Author Topic: NOA Attacks Counterfeit Games in Malls (Read 12330 times)

TheYoungerPlumber · « **on:** October 30, 2004, 07:45:38 PM »

Bootleg versions of classic NES games are banned from malls near Seattle. Investigation will continue.

In response to a lawsuit filed by Nintendo targeting the sale of counterfeit Nintendo products, judge John C. Coughenour has ordered a temporary ban and an immediate seizure of the infringing merchandise. A preliminary injunction hearing will begin November 4th. Meanwhile, all merchandise sold by the defendants will be delivered to NOA so that any kosher items may be returned.

This is the beginning of a larger crackdown on such devices. Nintendo claims to have seized “tens of thousands of infringing devices” entering the United States. The products in question are usually sold in mall kiosks located near legitimate video game retailers.

At issue are devices called "Power Player," "Super Joystick," "Superjoy" and "Powerjoy," which have pirated versions of software for some of the hundreds of Nintendo games embedded in their hardware. Consumers plug the device into a television and can play Nintendo games — using a counterfeit version of an old Nintendo controller, Daugherty said.

This is the first time Nintendo has seriously attacked counterfeit products already within US borders.

Berto2K · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2004, 08:10:48 PM »

Yay. I have reported 2 kiosks at the Oakridge Mall in San Jose, CA, and at least a dozen websites to NOA's piracy department. Hopefully those get shutdown/dropped from their inventory soon too.

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2004, 08:15:07 PM »

Another sign of a more aggressive Ninty? ^_^ But seriously, it's about time these goons get whacked...Make your own damn product!

ruby_onix · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2004, 09:06:43 PM »

How does TYP know that the pirated stuff has quality issues if he turned down buying one of them?

Berto2K · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2004, 09:07:25 PM »

Because they have one hooked up to a TV at the kiosks you can play to try out.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2004, 09:56:09 PM »

If anyone still wonders: THIS is the kind of piracy that hurts developers and publishers, the home copiers don't matter in the large picture.

Mario · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2004, 09:28:46 PM »

is on the case

Knoxxville · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2004, 10:33:30 PM »

Yeah, I was talking with the Gamestop guys here in Vegas abot that the other day. I'm glad to see that progress is being made.

panzerjedi · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2004, 10:52:30 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Berto2K
Yay. I have reported 2 kiosks at the Oakridge Mall in San Jose, CA, and at least a dozen websites to NOA's piracy department. Hopefully those get shutdown/dropped from their inventory soon too.

Heh. I was just about to do the same. Valley Fair Mall has a couple kiosks too.

Nephilim · « **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2004, 12:29:15 AM »

good on them
Bootlegging is a problem in Australia too
EB adelaide selling Harf English/Harf Japanese Fire reds a few months ago in these photocopyied plastic cases, and A local Gametraders store owner telling me he was offered GBA games very cheaply, but after getting samples kindly said no thanks.
Ebay is bootleg heaven too. you clearly see in harf the pics that there are missing the inscribed code under the sticker on the cart

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #10 on:** October 31, 2004, 12:45:27 AM »

I don't think ANY GBA game on eBay Australia is legit. Just about every auction proclaims the game is brand new, yet doesn't come with a manual. Some sections might be in Japanese, but it's cool! Bidding starts at $5, k thx.

Also, these bootleg systems are hilarious. They sell them on Good Morning Australia.

For only $120 you'll get a system with 50 ARCADE QUALITY games built in, all of them Duck Hunt or Kung Fu clones! For another $10 you'll get ARCADE QUALITY LIGHT GUNS and ARCADE QUALITY extra cartridge with Pac-Man ... Or Duck Hunt, again!

Call now. NOW.

Aussie Ben PGC · « **Reply #11 on:** October 31, 2004, 01:34:45 AM »

My GOD! You saw that too? I couldn't believe it. You know, I thought that if you advertised PIRATED GAMES ON LIVE TELEVISION you would get into trouble, but I forgot where I lived. Tell it to me, NAL baby!

Nephilim · « **Reply #12 on:** October 31, 2004, 02:04:28 AM »

oh the "ultra arcade action machine" with 50 games
dont think there seen as pirated, there mostly clones and such
Bad ones at that, when they play the duck game, the firing square takes up 1/40 of the screen
I think the fact they used the same shape as the N64 and used the word ultra may be illegal thu.
Since nintendo seems to patient everything they make

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #13 on:** October 31, 2004, 02:16:32 AM »

NAL are maybe hoping all this advertising of pirated NES games will result in Classic NES GBA game sales. =O
"We don't have to get up!"

joshnickerson · « **Reply #14 on:** October 31, 2004, 02:17:48 AM »

Lord, they have those in my mall. Supposedly they have "72,000 games in one!!!", but as far as I can tell, they just repeat the same 20-odd titles over and over again, and just give them different, and weird, names.
And it's not even that good quality. It has Tengen Tetris in it, but none of the buttons rotate the blocks. Super Mario Bros. runs almost twice normal speed, which gave me a good chuckle. I laughed even harder when the guy told me it would cost almost eighty bucks.
I wonder if they'll still be there next weekend.

RABicle · « **Reply #15 on:** October 31, 2004, 02:34:54 AM »

Quote
I don't think ANY GBA game on eBay Australia is legit. Just about every auction proclaims the game is brand new, yet doesn't come with a manual. Some sections might be in Japanese, but it's cool! Bidding starts at $5, k thx.

I actually gota legit copy of Advance Wars off EBay AU. Mind you it doens't want to link up with anyone elses copy and has different box art but I think Nintendo snuck in an updated version in a later shipment.

Bartman3010 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 31, 2004, 04:07:21 AM »

Is that the controller thing that has an N64 shaped controller, a Genesis shaped controller and a crappy gun in it?

Yeah, I've seen them, scared the crap out of me.

Bartman3010 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 31, 2004, 04:08:57 AM »

Oh yeah, Nintendo might want to crack down on some of the dollar stores in my area. They started carrying IT too...

sikboy1029 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 31, 2004, 09:30:35 AM »

they might want to check the malls in rockford, il also, I asked the guy how much they were and I believe it was $60. of course the guy wasnt american and he said it was such a great deal, must think that anyone who asks is a sucker

mmortal03 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 31, 2004, 11:08:01 AM »

Apparantly, if you get one of these adapters , you can play NES cartridges on those. All they are are pirated Famicom's made to fit into a smaller package (the controller's themselves.) Actually, QVC sold those before they were found to be illegal.

nickmitch · « **Reply #20 on:** October 31, 2004, 12:28:48 PM »

I've seen those N64 controller things in malls here in New Orleans too. They drive me nuts! I used to wonder why I never heard anything about them before and now I know. . .

TheYoungerPlumber · « **Reply #21 on:** October 31, 2004, 04:20:23 PM »

Wow, I am genuinely amazed at how widespread these things are! 3rd parties really should get behind Nintendo to help stomp out this problem.

enigma487 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 01, 2004, 10:39:26 AM »

i have seen those things at at least 6 malls in wisconsin. the first time i saw it, i was like cool. so i started playing contra on it. holy crap. the controls sucked hard core. the salesman was like $70 as soon as he saw i was excited about contra. as i realized how bad the controls were, he slowly came down to like $15. holy margin. needless to say, i didn't buy one.

Windrunner · « **Reply #23 on:** November 01, 2004, 03:52:43 PM »

We've been telling Nintendo about these for months, and it's about freaking time they've done something about it!

We've got kiosks selling these in Vermont and New Hampshire, as well, so they are everywhere. I like that there is no company information on the box anywhere, and if you ask about returns, they pretty much laugh at you.

Spyjuice10 · « **Reply #24 on:** November 01, 2004, 04:20:58 PM »

yeah, i saw this thing here in maryland...bleh, made me kinda mad

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Author Topic: NOA Attacks Counterfeit Games in Malls (Read 12330 times)