Hey fellow game nerds, 

I recently came across a copy of "Ninja Spirit" at a local game store for under $20 so I snatched it up lightning fast,

I have the TG16 version, and it clearly plays similar to that copy, just with Gameboy graphics,

The Odd thing is, the Art work on the Cart face looks like it was just a picture with a "Ninja Spirit" purple title Label pasted on after the artwork was attached, (I will add a picture later so you all can see what I mean)

But for now, I cannot seem to find more info on this?  Wiki says that it was only released in Japan, and not under "Ninja Spirit" but a Japanese title??  (the game plays completely in English tho?)

I see that there is 1 for sale on Ebay, but cannot find more info on this title?? 

Do I have a US release copy?  a Pirate copy?  a Japanese copy?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Looks like a Japanese copy with the text on the label. It is definitely not a USA version... USA versions have oval seals while foreign have the circle seal as pictured in the bottom right.

However, I believe Gameboy games are not region exclusive, so it probably plays on any console. From a collecting standpoint though, not a USA release.

Couldn't it be a Hong kong version? I just assume this as circle seals are european style and Hong Kong was a british colony. Then there is the
DMG-108CHN (CHN -> maybe China). This would also explain the english and chinese mixed cartridge text as Hong Kong was multilingual in all aspects of life.

Just some assumptions.

I'm confused, a legit GB game from Nintendo shouldn't have a glop top on it mixed with real chips. CHN is Chinese but it's odd seeing the other parts and the label in mostly english. I'm thinking this could be some really weirdo pirate bootleg, or as people here call them reproductions where someone took another existing MBC1 chipped title, put the Ninja Spirit data onto the spot with the glop top covering it bypassing the original game if not just totally removed it from the board. From there they worked up a fairly legit looking label and then well there you have it in the picture.

Also nothing pops up searching sources for DMG-108CHN or variants/region changes (DMG-108-CHN, -EUR, -US and without the - or just DMG-108.)  It's looking like a fraud to me.

Agree with the pervious two post, CHN is Hong Kong region. But the board looks different from other gameboy boards, it could be a bootleg copy.

LOL that was funny, thanks mod

This is a legit original GameBoy release from China.
I couldn´t find much about these releases - but here´s you´r cart in original condition:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/1813179934...

It seems someone just covered the chinese title to make it more attractive for western buyers.

However. It is not a pirate/bootleg. Offical Nintendo release.

If you/anyone else wonna sell it or other CHN/Hong Kong Gameboy releases - please let me know.

I've seen another game with this PCB and it's Bomber Boy, aka Atomic Punk (US).
- source

These are legitimate releases, the issue with opening post cartridge is the English Ninja Spirit label that is affixed over the original "最後の忍道". This in itself could be a variant but given how little information is available on official Chinese releases it's hard to say with confidence.

Chinese Game Boy games article - http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net...

Also, what's wrong with official games having COB blobs? It's cheaper and would make sense for the MSRP for Mainland China and Hong Kong being reduced. Starfox on SNES had it as well, so I don't see much issue pardon aesthetics.