How to identify a Bootleg GBA Game?

[Curlypaul]

Indeed there are a lot of fake gba games out there, when I buy them from the high street I always insist on opening the box and examining the carts before I hand over cash for them.

The labels are a dead giveaway, even if the pirate has scanned the propper label with all the logos and number and everything, none of them can cut the corners in such a small radius as the real thing, and no pirate is capable of putting a sticker on straight. If the corners are big and the sticker on an anlge then its a fake. This applies to DS games as well.

I've always found the plastic case to be slightly lighter in colour when placed next to a bonafide cart as well.

[SwooshBear]

by reading my blog

http://www.rfgeneration.com/news/game-b ... s-1390.php

That Super Mario advanced 2 bootleg picture was hilarious

[flojocabron]

one way I've checked to see if it is fake is to see the nintendo logo on the top of the metal contacts on the inside of the cart. Fakes that I've seen dont have that.

another way to tell if it is real is that real gameboy advance games have numbers stamped onto the sticker.

usually on the right hand side, you can tilt it to certain angles and see the numbers there.

as a joke here is a pic of one of the back parts to a fake game I own!

[Bradtemple87]

I'm glad my old micro could bring you christmas joy

[Betagam7]

Buying from ebay is a risk full stop...even if the game looks legit.

Earlier in the year I bought a boxed complete version of Zelda 3. Only to find that the manual only had 12 pages (despite referring to pg.33 at one point) and the game had no battery backup. The Nintendo logo was also fake but present on the cart.

Unfortunately I didn't get to collect this for over a few months due to being abroad and when I pointed out to the seller that he had sold me a fake and politely asked for a refund he refused and stated it couldn't be a fake as he bought it from Gamestation!

Unfortunately ebay completely failed to back me up on it. They wouldn't even let me leave retrospective negative feedback for the seller.

[YoshiEgg25]

Earlier in the year I bought a boxed complete version of Zelda 3.

Wait, Zelda 3? THAT may have been your problem.

[Hobie-wan]

Earlier in the year I bought a boxed complete version of Zelda 3.

Wait, Zelda 3? THAT may have been your problem.

LTTP/Four Swords.

[SwooshBear]

Earlier in the year I bought a boxed complete version of Zelda 3.

Wait, Zelda 3? THAT may have been your problem.

LTTP/Four Swords.

Never heard anyone call LTTP Zelda 3 before...

[Hobie-wan]

Never heard anyone call LTTP Zelda 3 before...

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Googl ... &q=zelda+3

[Xtincthed]

here in Holland we are flooded by bootlegs.. and even some collectors can't differ real from fake (i've seen a collector get f'ed for 300 euro on gba fakes)

i usually recognise them because:
- it's different cardboard on the box (usually flimsy)
- they are usually extremely mint
- the cardboard boxes are glossy and shiny, which real ones aren't
- the manuals are very thin (only 10 pages aprox)
- the art on the cart looks shitty (not always)
- opening up the cart shows no Nintendo stamps and usually a yellow blob (see pics in the blog posted before)