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Pirated gear I found on Argos

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Awesome Panda:
Fairly recently (by which I mean when I saw this review of the N-Joypad) Argos, a retailer based in the UK, distribute some pirated stuffs (sic) in their stores. Incicentally, that's where I got that Cyber Arcade Centre thing (or CAC if you prefer because that's what is :lol: ) from, which like I mentioned before (including a couple of updates to my last post which you might not have read) had a few ripped off games as well as the Pitfall II theme. I'll just put up a list of this stuff I found on their website and eBay account.

Zone 40 Wireless Gaming Console - The Zone 40 is quite obviously a 16-bit console that blatantly rips off the Wii with its motion control and general design. In the video I've linked to, you'll notice that some of the games are rip offs of 8-bit games, namely The Mouse & The Cat which is an obvious ripoff of Pac-Man, Bomberman which is a clone of... you know, and Bee Fighting which is an obvious clone of Galaga. Some of the games are also ports of 8-bit Trump Grand games, such as Hitting Mice and Baseball. Also, it's worth pointing out that Daniel in the Bowling game is actually Wallace Breen from Half Life 2. :lol:

Sega Megadrive LCD portable thing - TBH, I'm not sure if this is pirated or not seeing as Sega like whoring their stuff out these days (in fact, I think there's even another version of the Zone 40 with Sega's branding) but I'll point it out here anyways. One of those handheld Mega Drives (or Geneses (sic?) if you're American) you can find in numerous places nowadays. Several of these things are present on Argos' website, including one on sale for £13. (which is about $20, I think)

From eBay,

64-in-1 Plug & Play TV Game - This one I'm intrigued about, mainly because Argos really don't give the game away with their description. As I found out on AliBaba, this thing merely contains the same old Trump Grand games we've all grown to detest. Incidentally, that one is distributed by Tai Kee Industry Co. LTD., and looking at their account they seem to distribute (and possibly make) more of these clones. Should probably make a seperate topic about them, but I'm too lazy to.
Argos' bad attempt to look cool Rock on.[/quote]

codeman38:
The AtGames thing is officially licensed by Sega, if I recall. However, it has some horrible audio pitch issues from the NTSC/PAL conversion, from what I remember seeing in one playthrough video.

Edit: Oh, yeah, and it's been mentioned here before, but it totally bears repeating... The copyright registration numbers on the Zone 40? Waixing.

Barver:
That Zone 40 thing is in every thrift shop over here in the US. I was actually surprised such a blatant rip-off of the Wii would be in such a public establishment, not used to seeing that kinda stuff over here. Famiclone controllers though, there's always a stand in the mall with those things :) Genesis portables seem to be coming out left and right, yet none get the sound right. It's not due to NTSC/PAL conversion, but rather they just can't replicate the hardware correctly from what I've read. Using cheaper chips at different clock speeds or something and lots of tech stuff I don't understand. A PSP would be a MUCH better investment!

BTW, anyone know if Zone 40 is some sort of localization of that Chinese thing called Vii? That's what I assumed

Awesome Panda:
codeman38Oct 21 2010, 09:41:38 PMThe AtGames thing is officially licensed by Sega, if I recall. However, it has some horrible audio pitch issues from the NTSC/PAL conversion, from what I remember seeing in one playthrough video.

Edit: Oh, yeah, and it's been mentioned here before, but it totally bears repeating... The copyright registration numbers on the Zone 40? Waixing.[/quote]Barver That Zone 40 thing is in every thrift shop over here in the US. I was actually surprised such a blatant rip-off of the Wii would be in such a public establishment, not used to seeing that kinda stuff over here. Famiclone controllers though, there's always a stand in the mall with those things :) Genesis portables seem to be coming out left and right, yet none get the sound right. It's not due to NTSC/PAL conversion, but rather they just can't replicate the hardware correctly from what I've read. Using cheaper chips at different clock speeds or something and lots of tech stuff I don't understand. A PSP would be a MUCH better investment!

BTW, anyone know if Zone 40 is some sort of localization of that Chinese thing called Vii? That's what I assumed [/quote]

Odd, I never noticed any of those audio pitch issues when I had my Mega Drive, (although that was a rather long time ago) must be poor emulation more than anything. I think Barver is right about the hardware, because after all, a lot of these companies are cheap like that. I would get a PSP, but I'm far too poor and lazy to get one. :P BTW, Sega themselves have done poor sound emulation before; cases in point being the Sega Smash Pack on the Dreamcast and Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis on the GBA. I think this and the Zone Sega go to show how much they're willing to whore themselves out for money these days, the video game equivalent of a prostitute if I dare say it. :P

As for the Zone 40 itself, I noticed those copyright dates long before (not to mention the stolen stuff in the games) and of course, the games are by Trump Grand. I think it's been said before, but presumably they and Waixing are either the same entity or different companies with close ties given that their 8-bit games have the same style for the copyright dates. Incidentally, it isn't a localisation of the Vii as that console has different games and such, and they don't seem to be by Trump Grand as far as I can tell.

codeman38:
If I recall, the 16-bit version of the Vii was developed by JungleTac. However, there's also an 8-bit Vii that does use the Waixing/Trump Grand games.

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