The N64 games I bought were FAKE

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
  • Counterfeit and reproduction video game cartridges are nothing new, but shady sellers keep trying new tricks to pass them off as legitimate. I picked up a pair of Nintendo 64 games that should have been real...but definitely weren't.
    N64 label damage photo: / what_are_my_options_fo...
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ความคิดเห็น • 464

  • @erwinvb70
    @erwinvb70 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +76

    I don’t care about reproduction cartridges, but selling them as genuine is a problem

  • @cadflo
    @cadflo 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +15

    5:42 “It kills the nostalgia”. Proceeds to connect modern hdmi to modded N64.

  • @aTaryum
    @aTaryum 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +162

    If they advertised them as repros I'd have no issues, hell I'd prefer buying a repro for a lower price rather than to fork up 60 dollars for a loose 30+ years old game, but that's just me

    • @TranscendentalAirwaves
      @TranscendentalAirwaves 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Same honestly.

    • @NerdRise
      @NerdRise 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +21

      Sellers can't advertise repro cartridges because that's copyright infringement and Nintendo could have their listings taken down. Most reproduction cartridge sellers are likely counting on people having the common sense to realize what they're actually buying, and for everyone else: So what? The reproduction works exactly the same as an original, so why do you care?

    • @MrPoeGhost
      @MrPoeGhost 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      @@NerdRise The repro works the same in the sense that it has the same game in the ROM. Otherwise they're inferior build quality and are known for crashing/locking up. Add to that the fact they usually have coin batteries in games that otherwise don't on real copies and you're very much buying a lesser product.
      You'd be better off emulating at that point.

    • @nunyabusiness896
      @nunyabusiness896 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Just get a flash cart at that point. No sense buying individual fakes.

    • @lain328
      @lain328 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      ​@MrPoeGhost, I hate to burst your bubble. But clearly, you don't know how most N64 games save work, Only a select few games use batteries and most used flash memory. Mostly bigger games like Zelda have batteries.
      Plus I don't see how anyone would think these are original, any one who cares about it being original would know the price is too low.

  • @kumarp3074
    @kumarp3074 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +91

    I used to collect cartridges for the NES back in the day. It used to be fun and relatively inexpensive. Now with prices so high and scammers so common it's just not worth it anymore.

    • @rabiroden
      @rabiroden 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Yeah, in the early 2000s it was easy to find all kinds of NES games for like 2-to-5 bucks apiece, no matter how popular or obscure they were. Funcoland sold Mario/Duck Hunt for _a quarter_ . And that place was considered expensive! Imagine any place selling a copy of Wii Sports for a dollar these days.

    • @thepuzzlemaster64
      @thepuzzlemaster64 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Yeah, it's flash carts and emulators all the way for me. No point in hunting-down and wasting some money on a game I probably won't even like.
      It's easier to find hidden gems that way too.

    • @marccaselle8108
      @marccaselle8108 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      The retro game prices are insane. Game that were 5 to 10 dollars 30 years ago are now 30 to 40 dollars.
      At this point you might as well save up 150 to 200 dollars to get a flash cart for your system. It's expensive, but getting the entire library is worth it.

    • @TheCodeAlwaysWins
      @TheCodeAlwaysWins 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      the games themselves in the carts are the same. The difference depends on if you're going to play them or join the scammers.

    • @djkanyetwitty
      @djkanyetwitty 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@marccaselle8108you can get the entire library 4 free and make your own flash cart or just get an emulator and play them on your phone with a Bluetooth controller 🎮😁

  • @klocugh12
    @klocugh12 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +148

    > Shell has more of a blue tint
    > Mario Kart
    How appropriate.

    • @blackpete
      @blackpete 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Is that still false advertisement?.... 😂

  • @EnigPartyhaus
    @EnigPartyhaus 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +43

    The hilarious part is they didn't need to do a label scan for SM64 since you can use assets from the 2020 leaks to recreate it perfectly

    • @Mandarin9900
      @Mandarin9900 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Don't give them ideas 😂 (too late anyway)

  • @abdelali9279
    @abdelali9279 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +28

    When a random seller has sold dozens of copies is also kinda suspicious

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Yeah, kinda hard to have 190 copies of a single game

    • @blackpete
      @blackpete 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Actually there are specialized sellers who buy and refurb old games. So, yes and no. If a seller basically advertises refurbed 100% originals, they have to deliver. Hundreds of good reviews and high resolution pictures are a pretty good indicator for honest sellers. Most fakers get caught pretty fast, if they ship repros.

    • @josephpeters2619
      @josephpeters2619 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yeah, that was a huge red flag. I usually try to buy on eBay from someone who is clearly just a random person selling what they personally owned rather than an online business.

    • @TheObjectiveNinja
      @TheObjectiveNinja 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Not all stay gone though, I can give you atleast 10 sellers who will list the game as ‘very good’ or ‘new’, and will mention in the description that it’s not for collectors.

  • @solarakyle
    @solarakyle 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +21

    4:47 no no, we're just misunderstanding, they were refurnished, not refurbished

    • @DaMu24
      @DaMu24 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      yep, the description is clearly not mispelled

  • @EndlessFunctionality
    @EndlessFunctionality 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +41

    "It kinda kills the nostalgia". As he plugs an hdmi cable into an n64 😅

  • @ronlevon4294
    @ronlevon4294 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +182

    I think the fact that seller had more that 10 identical refurbished old games for more that 30 years is a big red flag.

    • @chronossage
      @chronossage 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +14

      That's not really a red flag. There are a number of small time repair guys that buy up cheap messed up carts and fix them. Not in this case of course.

    • @prodigy455
      @prodigy455 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Dont see how its a red flag when it works and its cheap....Price clearly shows its not real and a average intelligence buyer would know this but hey its a deal even for the dumb buyer , this is a freaking deal

    • @ronlevon4294
      @ronlevon4294 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

      @@prodigy455 Again it is stated as refurbished original device, and it is actually new replica. Means listing is a fake, no matter if it is working or not.

    • @prodigy455
      @prodigy455 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@ronlevon4294 yea it’s called reading between the lines and the guy not trying to have his page shutdown, like I said that’s simple logic but grown people wanna act like they are scammed just because they either didn’t think or at least do their research . Honestly as long as the prices are cheap , the guy is doing everyone a service.

    • @atranfanatic
      @atranfanatic 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Also the listing said "Refurnished" lol

  • @Strelnikov10
    @Strelnikov10 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +14

    Personally, I feel honored that my childhood is being counterfeited.

  • @danieladams5379
    @danieladams5379 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    Buy an Everdrive and forget about this. Nintendo ain't getting a cent off scalp resells anyway.

  • @shmehfleh3115
    @shmehfleh3115 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    The manufacture date of 2006 on the FPGA is a dead giveaway, too.
    I personally don't have a problem with repro carts, at least when they're advertised as such. They're really no different from a flash cart, except they can only play one game. I'll happily pay 50 bucks for a repro copy of Harvest Moon when the original sells for six times as much.

  • @christopherdecorte1599
    @christopherdecorte1599 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    I wouldn't mind repo carts as long as they are fairly priced and advertised as repo. Especially on rare expensive games.

  • @Chris_403
    @Chris_403 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    The eBay ad says it’s “refurnished” not refurbished lol

  • @rj5485
    @rj5485 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +23

    The "03" number etched on the back sticker is a clear indication of authenticity. For some reason, scammers can't duplicate that (or don't for some reason). This is one of the indicators that I use to spot fakes.

    • @huldu
      @huldu 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

      That's so typical of Asian knock offs in general, they never put in full effort it's like 90% and never fully gets there as they cheap out on ridiculous things or miss/skip details. It blows my mind if they spent a LITTLE more effort on the things they made it would be close to top notch.

    • @narutobroken
      @narutobroken 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      That’s the first thing I always look for, the embossed number in the back label

    • @rj5485
      @rj5485 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @narutobroken it's etched rather than embossed, but yeah, that's what I always do. I also check the placement of the numbers

    • @nickwallette6201
      @nickwallette6201 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@huldu The thing is, it seems like there's 150% effort on some things, and 20% effort on others. I can never understand why some details are so meticulous while others are so blatantly just wrong.

  • @bgjck
    @bgjck 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    My younger brother got a N64 for his birthday last year and he found a copy of Mario 64 on eBay complete in box and in a plastic box protector for less than $100 and later found out it was fake. I could have told him it was fake if he had shown me the eBay listing before buying.

  • @Lukeno52
    @Lukeno52 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    Honestly this is why I don't ever really care about things being completely perfect in condition - odds are if they're a bit shabby, they're almost certainly legitimate (unless they're particularly old fakes of course)

  • @SavvySage
    @SavvySage 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Thanks for making this video! I had recently bought a Nintendo 64 from a local game store, and when looking for a copy of Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 on eBay, I noticed there were plenty of cartridge listings that I knew were fake from the start. I appreciate you looking into this matter and advising others to be cautious when looking for N64 games online. 👍

  • @intel386DX
    @intel386DX 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +33

    The easiest way to spot a fake is that only originals have indented numbers on the back label .

    • @aaronkosharskyswhiteknight5224
      @aaronkosharskyswhiteknight5224 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      No because you can swap backs.

    • @blackpete
      @blackpete 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Nope. My Repros have them, too. Bought them as Repros, so that's fine.

    • @Dave01Rhodes
      @Dave01Rhodes 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@blackpete Really? I've never seen a repro that bothers to emboss the numbers since almost nobody looks for them.
      I've always used the embossed numbers as a quick easy way to tell if it's legit. Still, if they're missing, it's definitely suspicious.

    • @intel386DX
      @intel386DX 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@aaronkosharskyswhiteknight5224 you can always put a pirate PCB in the original shell that is correct. So the safest way to check for the authenticity is fo look the eage connector .

    • @TanookiSuit
      @TanookiSuit 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@Dave01Rhodes I've seen them the fakes have the code, but they're scanned into the label, it's not an actual dented in number.

  • @blitzerblazinoah6838
    @blitzerblazinoah6838 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +28

    10/10 for Vereenak in the thumb nail! I LOVE DS9!!!

    • @jane5886
      @jane5886 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Sisko rocking Garraks shit in his shop only to realize my man did what he asked was WILD

  • @peanutismint
    @peanutismint 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +54

    I would be absolutely happy purchasing fake reproduction cartridges, as long as they were like $10 each…

    • @MacUser2-il2cx
      @MacUser2-il2cx 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Exactly. It's just about being able to play the game for some nostalgia.

    • @nickwallette6201
      @nickwallette6201 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Depends on the PCB. Some are decent enough, and have good EEPROMs on them. Some are "whatever we could find lying around" and are likely not going to be pleased running a 3.3V chip at 5V for very long. Others are so shoddy that I wouldn't trust them in my OG consoles.
      If it's not worth the authentic cart prices to you, just pay the money for a respectable flash cart and be done with it. Or use the fakes as ornaments and nothing else.

    • @JHMBB2
      @JHMBB2 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Yeah, some of these games are just outta reach at this point. I really want Chrono Trigger, but I can't justify the price...I've played it via emulator on my phone years ago as a test to see if I'd like it, and I loved it! But again, these prices! I'm not sure if I'm doing an everdrive cart or a repro yet, but I know I can't pay $200 plus for a real cart. As long as I can play on original hardware and my Sony PVM, I'm happy.

    • @tomforge614
      @tomforge614 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@JHMBB2Think you can get the playstation Chrono Trigger for about $40.

    • @lain328
      @lain328 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Wow you guys basically want reproductions for free. This is ridiculously cheap, most handmade ones usually go for around $35~50 for NES/SNES/GEN.

  • @TheDuke013
    @TheDuke013 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    If nintendo would re-release the original cartridges they could make a ton of money, as long as they stick to hard to find ones.

  • @Greg-the-Guy
    @Greg-the-Guy 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Important to note that legitimate Resident Evil 2 and Ogre Battle game paks have PCBs that are white around the contacts. The chips on RE2 and Ogre Battle are also surface-mount instead of through-hole. I believe they're the only exceptions, however.

  • @billcook4768
    @billcook4768 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Thank you for talking about this. The market has been flooded with fakes for the last couple years. It surprises me how little TH-cam gaming channels don’t want to talk about fakes.

  • @ChiEKKUsama
    @ChiEKKUsama 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    My issue with repro carts is they don't always deal with the anti-piracy measures. So you get part way thru the game and can't progress.
    Also they really ought to have "reproduction" printed on the label.

  • @robsquared2
    @robsquared2 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +326

    That's terrible. Think of all the money Nintendo lost to this sale.

    • @blunderingfool
      @blunderingfool 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

      Ah, a man of nintendo culture. :P

    • @cappaculla
      @cappaculla 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +21

      You not getting the point of the video ???

    • @blunderingfool
      @blunderingfool 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +35

      @@cappaculla The fact that someone upvoted your (Grammatically incorrect) comment is nearly as pathetic as you missing the very obvious joke.

    • @miro5052
      @miro5052 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +32

      The issue for me is that these are usually unreliable and lose save data. I recommend people just buy a chinese everdrive clone for the N64 instead. For the price of about 2-3 of these fake carts you can buy a flashcart with every n64 game and the saves are stored on the SD card so no worries about a corrupted save.

    • @antoniocalimero1173
      @antoniocalimero1173 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      ? They haven't made them for a long time now, so no loss of income for Nintendo..

  • @uselessDM
    @uselessDM 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I once bought a Kirby 64 cartridge from one of those sellers, not being aware that it was a repro. Felt kinda stupid afterwards because the signs are pretty obvious, but they get you with that cheap price if you aren't careful. Luckily the seller was fair enough to stop the transaction, so at least I didn't lose any money.

  • @Gentenstation
    @Gentenstation 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    "it kills the nostalgia" proceeds to plug an HDMI into an N64.

  • @ojmachine9545
    @ojmachine9545 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    this makes me wonder how often those ebay scraper bots end up buying fake games

  • @limabravo0001
    @limabravo0001 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    TH-camr trumpets "It kinda kills the nostalgia", then proceeds to plug modern HDMI cable into a modified N64 . 🤣🤣🤣

  • @LucaBlightOfHighland
    @LucaBlightOfHighland 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    I'm very interested in the mention you made that these repros would actually be flashcards that with the right equipment you could reprogram, a video about that would be very interesting.

    • @Yipper64
      @Yipper64 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Yeah. I got a cart recently that is a fake. It doesnt even boot up any game, just a yellow screen. I am wondering if maybe it just straight up isnt programmed?
      It also has a wire going from the battery to a pin on a chip though so I have NO idea if its even potentially functional.

  • @cappaculla
    @cappaculla 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +35

    Love the DS9 reference :)

    • @minatchi
      @minatchi 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      the way he said it popped into my head the second i saw that picture hahaha

    • @TheBEARofHIGHWAY1
      @TheBEARofHIGHWAY1 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      agreed! ITS A Faaaaaaaaaaaaake! That Romulan was not happy. Probably less happy when Garek and Sisko wacked him.

    • @DogsRNice
      @DogsRNice 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Never get Nintendo 64 games from one of Garak's friends

  • @mausmalone
    @mausmalone 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    "kind of kills the nostalgia" (shot of mini HDMI cable going to an LCD) some visual irony there

  • @mattb6522
    @mattb6522 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Good video! I've been burned with mistakenly buying a fake copy of cartridge games before. It sometimes helps to check out seller reviews if you're buying online. However, I remember one specific instance where I bought a fake Pokémon Emerald cartridge at a GameStop store many years ago. Unfortunately, the only way I even picked up on the fact that it was fake was that the game did not save.

  • @Mrcheesestk
    @Mrcheesestk 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    I've been trying to collect all the US releases, only at 41 left. Its a great system
    Typically don't buy a cart unless I can see the two numbers indented on the back

  • @TrackZero
    @TrackZero 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Nothing about reporting the seller on eBay and getting your money back/them banned?

    • @foxhack5011
      @foxhack5011 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      eBay doesn't care about bootleg games. I've reported several accounts that sell bootleg games, pirated media (like full series on USB, the kinda stuff that's available for free if you know where to look) and they don't care. They're happy as long as they get their sale fees.
      The only way they'll do something, most of the time, is if the copyright owner complains directly to them.

  • @GeekmanCA
    @GeekmanCA 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    Liked for Senator Vreenak in the thumbnail. 😂

  • @illegal_Leonard
    @illegal_Leonard 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

    “So why did I buy these fake cartridges to begin with?”
    TH-cam content. Be real.

  • @DjStiv3
    @DjStiv3 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Nostalgia... plugging in an n64 hdmi to hdmi.. but the game, is what kills Nostalgia? Huh? I never got that. True Nostalgia is setting everything up properly. Why half .ss it all? System, cables, tube tv, real cartridge.. that is Nostalgia

  • @mattb9664
    @mattb9664 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Not as described complaint- to the fullest extent- ask for a full refund including shipping, seller provides the refund and you get to keep the item. Worst case eBay comes in and rules likely in your favor for a fake item. You just need to be able to cite very specifically exactly what's wrong with the item.
    I just did it for a $25 carburetor kit which was aftermarket and was missing a 3 cent oring and generally low quality. Got my money back within an hour of the formal compliant.
    Also did it back in the day on a pair of real Xmetals which were supposed to be new but had little scratches on the lens- I got like $100-$150 back so I could buy new lenses.
    Just need to know how to write effectively and similar to an attorney to plead your case.

    • @4rumani
      @4rumani 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      No way he wins that, ebay doesn't really care about bootlegs specially at relatively low prices.

  • @eelobrian6727
    @eelobrian6727 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

    The problem is that eBay won't allow you to put 'reproduction' in the listing or item description. The only way to sell repro carts on there is to pass them off as real. It's a real problem, but eBay makes a ton off the counterfeit sellers. So, as long as they don't label it fake, eBay will keep looking the other way.

    • @ThatLovelyRose
      @ThatLovelyRose 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Could the term "Remake" be kosher, or would there be conflicts with that as well?

    • @eelobrian6727
      @eelobrian6727 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @ThatLovelyRose I have a store that sells gaming stuff, and anything not listed as authentic is taken down. Ebay is supposed to only sell authentic merch. However, Chinese sellers spam ebay with "authentic " merchandise that even have pictures that indicate repro. Their feedback/ reviews complain about counterfeit merchandise, but if you report them, ebay leaves them up. Ebay makes roughly 30% of every sale, and these Chinese repro sellers post fake $80 games for $39 in massive numbers. As long as the title says authentic, they are cool.

    • @strayiggytv
      @strayiggytv 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      They aren't actually reproductions though they're straight up counterfeit products. I dunno why people call them repros when that's not what they are. You're basically asking eBay to be cool with selling counterfeits.

    • @eelobrian6727
      @eelobrian6727 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @strayiggytv It sounds like you are agreeing with me. Can you please reread my two previous comments?

    • @strayiggytv
      @strayiggytv 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@eelobrian6727 my "you're" was meant more as a general commentary for the people who use the term reproduction wrong and are endorsing the sale of counterfeits. Wasn't my meant to be specifically about you I just worded it pretty poorly.

  • @andlabs
    @andlabs 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +49

    Or perhaps old games *shouldn't* be artificially inflated in price, especially games with as many copies made/sold as Mario games, and then scammers would have no reason to do this in the first place... (Yes, yes I am saying $50 is objectively and factually extremely overpriced for MK64.)

    • @huldu
      @huldu 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      This I completely agree with but it's never going to change and things are only going to get more and more expensive as it drives up prices.

    • @DakovP
      @DakovP 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +15

      People are the problem. People are why games like Pokemon Crystal are going for $150 now. They just pay whatever.

    • @nickwallette6201
      @nickwallette6201 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Somebody here doesn't understand how economics works. If a product is overpriced, you will know, because nobody will buy it. If people buy it, it's not overpriced. People pay more when there are fewer available at lower prices.
      That's supply and demand in a nutshell. Economics does not abide by the "that's more than I want it to cost" model.

    • @nickwallette6201
      @nickwallette6201 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @j.d.714 OK. Explain to me like I'm 5, then.
      Let's say I have a copy of SMW, and I post a listing and want to charge three hundred for it. I put it online, and there are ten other listings for less than 50. What are the chances someone will take mine, assuming they're all essentially the same condition? Probably pretty low, right? Why would you voluntarily spend 6 times as much?
      Now let's say there is one listing for 50, and I put mine in for 300. The cheap one goes, leaving just mine. Somebody really wants it, and decides, eh, screw it, I'll take it.
      We've now got evidence that someone will bite at 50, and someone will bite at 300. How, if you have any functioning logic whatsoever, do you not determine that it's obviously worth 300? Maybe not to _everyone._ I'm sure there would be plenty of people who see that and say, NOPE. But I don't need EVERYone to think it's worth that much. I need ONE person to think it is. If SOMEone will bite, then I haven't yet even found the ceiling and might have been able to ask for more.
      Perhaps others see this and decide they want in on the action, and list theirs for 250, to undercut me and still get more for theirs. Maybe somebody decides they have a copy they don't value THAT much, and lists it, because hey, strike while the iron is hot. Maybe they saw them selling at 50 and weren't tempted to let it go -- yet -- just in case it went higher, or because it wasn't yet valuable enough to give it up.
      If that's not supply and demand at work, well then hey, maybe you should teach the class?

    • @andlabs
      @andlabs 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@nickwallette6201 To add to what j.d.714 said: these were available at rock-bottom prices for 15 years. Jacking up the price on the same used goods is opportunism, not the invisible hand of the market. And the supply does not justify the price even at peak demand. Especially for Mario. Or even for Pokemon, as DakovP points out. (And I say this as someone who is probably a bit more lenient on pricing than I ought to be.)

  • @thebristolbruiser
    @thebristolbruiser 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    Just get an Everdrive. You still get to use the original hardware but don’t have to pay the ridiculous prices for old games.

    • @4rumani
      @4rumani 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      this guy would probably feel bad about using roms

    • @stevenrod100
      @stevenrod100 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yes, he does mention how many collectors have ethical issues with using reproduction carts, so same might go for roms. Plus there is something satisfying about having original carts and building a collection.

  • @jim34xh
    @jim34xh 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The "It's a fake!" Thumbnail had me rolling! 😂😂😂

  • @Helvetica_Scenario
    @Helvetica_Scenario 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    At this point, if you want to play on real hardware, and are thinking of collecting for that purpose ... don't. It's a black hole for your money due to absurd prices for decades old games, and you have no guarantee that they will be real. Just buy a quality flash cart for your retro console of choice, and enjoy. A few decades ago, it was still possible to enjoy collecting, but that's no longer the case.

  • @audioman3017
    @audioman3017 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    “Refurnished” in the ad

  • @Markimark151
    @Markimark151 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    This is why I don’t like buying N64 games online from these sellers! I don’t mind if they’re called reproduction cartridges, because people wouldn’t be deceived what they bought isn’t real! All I care that the reproduction N64 games work and be affordable!

  • @soggywafl
    @soggywafl 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Wow. Thank you so much for making this video! I've recently been wanting to build a library of original cartridges and equipment for the consoles that I played growing up, and this video may have just saved me hundreds of dollars!

  • @narutobroken
    @narutobroken 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    There are so many repro carts these days
    I go to physical stores and open up the games with a screwdriver to make sure that the internals are correct before buying

  • @MikeSparksMusic
    @MikeSparksMusic 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I have actually seen legitimate Mario Kart cartridges with rated “E” instead of “K&A.” ESRB may have changed the rating name later on.

    • @erc3338
      @erc3338 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Yeah mine is E and I've had it for 20 years, so very unlikely to be a fake

  • @mulad
    @mulad 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +15

    Wow, amazing to me that the fakes have FPGAs in them. It makes me wonder if people might seek out these fake cartridges someday to harvest those

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      It't not like it's a rare part though, the cartridge was $20. That chip is probably less than $3 and available in massive quantities.

    • @InfernosReaper
      @InfernosReaper 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@volvo09 Sure, available in massive quantities, but probably requires you to buy them in massive quantities too

    • @germimonte
      @germimonte 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@volvo09 are these even reprogramable? aren't the cheap ones single time use?

    • @JamesPotts
      @JamesPotts 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      It's a CPLD, not an FPGA. They can't do the complex logic of an FPGA, and are considerably cheaper, but they're great as address-decoders.

    • @JamesPotts
      @JamesPotts 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Also, this model is old, and looks like it was recycled. Don't think they're made any more.

  • @megacide84
    @megacide84 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    At the tail end of off loading my vast retro-game collection on eBay. I would open any and all high value cartridges and take photos of the PCB board itself to show that I was selling a legit product.
    Also...
    That would protect me from false accusations. In case some unscrupulous buyer made a bogus claim and shipped back a bootleg item in place of the actual cartridge I mailed out.
    Nowadays, you can't be too careful.
    Especially when dealing with high value items.

  • @alistairblaire6001
    @alistairblaire6001 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    For N64 carts I believe the label placement is pretty exact from the factory. Fake carts tend to be slightly crooked, though obviously you can't use this as sole evidence. It's just one more thing to consider. Other platforms like Gameboy Advance often had slightly crooked labels from the factory. Also there are fakes out there that are extremely difficult to distinguish from photos. For example PS3 controllers are known to have tons of different fakes and some of them are basically impossible to tell from pictures.

  • @urmie
    @urmie 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Doesn’t even say refurbished, says “refurnished”. Clearly selling furniture. 🤣

  • @benjaminvlz
    @benjaminvlz 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Another way to spot a fake: Authentic N64 cartridges have a two digit number stamped onto the top right corner of the back label. Some will have two numbers and a letter. @2:21, on the authentic Mario 64 cart you showed, the number 08 is stamped onto the back label, whereas the fake has no number stamped into the back label. Typically, the manufacturers of these fake N64 cartridges don't think to stamp in a number on the back label. Though, it may be difficult to tell in a photo if the number is there because of the image quality or the label wearing out over time.

  • @rfmerrill
    @rfmerrill 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Selling or shipping counterfeit goods (bearing a spurious trademark) is a federal crime in the US. Technically if you buy a fake cart off eBay you're even breaking the law if you return it to the seller (since your return is a shipment in a commercial context).

  • @posterpackrat
    @posterpackrat 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great video! It's almost like a PSA. Poster collecting also has a fakes problem. Reproductions created by the publisher are usually handled with much greater care than fakes produced in Italy or Mexico. The quality difference is easily noticeable. Originals always look best, of course.

  • @jjpants6563
    @jjpants6563 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I liked seeing the inside of the Conker bad fur day cartage didn't know the pcbs came in different sizes

  • @milescarter7803
    @milescarter7803 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Just pointing out that ad said "refurnished". Which could be argued could be a euphemism for a reproduction.

  • @PJxBuchwild
    @PJxBuchwild 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    With the way the retro market is blowing up im surprised that Nintendo wouldn't have an option to order a new copy of their popular retro games.

  • @DCMedien
    @DCMedien 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    What a strange time we live in. In the past, Nintendo still used Cartridges for copy protection, and got questioned about their use of the old tech. Playstation used the modern CD`s because of their "massive" capacity. What do we have now? CD`s are Outdated because of their limited capacity (and data rates), and an aftermarket full of fake N64 modules.

  • @frankiewild99
    @frankiewild99 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The only thing about fake games is your actually wasting money, there’s really no value in fake games, but if you buy a real one, it mostly retains its value, being an investment more then a purchase. So that’s why when I buy something expensive like an n64 I don’t count it as spending money, I just basically moved my money into something else, the price of money is going down anyways.

  • @TheRealssppllaatt
    @TheRealssppllaatt 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    ‘Refurnished’ would have made me suspicious

  • @TheUnlikelyToad
    @TheUnlikelyToad 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I miss the retro game content from you. This was a nice surprise. When I first subscribed, it seemed to be more prominent.

  • @StarInbound
    @StarInbound 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Well, thanks to your video, I just now realized that my copies of Mario Kart 64 and Super Smash Bros are bootlegs. When I bought them off of Amazon a couple years ago, I was under the impression that they were just reproduction cartridges. They didn't cost must and they were in new condition. Both cartridges felt pretty solid and played great. And I was off of work during that time so I had plenty of time to play the heck out of them. I believe I got my money's worth on this one.

  • @danandtab7463
    @danandtab7463 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great list of tells. Another possible tell is the listing calls it a "game card". It's pretty consistent that they're doing that. I wouldn't mind for a certain game I can't get a hold off for a good price, except I keep hearing the fakes do not work properly a lot of the time. Some don't save at all. That's a no thank you at any price.

  • @WillCMAG
    @WillCMAG 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The last repro cart I bought was of Front Mission: Gun Hazard. However, I did get an original Japanese copy. It's a game from 1996 for the SNES it has never received an official translation. The fan translation is pretty good though. I liked smashing out the mechs in that game as much as enjoyed the story.

  • @GoldRimmer
    @GoldRimmer 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wow. You would think if they went to the trouble of making a fake cartridge they would at least make an effort to get it right!

  • @rabiroden
    @rabiroden 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Years ago someone sold a fake copy of Conker with Madden inside to a game store owner I visited. If you looked closely, the "Official Seal of Quality" on the label actually said " *Un* official" on it. How cheeky can you get?

  • @FARDEENKHANQWE123
    @FARDEENKHANQWE123 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    the clouds on the cover art is distorted at the top for both games

  • @ronny332
    @ronny332 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    A growing issue here in Germany involves "copies" that were previously purchased in bulk by a reseller. They seemingly don't proof the cartridges in depth, but sell them convinced as legit, what they for sure really think.
    That really sucks. Thankfully I'm mostly done with the titles I wanted to have in my collection.

  • @jny78
    @jny78 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    An original Earthbound for 500 dollars is out of the question, but for 20 bucks I’d buy a repro. As long as the reproduction isn’t a good price than it’s not a bad idea.

  • @banaweekidane2630
    @banaweekidane2630 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    You know a wise man turns his bad luck into a lesson for others, thank you

  • @jefferyhodges8835
    @jefferyhodges8835 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Impale of the Moonlight, one of my most favorite episodes of DS9.

  • @jojikyre5470
    @jojikyre5470 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I wouldn't mind buying fake ones/repros. I mean for some people it's the only way to get a physical copy of some of these games especially with prices the way they are. But being scammed and tricked into buying fakes sounds horrible

  • @Damaniel3
    @Damaniel3 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    These days, if I wanted to buy a N64 cart, I'd only buy one complete in box (and obviously not a new box) from a seller that isn't selling a ton of other (especially desirable) N64 games. I might be waiting for a while, but that's the way you're most likely to get something legitimate.

  • @TitanSix
    @TitanSix 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I have exactly one repro, which is Clay Fighter: Sculptor’s Cut. I bought it knowing full well it was a reproduction, but I made an exception because I will never EVER own a real one. I’m not going to sell it, and if I ever get rid of it, i’ll be completely honest about it being a repro. Sculptor’s Cut is one of the few games i am pretty certain i’ll never own, and if I ever do get my hands on a real one, I’ll count myself as being obscenely lucky and fortunate.
    That said, i see fakes everywhere, especially at pawn shops in my area. It’s a lost cause trying to tell them, though. Most of them refuse to believe they got scammed. Wouldn’t be surprised if the stores knew damn well that they weren’t legit and wanted to try and find a schmuck who would pay top dollar for a repro.

  • @moduledd
    @moduledd 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    3:52 detecting multiple leviathan class creatures in the area, are you sure whatever you are doing is worth it?

  • @CommodoreFan64
    @CommodoreFan64 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I just got me a cheap flashcart for my N64 from Ali, and called it day.

  • @liamcoldrick8044
    @liamcoldrick8044 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I think goldeneye 007 is the best n64 game anyone could have

  • @DeadReckon
    @DeadReckon 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I had the same issue with a copy of Smash Bros I got for N64 since, while I still have my same N64 from Christmas of '98, I am missing the majority of my games.

  • @quajay187
    @quajay187 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I would have been suspicious as soon as i read "Refurnished"

  • @TT-jl1qs
    @TT-jl1qs 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I bought 10 N64 games recently and half were fake. Ebay is really bad for these scammers.

    • @charlieretro
      @charlieretro 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      And sadly nothing happens they get shut down by Ebay they just come back with a different name and start selling them again.

  • @GeoffreyToday
    @GeoffreyToday 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    And this is how I found out the "used" copy of mario kart I got on ebay is fake :p

  • @hyzenthlay7151
    @hyzenthlay7151 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I don't have a problem with repro carts if they are at the right price and advertised as repro, especially for the harder to get carts that are higher in price of all you want is to enjoy the game on original hardware. But passing off a repro as authentic, nope.

  • @anonima22222
    @anonima22222 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    "feels cheaper" i would say that feels rough instead... there's cheaper things that are great

  • @soviut303
    @soviut303 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    They're shipping an FPGA in these things? That seems like a lavish expense for a knock off.

  • @mikeyytube00
    @mikeyytube00 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Stop buying old carts. Everdrives my man.
    The original developers don't see a dime of your $ and now you gotta worry about knock offs. Just spend the $100 on an Everdrive.

  • @thepockyx
    @thepockyx 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Extremely handy information, thank you so much for showing everything clearly!

  • @colindragan9352
    @colindragan9352 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    2:09 This is my go-to method for telling a fake. First thing I check on any cart is if "información" is spelled right and has the accent mark over "o". Very east to check and I have yet to see a fake that gets it right. Other signs like the quality of the mold, the front label, etc. can be harder to tell for sure, but this one is black-and-white.

  • @thebfg836
    @thebfg836 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    On the Mario Kart the legitimate version has the suffix -2 which notes the second revision of the label.(Ie-adding esrb logo or players choice logo). The fake one labels it as a European copy which it isnt.

  • @huldu
    @huldu 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I heard about this years ago I personally don't collect games as it takes up too much space and I really don't want to fall into the "collecting" hole for the sake of it when options as the everdrive exist. Someone mentioned in another post about repro cartridges and I complete agree, it's a great option for those getting into collecting while not being legit copies it gives them the option to at least have "something" than nothing. Reminds me of that old nes game winter championship(?) or whatever it was called, good luck getting that in your collection. Then we have the NTSC/PAL situation, there are just way too many games in general. I do feel a bit sorry for people who do start collecting genuine cartridges etc.

  • @jameschristian4005
    @jameschristian4005 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    If you ever get scammed ask for a refund but also remind the seller and ebay if needed that sending counterfeit items through the mail is a crime so you are not able to return them. Ended up with a goldeneye for free this way. Screw scammers.

  •  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    It's called an EVERDRIVE 64. Get one.....

  • @RandyRydberg
    @RandyRydberg 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I've had to buy a few repros because the originals are incredibly expensive. I can't do that for SNES Mega Man X3, though, because it requires some chip that apparently can't be re-manufactured. Repros are a good option for those not wanting to pay a ton just to play a game. I was able to get SNES Mega Man 7, and even a SNES cartridge with all five Bomberman games on it. In addition, there were some home brews of Super Nintendo Metroid available that I loaded up on as well. I'm all for these as long as nobody (of course) is trying to pass them off as authentic. This Super Mario 64 is one I'd get a repro of since I'm not sold on it enough to pay fifty bucks. I also had to get a Fire and Ice repro on the NES by repro because that one was expensive.

  • @deathdoor
    @deathdoor 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    What difference it makes if it works?
    Also, "kills nostalgia"? Is there anything more nostalgic than pirated cartridges and CDs?

  • @Rosa_Canina
    @Rosa_Canina 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I am probably the only one excited to see N64 repros pop up nowadays (but of course not scam sellers!!! Those can burn in hell!).
    There are some extremely expensive and not-available-in-my-country games that I really hope will be available someday in the future. So far a lot of available games on Ali and Co are not really that much cheaper or sometimes even more expensive than original games in my region. I was surprised to see a 20 bucks fake game in your video as they are mostly 50 for me. Different regions, I guess...

  • @chaoslord8918
    @chaoslord8918 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I just came here to say that I can hear the thumbnail of this video. Well done.

  • @kispie
    @kispie 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    For collecting I would definitely want all original. Though for playing, I wouldn't mind a repro cart since it's cheaper and wouldn't have to worry about the original getting damaged.