Do Cheap Priced, Fake Games That Seem To Work/Play Matter To You?

[oldgamerz]

I don't agree with people who bootleg anything and sell it for anything, or have their own versions, and sell it as the original version

Some collectors actually open up cartridges to see if they are fakes but I never done that, I really don't want fake or video games or CD's in my collection. but opening a game up and, looking at the cartridge board is not my thing. I don't understand everything about computer chips , and I'm sure some people who bought a fake video game actually find out too late. and some may have even purposely sold or re-sold a fake or threw it away

How do the average people these days, handle fakes? I am sure some of us may have sold fakes to others, hopefully not on purpose.

(the main question)
Main question is, if you try a video game and it works and if it's a fake? Is there any chance the game will lock up or freeze somewhere in on down the line? as you progress through the game?

I do know that certain fakes have misaligned cover art but some people can hide a fake completely un-noticed, or swap a game

[bikingjahuty]

My main issue with fake, repro carts is that are often made to look so similar to the authentic copies that it's made collecting them a lot more difficult due to not knowing if you're getting the real deal unless you crack the game open and inspect the board. Luckily this isn't a concern for many games under $20, but over that you're really taking a risk. I found a copy of Sunset Riders at a local game store for a really good price, but upon closer inspection the cart label just seemed off and sure enough it had a repro board in it, not an authentic one. Pokemon GB, GB Color, and GBA games are the most notorious; I'd say that at least half the Pokemon games floating around on those platforms are fake. If they said in big, bold letters "REPRODUCTION" on them I wouldn't care, but they are often made to look as authentic as possible to dupe someone who doesn't know better. Other than that, I don't really care about them.

[Cartagia]

Pokemon GB, GB Color, and GBA games are the most notorious; I'd say that at least half the Pokemon games floating around on those platforms are fake. If they said in big, bold letters "REPRODUCTION" on them I wouldn't care, but they are often made to look as authentic as possible to dupe someone who doesn't know better. Other than that, I don't really care about them.

This.  I was trying to find some decent priced copies of the GBA Castelvania games, and was shocked at all the $10 double packs, until I started really reading the listings - repros up and down the line.

In this case I don't particularly care, because I don't care that much about collecting for the GBA and just want to play the games, but I was shocked out how many there were on eBay.

[soera]

For my main collection, I want legit stuff.

If its just something I want to play (Panzer Dragoon Saga for example), I wouldnt give a crap if its a repro, bootleg, etc or what if I can get it for a giant discount.

[hoshichiri]

I do my best to avoid fake games, as I 100% don't want to own any. I've never had to open a game in a shop before, but I do own a lil' 'travel set' of gaming screwdrivers & cleaning stuff in case I do ever need/want to do some serious field testing.

What bothers me about repros, aside from often using cheap parts that will either break down quickly or not be compatible with every system revision, is the 'con'. These are not liscensed copies, these are generally some factory in China that stole a ROM, flashed it, and sold it for a crazy markup. Oddly enough, it's usually the markup that gets me... if we both know you stole it, and it only cost you a couple bucks to make the cart, why am I supposed to pay $20 for it? Or worse- they charge full market value to try and hide the fact that it's a repro and make more money. Some makers of repros have the best of intentions, but it still just ends up facilitating some very scummy behavior.

As the consumer- if you don't care about owning the original, just get yourself a RetroPi or an Everdrive and download your own ROMs. It'll be cheaper in the long run than paying someone to steal for you.

[colicub]

I do have a couple of dodgy pirate games that I keep around for novelty value, however the rise of the fakes masquerading as real is getting really annoying as a big fan of Mega Drive/Genesis collecting. Sure, I'm glad to have a repro cart of Pulseman (that is obviously a repro and was sold as one) and I do love my terrible Russian pirate copy of the unreleased Itchy & Scratchy game (complete with weird small box and truly terrible/amazing artwork) but if they're pretending to be authentic copies then that's considerably more annoying.

[kypherion]

Yeah, I only buy the real deal. For example I've seen red Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow cartridges and it's just off for me, no reason to get a repro or fake like that.

[hoshichiri]

Yeah, I only buy the real deal. For example I've seen red Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow cartridges and it's just off for me, no reason to get a repro or fake like that.

In a world of honest people, there would be a reason- some games are rare and/or expensive, so making new copies creates a cheaper alternative for those who simply wish to experience the game. But sadly, we don't live in a world of honest people. Even someone who's making red carts- obviously trying very hard not to get mistaken for an authentic vintage copy- is helping scammers by providing them with cheap, ready to go boards. Drop that into a vintage donor shell, slap a repro label on it, and get the con going!


It's honestly a bit sad, as without the scummy side we could actually have a really nice repro side market going.

[sworddude]

Yeah, I only buy the real deal. For example I've seen red Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow cartridges and it's just off for me, no reason to get a repro or fake like that.

In a world of honest people, there would be a reason- some games are rare and/or expensive, so making new copies creates a cheaper alternative for those who simply wish to experience the game. But sadly, we don't live in a world of honest people. Even someone who's making red carts- obviously trying very hard not to get mistaken for an authentic vintage copy- is helping scammers by providing them with cheap, ready to go boards. Drop that into a vintage donor shell, slap a repro label on it, and get the con going!


It's honestly a bit sad, as without the scummy side we could actually have a really nice repro side market going.

even if there where only honest people repro's are still very bad if they look almost exactly the same as the original it has to be clear that it has some differences Not to mention that in the case of aria of sorrow there are some very nice looking repro's wich look almost identical, those red ones are actually a nice chance of pace in the good direction in my opinion.

Besides if your buying a repro of a 40 dollar game or less that's just crazy your not saving that much on buying a repro in cases such as aria of sorrow. Just play them games on emulator/ flash card if you want to save some money, repro's are always a waste of money not to mention that people buy repro's on purpose even with cheaper games to save just a bit. Same goes for the pokemon games your saving 20$ at best.

It's just a delusion for someone to own the item that repricates the original nothing more nothing less even withouth the scummy side repro's have to be marked so that they can be spotted by even  the commoners who are new in this hobby.

Maybe if a game is a romhack or a translate in wich case there is a somewhat good reason for a nice looking physical copy of a game if you really like it but otherwise It's kinda pointless. it's absolutely laughable that people buy repro's of common games wich aren't that pricy to begin with. Your savings are minimal.

[hoshichiri]

even if there where only honest people repro's are still very bad if they look almost exactly the same as the original it has to be clear that it has some differences Not to mention that in the case of aria of sorrow there are some very nice looking repro's wich look almost identical, those red ones are actually a nice chance of pace in the good direction in my opinion.

Besides if your buying a repro of a 40 dollar game or less that's just crazy your not saving that much on buying a repro in cases such as aria of sorrow. Just play them games on emulator/ flash card if you want to save some money, repro's are always a waste of money not to mention that people buy repro's on purpose even with cheaper games to save just a bit. Same goes for the pokemon games your saving 20$ at best.

It's just a delusion for someone to own the item that repricates the original nothing more nothing less even withouth the scummy side repro's have to be marked so that they can be spotted by even  the commoners who are new in this hobby.

Maybe if a game is a romhack or a translate in wich case there is a somewhat good reason for a nice looking physical copy of a game if you really like it but otherwise It's kinda pointless. it's absolutely laughable that people buy repro's of common games wich aren't that pricy to begin with. Your savings are minimal.

In a world of honest people, the games would have notable differences, hence bringing up the red carts specifically- but I digress, since we very clearly agree that it's stilly to waste money on repros when you can just do the emulating yourself via flash cart or other means.


I feel like romhacks/translations are the true grey area of this whole thing. You can't really accuse someone of trying to pull a con by making a copy of a game that didn't actually exist during the system's run (unless the listing is trying to pass it off as a 'unreleased prototype r@r3 l00k!', to which I can only say Caveat Emptor). Given our habit of liking our lil' uniform rows of games, it makes sense to want these modern day tweaks to look as authentic as possible... and yet, by making the materials & processes for creating these new-old games, we open a path for more & more fakes to be made. So, which is the greater good/lesser evil?


I kind of side with the hacks & translations. People will find a quick way to make money wherever they can, so there'd be someone who'd get a sticker maker & some old sports games to hack up into newly flashed Chrono Triggers or what-have-you. If the scammers are inevitably coming, I'd rather the people making something of value have a way into the space as well. Especially since many of the makers for new boards I see these days are intentionally not using traditional colors or printing- which allows for a game to look perfectly appropriate on the outside, but quickly identified as a modern take by opening the shell. Which is why I have my lil' travel case of screwdrivers.

[ffxik]

I'm not against repros as long as they are identifiable without being invasive.  Or it happens to be a translated game that never had a release in NA.  I own a couple that when I first started collecting I bought without realizing they were fake.  Dragon Quest I&II for GBC and Breath of Fire II for GBA.  Dragon Quest worked flawlessly, BoF not so much.  It played fine except the far left party slot glitched the sprite during battles.  It wasn't game play breaking but annoying.

Yeah I'm one of those that takes their carts apart.  I'll do it in the store right at the counter because you cannot trust the sellers in my area to know if it's fake or not.  Both of the above were bought in shop, not online.  If I'm going to pay the price, I'm going to get what I pay for.

[marvelvscapcom2]

Yes, only because 90 percent of the time it comes from someone with ill intent. It's almost always with the intent to scam someone or make money.   Some people put fake labels with real boards, real labels with fake boards, swap boards with different games.  It's always slimey intentions and it ruins it for everyone.

Especially for the untrained and the people who are new to the hobby,  it disgusts me when I see someone trying to adapt to the hobby get their 1st impression being a fake conker's bad fur day for full retail. 



But if it was announced I don't mind.   If someone puts "FAKE GAME, REPRODUCTION BOARD"  and charges way less than retail.  And their intent was to allow someone to play the game for a lot cheaper with a rom hack.   Then yeah, that's fine.  I wish most of the fakes were for that purpose.  but only very few have good intentions.

[pzeke]

I don’t mind reproductions as long as it's clear that that’s what they are. But overall, I prefer having legit games in my collection.

If there is a game that I would like to play that I can’t possibly afford, I’ll simply emulate it. No ifs or buts about it.