 5) Restart unit

Answer
I had the same problem and here is the answer I found at leapfrog.com which fixed my daughter’s disney princess leapster 2’s problem. Good luck!
If your Leapster2 does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated. Calibrating the Leapster2 is easy:
1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted
2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER menu appears.
3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button
4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus
5) Restart unit

Answer
I had the same problem and here is the answer I found at leapfrog.com which fixed my daughter’s disney princess leapster 2’s problem. Good luck!
If your Leapster2 does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated. Calibrating the Leapster2 is easy:
1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted
2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER menu appears.
3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button
4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus
5) Restart unit

If your Leapster2 does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated. Calibrating the Leapster2 is easy:
1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted 2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER menu appears. 3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button 4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus 5) Restart unit

Hi, have you tried to recalibrate the screen as in your instructions?
Make sure you have no game inserted
Press and hold down the 'on' button and 'hint' button (with questionmark on it) at same time until a menu appears on screen
Press A
Now touch all the little crosses with your pen that appear on the screen
switch leapster off and restart
if still not working, repeat above

Call up Leapster (c/s I reached was not in USA) and they will have you send in your Leapster and send you back a new or refurbished one. I was told this a few years ago, but never mailed it in. We had an issue with it shutting off, but seems to be ok? The kid's don't complain.

If your Leapster2 does not respond to the stylus pen, it needs to be calibrated. Calibrating the Leapster2 is easy:
1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted 2) Hold down the Hint button while turning the unit on 3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button 4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus 5) Restart unit

1) Ensure that a cartridge is not inserted 2) Hold down the Hint (?) button while turning the unit on. Continue to hold the Hint button down until the LEAPSTER menu appears. 3) When the LEAPSTER menu screen appears, press the A button 4) Touch each of the crosshairs that appear with the stylus 5) Restart unit