Retro gaming is bigger than ever, and so is the market for bootlegs.
That’s where these Redditors come in.
Last year, Reddit user tosamyng had a problem.
Luckily, they knew just where to go: r/gameverifying, the Game Verification subreddit.
Fortunately, tosamyng’s story has a happy ending: All of their games passed the test.
However, they’re one of the lucky ones.
“The number of bootlegs has increased over time, especially throughout the pandemic,” Frontzie says.
(It usually is.)
That’s a great way to ensure that you don’t get any advice at all.
This ultimately resulted in a lawsuit.
“For me, it was a copy of HeartGold,” says Mutty, a trusted verifier.
It’s mostly DS and GBA cartridges, since they’re the most common."
Some verification methods are more straightforward than others.
The more obscure the console, the less likely you are to stumble on a bootleg.
However, some of the more sought-after titles for lesser-known consoles are still in the danger zone.
For example, fake Nintendo 64 games tend to be more rounded than their legitimate equivalents.
Did you ever notice that the dot of the I in “Nintendo” on N64 carts is square?
If it’s a circle, it’s a guaranteed bootleg.
(Go ahead, check your collection.
I know I did.)
At least they tried.
However, that’s easier said than done.
Some consoles are more hack-friendly than others.
Others say to avoid sketchy online auctions altogether, especially on Etsy.
“Retro game collecting is expensive,” Mutty says.
“it’s crucial that you learn how to find good deals.”
I myself have joined local Facebook groups to find gamers selling and trading their unwanted video games."
Fraud in video game collecting goes beyond selling bootlegs as the genuine article.
But not every collector actually plays the games they buy.
“It’ll be interesting to see how Blu-Rays will be affected,” Frontzie says.
“The barrier to entry to creating your own counterfeit PS1 discs is $100.
It’s scary.”
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