The Video Game Critic

Is it normal for a legitimate (i.e non-bootleg) Nintendo cartridge to have the version numbers (the two indented numbers) on the back, spaced as far apart as they are on the bottom cartridge?

I have no idea, but what makes me a little suspicious is the way that the bottom label is printed. The type is slightly thinner than the top label's. But I've never seen a European N64 cartridge personally, let alone owned one, so take this with a grain of salt – there could be any number of legitimate reasons for these differences.

I can't tell what you guys are looking at.

Honestly, I'm not sure. Your best bet is to buy a bit screw and open the cartridge. The back image doesn't look off but I'm not expert on N64 carts.

I don't see anything suspicious. And unless this is a super rare game, I can't imagine anyone trying to counterfeit it.

But as Rev said, you can open it up to make sure there are chips on the board.

I have to admit I am a little concerned about if what I'm buying on Ebay is authentic or not. If you're a collector, stay afar away from super-cheap cartridges that come from China or Japan - especially if they are "new".

Even if you don't care about authenticity, I don't think these knock off are very good. My friend Eric bought the Adventures of Batman and Robin (SNES) and it started glitching after just a few weeks.

I noticed a lot of listings now say "authentic" or show a picture of the cartridge interior, which should have chips on it.

The label looks fine to me, too. Here in the US, our rear cartridge labels for the N64 went through several revisions over time. Some differ in lettering, spacing, and coloring, and I have noticed these differences in many different cartridges I've owned over the years, all legitimate. The older labels from 1996 cartridges seem to be prone to yellowing over time, while the later revisions from 1997 and onward are still holding up great.

Comparing an early 1996 label (like Pilotwings) to a later game from 2000 or so (like Resident Evil 2) reveals a big difference in the way the text on the labels is printed and arranged. Just minor revisions that these games go through over the years and nothing to worry about at all.

TL;DR: your games appear to be legit, Verm

VideoGameCritic wrote:I have to admit I am a little concerned about if what I'm buying on Ebay is authentic or not. If you're a collector, stay afar away from super-cheap cartridges that come from China or Japan - especially if they are "new".

Even if you don't care about authenticity, I don't think these knock off are very good. My friend Eric bought the Adventures of Batman and Robin (SNES) and it started glitching after just a few weeks.

I noticed a lot of listings now say "authentic" or show a picture of the cartridge interior, which should have chips on it.

I feel the same. When I buy games from eBay I always open them up anymore and I don't buy from overseas unless it is an import. Honestly, I have caught 2 fake gba games in the last year and the seller immediately gave me a full refund and told me to keep the game. I have also spotted several fakes at video game stores. With how easy reproduction carts are to make these days, anymore can turn a cheap $1 sports title into a $500 copy of Aerowings. Some people also have no clue what they bought and honestly think they have the real thing.

Crazy how much things have changed in the last 5 years.

Rev wrote:a $500 copy of Aerowings

If there's a legitimate copy of AeroWings for the N64, it's worth a lot more than that.

(Which game were you thinking of? The closest title I found was the rather cheap AeroFighters: Assault.)

LOL, you're right. That's what I get for going off the top of my head instead of double checking.