Pokemon Games

Sure, those Pokemon GBA and GBC games are so fun to play, and are popular. You know how each game is colored? Like, from Pokemon Red (Gameboy) to Pokemon Emerald Version. If you get a GBA/GBC Pokemon game, and it's black or gray-colored (Pokemon Pinball, etc. don't count), then you most likely have a fake.

Box & Game

If you see a GBA/GBC/GB box that has a very different image than the ones released in stores, it's likely a fake. If it's missing the Rating icon; FAKE! Or, if, instead of the Rating icon, it says something like, "10 and up", or "10+", it's a phony. The game and the box should have the Nintendo Seal. If the game's label looks like someone glued/taped on, or if the label is different from the store released games, it's fake.

Game Tested...?

If you are wanting to buy a game, and the seller claims something like, "Brand new; tested, plays fine.", then it's fake. First of all, the game isn't brand-new if you had opened it and played it. Second, why would you NEED to test a brand-new game?! It's okay if the seller says that it has been played before.

Games For Sale

If there is a game to be released in a couple of months, and a seller is selling the game before it even came out, then it's fake. If a seller is selling about 20 GBA games of the same titles, then there's something goin' on. If a seller, for example, is selling a brand-new, newly-released game for about $10.00, instead of $30.00, then it's fake.

Product Information

If a seller leaves out an image, details, or other information on their item, it's fake, too. If the product information is wrong (a few misspellings doesn't matter, but a lot does), it's fake. For example, a seller is selling a Super Mario Advance game, but a picture of the game, Pokemon Ruby, comes up, take heed. If a product was made, or is shipped from Hong Kong, China, or Malaysia, they're a fake. If a game was recently recalled, don't buy the game if the seller is trying to sell it. Another sign is that the seller or customer service doesn't respond if you have a complaint.

Game Cartridge

If a game feels thicker than normal, and you have trouble trying to put it in your GBA, it's counterfeit. Or, if the sound is odd, the picture's odd, you have trouble saving, or if the text in the game is badly misspelled, you have a phony on your hands. If there's already a used save slot in the game, take heed.

Well-Known?

If you see a product that you've never heard of, or never seen advertised in magazines, TV, newspapers, or catalogues, it's a fake.

Shipping The Game To You

A definite sign of a fake is that your game doesn't arrive in the mail. Or, the seller ships the wrong game, just the box, just the instructions, or the wrong game in the box.

What To Do When Encountering A Fake