reseals, buyer beware

[Bronty-2]

This looks like a reseal to me, so I thought I would post in case anyone is thinking of bidding. Obviously I can't tell 100% for sure from the pic but that side seam looks very suspicious, IMO at least.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=62053&item=8148114102&rd=1

[SoulBlazer]

I don't understand why someone with a HUGE feedback like that, and someone who must sell for a side living on EBay to have over 5000+, would want to fake a sealed game.

And if he did, why not pick a more rare game? I'm not sure how much sealed original Metroids go for on EBay, but not more then a few hundred, right?

In any case, just out of curiousty, I asked a question about the seam. :)

[Bronty-2]

He may just have bought them from someone else thinking they were legit and is now selling them the same way. I'm not saying *he* resealed them, just saying that I think they are fake based on the pics.

[Bronty-2]

And if he did, why not pick a more rare game? I'm not sure how much sealed original Metroids go for on EBay, but not more then a few hundred, right?


Anything more rare would stick out like a sore thumb. besides IMO metroid would be a perfect game to reseal. you can actually find mint boxes of a game like that. You're not going to find a mint box of a flintstones 2 or something - or at least, not as easily.

[squirrelnut]

And if he did, why not pick a more rare game? I'm not sure how much sealed original Metroids go for on EBay, but not more then a few hundred, right?


Anything more rare would stick out like a sore thumb. besides IMO metroid would be a perfect game to reseal. you can actually find mint boxes of a game like that. You're not going to find a mint box of a flintstones 2 or something - or at least, not as easily.


oh come on why would he pick jon voight?

ya see thats the beauty of it ;)

[sirgeoph]

Just because the side of the box is dented like that doesn't mean it's not factory sealed.

[Ed Oscuro]

Seal's a bit lopsided, though.

Interesting speculation anyways.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

That's the thing about buying older games - You never can quite tell...

Also, I have found that the US has a different method of sealing than here in the UK. I will use Nintendo 64 games as a general example:

In the US, N64 games tend to come with the thin shrinkwrap - Anyone can get their hands on such a machine, and it isn't hard to reseal games. So, there's not really a sure fire way to tell the difference between a real sealed game and a reseal... PlayStation games, however, have those white security seals at the top with the silver flap. But they also have thick style cellophane as well (With neat folded ends and not seams)

However, in the UK, our games tend to all have official tear strips. So, for Nintendo games, we have red tear strips with the word "Nintendo" going down it. Same for PlayStation games. DreamCast games tend to have a white tear strip down the bottom, and Xbox games have the white security tag on the side.

Theer are a few exceptions, like Shenmue for example, or Ico which come in cardboard box cases so must have shrinkwrap (However, Unlimited Saga had actual cellophane)

Now if a game is on eBay and it is in shrinkwrap, then that generally means it is a reseal. Many game shops now have a machine which do this, Like GameStation and EB, and they often do.

Most the time they only do it because the box has been on display, or if they get a consignment in, and a few cases are damaged, they'll unseal it, replace the case, and seal it back up again...

So, beware, and know the difference between the two types of plastic. You don't want to spend a fortune buying a game which turns out to be a reseal...

[Griking]

What about this game makes you believe its resealed? Even though you can't see it in his pic he says in his description that the game has the horizontal seal on the back.

[8bitnes]

Quick question, while we're on it, did the late released games from Acclaim have a different seal?? I have some examples of opened ones that still have Wal-Mart price stickers on the plastic as well as security tags.

I also feel the Metroid is suspicious. We need to see up the corners further where the seam comes together as well as a better shot of the back.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

The shot of th etops of the game shows a "T" shape indicating it may indeed be original.

The only way to really tell for sure is to actually buy it and send it off to Nintendo to be authenticated...

[Bronty-2]

Right, like anybody at nintendo knows or cares.

The side seam is wavy and uneven - most legit seams just don't look like that.

re acclaim - yes. some late issues sealed with a vertical overlap on the back instead of a horizontal line.

[Mattiekrome]

Ive heard that the horizontal seam is really hard to fake on a reseal... but that was a couple years ago, and im sure someone has come up with a good way to fake it by now