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- For the Nintendo DS accessories, click here.
- For the NTR-005 cartridges, click here.
- For other Nintendo DS cartridges, click here.
This is an in-depth guide dedicated to both legitimate and fake Nintendo DS NTR-031 cartridges. We have made this wiki entry as clear and accessible to all as we can. In order to keep this as tidy as possible, we've included collapsible tables. Simply tap (click here to expand) to see further, in-depth information.
Contents
Carts:
There are multiple ways to determine a fake NTR-031 DS game. We have a numbered list of what to look for to determine the legitimacy of a cart.
- No. 1-4: Gen 1 NTR-005 HeartGold Fake
- No. 5: Relabeled Active Health to HeartGold
- No. 6: Gen 3 NTR-031 SoulSilver Fake
- No. 7: Gen 3.5 NTR-031 White 2 Fake
Explanations and Comparisons (click here to expand)
| No. | Fake | Legit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colour of the cartridge is grey. | Colour of the cartridge should be crimson (dark red), and slightly translucent (although the translucency is not to be used for a verification). |
| 2 | Cartridge type is NTR-005. NTR-ASMP-USA. | Cartridge type should be NTR-031. |
| 3 | DB as the batch indentifier, in the wrong font. | DA, DI, and DJ are the only batch indentifiers used for NTR-031 cartridges.. |
| 4 | PCB code on right states GS9-01. | Legitimate cartridges follow this format: IRx0x. This means IRC01, IRC02, IRU01 and IRU02 are legitimate cartridges. |
| 5 | Stamped code does not match. | IA8P relates to Active Health, not HeartGold which uses IPKP. This is an example of a relabeled cartridge. |
| 6 | Texture is more defined. | The texture of the cartridge should be shallower, almost flat. |
| 7 | Kerning and font incorrect. | The kerning should be similar to the relabeled cart on bottom left. Font can be different. |
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| Gen 1 fake HeartGold top left. Relabeled Active Health as HeartGold top right. Gen 3 fake SoulSilver bottom left. Gen 3.5 fake White 2 bottom right. |
PCB Fonts and Kerning
With the release of the Gen 3.5 fakes in 2026, this has made 2x verification methods nearly obsolete:
- PCB Batch Identifiers (Left)
- PCB Variants (Right)
Luckily, these new gen fakes have a tell. Font and Kerning. Now, the kerning is the spacing between two characters; it's the difference between FLICK looking like FUCK. Font is pretty self-explanatory.With legitimate NTR-031 cartridges, the font can be one of two different types:
- For IRC boards, these are squared off. See No. 1.
- For IRU boards, these are bolder, more rounder. See No. 2.
Now, if your PCB's do not match the green outlined fonts and kerning, you've got a fake. Yes, the casing teeth guards are in the way oscuring some details, this is normal and this doesn't affect the verification of a cartridge. The PCB can also shift, making the batch or PCB variant look slightly different (M8 to 13, DB to DE for example).
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Counterfeit Generations
As you will have seen in the previous sections, we separate down counterfeit NTR-031 cartridges into different generations, or "gens". This makes it easier to track the improvement of fakes over any given time. We're currently on Gen 3.5 of fakes being in the market.
| Generation | Cart Type | Year Introduced on Market |
Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| R4 | N/A | 2011 | R4-style cart, red PCB. |
| Gen 1 | NTR-005 | 2014 | Rounded NTR-005 debossings on grey counterfeit cartridges. |
| Gen 2 | NTR-005 | 2017 | Squared font for debossings, close to 1:1 OEM (for NTR-005 carts) |
| Gen 2.5 | NTR-031 | 2019 | Grey cartridge casing, NTR-031 debossing added. Ink stamp close to 1:1 OEM. |
| Relabels | NTR-031 | 2021 | Cheaper NTR-031 cartridge (Active Health or Personal Trainer: Walking) with one of 6x Pokemon IR titles. |
| Gen 3 | NTR-031 | 2023 | Translucent crimson casing used, thicker cartridge than legitimate carts |
| Gen 3.5 | NTR-031 | 2026 | PCB variant changed to IRC02-01, batch variant as DI, matching legitimate cartridges. |
The Light Trick (not a verification method)
In direct light, the NTR-031 carts give a slight crimson tint as the cart is translucent. This is used for the IR capabilities of the Pokewalker and Activity Meters. In comparison, NTR-005 carts are grey or white.
These were harder to fake due to the bespoke IR components on the PCB, and the translucency of the cartridges, however this is no longer the case and has been for some time.
- Prior to 2021, counterfeits of these cartridges were common in the "R4" guise. That's basically a flashcart with concave edges to signify the differing cartridges.
- From 2021 to May 2023, it was very common to be hit by a relabel scam. Unscrupulous sellers would remove a label of Walk With Me/Active Health, and tack a third-party label for a Gen 4 or Gen 5 mainline Pokemon game.
- In May 2023, we were made aware of gen 3 NTR-031 counterfeits. These cartridges have translucent casings, and were closer to legitimate NTR-031 cartridges than ever before until the advent of the Gen 3.5 carts. These cartridges are slightly thicker than the legitimate NTR-031 cartridges (3.76mm versus the legit 3.64mm thickness), and the texture of the cartridge back is rougher.
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| Example of the "light trick" using a relabeled HeartGold. Not a verification method as a result. Backside of same cartridge, code relating to Active Health. |
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| Example of the "light trick" using a new-gen counterfeit SoulSilver. Not a verification method as a result. |
As a result, we can't and should NEVER use this method for a verification anymore.
List of NTR-031 Carts
Contrary to popular belief, there are 8 known NTR-031 cartridges, not 6.
As Pokemon is one of the most popular franchises of all time, most people are only aware of the Gen 4 (HeartGold and SoulSilver) & 5 (Black, White, Black 2 and White 2) Pokemon titles using the NTR-031 cartridges.
- NTSC/JP audiences have had only 7 of these carts.
- PAL audiences had all 8 available. Active Health with Carol Vorderman was PAL's exclusive NTR-031 cart.
We'll also supply the serial codes to ensure you have a legitimate cart, NTSC/J and PAL separated due to space constraints.
NTSC and NTSC-J (click here to expand)
| Cart | Canada | Japan | Korea | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Trainer: Walking | - |  |
- |  |
| Pokemon Black | - |  |
TWL-IRBK-KOR |  |
| Pokemon Black 2 | - |  |
TWL-IREK-KOR |  |
| Pokemon HeartGold |  |
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NTR-IPKK-KOR |  |
| Pokemon SoulSilver |  |
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| Pokemon White | - |  |
TWL-IRAK-KOR |  |
| Pokemon White 2 | - |  |
TWL-IRDK-KOR |  |
PAL (click here to expand)
| Cart | Australia | EU | France | Germany | Italy | Spain | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Health | - | - | - | - | - | - |  |
| Pokemon Black | TWL-IRBO-AUS |  |
TWL-IRBF-FRA | TWL-IRBD-NOE | TWL-IRBI-ITA | TWL-IRBS-ESP | - |
| Pokemon Black 2 | TWL-IREO-AUS | TWL-IREO-EUR | TWL-IREF-FRA | TWL-IRED-NOE | TWL-IREI-ITA | TWL-IRES-ESP | - |
| Pokemon HeartGold | NTR-IPKE-AUS |  |
NTR-IPKF-FRA | NTR-IPKD-NOE | NTR-IPKI-ITA | NTR-IPKS-ESP | - |
| Pokemon SoulSilver | NTR-IPGE-AUS |  |
NTR-IPGF-FRA | NTR-IPGD-NOE | NTR-IPGI-ITA | NTR-IPGS-ESP | - |
| Pokemon White | TWL-IRAO-AUS |  |
TWL-IRAF-FRA | TWL-IRAD-NOE | TWL-IRAI-ITA | TWL-IRAS-ESP | - |
| Pokemon White 2 | TWL-IRDO-AUS |  |
TWL-IRDF-FRA | TWL-IRDD-NOE | TWL-IRDI-ITA | TWL-IRDS-ESP | - |
| Walk With Me | - |  |
- | - | - | - | - |
Supplemental Information
- "AUS/US"" on the table below covers the Australian and US territories, due to space constraints.
- Tables split due to space constraints, European region being the only constant.
| AUS/US | EU | Canada | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Active Health with Carol Vorderman |
- | - |
| Black | Black | - | ブラック |
| Black 2 | Black 2 | - | ブラック2 |
| HeartGold | HeartGold | Or | ハートゴールド |
| Personal Trainer: Walking | Walk With Me: Do You Know Your Walking Routine? |
- | Aruite Wakaru Seikatsu Rhythm DS |
| SoulSilver | SoulSilver | Argent | ソウルシルバ |
| White | White | - | ホワイト |
| White 2 | White 2 | - | ホワイト2 |
| EU | France | Germany | Italy | Spain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Noire | Schwarze | Nera | Negra |
| Black 2 | Noire 2 | Schwarze 2 | Nera 2 | Negra 2 |
| HeartGold | Or | Goldene | Oro | Oro |
| SoulSilver | Argent | Silberne | Argento | Plata |
| White | Blanche | Weisse | Bianca | Blanca |
| White 2 | Blanche 2 | Weisse 2 | Bianca 2 | Blanca 2 |
Credits
- Thanks to u/Calebrityy for images of the USA Pokemon Black and HeartGold.
- Thanks to Mat2 for images of the JP Pokemon Black, Black 2, White and White 2.
- Thanks to u/Lauraaaa1 for images of the EU Pokemon HeartGold.
- Written by a møøse from England, a wombat from Texas, and a pangolin from Denmark.