Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire - A Bootleg worth collecting?

[Breetai]

Sort of off topic but then again not really I guess. If these are pressed discs that play on the system why haven't we seen anything like this repressing with other games? Like pds or mkr for saturn or suikoden 2 onplaystation? I under stand that sapphire commands a much higher price then any I've listed but if these were made to be sold as bootlegs for profit it would make sense for someone to do this with other games that are also worth a nice amount of money. Since we haven't really seen it happen with other games (that I know of) I would be inclined to believe that these had to have been pressed for Hudson.

That's exactly what me and some others think. It makes more sense that they are legit copies. Fortunately, they didn't go to retail and that makes them quite cheap to get if you know where to find them (making friends here, at PCEngineFX or Neo-Geo.com, for example).

I would be interested in getting more info on this interesting piece of History. The Hudson Contract would be a great story if it can be confirmed somehow. Definitely some work up front to press copies to make a profit from the bootleg point.

Do your copies have covers or manuals? If so, can you post detailed pics to confirm what the superpcenginegrafx.net site show?

What I know is a lot of what I've been told in chats with some pretty big PC Engine fans and also reading online (more the former). I do know that some former employees of Husdon were asked about this, but they did not answer. Sadly, that is probably the only way to ever know for sure unless somebody knows who owned Care4Data and can actually get a copy of an order form from Hudson from them (less likely, I think).

As for the cover/manual, I just have loose disks like Mike does. I can get you a really nice .pdf file of them, though. They are slightly altered so they reference PCEngineFX in them and mention that these are not original printings (a very nice touch, IMO). Give me a little while, because I don't have it on my computer anymore. I'll have to ask the guy who made them. Alternatively, they might be up on PCEngineFX somewhere.\


BTW, what's wrong with what's up at PCEnginegrafx.net? The comparison up there is 100% real. I've had the actual retail copy of Sapphire in my hands before. It's the same as on that site. They have high quality photos of it on there. You can also check out Tatsujin's photos at either PCEngineFX or at Assembler. I know he has at least one legit copy, but I don't remember if he posted a close up shot or not.

[CRTGAMER]

@ Breetai - Thanks! Nothing wrong with PCEnginegrafx.net, they put up a lot of very good info! A second source with any information of the 2nd pressings just adds confirmation and clarity. Racketboy has very good inside valuable resources, great to discover stuff like this and providing information to share.

You brought a good point in the possibility of the 2nd pressing might be a contract to Hudson that never went thru. I added your Quote in the previous page to the OP.

[Breetai]

@ Breetai - Thanks! Nothing wrong with PCEnginegrafx.net, they put up a lot of very good info! A second source with any information of the 2nd pressings just adds confirmation and clarity. Racketboy has very good inside valuable resources, great to discover stuff like this and providing information to share.

You brought a good point in the possibility of the 2nd pressing might be a contract to Hudson that never went thru. I added your Quote in the previous page to the OP.

I heard that years ago... and I wish I remember who it was that had tried to contact Hudson. I'm pretty sure it was someone from PCEngineFX, but it also might have been someone from DP or Assembler as well.

The only reason I heard any of that stuff is just from talking to people.

[D.D.D.]

(a slight side-step but, it's also on PSP in a collection disc)

[brunoafh]

(a slight side-step but, it's also on PSP in a collection disc)

viewtopic.php?p=618174#p618174

Way ahead of you dawg. Really though, anyone interested in the game should just get the PSP Collection. Get the Star Soldier Collection while you're at it, neither are too pricey (yet) and you get a pretty significant amount of content.

[D.D.D.]

(a slight side-step but, it's also on PSP in a collection disc)

viewtopic.php?p=618174#p618174

Way ahead of you dawg. Really though, anyone interested in the game should just get the PSP Collection. Get the Star Soldier Collection while you're at it, neither are too pricey (yet) and you get a pretty significant amount of content.

Reading when tired not good.
Both of those collections are pretty good. How are the prices in the states?

[Breetai]

(a slight side-step but, it's also on PSP in a collection disc)

viewtopic.php?p=618174#p618174

Way ahead of you dawg. Really though, anyone interested in the game should just get the PSP Collection. Get the Star Soldier Collection while you're at it, neither are too pricey (yet) and you get a pretty significant amount of content.

Reading when tired not good.
Both of those collections are pretty good. How are the prices in the states?

They are Japan only.

[D.D.D.]

They are Japan only.

Yup. Companies sell imports in the states - NCSX etc. Was kinda going after that.

[CRTGAMER]

One of my buddies over at PCEngineFX just sent me a really sweet custom back label, insert, obi and stickers for my "boot" of Sapphire. Note the "do not eBay" sign on it.

Nice covers and extra inserts! Thanks for the pic, it helps to show what the original might look like as a CIB. I used a white disc holder inside the jewel case to match other PC Engine CD games. Interesting about the EBay tags on each cover. I also own the pressed bootleg and never want to sell it. I was contemplating if I should print something similar to show mine is a pressed bootleg. I wanted to keep it looking original, yet show that it is a bootleg with the story. I ended up printing Original Covers, Spine Card and Registration Cards. I made a custom insert adding a paragraph describing the History of the bootleg game along with a close up pic of the pressed disc and links that go into more detail over the controversy. It fits just right with the two registration templates as the inside booklet insert.

Updated the OP
Here it is if anyone wants it, the other covers can be found online.

Right Click to save a larger pic of the Cover Insert

Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire Inside.jpg (196.87 KiB) Viewed 1711 times

[retrosportsgamer]

Ah, so you do need an Arcade card for Sapphire?

That is the one piece of my PC Engine Duo-R hardware that I do not have.