Is my copy of Link to the Past a repro?

[VG_Addict]

Unfortunately, the photos aren't in the best lighting, so there are a couple of details I want to ask about.

First, on the right side of the label, over the red Super Nintendo logo, is there a grey box that looks like the SNES controller buttons? It can be faded, but with what looks like sticker residue, it's tough to make out.

Second, on the rear plate of the cartridge, does the circled Nintendo logo have a copyright symbol?

Yes, it has a grey box that looks like the SNES controller buttons, and yes, the circled Nintendo logo has a copyright symbol.

[Markies]

My copy of Mega Man X looks very similar as the back does not have a sticker.
However, the information is printed on the cartridge itself, so I was a little surprised when I saw that yours was clear.

I was talking to a local game store owner about my cartridge and he mentioned that during the end of the SNES life cycle, Nintendo had many of their cartridges made in Mexico to save costs. Some of them look a little different, but they are still licensed Nintendo games. He mentioned that they were only used for runs on their most popular titles.

I would assume Mega Man X and Link to the Past fit that criteria.

[Ack]

That's true, but the front of the cart is from an earlier production run for the Super Nintendo. It's possible someone replaced the back shell as a repair job, though I have seen fake cartridge casings before. Used to own a couple of good ones from Hong Kong that were only obvious because the maker had misspelled Nintendo.

[VG_Addict]

I have a cartridge of Turtles in Time that's similar to Markies' Mega Man X cartridge.

[Ziggy]

Legit carts had the text imprinted in the plastic like that, instead of a sticker. I know for sure that Majesco re-releases had them, I'm not sure if any first-print carts had them that came out later in the console's life.

[VG_Addict]

Have you ever gotten a repro cart?

[Limewater]

I don't have any SNES repros, but I have three NES repros, a pirate famicom multicart, and a Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble MVS cart that I believe is a bootleg.

[Ziggy]

If you mean a pirate or counterfeit cart, then yes. My SFC copy of Captain Commando was a super well-made counterfeit. The shell was spot on, the front label was perfect. It even included a box and manual. On closer inspection, the 2 digits that are usually stamped in the back label were actually printed, but the only reason I noticed that was because I opened the cart up and the PCB wasn't even close to looking real (as is usually the case). That's why I say if you suspect your cart is fake, open it up and look at the PCB. It's almost always completely obvious by looking at the PCB. At least, for SNES this is the case. For GBA, some of the fakes can look pretty close. Even the PCBs. I've had a fake GBA cart once, they're very common.

Even if the shell and label are legit, there's no telling what's inside unless you open it up. I bought a Super Ghouls and Ghost cart that was inside of a Plok cart shell, for whatever reason. And someone posted (was it this forum?) that back in the day they rented a game and when they got it home, it was a different game than what the label said. Someone had swapped the PCBs.

[Ziggy]

[Note]

Even if the shell and label are legit, there's no telling what's inside unless you open it up. I bought a Super Ghouls and Ghost cart that was inside of a Plok cart shell, for whatever reason. And someone posted (was it this forum?) that back in the day they rented a game and when they got it home, it was a different game than what the label said. Someone had swapped the PCBs.

Damn, I'm glad I didn't run into that scheme back in the rental days. I would've been so disappointed to get a game home to find out it wasn't the game I wanted.