Take the board out of the case by lifting it up (keeping it as level as possible), and then down.

Fold the main board over above the case.

the A B X Y and D-pad buttons are connected without being soldered. repairs are still complicated by the adhesive used to keep them in place. Additionally, the D-pad shares the cable with the L1 shoulder button, and the A B X Y shares with the R1 shoulder button.