How to spot a fake Nintendo console

Top tips on how to spot a fake games console

Christmas shoppers are being warned not to buy fake games consoles, because they could cause injuries.

But it can be really hard to tell the fake Nintendo DS and DS Lites, from the real thing.

A huge clue is the price, fakes are usually a lot cheaper than the genuine article.

But there are other things to look out for as you can see below:

Don't forget some consoles are sold secondhand after being refurbished and then might be in a different box or not have the charger, but they won't be sold as new

The box

Fakes usually don't come with all the proper information and accessories, so they often come in SMALLER boxes.

Check out the two boxes in the picture.

The pinkish one at the top is the real thing, while the smaller blue box is a fake.

Contents

There should be LOADS of stuff inside the box, including the power adapters and information booklets.

The picture shows all the things that come with the genuine article.

But if the power charger wasn't inside the box, but came in a seperate envelope, it's probably a fake.

Information

Check out the information booklet that came with the console.

If it looks like the leaflet on the left - it's a fake.

Real Nintendo consoles come with information booklets like the ones on the right.

Power charger

Check the power charger VERY carefully.

The safety logo should be part of the plastic.

If it's just a sticker then it's a fake - and could be dangerous.

Console

Turn the console over. Again the safety logo should be marked into the plastic, like the pink console on the right.

If it's just a sticker like the black console, then it's a fake.