Unlicensed NES Games

[BurningDoom]

I'm pretty sure Peter's book won't have a chapter about you playing Nintendo games. Just because god is all-seeing, does that mean he understands all? This would be more of a theology argument, not really what your question was about.

If you're talking about the Bible, which is where I'm coming from, it's not much an argument. The Bible says that you're supposed to follow the laws of the land unless those laws contradict what God has already said. And since I'm Christian, I try my best to do so.

[DinnerX]

But I want to make sure it's all Kosher because I'm a Christian...

Quote of the month.

Kosher is a slang word for OK in some parts. Although it does sound a little funny there.

They sell unlicensed cheat devices and such in big chain stores so it must not be much of an issue. Unlicensed stuff just upsets Nintendo/Sony/MS/Sega/Atari/Philips/Panasonic.

[Limewater]

But I want to make sure it's all Kosher because I'm a Christian...

Quote of the month.

Kosher is a slang word for OK in some parts. Although it does sound a little funny there.

They sell unlicensed cheat devices and such in big chain stores so it must not be much of an issue. Unlicensed stuff just upsets Nintendo/Sony/MS/Sega/Atari/Philips/Panasonic.

Considering that the Christian church began as a sect of Judaism, the requirement gentiles to keep kosher and follow other Jewish Law and custom was a major early controversy (see Acts chapter 15), and that there are sects of Christianity today who keep kosher, I don't think BurningDoom's statement is quite as funny as y'all are making it to be.

But no, BurningDoom, you are not breaking U.S. law by playing an unlicensed NES game.

[Golgo 14]

Kosher is a slang word for OK in some parts. Although it does sound a little funny there.

They sell unlicensed cheat devices and such in big chain stores so it must not be much of an issue. Unlicensed stuff just upsets Nintendo/Sony/MS/Sega/Atari/Philips/Panasonic.

Considering that the Christian church began as a sect of Judaism, the requirement gentiles to keep kosher and follow other Jewish Law and custom was a major early controversy (see Acts chapter 15), and that there are sects of Christianity today who keep kosher, I don't think BurningDoom's statement is quite as funny as y'all are making it to be.

But no, BurningDoom, you are not breaking U.S. law by playing an unlicensed NES game.

Okay, I've reviewed the linguistic, religious and historical facts, and it's still hilarious.

[Mechblue]

Most unlicensed NES games are completely legal. Games such as Tiles of Fate, Tengen Tetris, and Vindicators do not infringe on any company's trademarks, patents, or copyrights. Nintendo may not have been happy that they were released - and it may have done everything in its power to keep them off the market - but it is fine for you to buy, sell, trade, and enjoy them.

The only unlicensed NES games that are "illegal" are pirate carts. (Even then, it is not illegal to possess and play them. It is merely "illegal" to create and distribute them.)

There are some interesting decisions on these subjects, and, if anyone is interested in them, I may be able to post links to them.

Nintendo used their weight to bully these third parties out of the market by threatening the retailers that sold the third party carts. If they didn't stop selling them they would pull their items.

Really like has been said, the only thing illegal is selling those bootleg carts.

[eSPy]

Tengen actually did some dirty tricks on the NES front and EA did some on the Genesis front. Reverse engineering is legal if done properly where something mimics the functionality of something else without copying the mechanism exactly.

if my memory serves correctly, I think tengen was trying to reverse engineer the 10-nes chip but then they just ended up photocopying nintendo's documents on the chip from the patent office claiming that they needed them for a court case or something. so yea...pretty much fraud. But ill allow it because super sprint was great.

[flamepanther]

Tengen was eventually found to be in violation of copyright law for directly copying Nintendo's lockout software. Color Dreams (and by extension Wisdom Tree) and Camerica carts did not use a direct copy of the 10NES chip, so they were okay.

Nintendo's practice of attempting to lock out unlicensed developers was not found illegal in the U.S.--only their former practice of requiring licensed developers to not publish games on other consoles.

[DinnerX]

Tengen was eventually found to be in violation of copyright law for directly copying Nintendo's lockout software.

But they ended up paying nintendo to right the situation didn't they?

[flamepanther]

@Dinner: I'm sure thwy were forced to pay, but it doesn't undo the illegality of what they did. On the other hand...

@Burning: This isn't a case where the crime transfers to the recipient of the goods. Tengen cartridges that were sold before the judgment against Tengen are not considered contraband and are not illegal to buy, sell, or own. If you own one, you're still in the clear. This is one more way that copyright violation is completely different from theft.

[BRIK]

As far as I see it Nintendo doesn't make any money off NES games anymore. If you did go and buy these bootlegs second-hand, you wouldn't be ripping anyone off would you?