Not my auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/251243407618? I first heard about this on Atari Age forum. There's been discussion about this and a few things stand out such as glued shut cart shell and covered EPROM windows. Anyway to tell from the auction if it's likely real or if seller is looking for sucker for easy $40 grand?
The funniest thing about that cart is that it reads "Duck Hunt" on the label. I find it doubtful that a legit proto would be put inside a retail cart, but who knows. This is the image I'm referring to: http://i.ebayimg.com/t/NES-Tengen-Tetris-Prototype-Licensed-by-Nintendo-One-of-a-Kind-10-OFF-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$T2eC16VHJHoE9n3Ke5nWBQZLt0TU!w~~60_57.JPG
Why would you assume that? If I were making up a prototype cart, I would use the cheapest, most common game I could find as a donor. A lot of prototype carts have donor shells, though companies often strip the label off. That said, this Tengen Tetris prototype has a long history, and is 100% legit.
Look at it inside that case, hiding from us. What a tease. Hope whoever wins it cracks it open so we can have a look at the board!
I started the thread on atariage. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/212199-nes-tengen-tetris/ I saw the other owc fake cart thing and then saw this. I would never pay 40 grand for anything like this. Maybe a house or a new car would fit the bill. But not a game that is so old and can't be verified. Even a regular duck hunt is not worth it no matter how bad I wanted to play it. Over 40 grand is a waste no matter how rare. But since I wasn't sure of the authenticity I need some opinions. Or at the very least to warn others of the possible scam.
$65? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tetris-Teng...700&pid=100005&prg=1088&rk=2&sd=251243407618& When did the price for Tengen Tetris drop from your soul and first born to $65?
When the demand dried up. I remember seeing them go for $400+ early on and I was tickled pink when I bought my copy for only $3. From FuncoLand who weren't supposed to sell any Tengen Tetris at all.
Nobody who collects prototypes thinks this is fake or a scam. The history of this particular prototype is well known and there is no doubt of its authenticity. Of course, this is not worth $40,000, not even the seller thinks this. Putting up a rare thing for a high BIN is a common practice. It generates attention (look here, there is a thread!), and people with lots of money and are interested in prototypes will submit offers. It is also a way for collectors to show off there stuff to a large audience, and to gauge what people might be willing to pay for it. I also don't advocate ripping apart this cart just to see the PCB. The cardboard over the EPROMs is most likely glued on, and you probably would damage it.
It is not uncommon for such things to be done. A company will send the prototype to a video game magazine, and the magazine is supposed to send it back. If the case has been tampered with, they know they tried to dump it, and they could call the cops. It is not uncommon to find SNES prototypes with cellophane wrapped around them, with a similar goal. For instance, this prototype of Pirates of Dark Water. This Tetris prototype is legit, and in fact another person owns a prototype with an identical build (see discussion here).
Good thing I don't own a hat then. I understand the method behind it. But the glue looks nowhere near as aged as the label. IMO.
