Gaming Guidance Needed in Identifying Fake Cartridges

[FPSrad]

Hey, I recently purchased Leafgreen and Emerald versions of Pokemon and I need some help verifying their legitimacy, which I believe both to be fakes.

Pokemon Emerald:

Front:

Sorry for not-so-clear image, this looks fake to me as the sticker is not shiny unlike others i've seen to be legit.
Serial : AGB-AXPE-USA

Back:

Checked this with my ruby version and the circuit board does look different. not much else to say. Text says : Nintendo MODEL NO AGB-002 PAT. PEND MADE IN JAPAN

Internals:

Haven't opened it up to check properly as I my triwing screwdriver hasn't arrived yet, but from what i've seen the circuit board has printed on it : i (circled) Nintendo EO1-41
Holding up the cartridge I can see that it doesn't seem to have a internal battery.

Other Tests/Notes:

Saving works fine, when saving it's as if the game freezes momentarily then resumes, something I haven't noticed on my ruby. always says "The previous save file will be loaded" after menu screen.

Caught 6 pokemon and transfered them to PC storage and tried to migrate them to my Soulsilver, the game didn't show up at the main menu unlike my Ruby version.

Using GBA-Backup-Tool I backed up both the Rom and .sav file from the cartridge, seems the save file is 64kb big unlike my ruby which was 128kb. VBA can only run the game and save file in flash 54k mode or the save file doesn't show up ingame however when I try to save the game in the emulator the game freezes.

Advertised as "imported version, save file tested to be working."
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Pokemon Leafgreen:

Front:

Looks almost real to me, the sticker is shiny, the only thing that looks odd is no printing in the nintendo seal, could've been rubbed off but I am not sure.
Serial : AGB-BPGE-USA

Back:

Text says: Nintendo MODEL NO AGB-002 PAT. PEND MADE IN JAPAN

Internals:

Haven't opened either, although harder to see I dont see any bulge that would indicate a internal battery, which is fine from what I know, correct me if im wrong but I don't think leafgreen has one?

Other Tests/Notes:

Saving works fine, when saving it's as if the game freezes momentarily then resumes, something I haven't noticed on my ruby. always says "The previous save file will be loaded" after menu screen.

Caught 6 pokemon and transfered them to PC storage and tried to migrate them to my Soulsilver, the game didn't show up at the main menu either.

Using GBA-Backup-Tool I backed up both the Rom and .sav file from the cartridge, seems the save file is 64kb big, same problems when testing on VBA.

*snip* (loaded with the save file I received out of the package)


Please help me figure this out so I can take action and have them returned ASAP!

 

[dragonblood9999]

Pokemon Leafgreen is fake because the nintendo seal is blank
and if your can migrate your pokemon to Soulsilver with ruby and you can't with the others then they are most likely fake

 

[pyromaniac123]

Fix your images.

 

[Joe88]

for leaf green the "AGP-BPGE-USA" isnt bolded on mine
the nintendo seal of quality has a light green trim, not gold
im going to call fake

the emerald also for the same bold letters, none of my carts have the letters bold

 

[FPSrad]

Fix your images.

Did just now

for leaf green the "AGP-BPGE-USA" isnt bolded on mine
the nintendo seal of quality has a light green trim, not gold
im going to call fake

the emerald also for the same bold letters, none of my carts have the letters bold

You're right!, good find, so both must be fakes then :/

 

[Joe88]

and the internal for leaf green
mine says

"© 2001 Nintendo AGB-E02-20"

the nintendo logo does not have the oval around it

and far left upper corner you can see "GND"

 

[Deleted-236924]

I have absolutely no idea why your LeafGreen would end up saying "The previous save file will be loaded" upon starting.
They modified the "Internal battery has run dry" message in fake Ruby/Sapphire and Emerald cartridges to make it look like it's functioning properly (since they can't get the RTC to work properly), but there isn't even an internal battery has run dry message to edit in FR/LG.

 

[Fishaman P]

I'm absolutely positive Emerald is a fake, and I'm pretty darn sure LeafGreen is too.
Both of their labels are WAY off, and the Nintendo logo on the PCB looks strange.

 

[master801]

Anybody else notice that he had a link to the fake rom?

 

[tvoretz]

They're both fake.

• All five GBA Pokemon games have metallic labels.
• No real GBA game will have those holes in the middle of the contacts; real games have a hole above each one.
• The Nintendo logo inside the cartridge is wrong on both; for Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the logo shouldn't have the ring around it, and the font is wrong on it for both of your games. The code next to the logo should be AGB-E05-01 for RSE.
• There is an injection point in the center of a real cartridge beneath the label; you should be able to see and feel the slight depression through the label if you hold it up to a light.
• A real game will always have a 2 or 3 number/letter code pressed into the label, which can be seen if you hold the game at an angle in the light.
• On a real GBA game, there is always a slight ridge on the back between the thick glossy part along the bottom and the two vertical glossy lines.
• Beneath the thick glossy part, the text ">ABS<" is molded into real cartridges above some other numbers; you would be able to see it through the back of the cartridge on a genuine Pokemon game - both RSE and FRLG - thanks to their transparent plastic, though it's a bit harder to see on FRLG because of their milkier color.
• The screws aren't big enough.
• The distance between the A in Advance and the Y in Boy isn't big enough.
• The design of the PCB is wrong
• The font of the text on the back of the cartridge is probably a bit off.

(Did I miss anything? )