GBA games - Where the hell are they?

[Strider]

Picked myself up a micro off Ebay with carts of Metroid Fusion and Mario Kart and have been looking for choice titles to pick up.
So far I've ordered

Astro Boy
Gunstar Future Heroes
Advance Wars
Castlevania Circle of the Moon

All are Pal and boxed and this is the problem. It's a nightmare finding games that are fully boxed, let alone mint condition on eBay,so where does everyone buy them from?

[Grapple Convoy]

Not from eBay, as the place seems to be swimming with counterfeits. (Admittedly it has done so since early 2002.)

My GBA collection is almost exclusively from the trading folder here, FWIW.

[importaku]

I use ebay but i buy jpn gba stuff as that rarely seems to get pirated it's usually english & american stuff that gets the bootleg treatment. If it's more obscure or rarer titles i have to resort to yahoo auctions. I have found very few online stores sell gba stuff nowdays.

Im so glad i got most of the titles i wanted back in the day as it's a pain nowdays.

[Strider]

I use ebay but i buy jpn gba stuff as that rarely seems to get pirated it's usually english & american stuff that gets the bootleg treatment. If it's more obscure or rarer titles i have to resort to yahoo auctions. I have found very few online stores sell gba stuff nowdays.

Im so glad i got most of the titles i wanted back in the day as it's a pain nowdays.

how can I tell if my stuff is pirated?
Annoyingly, I had a ridiculous collection, but got rid of it all. I weep when I see how much Ninja Cop goes for now.

[Mayhem]

Pirates? Well, a few signs...

- bad screws, labels and/or circuit boards on the cartridge itself
- the box is sent flat packed, rather than already pre-formed
- the manual is usually nothing like the real thing
- I have to admit I've barely seen Europe pirates, most of the time the box and manual are made to look like the US release (with ESRB rating etc)

Most of my GBA stuff got bought at the time from proper online shops, for both import and domestic. The other bits I've generally asked for a wealth of photos to just check that the game is the real deal.

[speedlolita]

I've always found it easy to find counterfit stuff..

I think on eBay, the price is going to be the most obvious indicator.

[Family Fry]

I got 2 games from Ebay recently, didnt pay a lot but jiffy bag+GBA game=stupid idiot sellers.
Makes me a bit sour for Ebay, I try to use the forums for the good GBA stuff as a lot of people like shifting/rotate collections and tend to have taken care of the games. GBA games are so damn hard to rebuy in a good enough condition, I bought most of my stuff new when they came out, unlike most of my other collections I have I will never shift the GBA stuff. Made that mistake with GB/GBC and NGPC stuff, NEVER again.

[Strider]

I'm going to use the forums as well, but even here stuff rarely shows up.

[speedlolita]

Could ask on Retro Gamer forums for specific titles. You'll be going for a top ten sort of thing right - to begin with.

[SuperDanX]

how can I tell if my stuff is pirated?
Annoyingly, I had a ridiculous collection, but got rid of it all. I weep when I see how much Ninja Cop goes for now.

Have a peak in the slot at the bottom of your carts, if you can see 'nintendo' on the PCB your ok.

Look at the label, a genuine cart has a code number embossed into the label, note: not printed on the label.

Also most fakes won't have triwing screw on the back holding the cart together, nintendo always use three slot screws.

[Strider]

Have a peak in the slot at the bottom of your carts, if you can see 'nintendo' on the PCB your ok.

Look at the label, a genuine cart has a code number embossed into the label, note: not printed on the label.

Also most fakes won't have triwing screw on the back holding the cart together, nintendo always use three slot screws.

cheers that's really handy advice thanks

here's hoping I don't get screwed by the bay.

[noobish hat]

I think the problem is that most of these tell-tale signs only become apparent AFTER you've bought the damn thing. Basically, as Mayhem says, if you avoid anything with US boxart you will do well (for more reasons than one). Just get everything Japanese, they will take up less space!

[chocklo]

Picked myself up a micro off Ebay with carts of Metroid Fusion and Mario Kart and have been looking for choice titles to pick up.
So far I've ordered

Astro Boy
Gunstar Future Heroes
Advance Wars
Castlevania Circle of the Moon

All are Pal and boxed and this is the problem. It's a nightmare finding games that are fully boxed, let alone mint condition on eBay,so where does everyone buy them from?

Best places are Gamestations. Plenty of ?5 bargains to be had.

Never trust gameboy sellers who don't put up actual pics of the item.

[nakamura]

Could ask on Retro Gamer forums for specific titles. You'll be going for a top ten sort of thing right - to begin with.

Now you would have thought so wouldn't you.

[Strider]

Now you would have thought so wouldn't you.

Shhh you