Most people prefer buying video games when they win their bets. Be careful not to buy a bootleg. Bootleg video games have been hitting the gaming industry hard, and it has become difficult to distinguish between an original and a fake Nintendo. To the naked eye, both look authentic, but only one is the real thing, and the other one is a knock-off. Another word for bootleg and knock-offs is counterfeit. They play normally, but you may encounter some problems like translation errors, bugs, compatibility issues. 

Original Nintendo video games are becoming harder to find and expensive, giving knock-offs a better chance to thrive in the market. Buyers think they are saving money, and the fakes are selling on reputable e-commerce sites. The consumers end up falling victims. So, after winning a bet and you want to spend your money on a video game gift for your kids, here’s how to avoid buying a knock-off Nintendo video game. 

  • Check the Serial Numbers

Each published video game has a unique serial number. It’s as unique as your bet receipt. Before I forget, you can get an odds converter from us to help with your betting. Moving on, you can find the serial number on the cartridge. The number comes in an NTR-XXXX-YYY where XXXX represents the unique serial number and YYY the region. You’ll find the same on the game case. If the two serial numbers don’t match, you have a reason to doubt the game. 

  • No Product Branding or Trademark

Every company produces a brand that identifies with it. Nintendo makes a Nintendo Switch with Nintendo® as their registered trademark, “R,” indicating they have the rights to the name. For Nintendo Classic, the company used Nintendo® Entertainment System, and the name would be printed on each controller and displayed on the front of every console. Video games also have some branding characteristics that can help you know if it’s original or not. So, if you remove an item from the shipping box and notice the branding is missing on the covering, that’s a red flag. There are also many bootlegs video games online that have trademarks on them. Ask the seller all the necessary questions to validate whether the item is authentic or fake. 

  • The Cartridge Won’t Boot

Nintendo is doing everything in its power to protect its brand. The system operating system can detect and reject bootleg software with an error message. After you launch the game, a message will display on the bottom screen to notify you of an error and requesting you to turn the system off by holding the power button. Turn off the system, remove and re-insert the cartridge. Turn on the system and relaunch the game. If you get the error for the second time, damn, you were played.

Conclusion

Those are some of the main ways to tell whether the Nintendo video game you bought or about to buy is a bootleg or original. One thing that should raise your suspicion is the price. If the deal is too good, then it’s too good to be true, and you have to think more than once.