Don't get scammed! Learn to identify counterfeit SNES cartridges with our comprehensive authentication guide covering the most commonly faked games.

How to Spot Fake SNES Cartridges: The Complete Authentication Guide

You just found EarthBound for $200 at a local game store. Excited, you're about to buy it when a voice in your head whispers: "Is this real?"

The counterfeit SNES cartridge problem has exploded in recent years. As prices for rare games skyrocket, counterfeiters have gotten sophisticated. Some fakes are so convincing that even experienced collectors get fooled.

This guide will teach you how to authenticate SNES cartridges and protect yourself from counterfeits.

Why Counterfeits Are Everywhere

The economics are simple: A fake EarthBound costs $15 to produce and sells for $300-$800. That's a massive profit margin that attracts scammers.

Most commonly counterfeited games:

EarthBound ($300-$800)
Chrono Trigger ($150-$400)
Super Metroid ($80-$200)
Mega Man X2/X3 ($150-$300 each)
Hagane ($500-$1,200)
Demon's Crest ($100-$250)
Wild Guns ($300-$600)
Harvest Moon ($150-$300)

If it's worth over $100, assume it might be fake until proven otherwise.

Red Flags: Spot These Instantly

Before even touching the cartridge, watch for these warning signs:

Price Too Good to Be True

If EarthBound is listed at $150 when market value is $600, be immediately suspicious. Scammers often price slightly below market to move product quickly.

Seller Red Flags

New eBay account with few sales
Stock photos instead of actual cart photos
Vague descriptions ("authentic vintage game")
No returns accepted
Ships from China (99% fake if expensive game)
Multiple expensive rare games available

Listing Photo Red Flags

Blurry label photos (hiding poor print quality)
Only shows front of cart (hiding rear screws)
Won't provide serial number photo
Label looks "too perfect" for a 25+ year old game
Wrong font or color on label

Visual Authentication: The Label

The label is your first line of defense. Authentic SNES labels have specific characteristics:

Label Material

Authentic: Textured, slightly matte surface with subtle grain. Feels like quality paper stock.

Fake: Glossy photo paper, completely smooth, or cheap sticker material. Often too bright.

Print Quality

Authentic: Professionally printed with consistent colors. May show minor age-related fading but colors are even.

Fake:

Overly saturated colors
Visible dot matrix patterns (look close with magnifying glass)
Blurry text or images
Colors slightly off from original
Text edges appear fuzzy

Label Alignment

Authentic: Perfectly centered and aligned on cart.

Fake: Often slightly crooked or misaligned. Edges may not line up with cart edges.

Age Indicators

Authentic: 25-30 year old labels show subtle aging:

Slight yellowing around edges
Minor creasing or edge wear
Small marks or scuffs
Natural patina

Fake: Either mint perfect (suspicious) or artificially aged with obvious attempts to look old.

The UV Light Test

Essential tool: UV flashlight ($15 on Amazon)

Under UV (black) light:

Authentic Labels: Glow bright white/blue. The paper stock contains optical brighteners.

Reproduction Labels: Usually glow purple, pink, or don't glow much at all. Modern inkjet paper lacks the same brighteners.

Note: Not 100% foolproof but catches 90% of fakes instantly.

Physical Authentication: The Cartridge

The Gamebit Screw Check

You need a 3.8mm Gamebit screwdriver ($8) to open SNES carts.

Authentic SNES carts use:

Nintendo's proprietary gamebit screws (5-point security screws)
Usually darkened/aged screws
Screws may be tight from 30 years of no use

Fake carts often have:

Phillips head screws (instant fake)
Shiny new gamebit screws
Stripped or damaged screw heads
Wrong size screws

The PCB (Circuit Board) Test

Open the cart and examine the PCB:

Authentic PCBs have:

Official Nintendo markings - "Nintendo" logo, copyright text, manufacturing codes
Date codes - Should match game's release era (1991-1998)
Multiple chips - ROM chip, CIC chip (lockout), sometimes SRAM or special chips
Professional solder work - Clean, uniform solder joints
Specific board layouts - Each game has known PCB variants
Aged components - Slight discoloration, patina on metal

Fake PCBs have:

Generic PCB markings - Often Chinese manufacturer marks
Modern components - New-looking chips, bright solder
Single chip design - One flash chip instead of multiple components
No CIC chip or modern CIC clone chips
Poor solder work - Messy, uneven joints
Wrong chip types - Flash chips instead of mask ROMs

Special Chips

Some games use enhancement chips that are hard to fake:

Super FX chip games:

Star Fox
Yoshi's Island
Doom
Stunt Race FX

SA-1 chip games:

Super Mario RPG
Kirby Super Star
Kirby's Dream Land 3

Other special chips:

Mega Man X2/X3 (CX4 chip)
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (S-DD1)

If a game should have a special chip but doesn't, it's 100% fake.

Cartridge Shell Authentication

Shell Plastic Quality

Authentic:

High-quality ABS plastic
Slightly textured finish
Specific gray color (may vary by era)
Solid, sturdy feel
Perfect fit when closed

Fake:

Cheaper plastic (often brittle)
Too smooth or wrong texture
Color slightly off (too light/dark)
Loose or poor fit
Visible mold marks or imperfections

Weight Test

Authentic SNES carts have a specific weight range:

Standard cart: 85-110 grams depending on components

Fake carts: Often lighter (60-80g) due to cheaper PCB and components

Use a digital scale for suspicious carts.

Thickness Test

Authentic SNES carts: 20-21mm thick (measure with calipers)

Fake carts: Sometimes slightly thicker (22-23mm) due to reproduction shells

Serial Number Verification

Many SNES games have serial numbers on labels that can be cross-referenced:

Check:

Serial number format matches known format for that game
Number is crisp and readable (not blurry)
Font matches other text on label
Number makes sense for production run

Resources:

SNES Central database
SNESLab documentation
The 725 Club authentication guides (coming soon!)

The Sound Test

Some counterfeiters reuse PCBs from cheap games and reflash them.

Test:

Boot the game
Listen to music and sound effects
Compare to authentic footage on YouTube

Red flags:

Missing sound channels
Crackling or distortion
Music sounds "off" or wrong instruments
Audio glitches

Not all fakes have sound issues, but many do.

The ROM Test

If you have a flash cart reader:

Dump the ROM from the cartridge
Compare checksum to known good dumps (No-Intro database)
Mismatch = possible fake

This requires technical knowledge and equipment.

Game-Specific Authentication

EarthBound

Most faked SNES game - be extra careful!

Authentic features:

Large box (biggest SNES box made)
Included strategy guide
Box has registration card slot
Cart label is slightly glossy
PCB board code: SHVC-MB-01
Has special "2PLAY" text on cart top

Common fake tells:

Reproduction box (newer cardboard, wrong colors)
No strategy guide or repro guide
Label too glossy or wrong colors
Generic PCB
Missing battery save (uses SRAM + battery)

Chrono Trigger

Authentic features:

Specific shade of purple on label
PCB has battery for saves
Sharp, crisp label printing
Specific serial number format

Common fake tells:

Purple color too bright or dark
No battery in cart
Blurry label text
Glossy label paper

Hagane

One of the rarest - fakes everywhere!

Authentic features:

Extremely rare (limited release)
Specific label gloss level
Professional label quality
Board code: SHVC-1A3B-13

Common fake tells:

Too readily available (if you see 5+ for sale, suspicious)
Price too low (under $800 is very suspicious)
Label too perfect (these are old and rare, should show age)

Regional Differences

Some games had different releases:

Japanese (Super Famicom):

Different cart shape (won't fit US console without adapter)
Different labels (usually Japanese text)
Different PCBs

PAL (European):

Same cart shape as US
Different labels (often multiple languages)
Different serial numbers

Mexican:

Localized labels in Spanish
Authentic Mexican releases exist
Often questioned but can be legitimate

What to Do If You Bought a Fake

Bought Online

Contact seller immediately
Open dispute with eBay/PayPal
Document everything (photos, messages)
Request full refund including shipping
Leave honest feedback (warn others)
Report seller to platform

Bought Locally

Return within return period if store has one
Contact store owner with evidence
Request refund
If refused: Leave reviews, contact BBB, consider small claims court for expensive fakes

Repro Carts vs. Counterfeits: The Difference

Reproduction Carts (Legit):

Clearly labeled as "reproduction"
Sold honestly as reproductions
Often homebrew or fan translations
Priced appropriately ($30-60)
Legal gray area but honest

Counterfeits (Scams):

Sold as authentic/original
Priced at authentic prices
Intended to deceive
Completely illegal

Buy reproduction carts if you want to play expensive games cheaply—just make sure they're sold honestly!

Essential Authentication Tools

Basic Kit ($50):

3.8mm Gamebit screwdriver ($8)
UV flashlight 365nm ($15)
Magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe ($10)
Digital scale ($15)

Advanced Kit ($150):

Everything above, plus:
Digital calipers ($20)
Multimeter ($25)
Retrode or cart reader ($80+)

Reference Materials (Free):

The 725 Club authentication guides
SNES Central PCB photos
Reddit r/gameverifying
YouTube comparison videos

Quick Authentication Checklist

Before buying any SNES game over $100:

Check seller reputation and reviews
Verify price is realistic (not too low)
Examine label quality in photos
Request photos of opened cart (PCB)
Ask for serial number verification
Use UV test if available
Check for proper gamebit screws
Verify special chips if applicable
Test game functionality
Compare to known authentic examples
Get second opinion from experienced collectors

The 725 Club Authentication Service

Coming soon: Upload photos of suspicious carts and our community of expert collectors will help authenticate them!

Join The 725 Club to access:

Authentication guides for all 725 games
PCB photo database
Community verification forum
Expert collector advice

Final Thoughts

The counterfeit problem isn't going away. As SNES game prices continue rising, fakes will only get more sophisticated.

Remember:

Trust your gut - if something feels off, it probably is
Don't be pressured into quick purchases
When in doubt, ask experts
It's okay to walk away from a deal
Paying a small premium from reputable sellers is worth the peace of mind

Protect yourself, verify everything, and happy collecting!

Suspect you have a fake? Join our authentication forum at The725Club.com and get expert help identifying counterfeits!