Jump to content
IGNORED

Need help spotting a fake GB cart


Recommended Posts

I haven't been buying too many games on eBay lately due to so many fakes, but I decided to jump on this Adventure Island GB cart. When I received it I immediately felt that it was too good to be true. I'm hoping some others here know more about GB and the 'T3' production runs, etc. Maybe you all can help me figure it out...

Potential red flags: The label font on the sides looks too big (see compared to legit G&W). The plastic color is a little different than others (maybe I'm just not used to 'minty' plastic). The back screw is silver and not gold-tinted. It also for some weird reason felt a little lighter than other carts. No battery save, but still lighter than similar GB carts.

The GOOD: The PCB board looks fairly legit to me. There's a '22' stamped into the label which seems hard to fake (ie, why go through the trouble for a $15-20 title). Markings on the plastic shell look authentic.

Thanks in advance!

GB1.jpg.001d1f3b9ff760cd9b42e9e6c5e85676.jpg

80558242_GB2.thumb.jpg.a64e6a5362cfa49860c51f38c50657a8.jpg

113039713_GB4.thumb.jpg.e4ffb755c0f3f8d1e024992e2d485f83.jpg

480591662_GB5.jpg.5aec23175115ff63c9c175f7e7c26867.jpg

833085300_GB6.jpg.f8ffb635a6024b1eb383e2adeb9ef7e1.jpg

764381023_GB7.thumb.jpg.4e8eb8609b1d0b7c081a7e5935e1b97d.jpg

GB 1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 9
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Just now, DK said:

I thought the embossed number on the label was always the easiest way to call a GB game legit.

Has anyone ever seen a fake with an embossed label?

Not that I have ever seen. This cart is legit. Regarding the text on the grey bars, GB games are all over the place. Fonts can be different and bolded some times, kerning is all over the place, and what text that is printed varies. Nothing about this cart says it's fake to me. Yes, 3 different font types in the grey regions does seem odd for Nintendo but this is nothing I've never seen before. It like they had no quality control over how to properly layout those details on the labels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Real.

Usually with Gameboy fakes the things to look for are :

1. flimsy cart plastic 

2. “GAME “ instead of “Nintendo GAME BOY”

3. Screw in middle of cart instead of towards the bottom 

4. Obviously different pcb 

Some of the newer fakes say Nintendo GAME BOY, but you can tell just looking at it that something doesn’t look quite right.

Fortunately, Gameboy fakes are usually pretty obvious. If you aren’t really sure, it’s probably real - you’d know it for sure if it were a fake. Not too many heavy hitters like  on other systems, and even the heavies only cost around $200 max, so no real need to fake them yet

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was nothing about these carts that even looked remotely bootleg.  Don't get so nervous about these things!

You can't go by silly things like the screws not being the right color or the plastic not being the right 'color'.  These are silly and subjective.  Look for 2 things, label stamp, PCB thats it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From my experience they are real...especially seeing the board too, not that label was in question as people did change the font fatness and location a bit on those side parts so I can see why it could spook someone.

The one warning I will give now, the pressed number into the sticker, they're just starting to be defrauded works on fake carts on GBA I've noticed in the last few months or so into last year.  Fakes now look already at the high quality ones correct externally (sticker, plastics, etc) but the number stamp wasn't, but I'm seeing it now online, and very recently locally.

I would have fallen for it because the crap was put on a Pokemon Ruby and LeafGreen park at a half price up the street from me.  If it wasn't for the translucent nature of the cart, where I could see the PCB through and notice the missing gold rectangles along the back, and some really wrong via holes that looked in the shape of a board wide(about) candy cane in shape I would have bought both. >:\

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...