Answer a few quick questions about your cartridge to spot the warning signs of a fake or reproduction.
Counterfeit retro games are everywhere, especially Pokémon on Game Boy, GBA and DS. Most fakes give themselves away with a handful of details: the wrong screw, missing markings, a sloppy label or a cheap board. Pick your system and work through the checklist. Key checks count most, and you can skip anything you can’t see.
Pick a system to get its checklist. Answer what you can see, and choose “Not sure” for the rest.
No checklist is proof: A cartridge that passes every check can still be fake, and genuine carts sometimes miss a detail, like the label stamp. For valuable games, compare it with photos of a verified copy, or ask the community at r/gameverifying.
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The fastest checks by system
If you only have a minute, these are the details fakes get wrong most often.
Game Boy / Game Boy Color
- Is the screw on the back a round 3.8mm security screw, not a Phillips screw?
- Is “Nintendo” and the Game Boy logo molded into the top of the front?
- Does the back show a Nintendo logo and/or “Made in Japan”?
Game Boy Advance
- Is the screw on the back a three-winged tri-wing screw?
- Does the back show a Nintendo logo and/or “Made in Japan”?
- Does the front label have the game logo, the Nintendo logo, the Seal of Quality, a rating symbol and a product code?
Nintendo DS
- Does the front label have a code that starts with NTR, then four characters, then a region (like NTR-XXXX-USA)?
- Does the code printed on the back start with the same four characters as the front code?
- Only for HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black, White, Black 2 and White 2: does the black card look clear purple when you hold it up to a bright light?
Super Nintendo (SNES)
- Is the shell held by metal security screws, and stays shut when you try to pull it apart by hand?
- Is a Nintendo logo pressed into the plastic on the back, with a safety label present?
- Does the board say Nintendo, show a year and carry a board code?
Nintendo 64
- Is the shell held by 3.8mm security screws, not Phillips screws?
- Does the board say Nintendo and carry a board code and date?
- Are the chips normal packaged chips, with no black epoxy “blobs”?
NES
- Is the shell held by 3.8mm security screws (or five regular screws on early carts)?
- Does the board say Nintendo and carry a board code?
- Are the chips normal packaged chips, with no black epoxy “blobs”?
Before you buy online
- Ask for clear photos of the front, the back and the screw. Sellers of genuine games rarely mind.
- Be wary of popular games priced far below their usual market value.
- Watch for “brand new,” “reproduction” or “repro” in listings for decades-old games.
- Avoid stock photos. You want to see the exact cartridge you’ll receive.
Shop on Amazon: 3.8mm security bits · tri-wing screwdrivers · magnifying loupes · Game Boy cartridge readers
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my Pokémon game is fake?
Start with the screw and the back of the cartridge. Genuine Game Boy and Game Boy Color carts use a 3.8mm security screw, GBA carts use a tri-wing screw, and both show a Nintendo logo or “Made in Japan” on the back. Then check the label print, the stamped number, and, if you can open it, the board.
Does a missing stamped number mean my cartridge is fake?
Not on its own. Most genuine Game Boy and GBA labels have one, but some genuine carts don’t, and it’s hard to see without the right light. Treat it as one warning sign, not proof.
What are black blobs on a cartridge board?
They’re chips covered in black epoxy, sometimes called chip-on-board or “glob top.” Very few official Nintendo games used them, so they’re one of the strongest signs of a fake.
How do I check a HeartGold or SoulSilver card?
Hold the card up to a bright light. Genuine HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black, White, Black 2 and White 2 cards are a special black plastic that looks clear purple against the light.
Are reproduction cartridges illegal?
Selling unlicensed copies of games generally infringes copyright, and passing a reproduction off as genuine misleads buyers. If you were sold a fake as real, contact the seller or marketplace about a refund.
Can an app tell me if my cartridge is real?
Cartridge-reader tools can help, but they aren’t reliable enough to trust alone: they can flag genuine carts as fake and pass some counterfeits. Use them alongside the physical checks.