The retro game market is booming, and unfortunately, so is the counterfeit market. As prices for sought-after titles climb, fake cartridges become more sophisticated and more common. Here’s how to protect yourself.
The Label
Start with the front label. Authentic Nintendo labels have a specific glossy finish and crisp printing. Common red flags include slightly fuzzy text, colors that seem too saturated or too dull compared to reference images, and labels that sit slightly crooked or don’t quite fit the cartridge shell.
For Game Boy games, check the “Nintendo” logo stamped into the label — on fakes, this stamp is often missing or poorly impressed.
The Cartridge Shell
Feel the plastic. Authentic Nintendo carts have a specific texture and weight. Fakes often feel lighter or have a slightly different plastic grain. Check the screw on the back — SNES and N64 carts use a gamebit security screw, not a standard Phillips head.
The Board
When in doubt, open it up. Authentic boards will have the Nintendo logo, the game’s code printed on the ROM chips, and clean soldering. Fakes often have generic chips with hand-written labels, glob-top chips (black blobs), or obviously different PCB layouts.
Buy From Trusted Sources
The easiest way to avoid fakes? Buy from sellers who verify authenticity. At Power-Up Games, every retro cartridge is opened, inspected, and tested before listing. We guarantee authenticity on every item in our retro collection.
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