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[kumanoki]

I just came back from Bangkok, where I picked up several less-than-authentic GBA games (Metal Slug Advance, Onimusha Tactics, The Incredibles) for dirt cheap. We're talking dirt cheap.

So far the games seems okay and are in working order.

Has anyone else done this? How was the quality?

Oh yeah, I saw 11-in-1 carts, entire series collections on one cart, blah blah blah. I didn't buy any of those. I doubted the validity of squeezing that many games onto one cart. Is that possible?

For the N-philes: Should I feel guilty? Because I don't. :lol

 

[fugimax]

For the N-philes: Should I feel guilty? Because I don't.

I'm not sure about guilty, but as your jailmate's... slides up your... well... you get the idea.

 

[Wario64]

The battery may die out faster

 

[kumanoki]

I'm not sure about guilty, but as your jailmate's... slides up your... well... you get the idea.

When, exactly, do you suppose I'll be going to jail?

 

[neptunes]

how do you replace the batteries anyway? is it even possible?

 

[Shin Johnpv]

how do you replace the batteries anyway? is it even possible?

the same way you would on an NES, SNES, or N64 cart

it involves opening up the cart unsoldering the old battery and putting a new one on

but i do believe youll lose all youre save data when you do

 

[suaveric]

Games haven't had batteries since the early N64 days. Now they just have a EEPROM I believe, basically a rewriteable little piece of RAM. those don't die like the old school batteries.

 

[sasimirobot]

Since I have lived in Thailand for almost 4yearsI have a little knowledge about this crap.
The GBA carts all almost all copies from China. There are a few real ones floating around the higher end gameshops (imports from Japan) for games like Boktai and Mawaru Wario, where you cant really "fake" the gameplay with a copied cart. Or for serious game nerds and collectors.

All the rest are slightly overpriced (for supporting pirates) and I would rather pay the extra 10-15$USfor a real cart if it is a game or company I really want to support.
Out of the dozen or so knock-offs I have bought only 1 had a save problem.

The sad thing is that game machines that cant play copies (or they are not readily available) dont sell in SE asia. PS2/Xbox/GBA are the hot items. When ever I buy or show interest in GameCube or PSP the first thing the retailers ask is "why you want to buy that if you cant play copied games on it??"

Its a little upsetting for me living here sometimes, I want the game industry to grow and thrive yet I live in a place that really doesnt have many options to support it in that way.
I import alot from the US and Japan, but I am really just a speck in the overall picture here, its easy to just give up and buy a PS2 and 300 copied games and call it a day, but I refuse.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Well hell, as long as you're guilt-free-ly buying pirate games, why not just go for a Flash cart and get them all in one swoop?

 

[bobbyconover]

I bought a copy of Mr Driller A from eBay and received an "HK" bootleg. It worked fine, and I worked my ass off unlocking everything in the game, completing all the levels, and raising a few very fine Pacteria.

I turned it on a couple months later and the save was gone. Use bootleg GBA carts at your own risk.

 

[Naked Snake]

WTF, since when is talking about buying pirated games is allowed on this forum?

 

[Hitman]

LOSER! You could have got a Flash cart in china( a good one too) for less than 80 bucks!