Every cart, console, and CIB copy in the case gets tested on period hardware and photographed under natural light before it hits the floor. This page answers what collectors actually ask us at the counter: label eras, counterfeit tells, save-battery status, sealed premiums, regions, returns. If the answer you need is not here, email info@keepitclassiclv.com or pull up to 707 E Fremont Street, Suite 1170.
From our retro video game inventory
Cartridges, discs, and accessories on the floor
A slice of the retro game wall: Nintendo, Sega, PlayStation, Xbox. Loose carts, complete-in-box, peripherals. Each piece is one of one in this condition, with the cart, sleeve, or case photographed in the listing.
3D Tetris, Virtual Boy. Nintendo's short-lived Virtual Boy library piece, the platform with the smallest commercial print run of any Nintendo console.
Every cart, console, and CIB copy in the case gets tested on period hardware and photographed under natural light before it hits the floor. This page answers what collectors actually ask us at the counter: label eras, counterfeit tells, save-battery status, sealed premiums, regions, returns. If the answer you need is not here, email info@keepitclassiclv.com or pull up to 707 E Fremont Street, Suite 1170.
From our retro video game inventory
Cartridges, discs, and accessories on the floor
A slice of the retro game wall: Nintendo, Sega, PlayStation, Xbox. Loose carts, complete-in-box, peripherals. Each piece is one of one in this condition, with the cart, sleeve, or case photographed in the listing.
3D Tetris, Virtual Boy. Nintendo's short-lived Virtual Boy library piece, the platform with the smallest commercial print run of any Nintendo console.
Every cart in the case is an original factory label unless the listing explicitly says otherwise. No aftermarket reprints, no peeled-and-restuck jobs, no laser-printer glossies. If a label is torn, sun-faded, or has shop-price residue from a 1996 Blockbuster, we photograph it and call it out. Label wear is part of the provenance, not a defect to hide.
How do you spot counterfeit carts?
Asian-market counterfeits (heavy on SNES and N64) have tells we check on every intake: slightly-off Nintendo screws (Phillips instead of 3.8mm gamebit), wrong cartridge shell shade, font kerning that does not match Nintendo of America stamps, a hollow-sounding shell, and a PCB that reads Glop Top instead of a genuine mask ROM. Genesis repros show up with flat-finish labels and wrong shell seam alignment. When a piece fails any of those checks, it does not make it to the floor.
How do you date a SNES, N64, or Genesis cart by the label?
SNES US labels fall into two eras: the original white-border print (1991 to 1994-ish) and the Player's Choice million-seller gold banner that followed. N64 US labels stayed consistent 1996 to 2002 but the serial sticker on the back (NUS-XXX-USA format) confirms region. Sega Genesis went through three US label eras: the black tall-box clamshell era, the Sega Classics red-stripe reissue, and the late Majesco budget reprints from 1998 onward. We note the era on every listing.
Does the game actually work?
Yes. Every cart gets tested on period-correct hardware before it goes in the case. SNES on a 1CHIP SNES, N64 on a launch console, Genesis on a Model 1 VA6. We power on, get to the title screen, and play a few minutes of actual gameplay. Save-battery titles (Zelda, Pokemon, Final Fantasy) get the battery voltage checked. If a save battery is dead, the listing says so.
Are batteries replaced on save-state carts?
Not by default. Most of our Zelda, Pokemon, and Final Fantasy carts still hold saves on the original 30-year-old CR2032. We test voltage and disclose the reading. If you want a fresh battery soldered in before shipping, message us and we will quote the service (usually $10 to $15). Replacing a battery voids nothing on a loose cart, but collectors buying sealed or CIB copies usually want the original left alone.
Are carts cleaned before they hit the case?
Labels are lightly wiped with a dry microfiber. Pin connectors get 99% isopropyl on a cotton swab when the contacts show oxidation. We do not Magic-Eraser labels (it kills the ink), we do not repaint shells, and we do not deep-clean anything that would alter provenance. Game genie grime that belongs to the cart stays on the cart.
What is CIB and why does it cost more than loose?
CIB means Complete In Box: cart, original box, original manual, any inserts or poster maps that shipped with it, and the plastic dust sleeve on SNES titles. A CIB copy of a common game can run 3 to 5 times the loose price. Rare CIB (Earthbound with the scratch-and-sniff Player's Guide, sealed Conker's Bad Fur Day) goes up from there. We grade loose, CIB, and sealed separately. Every CIB listing shows the box, the manual, the inserts, and the cart in four separate photos.
How do you grade the manual?
Manuals grade on four axes: cover wear, spine integrity, page yellowing, and writing or stamps. A Mint manual has sharp corners, a tight spine, no writing, and no rental-store markings. A Good manual shows reading creases down the spine and maybe a kid's name in pencil on the inside cover. We photograph every manual cover and call out ink, tape, missing pages, or water damage in the listing.
What about the box? How do you grade sun fade and crushed corners?
Boxes get the roughest life of any gaming artifact. We grade on a 10-tier scale (see our condition scale): sun-faded reds on Mario boxes are the most common issue, crushed corners from toy-box storage are second, and price-sticker residue is third. We never rehydrate a crushed corner or color-correct a faded spine. The photos show the box as it is, lit flat in natural light.
Sealed vs opened: how much of a premium?
Sealed factory-shrink copies carry a real premium, usually 4 to 10 times CIB on common titles and more on rare ones. We only list sealed when the shrink has the original Y-fold or H-seam that matches the factory pattern for that title and era, and we photograph the seal from every angle. Resealed copies (common scam in the PS1 and N64 market) fail the seam check and do not make the case. Sealed games are final sale: opening voids the premium.
Do you carry PAL and Japanese imports?
Yes. PAL (European) and NTSC-J (Japanese) copies show up in the case regularly. JP-only titles (Bahamut Lagoon, Radical Dreamers, Seiken Densetsu 3 pre-Collection of Mana) are the main reason collectors go import. You need a region-free console or a region adapter to play them on US hardware. PAL games run at 50Hz on original consoles and will look slightly squished and slower than NTSC. Every import listing states the region in the title and the first line of the description.
Do you sell working consoles too?
Yes, though consoles are a separate search from carts. We rotate SNES, N64, Genesis, PS1, PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast, and occasional Saturn or TurboGrafx into the floor when clean units come in. Every console is tested, the 72-pin connector is checked on NES units, expansion ports are verified, and AV cables plus a period-correct controller are included. Power supplies are tested under load.
What is the return policy on opened games?
Online orders: 14 days from delivery for store credit or exchange. Buyer covers the return label ($7). Loose carts must come back in the same condition they left: no new scratches on the label, no new dust on the pins. In-store: exchange or store credit only, 14 days with receipt. Sealed games are final sale once the shrink is broken. See our full return policy for the fine print.
Can you find me a specific title, region, or grade?
Yes. We hunt for holy-grail titles, specific label variants (Not For Resale promos, Nintendo Power mail-order copies, Rev A vs Rev B board variants), and sealed or graded copies of anything you are chasing. Email info@keepitclassiclv.com with the title, the region, and the grade you want. No deposit, no obligation. We pull from our intake and our network and send you what we find before it goes in the case.
How do I tell if a retro game cartridge is an original or a reproduction?
Five checks. First, the label: originals use screen-printed inks that feel flat and matte; repros often print on glossy inkjet or laser stock that catches light. Second, the screws: Nintendo cartridges use 3.8mm security bit screws; Phillips-head screws on a NES or SNES cart mean it has been opened. Third, the back label: original carts show a Nintendo serial number pattern (N-USA, USA-NES-, SNS-). Fourth, the board: open it only if you own a 3.8mm bit, and look for a mask ROM with a Nintendo-licensed chip stamp versus a generic flash chip. Fifth, the weight: original Genesis and SNES carts are heavier than most repros. Every cart we sell is tested and boxed where applicable, and the listing calls out label condition, board integrity, and tested status.
Still have a question?
Reach the floor directly. We answer every email and pick up during open hours.
