Scams are everywhere! Don’t get yourself scammed by a ‘fake sega genesis cartridges’ seller. Avoiding them is easy, and a little research would save your precious game progress and money.
Good news: I have compiled a comprehensive guide that will help you identify Fake cartridges so you don’t fall into the hands of scammers.
Let’s dive deeper!
Why Should You Avoid Fake Sega Genesis Cartridges
Fake is fake; original is original. Period.
No matter how good a fake cartridge’s quality is, it can never compete with the original sega copy.
Here are the top three reasons that demotivate you from buying counterfeit cartridges:
The Game Won’t Load
Isn’t it frustrating when you buy a game, you want to play it on the comfort of your couch, but it doesn’t load? It turns off the mood not only because you have nothing to play with but also because you lost good money for that fake product.
The Game Will Have Bugs
If, fortunately, your game loads, you will surely see a lot of bugs, errors, or lack of smoothness in the gameplay. Your game won’t even be playable with time because it will keep getting stuck at the loading screen or won’t proceed after a certain level.
You’ll Lose Your Game Progress
Do you know what hurts the most? When you spend hours of your precious time reaching a certain level, the game resets all of your progress, and you can’t do anything about it except start your campaign again.
8 Tips to Avoid Fake Sega Genesis Cartridges
In this article, I’m going to show you a couple of quick ways through which you can avoid buying counterfeit genesis cartridges.
1. Look for Crisp Printing
Did you know that fake sega genesis games reproducers can reproduce game boxes too? Well, now you’re aware.
You can quickly identify if the text print is blurred with a bit of attention. If you’re unable to read the text at the bottom of the game case, you’re probably holding a fake one.
Everything must look nice and clear. Sometimes, fake game cases have inkjet lines and fuzzy images that aren’t present in genuine SEGA cases.
2. Seal Quality
Is the seal nice and crisp? Is it easy to read?
These are the questions you should ask yourself when identifying counterfeit genesis cartridges.
Reproducers can print a fake seal but can’t exactly use the color combinations and print quality. The super-fuzzy logo and weird colors are early signs that tell you NOT to buy it!
3. Back Structure (Debossing and Screws)
The most prominent area where you can spot the fake cartridge signs is its back.
Look for the two metal screws that are tight enough to hold the cartridge through the case. If you have a fake game, the screw material will be plastic. (Sometimes, they will appear as screws, but they are not)
The indentation of the printed text at the back should be very fine. Counterfeit games lack debossing smoothness, which is a sign of a fake sega genesis cartridge.
4. Weight
Don’t buy it? Weight is a great way to judge if your game is fake or real.
Genuine sega cartridges weigh heavier than the fake one’s generally because of the good quality material of the casing and the cartridge.
5. Molding
If you try to open the fake cartridge, you’ll see no screws in it. It’s the plastic molding only that holds the cartridge together.
Also, a weird plastic sign is a giveaway that the product is fake. It is very flimsy and easy to break.
The surface mount chip might have some wear on the pins. The plastic above the chip is for the sake of spacing and holding it into the cartridge so that it centers in the middle.
An easy way of identifying it is to take a screwdriver with you in the market and test if the mounted chip is fake or genuine.
6. Pins Color
Fake sega genesis cartridges have white pins commonly, while the color of the actual pins is brown. You can clearly see the color of the pins at the bottom of the cartridge.
There might be some wear and tear signs on the surface of the pin. Do not buy such cartridges as they won’t play or will cause bugs.
7. Glossy Label
Can you recognize the shine and gloss of the original sega genesis label? If not, you’re at risk of buying a fake genesis copy.
Fake labels are matte, not having enough shine and gloss.
8. Seller Authenticity
You can avoid getting scammed in the first place if you know who’s your seller. A genuine and authentic retro games seller can guarantee you an original copy of the sega genesis game.
You’re spending dollars on getting your favorite game. Don’t hesitate to examine the game by asking the seller to open it. The seller won’t refuse your request if he is trustworthy.
Also read: The Absolute Best Sega Genesis Game You Need In Your Collection.
How Can You Avoid Buying Counterfeit Genesis Games?
The most important thing is to consider the reputation of your game seller. Retro games aren’t easily available everywhere. Therefore, retro games are available at authentic retro stores only.
Make sure that they have a proper refund policy so that if you feel that your game is reproduced, you reach out to them for a quick refund. There is no better way of making sure that you don’t lose your money.
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