I was playing my Nintendo DS, and the Pokémon game cartridge I was using wouldn't load. I thought that was strange, the pin on the game looked clean. My Nintendo DS played every other game cartridge I inserted. Furthermore, I tried the Pokémon game on a different DS, the game started up, but would then freeze. This got me thinking that something must be wrong with this game. Then I compared the Pokémon game, with a few other Nintendo DS games. I noticed some big differences that lead me to determine I had some bootleg video games. So let's discuss the differences I found with the fake game And how you can avoid buying counterfeit versions, of Pokémon Nintendo DS games. If you want to view larger images, you can see them on pinterest @ TheOSGVault Step 1: The Serial Code / Region Code Must Match The biggest factor I found...
Bootleg Game Boy Advance Pokémon games are getting more & more frequent in the gaming community. Really, it's not just Pokémon games, it's pretty much all the popular games from the Game Boy Advance library. This article shows a real vs fake Pokémon Emerald Game Boy Advance game as the example The same principles can be applied to other GBA games. Below is a list of (7) seven points that have helped thousands of gamers know what a Pokémon emerald real vs fake game boy cartridge looks like. With large online auction platforms allowing counterfeits to freely be sold. For this article, we are going to examine a fake Pokémon emerald game cartridge and an authentic Pokémon emerald game cartridge. Unfortunately, Counterfeit Pokémon Games look Real Below is our guide to help weed a counterfeit game boy Pokémon game. If you want to view larger images, you can see them...
With retro video game cartridges, selling at an all-time high. People are going to make bootlegs and try and sell them as the real thing. With an expensive game selling for 1400 dollars. Like the Nintendo 64 repro cart shown in the images, of Clay fighter Sculptors Cut. It shouldn't surprise anyone that dishonest people are trying to replicate this cartridge and make an easy buck. Our stance on this topic. We have no problem if you want to buy reproduction carts for yourself. Our problem is when people are trying to sell a fake game as the real thing. So this article is like a Nintendo 64 cartridge buying guide, it's a great reference on how to tell if a n64 game is real or fake. So let's begin, if you're not into reading, then here is a YouTube video covering the topic. One quick thing to point out is,...
Putting together a list of “the best PS2 RPGs” is both easy and difficult. It’s easy in the sense that there’s no dearth of role-playing games—the system has more RPG titles than some short-lived consoles, like the TurboGrafx-16, has of any kind at all. The difficult part involves separating the wheat from the chaff. The good news is that it can be done, and the below entries make up our 15 RPGs for PS2 (ranked from 15 to 1). These amazing titles are sure to please any role playing enthusiast. Some of these options, dare we say, rise to the level of modern classics. You can also find lots of PS2 on sale right here on our website! 15. Kingdom Hearts II The first “Kingdom Hearts” entry initially confused many gamers and reviewers by throwing Disney Characters into a “Final Fantasy” world. Kingdom Hearts II sticks with the same basic premise of the previous game,...
Recently we obtained a handful of games. These were some really rare Super Nintendo titles, that someone was trying to sell to me as legit copies. At first glance, it was pretty obvious to tell none of these were an authentic game. Below are points about how to spot counterfeit cartridges for the Super Nintendo. The games are also commonly referred to as "fake", "reproduction" or "bootleg video games". We also have a YouTube video if you'd rather watch than read about the topic. The game titles in reference are: Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, and The Legend of Zelda etc. For larger images, you can refer to the pinterest page. Now keep in mind, I'm writing this article because someone is trying to sell me bootleg cartridges as the real thing. I have no problem if you buy reproduction games for your collection, but selling bootlegs as the real thing is where...
To the uninitiated, collecting rare Atari 2600 games might seem like a niche hobby. But nostalgia is a powerful thing, and this power translates to big dollars. Take the rare video-game market, for example. Certain classic games can are worth thousands of dollars Either on auction sites or from private buyers—and we’re talking many thousands. Chances of you finding loose copies of these games is about as rare as your chance to win the lottery. Mercedes, Acura, BMW 2 Series—these are just some luxury vehicles you could own for the same value that some video games on this list fetch at auction. And one uber-rare cartridge costs so much that you’d drop less coin on a Bentley than you would paying its eBay Buy-It-Now price. Just kidding, but you never know, it all depends on how much a collector wants to pay.... One game that didn't make our list, but probably...
These days, game systems come with all kinds of auxiliary ports—USB, HDMI, Ethernet, Optical Audio, and more. These ports are used for logging in online, connecting digital cameras, and everything in between. But back in console gaming’s retro heyday of the ‘80s and ‘90s, you’d be lucky to get one port on your console—the stock “expansion port.” Typically, these were used to connect special hardware and expand gameplay. Or were they? Interestingly, not all these ports were that functional. Case in point: look under your old Nintendo NES and Nintendo 64 systems. There, you’ll find the 48-pin expansion ports, each hidden behind a snap-in case. Kids who discovered these in the ‘80s were understandably mind-blown. What could they possibly be for? Maybe they’re for some cool peripheral, like a new light gun or a different controller. But no one we knew during childhood ever found out. So, let’s put the rumors...
For those of us who were young when the Nintendo Entertainment System first hit markets, it represents a childhood filled with countless gaming memories. Finally beating the last level on Super Mario Bros, giggling maniacally as we shot down ducks in Duck Hunt and nearly tossing the controller after a single bullet grazed my leg and killed me in contra. All the nes rpg games considered for the list are only NTSC "North America" NES version of the games. For the Record: I have the original game The Legend of Zelda on the list. Yes I'm full aware its more of an Action/Adventure game, but it's my site, my blog and Zelda ROCKs so it's listed! NES games & Role-Playing games have always been a staple of console gaming, and today we are going to take a look at the 10 of the best nes rpgs the Nintendo Console had to...
Today, we are going to take a look at the Best Games from the Super Nintendo stable. At The Old School Game Vault, we are fond of snes library and it would make us happy if you the reader can discover some of the games that gave us so many happy memories growing up. Without further ado, let us begin our list of the Best SNES RPGS Games. Final Fantasy III - Released in 1994 Final Fantasy III according to canon is one of the best RPGs stories ever told. A tale of great personal sacrifice and struggle, the game draws you in with its powerful, emotional narrative. It might have some of the tropes we have come to associate with RPG games of its kind – the bad guy wants to become a god and burn down everything that exists, and the protagonist is a green-haired hero who has...
The late 1970s saw the release of the Atari 2600 and the rise of the home gaming console. But by the early 1980s, it crashed and burned. This was due mostly to gamers’ frustration at sub-par games (“E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,” anyone?). The sentiment effectively killed the home-console market. This fact wasn’t lost on Nintendo of America in the lead-up to the 1985 release of their NES home console. They knew that to win over the public, they would have to ensure that the games they released for it were of a certain high quality. Therefore, Nintendo added a “Seal of Quality” sticker to each game’s packaging. These stickers changed over the years, as did cartridge case designs for certain games. For example, the initial release of the classic NES title, “Metroid,” had a silver label. However, a 1992 re-release of the game had a yellow one. The difference may seem...
To paraphrase 19th Century British playwright Oscar Wilde, the Super NES Super Scope was awesome. Even if he never said that, he should have. Because it was.
Scour the furthest reaches of cyberspace, and you’ll find blog posts covering just about every video game accessory and piece of hardware there ever was. But one piece of console lore that remains woefully underreported is the Famicom to NES cartridge converter. Sure, there are certain posts out there on the subject, but few of them offer a comprehensive analysis of what it actually is. So in the interests of remedying the issue, here are answers to five questions that cover everything the habitual gamer needs to know about this throwback bit of tech. What is a Famicom to NES Adapter? By the time the Nintendo Entertainment System hit American shores in October 1985, gamers in Japan were already familiar with the first version of the system: the Famicom (Family Computer). Released in 1983, it was the precursor to the American NES, and its wild success signalled a rebound from the...
There’s nothing quite like a good RPG to transport you into a world of swords-and-sorcery, foul creatures and great heroes, and make you feel like you’re part of a great adventure to save the world. That’s all we wanted to do as kids, right? (Some of us still hope to find a portal that takes us into a world where we are axe-wielding warriors tasked with saving the realm, on a pet dinosaur) Today, we are going to take a look at the best Sega genesis RPGs video games. One of the strengths of the Sega Genesis Console, has to be the library of games, which we talk about in another article. It really had a little something for everyone, but today it's about Role-Playing Games. So put on your armor and pick up your weapon, and let’s run through some of the best old Sega games ever made. If you are...
Do you remember any of your favorite childhood dreams? We do. At least, if you’re anything like us, you dreamed about being a badass fighter pilot. How cool would it be to rocket past enemy lines, blasting baddies left and right with machine turrets to liberate entire planets? Well, the NES gave this experience to a whole generation of gamers through some of the most nostalgic shmups ever made. Today, we’re going to look at 10 NES shoot em up games that every retro gamer needs to try. Some of these are fantastic arcade ports, like Xevious, but many of them are NES originals. Now, load up, take aim, and reminisce about theses excellent NES shooters. 1. Gun Nac Gun Nac is one of the wackiest and most over-the-top shooters you will ever play. The enemies in this game are, to say the least, unusual. You’ll battle killer rabbits, trees, sentient...
Console Wars: The Sega Saturn and the Sega Dreamcast were two machines that enjoyed as many similarities as they did stark differences. One system marked the end of the 90s gaming era, and the other ushered in the much-heralded 6th-generation of consoles that defined the new millennium. And while both were manufactured by Sega, both were also responsible for hastening that company’s demise. But despite being regarded as failures at the time, their reputations have only improved in the intervening years. A Reddit thread on the subject of the Sega Dreamcast was a veritable love-in, and some Sega Saturn games, like “Panzer Dragoon Saga,” are so in-demand that they fetch hundreds of dollars on the retro game market. This all begs the question, which is the better machine? Like anything, much of it depends on personal preference. But here’s how the two systems stack up according to certain criteria important to...
In another article, I discussed the relative merits of the two main fifth-gen consoles—the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation (One)—during their first holiday seasons after launch. I’ve left out the Sega Saturn and other also-rans because I don’t consider them serious contenders. I’ll start with the advantages of each system before announcing my verdict at the end. So without further ado, I give you Console Wars: The Fifth Generation N64 vs. PS1. For me, it's about which console left a better retro gaming legacy. N64 Vs PS1 - The Game Library Perhaps the most obvious advantage of the PlayStation over its whole lifespan is the depth of its game library. While only about 387 games were released for the N64, the PS1 offered over 1,100 titles (in North America). To put this in context, the PS1’s library was impressively large for its era, while the N64’s was small even by the standards of...
Whether you’re throwing a hadouken, dodging an uppercut, or ripping out your foe’s entire skeleton, one thing’s for sure. Fighting games are the pinnacle of competitive recreation (barring anything that requires actual physical training, anyway). There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get from destroying your friends in a Flawless Victory. Of course, the next round may find you on the defense, frantically smashing buttons to escape an unstoppable onslaught of fists and fireballs. And that’s saying nothing of reversals and C-C-C-Combo Breakers! As such, it’s no surprise that many of the most successful arcade games ever are fighting games. The genre was already hugely popular when the PS1 rolled around. And the graphics prowess of the console let gamers enjoy some new and unforgettable fighting experiences at home. Today, we take a look at the best PS1 fighting games ever released. Fight on! 1. Tekken 3 Tekken was a...
In 1986, Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America, changing the entertainment industry forever. It was immediately so popular that people trampled strangers in department stores just to get one before it sold out. This trend continued as Nintendo and third-party programmers released one hit NES game after another. Given all this hoopla, would anyone notice or care that the number of NES cartridge screws changed from 5 to 3? Nintendo didn’t think so. They just stopped producing 5-screw NES games and adopted the new 3-screw format without any explanation. Obviously, they forgot that 100% of their core demographic are obsessive geeks (like us). And geeks notice details, especially when the items in question become rare, retro collectibles. So, why the big (or rather, hardly noticeable) change? And why all the secrecy? Furthermore, does it even matter? Actually, it matters more than you’d think. Read on to learn why. ...
Ho ho ho! It’s the most wonderful time of the year With the kids jingle belling And everyone telling you be of good cheer It’s that time of the year again, folks. Unwrapping gifts, decorating homes, and enjoying sumptuous meals with your family and loved ones. The best Christmas Themed Video Games But you and I know, there’s really one Christmas tradition that beats them all – playing the best Christmas Themed Video Games! That’s right. Getting together with your friends or siblings, your beverage of choice, and fragging or exploring new & old worlds together is what the holiday season is all about. And if the games you’re playing are true to the spirit of the holidays, there’s nothing quite like it. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best Christmas video games. Jazz Jackrabbit: Holiday Hare (PC, 1995) Made by the mad genius Cliff Bleszinski, Jazz...
It can happen to even the most scrupulous retro-game collector. You’ve got a pristine Super Nintendo displayed alongside other throwback consoles, and yet somehow it turns yellow over time.
