Fake Pokémon games: Nintendo DSĮSRB rating in the bottom left-hand cornerĬE marking in the bottom right-hand corner In HeartGold and SoulSilver, players must have defeated the Elite Four, entered the Hall of Fame, and obtained the National Dex before they're able to migrate Pokémon from the GBA Pokémon games. Remember: For the migration option to be available in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, players must have seen (not caught) all 150 Pokémon in the Sinnoh Dex - excluding Manaphy - and talk to Professor Rowan to obtain the National Dex. Fake GBA Pokémon games will not trigger this menu option. There will be a 'Migrate from (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, LeafGreen)' option on the save select screen as long as a GBA Pokémon game is inserted. Simply place both games into your DS or DS Lite and boot up the DS title. If you own an original Nintendo DS or DS Lite and an authentic copy of Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, or SoulSilver, you can test whether your GBA Pokémon game is authentic. Pokémon FireRed migration option with Pokémon HeartGold. If you've come across a GBA Pokémon game at a flea market and are unsure if it's legitimate or not, there are two simple ways to test for authenticity:ġ. It is possible for counterfeiters to replicate this design, but if it's not there, you'll know right away that the cartridge is fake. If you're in doubt, check for this rectangle. This can be seen on any GBA Pokémon game without opening the cartridge. This rectangle is made up of four smaller rectangles, with each smaller rectangle having one to three dots on them. Look for the four golden rectangles on the backside of the circuit board: While not completely fail-proof, a means of authenticating your game is by finding the golden rectangle on the circuit board, located on the upper-left corner of the back of the cartridge. If it's not there, the cartridge is fake.įrom left to right: Pokémon Emerald (real), Pokémon FireRed (real), Pokémon FireRed (real), Pokémon LeafGreen (real) with rectangles showing through the cartridge. Anywhere 'Nintendo' is shown there should be a trademark symbol next to it. It's common for fake cartridges to look mostly correct with a slightly different spelling somewhere. MADE IN JAPAN.'Ĭheck spelling and trademark symbols: Ensure that none of the text on the cartridge is misspelled before buying. On the back of each cartridge are two screws bordering a rectangle with the Nintendo logo, AGB-002 model number, and 'PAT. Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald sport a deep, translucent red, blue, and green, while Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen have bright red and green cartridges that are more opaque.Ĭheck for thumb grip and embossed text: Game Boy Advance cartridges feature a smaller thumb tab on the front, with ' GAME BOY ADVANCE' in bold letters just underneath it. Know what the cartridge should look like: Just like the Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles, Pokémon games on the Game Boy Advance have a distinct look and feel. Pokémon FireRed (real) with embossed numbers on the right side of the sticker. Fake games often don't have this text or may just say something like 'GAME.' Make sure you check for this text, as it's one of the easier ways to tell a dud from the real deal.

Meanwhile, Game Boy Color games have a convex thumb grip that reads ' Game Boy COLOR'. Look for thumb grip and embossed text: There's a concave thumb grip at the top of every Game Boy game with text that reads ' Nintendo GAME BOY™'. If you see a gray cartridge with a sticker showing any language other than Japanese, it's not authentic. In Japan, Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, and Silver games were produced in gray cartridges, with Gold having a darker cartridge than the others. Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal have golden, silver, and icy blue cartridges. Each game's cartridge color corresponds with its name - Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow have red, blue, and yellow cartridges. Nintendo has never produced any Pokémon title on the Game Boy or Game Boy Color in a gray shell. if It's missing, the cartridge is fake.īeware the grey cartridge: If you see a North American or European Pokémon game in a gray cartridge, run away. The Nintendo logo should have a trademark symbol on the far right. It's not uncommon for a fake cartridge to have mostly similar text but with a letter or two that aren't correct. (Image credit: Rebecca Spear / iMore)Ĭheck sticker image, spelling, and trademarks: Look around at the sticker and any text on the cartridge to make sure they match up with what the authentic cartridge looks like. From left to right: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (real), Game Boy Color with Wario Land 3 (real), Pokémon Red (real).

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