Did I buy a GBA pirate? [Archive] - Retrogaming Roundtable

jajaja

08-20-2005, 10:53 AM

Today I recived Zelda - Four Swords for GBA. When I first opened the package I noticed that the box looked kinda blurry, same goes with the manual. It looks like its printed with weak colors.

On the ESRB notice on front the "E" have a red dot on it, like some ink have leaked or something.
The cartridge also have a security screw, not a "normal" screw.

I took some pictures, not sure if its easy to see all the details.
Any help would be appriciated :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/ninjaz1/IM000465.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/ninjaz1/IM000466.jpg

Cmosfm

08-20-2005, 10:56 AM

Where'd you buy it from and what does the engraved print on the back of the cartridge say?

sisko

08-20-2005, 10:57 AM

It looks authentic to me, but I can't make out the screw. GBA games use a Triwing tip.

jajaja

08-20-2005, 11:01 AM

It do have a triwing screw, sorry, didnt explain that good enough.
The ingrave on the back says:

(NINTENDO)
MODEL NO AGB 002
PATPEND MADE IN JAPAN

I did buy it on Ebay, but not from Asia. It was shipped from UK and usual the Asian GBA pirates doesnt have a manual.
But compared to my other GBA games I never seen a such blurry box and manual.
The text on the back of the box are usually much clearer print.

DDCecil

08-20-2005, 11:01 AM

I just checked mine and everything looks good so far,so check these tips:

- Mine has 47 Pages - Two staples holding the manual together.
- The cover of the manual should look kind of shiny.
- Does it have a small printed number above the seal of quality on the cartridge if you hold it under the light? (Mine says 13)
- Does it have "2001 Nintendo AGB-E03-20" above the cartridge pins?

jajaja

08-20-2005, 11:06 AM

Thanks for the manual tip. Mine is only 10 pages. The box and manual says its the USA version (AGB-ALE-USA).

But it looks like its a pirate :( Checking the last page on the manual it says:

"Dungeon Items and Heart Containers: When you find Maps, Compasses or Heart containers........... (See page 25)"

I dont have a page 25 lol.

I cant see any "13" over the seal of quality on the cartridge. Same goes with that other number over the pins.
Do you have the USA version? Can you check if it says PAT. PEND. on the back or if it says PATPEND in one word.

Cmosfm

08-20-2005, 11:11 AM

jajaja

08-20-2005, 11:14 AM

I have bought many GBA games from Ebay before and all was legit. But your right, like 80% of the GBA games on Ebay are pirated :( I always checked closesly and ask the seller before i buy.
Do you know anywhere else I can buy GBA games? Not the stores because its so expencive here.

Cmosfm

08-20-2005, 11:18 AM

Kejoriv

08-20-2005, 11:25 AM

I cant believe how many pirated GBA games are on Ebay. Are they that easy to make?

Jumpman Jr.

08-20-2005, 11:32 AM

I cant believe how many pirated GBA games are on Ebay. Are they that easy to make?

I was wondering the same thing. And another question... are they cheap to make? They must be, because they sell for fairly cheap on ebay, so they have to stay in business somehow.

jajaja

08-20-2005, 11:58 AM

Ok, I mailed the seller about it. Thanks for the help all :)

I didnt know about the small printed number on the cartridges. I checked some of my other games and these also have it. This will be a good way to check for pirates. Thanks for that info DDCecil :)

QBert

08-20-2005, 12:08 PM

I bought a pirate gameboy game from ebay too. Same thing thou, it looked real enough online and it wasn't from an overseas seller, they had good feedback, yada yada and when I got it I could tell right away it was a faker. :angry:
Minor thou I guess, it was Bookworm and only my GF plays it and it was under $10. BUT STILL! :angry: Fuckers!

The box and manual are blurry and the game still fits in the GBA cartridge slot but it's a little tighter than all my other games.

Last time I buy a GBA game from an ebayer I don't know.
Word.

Slimedog

08-20-2005, 12:22 PM

I got screwed this way on a Mega Battle Network 4. It was pretty obivous, the cartridge label was different, the box art was blury and the manual was 6 pages a written in comically incoherent English.

jajaja

08-20-2005, 12:22 PM

Ye, the game is alittle tighter and it sticks alittle more up from the cartridge slot. Was your games sealed or only complete? Mine was only complete, not sealed.

suppafly

08-20-2005, 01:11 PM

looks like a pirate to me...

QBert

08-20-2005, 01:11 PM

Good question, mine was complete but not sealed, and that reminds me. The first thing that made me go WTF was that I had to put the box together myself! X_x It was flat and not made into a box yet, so right there I was skeptical.
Also there was no plastic around the game either. Bastards.

As far as I can tell(from the 1 time I played it) the game is the same as the original, but I only have the PC online ver to compare it to.

Q

jajaja

08-20-2005, 01:20 PM

Arg, that flatpacking reminds me of another game i bought months ago. I just checked it, its a pirate too :( Never knew before now. Fuck, I guess its too late to do something about that one.

I got full refund from the seller who sold me Zelda tho.

Mr.FoodMonster

08-20-2005, 02:15 PM

I bought a pirated Megaman & Bass on ebay. Says 'Nintondo on the back'. I also bought Sonic Advance 2 on eBay, but the game included was some disney basketball game.

SoulBlazer

08-20-2005, 02:46 PM

Your best bet is to buy from Amazon instead. I've sold and bought several used GBA games there without any problems.

Rabid Peanut-Butter

08-20-2005, 05:49 PM

The most reliable way I've found to tell if a GBA game is a pirate or not is by the following:

Look at the bottom of the cartridge. Examine the connectors, right above the exposed pins there (in that small space between them and the plastic of the cartridge casing) there should be some white text that has the Nintendo logo and a date. I have NEVER EVER seen an official cartridge without one nor a pirate cartridge with one. I used to work at a GameStop and we had craploads of pirates show up either from other stores, or customers trying to trade them in.

I hope that helps. Unfortunately it doesn't help with eBay auctions, but you find some in the wild it's a good indicator.

SoulBlazer

08-20-2005, 09:30 PM

I'm curious also why GBA piracy seems to be so common. How many games have you personaly seen at your store that is pirate? What do the people usually say when you tell them? I assume you can't take them in. Where do the people say they got them from -- all of them originaly from EBay from out of country sellers?

Gamemaster_ca_2003

08-20-2005, 09:44 PM

Humm I rember a Page on Nintendo's Web site about Pirate Carts, but I can't seem to find it.

GameNinja

08-20-2005, 09:45 PM

I own a few pirated GBA games (bought in China no less) and I find the best way to tell if it is legit is to look at the box and observe the texture. Most pirates are glossy and very smooth, while the US boxes are printed on a very cardboard feeling material. Also, as somebody else pointed out, the art is typically a little bit blurry and looks just a pinch..off, like they were running low on a color when it was printed. The manuals are also a dead giveaway. I have a contra advance manual that is merely the back of the box printed on a smaller piece of paper and folded. LOL

Sailorneorune

08-20-2005, 10:06 PM

I saw a pirated Pokemon Sapphire at a local game store... the giveaway was that it was a gray cartridge and not the translucent blue of the authentic cart. I feel sorry for whomever shelled out $20 for it.

Sad, just plain sad. I only purchase used GBA games from another local game store (not the same that had the pirate Sapphire); there they are only $10. I also check the game to see if "Nintendo" is on the visible piece of circuitboard before I buy cart only GBA games.

mezrabad

08-20-2005, 10:18 PM

I've bought not one, but TWO pirate Metroid Fusion GBAs while I was in Korea and ignorant about such things.

The boxes both look slightly off, but the most telling item is the fact that both cartridges say "Ninfendo" on the back. I paid full price for each of them (about $30) and both of their batteries are now toast.

On the plus side, the reason I bought them was to unlock the Fusion suit in Metroid Prime. (I bought the second one after the battery on the first one died before I had finished the game to unlock the Prime suit) So, that's the most I've ever paid to unlock a feature in a game. ($70). Yes, I feel like an idiot for it, but I've done stupider things since and will again. :)

Griking

08-20-2005, 11:15 PM

Your best bet is to buy from Amazon instead. I've sold and bought several used GBA games there without any problems.

Why are GBA games on Amazon less likely to be pirates? Does Amazon do anything additional to ensure that they're not?

SoulBlazer

08-21-2005, 01:46 AM

Yes, in that you're buying from American users (only US people can list on the US site) and Amazon is MUCH better in doing refunds then EBay is. Not to mention the people are normaly nicer to deal with as well, such as me. ;)

Cauterize

08-21-2005, 05:57 AM

Watch out for eBay UK as well as Asia...
Ive noticed many GBA Pirates poppin up on there too!

jajaja

08-21-2005, 07:00 AM

Watch out for eBay UK as well as Asia...
Ive noticed many GBA Pirates poppin up on there too!

The game I bought was from a UK seller. Also sent from UK.
Damnit, this sux. From now on I ask every seller if the game is original or not (of course he/she can lie hehe :P)