Seller concern

[Guest]

[rns91294]

I just won a DS game for my husband's birthday on eBay. The seller is in Hong Kong. He had good feedback. I started to get nervous about the great price I got, so I emailed some other buyers to find out if he was legit. He is. However, two days after winning and paying, he is suddenly no longer regisrered and has bad feedback. Turns out his games do not play on the new DSi. I thought all DS games were supposed to play on the DSi, but I thought nothing of it when his auction stated that they do not. So anyway, I emaild the seller and he says "Sorry, I have send game. Please wait". To me, this means the game is on its way, but 5 minutes later, I get an email from Paypal that my money has been refunded, even if it is on temp hold. So, should I assume the game is NOT coming and buy another one just in case it doesn't show up? And if it does show up, So I will have two of the same game, but only have paid for one.

[Roz]

How many days have you got til Mr RNS' birthday?

I've not heard of any problems with games not running on the DSi - are you sure it's an official game? A friend of mine would hit me for casting aspersions of the game based on the source

I think I'm going to Hong Kong in early June...apparently it's a rather hot time of year (Christmas is the best time to go I'm told), not that this helps you of course, unless I can learn fluent Cantonese in a month I daresay I'd have no chance of finding him.

[rns91294]

lol.

I am concerned about it being "official" as well. However, the two people I emailed that won items from him said they appeared to be official. One even ordered more games from him after her first experience with him. Then, bad feedback came in (after I wont he auction) about people complaining they are fake because they do not run on the DSi. Of course, all his auctions stated they were not compatible with the DSi, which makes no sense to me. Shame I didn't think of it ahead of time. I would hate to give Ryan a fake item, but if I get it and it is sealed, how would I know? Here is his feedback:

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=gameshopwang168&ftab=AllFeedback

Most of his buyers are from the UK.

Of course, now that I have been refunded, a part of me wants to just go buy the game from a local store for $35 now. I guess I could wait two weeks and see if it arrives first and see how it looks and then decide. This eperience almost makes me never want to buy a game on eBay again.

BTW, his b-day is May 30th.

Also, does it state somewhere on a DS box what format a game is in. His auction stated it was the North America format, but I know a lot of his games were UK format. I am curious if and when it arrives if there is a way to tell what format it is in without actually opening it, so I know if money in the game will be in US dollars or GBP.

[Roz]

'Back in the day' (erm, embarrassingly that's about the early to mid 90's) a 'squashed' Nintendo logo would imply it was American....lol, sorry, it's the gold seal saying 'official Nintendo' which in the UK was circular, but in the US was oblong.

Of course it should say 'Nintendo of Japan', 'Nintendo of Europe' or 'Nintendo of America' on it to imply the location of origin - this very afternoon I've been beholding a Nintendo of Japan Nintendo Gameboy Micro and the packaging and quality of the items is sublime compared with the US/Eur versions

Let me have a look at some of our more recent ones and get back to you

[Roz]

Hmm, OK, our DS lites came from Japan and these Japanese boxes don't have that star/sun 'seal' on them.

When the game arrives, why not post some scans so we can mull it over?

**EDIT**

Oh hang on - an ENGLISH DSi - this is quite different... there is some localisation for the DSi - I had already heard that the 'eshop' and game download section wouldn't work in the UK if you had a Japanese DSi... maybe we are worrying too soon, it may be nothing to do with 'official' games at all.

Keep your $35 in your pocket for a week or two and see how this plays out, you can always re-pay the seller if it all goes well

[rns91294]

Oh hang on - an ENGLISH DSi - this is quite different... there is some localisation for the DSi - I had already heard that the 'eshop' and game download section wouldn't work in the UK if you had a Japanese DSi... maybe we are worrying too soon, it may be nothing to do with 'official' games at all.

Ah, so you read his feedback then. This statement had me a bit confused as well. How many different DSi's are there? So basically, you are saying that the game could be legit, but not work on an "English DSi" due to some odd reason? Basically, it is true that DS games are really not working in some of the new DSi's? That would make me feel much better. I do not have a DSi, but still want the game to be legit. I mean, as you can see, the rest of his feedback looks great! I would think if his games were not "official", he would have had much more bad feedback, don't you think?

I would be more than happy to take some pictures and post them, bit since hubby is on our photobucket a lot, I would be afraid he would see the pictures on there... Wit that said, I have been looking all over for a DS game case to see what they say on them. Can't find one anywhere (no idea where hubby put them). I checked with someone else who has them and they have the oblonged shape on them. However, the game catridges are with our DS's. Our DS boxes have the oblonged seal on them and the catridges say at the bottom of them (below the game picture) NTS-'4 more letter'-USA. What do yours say?

And to think, with the refund, the game may not even be on its way. I find it odd he told me he sent it, but then refunded me minutes later....

PS. Roz, I had a feeling you would be the one able to help me with this. It is GTA: ChinaTown Wars that I bought. I think it has WiFi...if it does, and you have it...maybe we should get together...after we revisit our Animal Crossing Worlds that it .

[rns91294]

Also, if it comes to me with a circular "seal", it is most likely the Europe version and I should not be concerned, right? I know you said your DS box doesn't have the seal, but what about the games?

My DS lite is from China, the American version, and does have the seal (oblonged) on the box for the actual game system.

[Roz]

OOOOOOOhhhhhhhh so you both have DSes now? This is a super turn up for the books... so there's the possibility of some 4 player goodness on the horizon perhaps

Are you guys buying DSi? If the Japanese/Asian version would have worked here I probably would have bought it upon release, but as it didn't I hung back. Now it has been released here I'm hanging back, partly because I ought to be buying bookcases not games consoles but also because until there's a game that uses the features of the DSi I won't really take advantage of it (I'm not too blown away by a poor camera), but the new slim form factor and the SD slot is intriguing.

I'm sure that you are only considering future compatibility of games, but if you don't buy a DSi then it isn't much to worry about...

Yes, if it had a circular seal it would be a European version and the only thing to worry about is the astonishing weight of the manual (they see fit to send every European the instructions in every European language... go on, tell me when you last LOOKED at the instructions... exactly!).

I've imported Japanese games before (I'm thinking Phoenix Wright in particular here - cracking games, you must try!) and again, no difficulties except having to change the language to English (check this is available first) but it's all very easy, and there's plenty of help on the net. Don't bite your nails just yet, let the story play out a bit.

When the game arrives, if you do get the chance to scan, send me the pics and I'll post them to my photobucket if it helps

I haven't got GTA Chinatown Wars, but if you're going to get it, I'll find a copy post haste and join in the fun (I'll warn you I haven't played GTA games and I'm not a great game player, but I'll give it a go ).

I've looked through my book case and it seems I'm not much of a serial importer of games these days, but my DS Game & Watch game from 'Club Nintendo' in Japan (like the Nintendo VIP scheme we have) also doesn't have the seal, so clearly in the East the seal is not the right thing to be looking for... how confusing

[rns91294]

Actually, we now have two DS lites (the Crimson and the Cobalt) and have sold our original DS. Yes, some 4 player games are on the horizon indeed No plans for the DSi

So, I am confused...the DSi in the UK is the Japanese version that does not play the DS games? Why were there problems, and are they fixed now? As the person in the feedback stated that the "English" version would not play the games, which you say is really the Japanese version, right? Do I make any sense? I just don't understand why they would not work in the DSi.

I haven't even seen the DSi yet, but you are right, future compatibility could be important if I ever decide to get oe. As of right now, no interest. I just hope when they make DSi games that they still work in the DS lite. I guess I was more concerned that if his games do not work in a DSi altogether, something can't be right....right?

Now I hope it is a European version (if I get it). I NEED to see this manual. I could care less if the money in the game is in GBP. I think that might be kind of neat actually. Hmmm, I last looked at the instructions.....okay, you got me.

If he states it is the English version (which the description did), it should be in English. The format he noted was North America, so I do not know if tis will be the US or European version just yet. Again, if it arrives.

I can without a doubt send you scans to save to your photobucket so I can delete them right away. I do not go back to work from materity leave until May 27th, so I can do this during the day while he is at work. Sneaky, I like it

Yup, that is the game I am getting, whether it be the one from eBay or one for $35 at the store. I think you might rather like the game,just be prepared for some heavy language use.

So, your game cases do not have the seal on them at all? Interesting....How about the game catridges themselves, what do they say under the picture, as mine actually has some letters and then USA on it.

I hope the game still comes, but I am starting to be concerned since I have also received a refund. Why would he refund me if he really sent the game?