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[Tarazet]

Harmony of Dissonance, to be exact. I spotted it under the glass at a Gamecrazy and pounced on it. It looked perfect, and the chip even said "Nintendo" on it. It's the most convincing fake I've ever seen, but it is definitely fake, because there is no battery backup. Even the save-menu screen is broken.

So do I:

1) Try to beat it in one sitting before demanding my money back?
2) Return it and get the copy of MvC2 Xbox I saw there yesterday instead, and trade it for a legit HoD cart from a CAG or something?
3) Play my copies of CotM and AoS instead and wait until I find a real HoD?
4) Ask them to special-order a new copy of HoD as a replacement?

 

[Wario64]

hmm...can you take a pic? maybe the battery is just busted?

is the busted battery the only thing that's suspicious?

 

[Drensch]

I'd return it. And if they give you any shit, let them know that selling pirated material is a federal crime.

 

[Leatherface]

Yeah, I'd bring that shit back.

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Batteries don't last forever. Isn't this a possibility instead of it being pirated?

Regardless, I would return it and just say it doesn't work. I wouldn't accuse anyone of anything unless you can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

 

[raYne]

"OK, so I bought a pirated game by mistake..."

I don't believe this title.

 

[borghe]

Batteries don't last forever. Isn't this a possibility instead of it being pirated?

Regardless, I would return it and just say it doesn't work. I wouldn't accuse anyone of anything unless you can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

I don't believe GBA games use battery backed up ram. I thought sram and eeproms were both flashable.

 

[lyre]

Harmony of Dissonance, to be exact. I spotted it under the glass at a Gamecrazy and pounced on it. It looked perfect, and the chip even said "Nintendo" on it. It's the most convincing fake I've ever seen, but it is definitely fake, because there is no battery backup. Even the save-menu screen is broken.

I found two used copies of Megaman Battle Network that's the same way; authentic in every way but no way to save. No way both those copies were fake or that'll be quite a coincidence. I think some GBA game batteries are just crap since my other GBA games with battery backup still have working batteries.

So do I:

1) Try to beat it in one sitting before demanding my money back?
2) Return it and get the copy of MvC2 Xbox I saw there yesterday instead, and trade it for a legit HoD cart from a CAG or something?
3) Play my copies of CotM and AoS instead and wait until I find a real HoD?
4) Ask them to special-order a new copy of HoD as a replacement?

Return it and get the double pack when it's released in January.

I don't believe GBA games use battery backed up ram. I thought sram and eeproms were both flashable.

I think launch GBA games have battery backup. Pokemon games uses battery as well, since you can see it through their 'transparent' carts.

 

[8bit]

With that game it's easy to tell. If the music is vaguely tolerable, then it's definately a knock off.

 

[lyre]

With that game it's easy to tell. If the music is vaguely tolerable, then it's definately a knock off.

Harmony of Dissonance's music is vaguely tolerable to begin with. >

 

[Ryck]

I


Return it and get the double pack when it's released in January.



.

WHAT!!!!


[edit] Holy crap and to think i regretted selling both of mine for $60 +1 purchase

 

[Dr_Cogent]

I don't believe GBA games use battery backed up ram. I thought sram and eeproms were both flashable.

I have no idea. I was going based off of what Wario said.

Most likely, it's probably not battery back up though. I wouldn't think they would use that sort of technology these days.

Regardless, it's obvious the item is "defective" by any standard, so even if it's pirated or not - he should just return it and get his money back or the same game.

 

[borghe]

let me correct that. I KNOW eeproms are flashable (hence electrically erasable programmable ROM).

SRAM it appears can either be battery powered or flashed.

and pokemon had batteries for the RTC, not saving.

 

[mosaic]

HOD used battery backed SRAM, so it indeed could be a dead battery.

But it could be a fake anyway. They're so good now, you need to take some apart just to spot the differences.

 

[Tarazet]

When I boot it up, the screen that says Select data/Change name/Copy data/Delete data is broken. All I can choose is Select data, and it always shows up as empty. If I run to the first save point and try to save, it does a little flash - then no menus or anything, no "Game saved" confirmation. This seems highly suspicious.

 

[MrDaravon]

It's a bootleg. That's exactly why I haven't bought the Castlevania's and am waiting for the double pack, because the good bootlegs are PERFECT except for the fact you can'ts ave. This is why I never ever buy used GBA games, you have no way of telling until you actually try to save the game, it sucks.

 

[keeblerdrow]

1. Make a topic about it on GAF
2. Become morally outraged at your lack of save function
3. Create a crazy scheme to get another copy
4. Try to folow through with that scheme only to have it fall through
5. Make a topic about it on GAF



I think we all win in that scenario.

 

[Tarazet]

1. Make a topic about it on GAF
2. Become morally outraged at your lack of save function
3. Create a crazy scheme to get another copy
4. Try to folow through with that scheme only to have it fall through
5. Make a topic about it on GAF



I think we all win in that scenario.

Will do! Thanks!

 

[bjork]

I have a boxed copy I could part with that's definitely not a fake. Interested?

 

[Nathan Barley]

4) Ask them to special-order a new copy of HoD as a replacement?

Do something along those lines. If it's pirated, then that's bad... but if it's genuine and broken, that's still bad.

Don't fret either way. They're obliged to replace it. So ask them to.

 

[MoxManiac]

I had an older issue of Tips n Tricks that showed exactly how to spot a real from a fake, shame I threw it out

With the large amount of knock-offs being circulated through ebay, it's very possible that someone could have purchased one off there, realized what it was, then dumped it at gamecrazy. If gamecrazy is anything like gamestop, they don't even test the games; if they do, it's certainly not an indepth enough test to check the saving.

Do you have a GBa game you know is real, handy? Compare the "Game Boy Advance" logo carved into the cart itself. Does the HoD cart match it exactly? Is the screw the same type?

 

[Link316]

check the cart label, if its laminated then its a pirate cart

 

[SiegfriedFM]

All three GBA games I've bought on Ebay have turned out to be bootlegs. Here's the (external) differences compared to regular carts. Compare the HOD to any normal cart, it should be fairly easy to tell.

Bubble Bobble (KO of the JP version):
Slightly darker plastic
GBA logo is SLIGHTLY closer to the indented label area
Feels a little heavier
Smaller round indent on the back
No "Pat pend made in Japan" text on the back
And, pretty obviously, it says "Nintondo"
High quality label
Save lost after a few months

Astro Boy (KO of the US version):
Completely different font for GBA logo
Slightly bulkier, rounder cart
Arrow on the bottom is deeper
Low quality label, slightly misplaced, art seems resized
Smaller round indent on the back
Made by "NIntendo"
Feels a little heavier

Super Mario Bros 3 (KO of the US version, no ESRB sign on label):
Similar to Astro Boy, but
VERY stretched art on label, no Nintendo seal etc, only the logo
Wider border on NIntendo logo on back
Round indent is smaller and rougher

 

[Dragona Akehi]

If it really says "Nintendo" and not "Nintondo" on the chip, then it is a legit cart. And, the battery died.

You could always send it to Nintendo of America and have them fix it for 15$ USD. They'll tell you if it's legit or not.

 

[Sagitario]

Here are some comparison pics of a pirated AoS game vs. an original GBA cartridge:
http://www.ociotakus.com/2005/10/20/es-mi-juego-de-gba-un-cartucho-legitimo/
It's in Spanish but I think the pics can help...

 

[Tarazet]

Wow... that was some Twilight Zone shit. I took it back and told the salesperson it was either broken or a fake, allowed the nice employee to try it for himself and see what I was talking about, and he it back apologetically (without a receipt, even!). MvC2 was still there, so I snapped it up.

Then, since I now didn't have anything to play on the bus, I stopped into the SJSU EB Games. I look into the GBA rack and what do I see? A Harmony of Dissonance cart, sitting next to two copies of CotM. Seeing two copies of the same rare game within such a short span of time, and so close together geographically, made me wonder whether someone was planting forged HoD carts at random stores. So that's what I tell the salesman - I think you've been had, sir. Could you try it out and see if it's a fake? So he calmly takes it off the rack, pulls a Game Boy Micro out of the drawer, and starts it up. It has three save files on it. It's real.

Freaky.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

The other cart was most likely broken. Not fake.

 

[Tarazet]

The other cart was most likely broken. Not fake.

Either way, I didn't want it. But this one's good.

 

[MrDaravon]

The other cart was most likely broken. Not fake.

Really, what are the odds of that? Honestly. And I have personally seen TWO bootleg carts that said Nintendo on them, no odd variant or spelling or anything like that, and they looked freakin' identical next to the real cart, except the save didn't work on either. I really hate ebay, there are older GBA games I want, and I can't really trust anything.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

Lots of GBA game's batteries are defective, unfortunately. My MMBN2 is real, but the battery is DOA. :|

3rd party games seem to be especially susceptible to bad batteries.

 

[Tarazet]

Lots of GBA game's batteries are defective, unfortunately. My MMBN2 is real, but the battery is DOA. :|

3rd party games seem to be especially susceptible to bad batteries.

I believe you, but there's one more detail that I wouldn't have known about if I hadn't found a legitimate cart to compare with: there was no Sound Mode in the fake one.

 

[demi]

I have a boxed copy I could part with that's definitely not a fake. Interested?

Yes

How much

 

[Dragona Akehi]

I believe you, but there's one more detail that I wouldn't have known about if I hadn't found a legitimate cart to compare with: there was no Sound Mode in the fake one.

You have to unlock the sound mode. So if there's no save data (that is working), no sound room for you.

 

[Tarazet]

You have to unlock the sound mode. So if there's no save data (that is working), no sound room for you.

Oh, got it.. so I really have no way of knowing if it was real or just broken. That's kind of scary.

 

[MrDaravon]

Oh, got it.. so I really have no way of knowing if it was real or just broken. That's kind of scary.

You're going to wake up in the morning, and the cart will be under your pillow

 

[Dragona Akehi]

The chip saying "Nintendo" points to it being real. ... Now, was the "Nintendo" in the normal "Nintendo" font? (The font used when Nintendo's logo is in the racetrack)? If so, it was definately legit and it was just a bad battery.

 

[Tarazet]

The chip saying "Nintendo" points to it being real. ... Now, was the "Nintendo" in the normal "Nintendo" font? (The font used when Nintendo's logo is in the racetrack)? If so, it was definately legit and it was just a bad battery.

It looked just the same as every other GBA game I've ever seen. "C 2001 Nintendo AG8-E09-10 CNO"

 

[KyotoMecca]

You live in America right? Aren't you forgetting Option 5?

5) Sue the store for all they're worth (millions, preferably) due to undue stress and emotional turmoil caused from knowledge of being misled into purchasing ILLEGAL product that could GET YOU PUT IN JAIL. Best option. Go legal. That's what all the GTA moms did and now they're living in the Bahamas.

 

[Tarazet]

You live in America right? Aren't you forgetting Option 5?

5) Sue the store for all they're worth (millions, preferably) due to undue stress and emotional turmoil caused from knowledge of being misled into purchasing ILLEGAL product that could GET YOU PUT IN JAIL. Best option. Go legal. That's what all the GTA moms did and now they're living in the Bahamas.

The thought crossed my mind, but I hate people who do that. Besides, now I'm not even sure that it was a forgery..

 

[lyre]

let me correct that. I KNOW eeproms are flashable (hence electrically erasable programmable ROM).

SRAM it appears can either be battery powered or flashed.

and pokemon had batteries for the RTC, not saving.

There were pictures of open GBA carts floating around when the system launched. FZero GBA used a battery. Not all used batteries to save data but some/many did, which was my point.

Battery backup is cheaper than eeprom and Pokemon games are printed in the millions; what do you think Nintendo would do?

 

[CarlosX360]

I'm sorry that you came across this problem.....I got a used HoD, and no problems.....hell, it came with saves that aren't even mine. Hahahaha...... :lol

I decided to beat the game from scratch, though. I haven't beaten it, yet.

 

[Rayne.S]

Hey Sonarrat, i've been selling GBA since the launch a couple of years back and came across some mighty impressive bootlegs from time to time. But its possible to spot a bootleg if you look for some specific marks.

However, check out the game-cartridge for the following marks to see if you've got a bootleg :

* Y-shaped screw in the back of the cartridge
* Look for a correctly spelled NINTENDO on the back of the cartridge [ older bootlegs read NINFENDO ]
* Look for the seal of quality and see if the shape matches your region : Oval = US / JP, Round = PAL ]
* Look for an imprinted number on the right side of the cartridge sticker. No imprint means its a FAKE !