View Full Version : Bootleg Minish Cap? (Gamestop find)
Sabz5150
09-11-2008, 09:49 PM
http://www.enginevoodoo.com/images/collect/minishcap1.jpg
http://www.enginevoodoo.com/images/collect/minishcap2.jpg
This stuck out like a sore thumb in the GBA case over at one of the Gamestop stores near here. I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about it, if it's just an odd variant or a full on bootleg (even the "Gameboy Advance" molded writing is different). It seems to play alright, I'll have to "acquire" a real Minish Cap and play them side-by-side in order to see.
Oh, and anyone interested in the trigram...
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=17163215&PMT4NO=49772404
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=12343248&PMT4NO=49772404
These are extremely high quality.
Richter Belmount
09-11-2008, 09:51 PM
ASTOUDING not really Its known gamestop does not give a fuck if they even get bootlegs like that.
Poofta!
09-11-2008, 09:58 PM
ive seen (but not purchased) many bootlegs at gamestops here in nyc. FFV and FFVI, as well as many others.
joshnickerson
09-11-2008, 09:58 PM
Whenever I go to Gamestop, I like to look at the GBA cabinet and play a game called "Spot The Bootleg".
otoko
09-11-2008, 10:33 PM
Yea.. Last time I bought game boy games there I found many bootlegs.. eight or so. I said something to the guys working behind the counter.. but I got stares like I was speaking french or something..
"Bootwhat?"
Tupin
09-11-2008, 10:35 PM
The Gamestops around here never have bootlegs because no one has them.
Icarus Moonsight
09-11-2008, 10:52 PM
Battery: check
Glob top: check
Peg leg, eye patch and saber: check
chrisbid
09-11-2008, 11:00 PM
i see lots of bootlegs at gamestops too
how can a national chain get away with selling that crap?
Dangerboy
09-11-2008, 11:12 PM
We've had two in our life-time, but I've seen them at Game Crazies as well.
Sadly not every person can know what every cover looks like, and unless you're one of the few who can spot it, it's not possible to stop them from sneaking in. At least on that one it looked legit from the outside. By "Legit" I mean everything was spelled right.
The ones I've seen at Game Crazy had the Shaq Fu cover on a GBC cart with "Muhammid Ali" in text.
The local Swap-o-Rama here had at least 3 vendors trying to peddle them off, so I doubt we'd ever see the end of it.
DigitalSpace
09-12-2008, 12:16 AM
Whenever I go to Gamestop, I like to look at the GBA cabinet and play a game called "Spot The Bootleg".
Same here, and I do this at GameCrazy as well. They're not abundant but I see them every now and then. I've even seen one at a Goodwill. As you'd probably guess, most of them originate from flea markets and ebay.
MegaDrive20XX
09-12-2008, 01:15 AM
Let's see...I've seen the following bootleg GBA at GameCrazy, GameStop, and various stores:
Lego Star Wars 2
MegaMan Xtreme 2 (GBC)
Fire Emblem
Final Fantasy IV
Zelda Oracle of Seasons (GBC) in a GREY cart that didn't say Gameboy, it said "GAME" haha.
Cryomancer
09-12-2008, 01:22 AM
The simplest way is usually to check for a stamped two-digit number on the label art, at least in my experience. Legit ones have them. And yeah you can usually tell by the plastic quality / spelling of words.
The 1 2 P
09-12-2008, 01:23 AM
Not only do the Gamestop's here have bootlegs but I've even seen one selling an import PS2 version of SNK vs Capcom. I'm pretty sure Gamestop doesn't take Japanese import games in as trade so why was this copy sitting on their shelves? And it was a legit import copy.
DigitalSpace
09-12-2008, 01:34 AM
Not only do the Gamestop's here have bootlegs but I've even seen one selling an import PS2 version of SNK vs Capcom. I'm pretty sure Gamestop doesn't take Japanese import games in as trade so why was this copy sitting on their shelves? And it was a legit import copy.
I've spotted a few imports at various GameStops (and GameCrazy stores) before, and they're usually PAL versions of games also released in the U.S. In fact, I spotted a PAL version of Turok for the Gamecube at a GS last week.
coreys429
09-12-2008, 01:39 AM
If its a bootleg, shouldn't be illegal to sell?
Oobgarm
09-12-2008, 06:23 AM
If its a bootleg, shouldn't be illegal to sell?
Technically, yes.
But finding bootlegs in a store isn't a very 'common' thing I'd guess. If this was a large-scale type of deal, then I'd say someone was going to get in trouble over it.
I'd also be so bold as to say it kinda benefits the collector in cases like this one where the game looks kinda cool and might make for a quasi-conversation piece.
Sabz5150
09-12-2008, 07:53 AM
Battery: check
Glob top: check
Peg leg, eye patch and saber: check
I be findin' me some plunder fer me GBA!
Let's see...I've seen the following bootleg GBA at GameCrazy, GameStop, and various stores:
Lego Star Wars 2
MegaMan Xtreme 2 (GBC)
Fire Emblem
Final Fantasy IV
Zelda Oracle of Seasons (GBC) in a GREY cart that didn't say Gameboy, it said "GAME" haha.
Oooh, Fire Emblem? I'd buy it.
Technically, yes.
But finding bootlegs in a store isn't a very 'common' thing I'd guess. If this was a large-scale type of deal, then I'd say someone was going to get in trouble over it.
I'd also be so bold as to say it kinda benefits the collector in cases like this one where the game looks kinda cool and might make for a quasi-conversation piece.
I agree. I tend to go for oddities like that. Unlike my other bootleg (137 in 1), this actually plays properly. Bonus!
c0ldb33r
09-12-2008, 08:22 AM
I've gotten a few bootlegs at EB Games, but they're just multicarts.
kainemaxwell
09-12-2008, 02:37 PM
Most bootleg related stuff I've seen at gamestop here bootleg anime dvds.
Borman
09-12-2008, 03:25 PM
Not only do the Gamestop's here have bootlegs but I've even seen one selling an import PS2 version of SNK vs Capcom. I'm pretty sure Gamestop doesn't take Japanese import games in as trade so why was this copy sitting on their shelves? And it was a legit import copy.
I bought my Shenmue 2 DC from Gamestop :P
eskobar
09-12-2008, 03:55 PM
I have seen many bootlegs in Gamestop all over Mc Allen, TX ...
I have a very well trained eye but one bootleg of Tactics Ogre : The Knight of Lodis almost passed unnoticed by me... pirates have gone too far making bootlegs for games that have a very small target market.
Cryomancer
09-12-2008, 09:03 PM
Yeah, I see tons of bootleg DVDs at mine. They had a terrible stargate season set there for ages, and wanted "real" prices for em too.
zektor
09-12-2008, 10:41 PM
The simplest way is usually to check for a stamped two-digit number on the label art, at least in my experience. Legit ones have them. And yeah you can usually tell by the plastic quality / spelling of words.
Yes, this is true even back to the original Gameboy titles. I always look for the number stamp to ensure legit carts.
megasdkirby
09-12-2008, 11:01 PM
Unfortunately, I don't see how the game is a pirate. Granted, when opened I can tell, but how can one tell from the cart itself?
Pantechnicon
09-12-2008, 11:25 PM
I don't think this is a bootleg. Maybe it's a UK variant, or an official US cart with an extremely low production run. And if it is a bootleg than it was made by someone who cared. That label art is really slick looking.
I'll crack open my copy of Minish Cap with the red label in a little bit and you can compare the boards that way.
Tupin
09-12-2008, 11:52 PM
I don't think this is a bootleg. Maybe it's a UK variant, or an official US cart with an extremely low production run. And if it is a bootleg than it was made by someone who cared. That label art is really slick looking.
I'll crack open my copy of Minish Cap with the red label in a little bit and you can compare the boards that way.
If it was a UK game, it wouldn't have a ESRB rating.
Plus, I think all US carts were red.
Blitzwing256
09-13-2008, 12:01 AM
its 100% a bootleg, every us release had the red label (including both nfr versions) many of the pirate carts have very nicely done cover art, at one point I saw an ff4 pirate gba cart with the label art for the sfc easy type game. silly pirates.
megasdkirby
09-13-2008, 09:51 AM
Ok, now I see what everyone is implying. Just saw a pic of it on Ebay, and indeed it has a red label.
Though I have to admit, I like the pirated label more. :)
rbudrick
09-19-2008, 11:39 AM
Shame on GameStop...everyone knows bootlegs aren't of any value unless their really friggin old! ;)
-Rob
Mayhem
09-19-2008, 11:50 AM
Wow, what an ugly original label, all red like that... the European cart has the same logo but a forest scene as background.
It isn't that hard for a Gamestop/EB employee to peek into the slot and see if "Nintendo" is printed on the PCB. It takes a few seconds to ID a bootleg by the lack of this.
Leo_A
09-20-2008, 01:41 PM
Or just look at the label. Its immediately obvious from its sloppy placement that it isn't a official cartridge that was produced in a factory.
The 1 2 P
09-20-2008, 05:48 PM
It isn't that hard for a Gamestop/EB employee to peek into the slot and see if "Nintendo" is printed on the PCB. It takes a few seconds to ID a bootleg by the lack of this.
Gamestop cares about their customers about as much as oil companies do:shameful:
otoko
09-20-2008, 07:01 PM
I'd like to think Oil companies have a little more heart to them than Gamestop.
At least the Oil company CEO's don't eat small children they find in small local parks.
The 1 2 P
09-20-2008, 08:30 PM
I'd like to think Oil companies have a little more heart to them than Gamestop.
At least the Oil company CEO's don't eat small children they find in small local parks.
Very true.
ScourDX
09-20-2008, 09:47 PM
I hope you didn't spend too much on it. I did purchased a bootleg GBC cart before for $25. Turn out the game works, but it won't save.
Sabz5150
09-21-2008, 01:24 AM
I hope you didn't spend too much on it. I did purchased a bootleg GBC cart before for $25. Turn out the game works, but it won't save.
It was 25, I pretty much knew it was a bootleg... didn't care, I like the odd stuff. It was the same price as a real Minish, and if it turned out to be crap, I'd just return it.
Smashed Brother
09-21-2008, 02:16 AM
Not only do the Gamestop's here have bootlegs but I've even seen one selling an import PS2 version of SNK vs Capcom. I'm pretty sure Gamestop doesn't take Japanese import games in as trade so why was this copy sitting on their shelves? And it was a legit import copy.
I purchased the Region 3 version of Ridge Racer 2 for the PSP at my local Gamestop. But, the SKU was for the original Ridge Racer, so I only paid $9, hehe...
11killer11
09-21-2008, 04:29 PM
I guess i'll chime in here. My gamestop usually doesn't have bootlegs so i was suprised to see one day a copy of Getaway for PS2 but the cover and the back art was printed out on a regular piece of printer paper and stuck inside the case. I didn't say anything but i just don't know how they get through sometimes.
It was 25, I pretty much knew it was a bootleg... didn't care, I like the odd stuff. It was the same price as a real Minish, and if it turned out to be crap, I'd just return it.
I paid less (shipped, even) than that for a fully complete boxed copy from ebay.
Icarus Moonsight
09-22-2008, 01:40 AM
I guess i'll chime in here. My gamestop usually doesn't have bootlegs so i was suprised to see one day a copy of Getaway for PS2 but the cover and the back art was printed out on a regular piece of printer paper and stuck inside the case. I didn't say anything but i just don't know how they get through sometimes.
This is even more common. Not a pirate, just a legit game with facsimile packaging. Hey, it's better than sharpie titles in bad handwritting.
evil_genius
09-22-2008, 06:13 AM
That label art is really slick looking.
It is?
darkslime
09-23-2008, 11:47 PM
Read the 16th post in this thread. There is a good FAQ on how to spot bootleg gba games.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62161
That minish cap is definitely a bootleg.
ProgrammingAce
09-24-2008, 12:30 AM
I was bored hanging out at a friend's gamestop waiting for him to leave, so i went through the GBA games and pulled out the bootlegs. 15-20 in all. Some of them were priced as "Generic GBA" because there was no such title in the system.
I'm just curious how they get over here. Is there really that big a market for people to smuggle in bootleg GBA carts and launder them through Gamestops, or is Gamestop buying them outwright from the pirates?
I wouldn't really put it past them...
DigitalSpace
09-24-2008, 12:36 AM
I'm just curious how they get over here. Is there really that big a market for people to smuggle in bootleg GBA carts and launder them through Gamestops, or is Gamestop buying them outwright from the pirates?
Like I said earlier, they're probably traded in from people who bought them off of ebay or at flea markets.