Repro or Genuine?

Gamer Bhoy 89

I genuinely can't tell. Someone on Reddit claimed it was a repro because "the cart edges are too flat". Not sure what he meant but ever since I bought this game for 20 euro (which is way cheaper than the average) I've often wondered its legitimacy.

Anyone here able to decipher?

I can't open it to check either (don't have the correct tools) so I don't know if it's obvious from this perspective or not.

Retr0gamer

PCB looks kind of new compared to the shell.

Get yourself the screwdriver to open it up, few euros is all it will cost and check the PCB. Only way to be sure.

Lemming

A lot of Megadrive repo cartridges have a notch in the side of the shell - it'll be really obvious when you see it. But for the above, as Retr0gamer has said & suggested, no way to know until you crack the case open to check the PCB itself. The screwdriver kits are really cheap and plentiful on eay, maybe about £3 before postage.

Gamer Bhoy 89

Okay I've ordered a 4.5mm hex screwdriver (apparently they're designed specifically to open game cartridges, etc.).

While I was on the subject, I had a look at some more of my cartridges and I noticed my copy of Mortal Kombat's PCB was awfully clean looking (more white than "brown" like the rest of them were). I was able to open this one because it had a different type of security screw. You tell me - is this real? What is it I'm gonna have to look for?

Inviere

The Mortal Kombat looks real. It's an Acclaim PCB, and looks like a ROM chip as opposed to an E/EPROM. The Alisia Dragoon pcb does look very squared off, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a repro. It's a Maguiver solution but there's a biro trick you can use to open those carts if you're too impatient to wait on the correct tool :)

Gamer Bhoy 89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117743005#Comment_117743005

If it's the burning plastic yoke, I just tried it there and some of the plastic dried into the screw lol I'll wait til I get the screwdriver I'm not very good at shite like that 🤣

I'm not 100% bothered, I didn't even pay that much for it, I just thought I got lucky but it'd make sense if it's not a real copy. If it is indeed a repro, I'd be curious to know how many I have that are also repros. It's not very easy to spot on the surface.

Inviere

Generally speaking, you don't need to worry about repros too much when it comes to 16bit cart systems. It's only when you're buying expensive stuff it gets concerning (and the likes of the GBA etc) , but then, it has gotten very easy to make them so who knows.

I've no issue per se with repros....the 1's and 0's are all the same, but selling them as if they're legit is scummy.

Gamer Bhoy 89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117743405#Comment_117743405

Yeah I agree.

If I've had any repros this whole time, they've definitely fooled me. I've had literally no issues with any game I've played. Any overly expensive games I've ever bought were all Japanese copies that I imported, and I can already tell they're immaculate -- pristine. The store I bought them from has a reputation for having their games in very good nick (Hit-Japan).

This was more of a curiosity rather than anxiety.

Inviere

Aye the Japanese stuff usually tends to be in great/well kept condition

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117743405#Comment_117743405

The vast majority of 16 bit carts are still all original alright...however, I have noticed an alarming upswing in the amount of Chinese repros of things being listed on ebay now for the Megadrive. It's seems to have gone from a bit of a bedroom hobbyist thing to mass production in China. If I were still buying games on ebay I'd definitely be opening every shell up to take a peak just in case!

I really hate them now to be honest. If you think about it, a person buys once legitimately from a seller, fair enough - it doesn't cease to exist then unfortunately, it makes its way into the ecology of hard copy videogames. A good example was that Cool World repro being sold in CEX there recently as a legitimate original.

Lemming

@o1s1n wrote:

The vast majority of 16 bit carts are still all original alright...however, I have noticed an alarming upswing in the amount of Chinese repros of things being listed on ebay now for the Megadrive. It's seems to have gone from a bit of a bedroom hobbyist thing to mass production in China. If I were still buying games on ebay I'd definitely be opening every shell up to take a peak just in case!

It fvcks me right off to see stuff being sold with an attempt to pass it off as the real deal, or where the seller asks for some stupid price for what is a reproduction which misses the point of why an original might command a higher price ... Seems to happen with the more in-demand Sega Megadrive titles (both daft repro prices and passing off as legitimate). The cheaper stuff is usually very easy to spot; the most common markers being

• The cartridge "notch" I mentioned above
• The box artwork is not correct for the region, e.g. PAL release with US box artwork design/format
• The manual looks like a stand-up mini booklet rather than that elongated format that comes with most Megadrive titles.
• The price is just too good and/or being sold from China on ebay.

There can be other things depending on the game; things like cartridge stickers being the wrong regional format or details missing or wrapping over onto the top tab of the sticker. In any case, if I was shelling out big money on titles second-hand whether it be ebay/facebook/gumtree/etc. I would most definitely be popping them open to check.

I've some some very well executed repros, and there are a couple of companies that do limited edition release runs of games (some repros, others are ports, e.g. Darius) but with different box markings so they are easily distinguished from the originals, etc. For example strictly limited [German company I think] doing a run on Mega Turrican that I would seriously contemplate given the rarity and bonkers asking price of the original

Gamer Bhoy 89

Right lads, my screwdriver came this afternoon.

So here we go. Moment of truth. Is my €10 copy of Alisia Dragoon fake or real?

https://imgur.com/udxnGR6

https://imgur.com/v6n2DfQ

https://imgur.com/8pjdIFL

https://imgur.com/M0HhuLB

Inviere

Looks legit to me?

Gamer Bhoy 89

I still can't tell. I wouldn't know what to look for.

KeRbDoG

Looks legit to me, best of luck with the sale I guess?

Gamer Bhoy 89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759504#Comment_117759504

Not really. Well it depends on the seller's opinion of what they deem as rare, because price of it has been varied the last few years. It goes for between 40 to 120 euro depending on the condition and the seller. Right now the cheapest price I'm seeing it for, complete, is 50 euro or thereabouts. I was unaware of the general price of it when I got my copy - it was originally 20 euro, but the seller sold it to me with a fake manual instead of a real one and knocked the price off of it for me down to 10 euro.

Even with no manual at all I've seen the game for 50 quid.

I initially though then that mine could be a reproduction cartridge, so I was curious and decided to have a look, the only issue is I can't tell lol

Inviere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759504#Comment_117759504

It's a Sega branded PCB (authentic looking), so that likely rules out a complete repro which uses a new pcb.

It's a Sega branded ROM chip, so that rules out a repro using an eeprom with a rom image flashed onto it, or a cheap flash chip.

The chip/pcb have no manual wiring done anywhere, again ruling out a lot of cheap style repros.

I just don't think anyone is going to go to the trouble of making a Sega branded pcb which perfectly suits the game (no wiring), and a Sega branded ROM chip for a game of this value. It's hard to tell conclusively using pictures, but it doesn't look fake from what I can see.

o1s1n

Does anyone know why Alisia Dragoon has gone up in value so much?

It's one of the games I actually had from new when I was a kid, absolutely loved it - however it's been relatively cheap most of it's life. The Japanese version was expensive the last time I checked, really surprised to see the amount the EU version is going for now.

Gainex fans heard of it somehow maybe?

Lemming

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117761960#Comment_117761960

I think much of the increases will be down to the ebay-factor; "oh, I saw someone sell a pristine copy for X+1, therefore I can sell my loose cart with no stickers left on it for X+2". I found (with an easy search) two copies on facebook marketplace; one loose for £10 (well, £30 for three loose carts, it being one of them), and CIB copy for £30. So anyone asking £60/70 for a non-complete copy that is not in very good condition is just chasing € signs.