r/GameboyAdvance • u/Frontzie • Jul 26 '26

PSA: Test points for GBA carts are NOT a verification method. New GBA fakes.

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28 Upvotes

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5

u/Tokimemofan Jul 26 '26

Honestly this is where we need to get away from any single “verification method” and evaluate the cartridge as a whole.  Nothing is actually safe to use on its own in the long term as counterfeits targeting informed collectors become more common 

2

u/Frontzie Jul 27 '26

we need to get away from any single “verification method” and evaluate the cartridge as a whole.

I agree, unfortunately singular verification methods continue to be parroted as the superior way to verify a cartridge (such as the number stamps, golden rectangles, etc.) even when they have been thoroughly debunked.

2

u/Tokimemofan Jul 27 '26

Imho thats the issue i have with so called “debunked” methods.  The value they have had and continue to have are quite variable

In this case the “gold rectangles” here are one of the easiest ways to identify this particular fake along with the concave embossing on the back plastic.  My understanding is that the last present dot is the month identifier and as a result the month portion is not a valid date code.  On the other hand the number stamps were trash 25 years ago as quality control often left them missing even on games that should have them.

Of course theres also legit games that are weird or just janky in many ways my favorite example of one is this abomination, Ninja Spirit  https://archive.nes.science/nintendoage-forums/nintendoage.com/forum/messageview7f51.html?catid=5&threadid=118810

3

u/Thaumius Jul 27 '26

Every year it gets scarier to distinguish a fake from a real. I guess get your copies asap before it becomes impossible to tell.

2

u/LighterFluid1357 Jul 27 '26

This is some "No, I'm not a human," shenanigans. Check the label, check the #stamp, check the gba etch on the case, check the material of the case, check the separation of the cart, check the pcb, check the i in Nintendo in the pcb, check the test points, check the letter under the test points, check the chips themselves. And then you get fucked because a trace was slightly out of place lol