WTF! Where did all the pirate systems come from!?

[nesgamer]

For the first time in about a year I was looking through the NES section on ebay. I was looking for a cheap top loader. I saw an auction that said "New boxed NES Top Loader!!!". I looked at the price which was around $20. So I clicked and it turned out to be a pirate system. I kept looking at other auctions on the page and a few others. Most of them are pirate systems. So when did it become like this?

[Ed Oscuro]

The where is China, maybe South America, possibly former Soviet Republics (you don't see Dendy games like..ever, though). When? Well, I guess when people realized that Famiclones are legal to produce. Too bad multicarts (with non-new games) are not. :P

[Dobie]

It started, well, about a year ago. Its tough to search for authentic toploaders anymore, you have to wade through all the fami-crap. Since it is legal, there's nothing one can do. Just gotta learn what to filter out, since most of it comes from the same few sellers.

[Griking]

It started, well, about a year ago. Its tough to search for authentic toploaders anymore, you have to wade through all the fami-crap. Since it is legal, there's nothing one can do. Just gotta learn what to filter out, since most of it comes from the same few sellers.

When did clones become legal?

[Geo1126]

90% of the NES top loaders on ebay is the Neo FC/Fami that is spreading like hell on ebay. Some sellers even trick you that it's better than the original but it's not because of the crappy NOAC. It's only worth it if you rip apart a NOAC to make a NES portable.

[DeputyMoniker]

90% of the NES top loaders on ebay is the Neo FC/Fami that is spreading like hell on ebay. Some sellers even trick you that it's better than the original but it's not because of the crappy NOAC. It's only worth it if you rip apart a NOAC to make a NES portable.

Whats NOAC?

[Geo1126]

It started, well, about a year ago. Its tough to search for authentic toploaders anymore, you have to wade through all the fami-crap. Since it is legal, there's nothing one can do. Just gotta learn what to filter out, since most of it comes from the same few sellers.

When did clones become legal?

Gametech won a case against Nintendo because Nintendo suid them for the clone. Nintendo lost because the NES patents are expired already. So it's now legal to produce Famiclones.

NOAC stands for : NES ON A CHIP.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

No doubt that if someone was actually selling a legit toploader, then they would put a note below the auction title - Something along the lines of "This is an official Nintendo toploader and not a pirate clone"

[Yamazaki]

Here in Japan they are selling a few different toploader systems.

[felix]

There are a lot of toploaders that come from the southern islands of the philippines. I used to have a friend who worked in a shop that made pirate carts.

[calthaer]

If it's legal to produce gadgets that perform the same function as an NES now, then they can't really be called "pirate" systems...right?

[LocalH]

Correct, they're more correctly called "unlicensed NES/Famiclones".

[boatofcar]

I think a distinction needs to be made between Famiclones and Unlicensed NES consoles. In my mind, a Famiclone has games already installed on them, and (I think-correct me if I'm wrong) is still illegal to make. An unlicensed NES console is just a system with no games pre-installed on them.

[The Manimal]

I hate searching eBay for NES systems because of the Famiclones... Out of maybe 50, 1 is the official product...