Shrinkwrapped DS games?

[CBG23]

Hey all,

I am a collector of brand new Nintendo DS games and recently purchased a couple of them online. I know that a huge problem is the resealing of games and selling them as new and I have run into this problem before. I purchased a copy of Resident Evil: Deadly Silence from an amazon marketplace seller and Ultimate Mortal Kombat DS directly from Amazon.com and they both arrived shrink wrapped. Now I know that some people have reported that some DS games come in a cheaper shrink wrap than tan normal Y-fold cellophane; I was wondering if either of these titles were known to come in shrink wrap vs. cellophane. Also, I've never had a problem with Amazon.com before, but I was wondering how likely it is that their video game supplier would have resealed a title before selling it to Amazon. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Bojay1997]

Hey all,

I am a collector of brand new Nintendo DS games and recently purchased a couple of them online. I know that a huge problem is the resealing of games and selling them as new and I have run into this problem before. I purchased a copy of Resident Evil: Deadly Silence from an amazon marketplace seller and Ultimate Mortal Kombat DS directly from Amazon.com and they both arrived shrink wrapped. Now I know that some people have reported that some DS games come in a cheaper shrink wrap than tan normal Y-fold cellophane; I was wondering if either of these titles were known to come in shrink wrap vs. cellophane. Also, I've never had a problem with Amazon.com before, but I was wondering how likely it is that their video game supplier would have resealed a title before selling it to Amazon. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

I've personally seen both of those in regular (non-Y Fold) shrinkwrap from major retailers at launch. Having said that, you could still have purchased rewrapped stuff from the marketplace seller and even from Amazon. I know I bought a couple of PS2 games from Amazon directly a few months back and they were not only not Y Fold wrapped, but also didn't have the Sony seal up top and they were older games that were only ever sold in Y Fold with a Sony seal. I would assume they just got some close-out stock and were assured by the vendor that it was factory sealed when it clearly wasn't.

[PapaStu]

DS games greatly depend on the publisher.

My Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is open and I don't remember the kind of seal, but most Capcom games have come in the regular non y-fold shrink.

What release of Ultimate Mortal Kombat do you have? My original Midway run came as the celophane/non y-fold shrink type (and my copy is still sealed). My WB Games ( re-release) version was bought 'used' but it was a freshly opened and converted by GameStop, no clue on the shrink type.

Of the other 'WB Games' DS games i've got that are still sealed, the seals are as follows: All were bought by me, either from GameStop or from Amazon at release, save Tazball, which I got xmas of last year, and I found it in a game dumpbin at my local Safeway grocery store.

Galactic Taz Ball : Y-Fold
Super Scribblenauts : celophane / non Y-fold
TouchMaster 3 :celophane / non Y-fold
TouchMaster Connect : Y-Fold

Super Scribble - October 12 2010
Galactic Taz Ball - Aug 10 2010
TouchMaster 3 - October 27 2009
TouchMaster Connect - December 7 2010

[CBG23]

I've personally seen both of those in regular (non-Y Fold) shrinkwrap from major retailers at launch. Having said that, you could still have purchased rewrapped stuff from the marketplace seller and even from Amazon. I know I bought a couple of PS2 games from Amazon directly a few months back and they were not only not Y Fold wrapped, but also didn't have the Sony seal up top and they were older games that were only ever sold in Y Fold with a Sony seal. I would assume they just got some close-out stock and were assured by the vendor that it was factory sealed when it clearly wasn't.

Bojay1997: Thanks for the reply; that stinks that you ended up getting those resealed games. Did you end up returning them?


DS games greatly depend on the publisher.

My Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is open and I don't remember the kind of seal, but most Capcom games have come in the regular non y-fold shrink.

What release of Ultimate Mortal Kombat do you have? My original Midway run came as the celophane/non y-fold shrink type (and my copy is still sealed). My WB Games ( re-release) version was bought 'used' but it was a freshly opened and converted by GameStop, no clue on the shrink type.

Of the other 'WB Games' DS games i've got that are still sealed, the seals are as follows: All were bought by me, either from GameStop or from Amazon at release, save Tazball, which I got xmas of last year, and I found it in a game dumpbin at my local Safeway grocery store.

Galactic Taz Ball : Y-Fold
Super Scribblenauts : celophane / non Y-fold
TouchMaster 3 :celophane / non Y-fold
TouchMaster Connect : Y-Fold

Super Scribble - October 12 2010
Galactic Taz Ball - Aug 10 2010
TouchMaster 3 - October 27 2009
TouchMaster Connect - December 7 2010

PapaStu: Thanks for the reply; the version of UMK that I got is the 'WB games' kind. Do you remember where you got yours from?

Based on what you've listed for other 'WB Games' DS games, it seems like it could be either with or without the 'Y-fold'...You mentioned you got Super Scribblenauts, TouchMaster 3, TouchMaster Connect at amazon or gamestop at release. Do you remember where you got which ones?

I wish DS game makers would have used a security strip or something similar so we could tell if the copy has been unadulterated.

I guess I'm a little paranoid too because amazon didn't have a copy of the game ~ 10 months ago - it didn't say more copies were being reordered or anything like that like you see with some other items, but I just checked for kicks about 2 weeks ago and they all of a sudden are restocked with new copies, BUT every other major vendor (ex. bestbuy, walmart, etc.) doesn't have new stock and hasn't had any for the year or so; I don't know where amazon.com gets it's stock from, but based on Bojay1997's response it seems like they can get it from places other than the publisher and these places could have obtained resealed games or resealed them themselves.

I wonder if it's worth getting another copy from amazon to open and inspect (although I don't know what I'd be looking for), while keeping one sealed copy...

As an aside, their biggest marketplace sellers (Hubbagmes and hitgaming) which are "fulfilled by amazon" have both been known to sell resealed copies - needless to say, I avoid these at all costs...

[PapaStu]

PapaStu: Thanks for the reply; the version of UMK that I got is the 'WB games' kind. Do you remember where you got yours from?

Yes, as I said above, I got mine from GameStop. It was a 'new' game that had been converted to used. The game had been out for less than 24 hours, and everything was 100% mint and unused. I don't know what the shrink was for that game, because I bought it used.

The original Midway release probably came from GameStop, but I don't remember 100%. I dug through my Amazon orders and it didn't come up via search.


Based on what you've listed for other 'WB Games' DS games, it seems like it could be either with or without the 'Y-fold'...You mentioned you got Super Scribblenauts, TouchMaster 3, TouchMaster Connect at amazon or gamestop at release. Do you remember where you got which ones?

Super Scribblenauts - GameStop, It was pre-ordered so I could get my Scribblenauts headphones and I got the game 2 or 3 days after its Tuesday hard release.

TouchMaster 3 and TouchMaster Connect were Amazon.com buys. Both were bought pretty close to their original releases, and they were ordered from Amazon directly, but I didn't get them until the respective Xmas.



I wish DS game makers would have used a security strip or something similar so we could tell if the copy has been unadulterated.

Games (at least some do) get tear strips in the UK/Euro zone.


I guess I'm a little paranoid too because amazon didn't have a copy of the game ~ 10 months ago - it didn't say more copies were being reordered or anything like that like you see with some other items, but I just checked for kicks about 2 weeks ago and they all of a sudden are restocked with new copies, BUT every other major vendor (ex. bestbuy, walmart, etc.) doesn't have new stock and hasn't had any for the year or so; I don't know where amazon.com gets it's stock from, but based on Bojay1997's response it seems like they can get it from places other than the publisher and these places could have obtained resealed games or resealed them themselves.

The game is OLD. It's not a new release (released in 06). So of course places like BB arn't going to get new stock. Don't know where Amazon got their copies, but looking on their site I'm seeing 'new copies starting from $35.00' none of which are from Amazon. The other people selling are just using the Amazon marketplace. Finding a box or two of games does happen on occasion.


I wonder if it's worth getting another copy from amazon to open and inspect (although I don't know what I'd be looking for), while keeping one sealed copy...


If you really care that much about getting a sealed copy of the game. As I've said already, numerous Capcom games have come in the standard non y-fold shrink, this very well could be one of those games.

On eBay i'm seeing one sealed with the non Y fold shrink here

http://cgi.ebay.com/NINTENDO-DS-RESIDENT-EVIL-DEADLY-SILENCE-NEW-SEALED-/220802485350?pt=AU_PC_Video_Games_Games&hash=item3368da8c66

There are a number of other sellers on eBay with 'new' copies of the game, email them and ask for a picture.

[CBG23]

I think I'm pretty comfortable with the Resident Evil one being legit - in addition to the picture you've linked to, I've seen another one that showed the same sort of shrink wrap.

As far as UMK DS, here is the amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O5I0F8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I am going to try ebay and see what I can find,

[Mayhem]

I've got the US RE DS release, and I believe it had the bog standard shrink wrap on it when it arrived. Capcom DS games do iirc.

[CBG23]

I actually ended up getting a second copy from amazon, and it has the cellophane with Y-folds! This doesn't really say anything one way or another I guess because I've heard that there are reseals with Y-folds and shrinkwrap AND there have been legit Y-folds and shrinkwrap...

[Colorado Rockies]

Ya I hate when I get psp and ds games in the cheap shrinkwrap instead of the y-folds.
My Star Ocean Second Evolution for psp and my Phoenix Wright for ds both came like this.
I don't keep a whole lot of games factory sealed though, and when I opened them everything had that "new smell" to it. I am pretty sure they were actually new and NOT resealed, but I guess if you like keeping your stuff sealed then these would look ugly in your collection.

[PapaStu]

They may 'look ugly' but if that's how they're released, then that's what you get. Shrink wrap is there for two reasons, one is to keep the game inside, away from the prying hands of baddies, and two, to get people to pay stupid premiums on 20 years from its original release.

[Colorado Rockies]

Yes but as its already been pointed out here is that some versions of the same ds games have either the authentic y-fold or the cheap shrinkwrap. All I was saying is that collector's who like to keep their stuff sealed would prefer the y-folds.

[PapaStu]

Yes but as its already been pointed out here is that some versions of the same ds games have either the authentic y-fold or the cheap shrinkwrap. All I was saying is that collector's who like to keep their stuff sealed would prefer the y-folds.


Assuming that they ever came w/ a Y-Fold. Not all games do/have come with that seal. But in the end, a seal is a seal. From the side you can't even tell most of the time w/o being 6 inches from them.

[The 1 2 P]

I'm not a DS master like PapaStu but from my experience of merching video games(especially in Best Buy) I have found that DS games seal is almost split 50/50 between factory seal Y fold and shrinkwrap. I ran into this problem a few years ago when I was looking at copies of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow to get and most of them had the shrinkwrap seal but a few had the Y fold.

I think this is just the norm for Ds games but it would definitely make it a challenge for people buying copies from anywhere besides a retail store. You might be getting a normal brand new game in shrinkwrap or someone's rewrapped copy. But for the most part a ton of Ds games are still new with the shrinkwrap seal.

[heybtbm]

There was a thread on DP from a few years ago where someone tried to return KOF Maximum Impact to Target and had security called on them. It was all because of the goofy cheap shrinkwrap SNK used for the game. The girl at the counter thought the guy was trying to pull one over on the store.

Anyone else remember this?

[The 1 2 P]

There was a thread on DP from a few years ago where someone tried to return KOF Maximum Impact to Target and had security called on them. It was all because of the goofy cheap shrinkwrap SNK used for the game. The girl at the counter thought the guy was trying to pull one over on the store.

Anyone else remember this?

I don't remember that but I do know that half the time I return games to Target(because I found the same game for a cheaper clearance price) they will open the game, even though it is Y-fold factory sealed and still has their clearance price tag on it. I heard that this is now their store wide policy but not every store does it. And of course once they do this they shrinkwrap the game and then put it back on the shelf.

[CBG23]

I noticed that a lot of people say you can tell a shrink wrapped game is not a re-seal because there are little holes in the wrapper. Can't places likes gamestop or other places that re-seal games just buy shrink wrap with the holes in it?

[Bojay1997]

I noticed that a lot of people say you can tell a shrink wrapped game is not a re-seal because there are little holes in the wrapper. Can't places likes gamestop or other places that re-seal games just buy shrink wrap with the holes in it?

Of course they could, although at present they don't. I would also like to reiterate that there are Y Fold sealing machines out there as well. Generally, both the machines and the wrap are more expensive than regular shrink which is why you don't run into more resealed Y Fold stuff. Having said that, I know for certain of at least one retailer (Microcenter) and one distributor that sells through Amazon that reseals used titles in Y Fold. Microcenter at least marks the resealed titles as used, the distributor on Amazon often does not. As such, there is always a slim chance that no matter where you get something, it could be a reseal.

[CBG23]

Hmm, interesting. I wonder how people learned about the vent hole thing...Also, what Amazon.com distributor were you referring to? Thanks,

[PapaStu]

Hmm, interesting. I wonder how people learned about the vent hole thing...Also, what Amazon.com distributor were you referring to? Thanks,


Not hard to learn, when there are games that are still sealed from 20-30 years ago. Shrink machines have been around for just as long. You can buy the shrink, it can come with those holes, and the rest is history.

[bcks007]

I've personally seen both of those in regular (non-Y Fold) shrinkwrap from major retailers at launch. Having said that, you could still have purchased rewrapped stuff from the marketplace seller and even from Amazon. I know I bought a couple of PS2 games from Amazon directly a few months back and they were not only not Y Fold wrapped, but also didn't have the Sony seal up top and they were older games that were only ever sold in Y Fold with a Sony seal. I would assume they just got some close-out stock and were assured by the vendor that it was factory sealed when it clearly wasn't.

Which ps2 games where they?

Just cause it's a older PS2 game that should have the Sony seal up top, doesn't mean it wasn't reprinted recently, and thus doesn't come with the seal.
I bought a copy of Midnight Club: Street Racing (GH) recently, normal version came out in 2000, greatest hit in 2002. Got the no seal up top version, y fold style, that was also a updated version of the disc, going from blue cd style to silver cd.
Not arguing about the y-fold issue, just the sony seal up top issue.

[Bojay1997]

Which ps2 games where they?

Just cause it's a older PS2 game that should have the Sony seal up top, doesn't mean it wasn't reprinted recently, and thus doesn't come with the seal.
I bought a copy of Midnight Club: Street Racing (GH) recently, normal version came out in 2000, greatest hit in 2002. Got the no seal up top version, y fold style, that was also a updated version of the disc, going from blue cd style to silver cd.
Not arguing about the y-fold issue, just the sony seal up top issue.

The titles in question were Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII and Drakan which were never released without the seal as far as I know.

[bcks007]

The titles in question were Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII and Drakan which were never released without the seal as far as I know.

I'm 99% sure Drakan: The Ancients' Gates got a reprint. Here is why, I have a sorta local store, I like to go to and sometimes snag a decent deal online, that store being Frys.com
I check there ps2 games every month at least 1 time. In the last 2 months a game that I've never seen in stock there, has suddenly been added.
Drakan: The Ancients' Gates for $9.96 (brand new and sealed)
http://www.frys.com/product/3228271?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
Willing to bet it won't have the sony seal on it. If i didn't have the game already I would snag it in a heartbeat at that price.
If anybody bites on it, let this topic know your results.

Can you check your Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII, if you opened it up, or are willing to open it. Too see if its a blue back cd, or the newer silver cd that's been popping up recently on a few games.
Wow, amazon has this game in stock for a game that is 9 years old. Its gotta be a reprint!!?, since a greatest hits version doesn't exist.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000690ZY/sr=1-1/qid=1310464512/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1310464512&sr=1-1&seller=

[Bojay1997]

I'm 99% sure Drakan: The Ancients' Gates got a reprint. Here is why, I have a sorta local store, I like to go to and sometimes snag a decent deal online, that store being Frys.com
I check there ps2 games every month at least 1 time. In the last 2 months a game that I've never seen in stock there, has suddenly been added.
Drakan: The Ancients' Gates for $9.96 (brand new and sealed)
http://www.frys.com/product/3228271?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
Willing to bet it won't have the sony seal on it. If i didn't have the game already I would snag it in a heartbeat at that price.
If anybody bites on it, let this topic know your results.

Can you check your Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII, if you opened it up, or are willing to open it. Too see if its a blue back cd, or the newer silver cd that's been popping up recently on a few games.
Wow, amazon has this game in stock for a game that is 9 years old. Its gotta be a reprint!!?, since a greatest hits version doesn't exist.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000690ZY/sr=1-1/qid=1310464512/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1310464512&sr=1-1&seller=

I actually saw Drakan at Fry's the other week and it had no top seal, however, I also looked at a number of their copies and they all appeared to have minor wear inside the wrap as if they were distributor returns that had simply been repackaged. I suppose it could be a reprint but I have never seen one that only Fry's would get. Similarly, Amazon only had a handful of copies of Romance VII in stock when I ordered and still has a limited stock. I ended up returning the game, but my recollection was that the wrap felt wrong and didn't have the right Y Fold pattern nor the seal. As such, I believe those were just repacks they bought from their distributors.

[Colorado Rockies]

When did Sony stop putting the Sony seals on ps2 games?

Is there a list anywhere for which games have the seal and which don't?

I bought Persona 3 FES, Persona 4, Arcana Heart and a few other Atlus ps2 games on Amazon over the last few months and none of them had the Sony seal.

[Bojay1997]

When did Sony stop putting the Sony seals on ps2 games?

Is there a list anywhere for which games have the seal and which don't?

I bought Persona 3 FES, Persona 4, Arcana Heart and a few other Atlus ps2 games on Amazon over the last few months and none of them had the Sony seal.

Fall of 2005. The first Sony first party game not to have a seal as far as I know was Shadow of the Colossus. Those games you listed are all from 2008 and were never released with the Sony seal.

[bcks007]

I've always wanted to know what game and time area it started. I knew it was 2005, but wasn't sure when.