Kizuna Encounter

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
Hello everyone, I need some help in identifying the two Kizuna Encounters I got from a friend.

My friend got both cartridges 6-7 years ago. Now I am wondering if both are bootlegs. Would appreciate all your help.

I have not opened the cartridges to check the boards - I don't feel to confident about opening and closing it again.

Number 1
 

Attachments

  • img_1526.jpg
    img_1526.jpg
    323.1 KB · Views: 249
  • img_1527.jpg
    img_1527.jpg
    332.7 KB · Views: 249
  • img_1528.jpg
    img_1528.jpg
    292.7 KB · Views: 252
  • img_1530.jpg
    img_1530.jpg
    353 KB · Views: 249
  • img_1531.jpg
    img_1531.jpg
    461.6 KB · Views: 250
  • img_1532.jpg
    img_1532.jpg
    338.9 KB · Views: 244

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
Number 2
 

Attachments

  • img_1533.jpg
    img_1533.jpg
    305 KB · Views: 242
  • img_1534.jpg
    img_1534.jpg
    367.1 KB · Views: 243
  • img_1535.jpg
    img_1535.jpg
    261.2 KB · Views: 244

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,813
Seeing how kizuna encounter aes exists in Japanese packaging, there's no point in opening your copies to check the boards. It's easy enough to buy a couple Japanese aes carts and print English packaging for them, especially seeing how expensive English kizuna encounter is.

What you need to do is inspect the print quality of the insert, manual and cartridge label. The quality should be sharp, no fuzziness along solid edges. Also, check existing pictures of kizuna encounter USA AES, see if the cartridge label artwork differs on your copies.

Having said that, I can tell you Number 2 is fake just going by the soft case sized insert, the white line across the top and the horrible label.
 
Last edited:

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
Thanks for the reply. I also assumed that number 2 is a bootleg.

Regarding number 1: Sadly both don't have manuals anymore. But while comparing to other KE pictures, I noted that the sticker on the cartridge has the trademark and "Made in Japan" on the right side. But on pictures from neo-geo.com (googled), the trademark is in the middle (below KE name).

Is that any indication?
 

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,813
Yeah, I notice there's inconsistencies with the front cover on number 1 when compared to the neo-geo.com cart pic.

kizuna.jpg


Seeing how there's no manual, the odds of your cart actually being real is extremely low. What you should do is take a magnifying glass and look over solid colored edges, compare with an original AES game. You should notice very quickly if your Kizuna has fuzzy edges. Real offset printing is extremely crisp, even with the smallest of details. Lesser printing ruins fine detail.

This is just me, but I'd re-use those Kizuna Encounters for unreleased games (Ironclad, Bang Bang Busters etc), or perhaps restoring original games if you're feeling humanitarian (neotarian?). By that I mean obtain a couple salvaged rom sets and matching AES artwork from conversion harvesting. eBay has tons of art set listings, some even include the label. Maybe restore a Fatal Fury 3 and Samurai Shodown 3.
 

andsuchisdeath

General Morden's Aide
20 Year Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2003
Posts
7,576
The inserts and stickers on both carts have to be fake...

You might as well open them up to see if either cart contains legit Super Tag Battle boards.

You'll have more to gain than to lose.
 
Last edited:

StevenK

ng.com SFII tournament winner 2002-2023
10 Year Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Posts
10,084
How much did you give your friend for these?
 

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
How much did you give your friend for these?

None, sadly my friend died and we his friends inherited tons of games from him. Most are already sold (even had two Elemental Gearbolt Assassins Cases).

Well, probably gonna sell both KE for around 300$ each.
 

StevenK

ng.com SFII tournament winner 2002-2023
10 Year Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Posts
10,084
You're going to sell it for $300 before you know if it's real or not, or real but Japanese, or an MVS conversion, or a boot, or whatever?

If you're going to do that, fuck it, rip it open and have a look.
 

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,813
$300 each? That's a laugh. You need to get those carts open and check for actual Kizuna Encounter ROMs. Actually, Kizuna should be a mix of Savage Reign and Kizuna Encounter ROMs, so you'll see two different NGH numbers on the chips (NGH-059 and NGH-216 respectively).

If either of those carts is full of EPROMs, like I said, it's better off being recycled for something more respectable, like unreleased games or restoring an original AES art set like KOF 95, FF3, SS3 and such.
 

Tripredacus

Three 6 Mafia
10 Year Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Posts
5,465
The last thing you want is to sell these for $300, then the guy who buys them finds out they are boots and posts on this forum about them.
 

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
$300 each? That's a laugh. You need to get those carts open and check for actual Kizuna Encounter ROMs. Actually, Kizuna should be a mix of Savage Reign and Kizuna Encounter ROMs, so you'll see two different NGH numbers on the chips (NGH-059 and NGH-216 respectively).

If either of those carts is full of EPROMs, like I said, it's better off being recycled for something more respectable, like unreleased games or restoring an original AES art set like KOF 95, FF3, SS3 and such.

Well, I am totally noob about such stuff. I got them for free and if I try to open them now and the cartridge will be damaged or break, I won't be able to sell them later on. And regarding recycling them, I am not really intending to keep all his stuff we inherited.

Or is there a failproof method to open and closing the cartridge again?
 

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,813
Well, I am totally noob about such stuff. I got them for free and if I try to open them now and the cartridge will be damaged or break, I won't be able to sell them later on. And regarding recycling them, I am not really intending to keep all his stuff we inherited.

Or is there a failproof method to open and closing the cartridge again?

You got them for free and are planning to sell them for an insane markup. All we need now is Shroom calling you a stupid fuck.

There's been many threads around here about opening AES carts. jamma-nation-x.com has visuals showing you where all the clips are holding the cartridge together. One at the top right under the end label, four on the upper and lower sides then two along the bottom parallel to the edge connectors. You start at the bottom, easing opening the two bottom corners of the cart, then you just press two upper clips to get them open. This all assumes the two center posts aren't glued.

You'd honestly be better off doing a giveaway, it might save your already shaky noob status. Look over at Neo Selling, if you can still see the marketplace. Lots of giveaways going on.
 

StevenK

ng.com SFII tournament winner 2002-2023
10 Year Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Posts
10,084
Wonder how many offers he's had pm'd during this. If he has pm yet that is I guess.
 

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
So, thanks to jamma nation I was able to open the ridge without damaging anything.

These are pictures from number 1.
 

Attachments

  • img_1537.jpg
    img_1537.jpg
    351.3 KB · Views: 198
  • img_1538.jpg
    img_1538.jpg
    334.1 KB · Views: 197
  • img_1539.jpg
    img_1539.jpg
    369.4 KB · Views: 197
  • img_1540.jpg
    img_1540.jpg
    319.3 KB · Views: 198

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,813
Good, at least it has real Kizuna/savage reign Roms. Now flip the boards over and snap pics of the soldering. If all the Roms look hand soldered, it's an mvs conversion.
 

egg_sanwich

Windjammers Wonder
10 Year Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Posts
1,379
Could be legit Japanese kizuna boards. That would be best possible outcome at this point
 

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
Backside of the roms.
 

Attachments

  • img_1541.jpg
    img_1541.jpg
    279.4 KB · Views: 154
  • img_1542.jpg
    img_1542.jpg
    332.6 KB · Views: 150

RyoGeo

Global Moderator, Voice of Reason, Member #13
Joined
Aug 14, 2000
Posts
2,495
Looks to be a hand soldered conversion, using authentic chips from an MVS cart.
 

quotie

n00b
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Posts
11
Conversions.

So, no need to make a free giveaway? The potential buyer was already assuming that it was reproduction or something like that (he knew the previous owner of these Kizunas, basically a friend of a friend lol).
 
Top