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The great Nintendo Handheld Games from the 80's ...!


Which Game&Watch items are copied? (Part 1)

Except for the games themselves, following items are being copied:

  • Boxes
  • Styrofoams
  • Instructions
  • Papers (Warning, How to Play etc.)
  • Plastic bags for the games
  • Packaging of the batteries
  • Battery covers
  • Advertising material, such as flyers


Boxes

It's possible to identify them on the following characteristics:

Colors: They are rather pale, sort of bleached. They are not as strong as the original ones.

Carton:
It's very bright on the inside, almost white (Picture 1). The original carton is darker because it has the typical «carton grey».

Imprint:
On most boxes the expression «non-official» is imprinted, but not on all boxes! (Picture 1)

Flaps:
There are some boxes, who have no flaps on both sides. In many cases they are sold together with transparent crystal boxes (Acryl boxes). (Picture 2)

Seam:
On the copied boxes the seam is different. The last seam which is glued onto the carton to hold it together, is located on the bottom side(Picture 3). The original boxes have this seam on the top. (Picture 4)
Copied box of Mario Bros
Picture 1
Copied box of Ball AC-01 - no flaps on both sides
Picture 2
Copied box of Donkey Kong DK-52 - the glued seam is on the bottom side
Picture 3
Original box of Donkey Kong DK-52 - the glued seam is on top
Picture 4



Styrofoam

The color of most copied styrofoams is yellowish, the original ones are bright white (Pictures 5a and 5b). But there are as well copied styrofoams which are white! They are recognizable on their material structure. It's rather rough (crude) compared to the original ones (Pictures 6a and 6b).

Copied styrofoam from the New Wide Screen Series
Picture 5a - Copy from the
New Wide Screen Series
Original styrofoam from the New Wide Screen Series
Picture 5b - Original from
the New Wide Screen Series
Copied styrofoam from the Silver Screen Series
Picture 6a - Copy from
the Silver Screen Series
Copied styrofoam from the Silver Screen Series
Picture 6b - Copy from
the Silver Screen Series



On some of the copies, the space which is meant to hold the batteries, is smaller than the original one and has a bit another shape. This affects mostly the styrofoams of the Panorama Screen Series (Pictures 7a and 7b).  
Copied styrofoam from the Panorama Screen Series
Picture 7a - Copy from the
Panorama Screen Series
Original styrofoam from the Panorama Screen Series
Picture 7b - Original from the
Panorama Screen Series