What's underneath a Game Boy cartridge label?

[Jorpho]

More specifically, if someone describes a Game Boy cartridge as "hole in label where the screw is", does that mean it's a pirate cart?

[nildem]

There is a small hole in the plastic underneath the label for the screw on the back of the cartridge. Here's a label-less copy of Pokemon Yellow for reference:



I've also had a few carts where the screw is slightly too long and the label covering that area has rubbed away. Perhaps that's what's it's referring to.

[theclaw]

Center hole is a major weak point on Game Boy labels. It's normal to see indented or torn.

[SparTonberry]

And for good measure, here's images of a Crystalis GBC cart I bought with the original label already missing.
I figured I might as well strip it completely naked (from a handwritten replacement label).

[Jorpho]

For some reason I always thought these used a tri-wing screw, but I guess that only came in with GBA carts.

[Tanooki]

Yup GBA and handhelds from around there and a bit before used the triwing, the GB shell games (gb, gbc hybrid, gbc) all use the mini security ratchet home carts used. Another fatal flaw with the GB was the clear GBC cart frames. They used some brittle cheapass plastics there and if you overtighten the center screw just a little it'll snap the sucker right off the backshell entirely which sucks.