The bigger problem on eBay is selling a knock-off as the real thing. Anyone selling a high value game should include a picture of the PCB as that will reveal the truth over any other tells. I am very nervous about spending hundreds of $$$ on a game and finding it is a fake.

Thank you so much! I am looking to buy games on their official cartridges so this helps a lot! I guess I’ll point out that you might also see the unofficial cartridge if you’re buying games that didn’t exist in the 90s (like making new video games in an old format). I guess the big takeaway from this video is don’t buy retro games on new cartridges. Thank you for showing me how to tell the difference!

Me, who didn't realise my eBay-bought copies of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles are fake until today: 'Well, I'm dead.'

The plastic is so they can save money by making a smaller PCB -- the plastic fills in the extra area and allows it to mate with the screw holes

I got a Adventures of Batman and Robin cart at a flea market. It says made in Mexico but it doesn't play. Found it at my flea market.

This was helpful.

so I am looking at a winter olymipics copy i picked up in a lot of games. I am thinking it is a fake it doesnt match others i have opened to inspect. Is it possible to have reused the housing of and damaged one??? Art is clean includes correct metal screw and is housing wise authentic. where im having trouble is the chip board is different from the others bust still says Sega with copy right c. Please I would love to hear your thoughts. I can make a video for you to see if you would like. thank you

Do any legit games ever have that little notch on the left side?

I accidentally broke my copy of Splatterhouse 2 and I’m worried of fake copies pretty cheap replacement tho

What is the risk if any in using bootleg carts in your machine?

Fake works good

because of these people, I had to sell my saw mega drive, too many fake games around, instead for the master system do not exist, (and if they exist they are rare) the funny thing, that the replica costs as much as the original!