Assessing Minor Flaws Before Submitting Sealed Games for Grading

Most collectors assume a factory seal is a magic shield that freezes a game in time at a perfect 10.0 grade. It isn't. In reality, the shrink wrap is just a thin layer of plastic that often hides structural failures or actually causes them through decades of tension. This guide breaks down how to scrutinize the tiny flaws—corner dings, seal splits, and ink loss—that separate a common sealed copy from a museum-grade investment. Understanding these nuances matters because the price gap between an 8.5 and a 9.4 can be thousands of dollars, and you don't want to be the one overpaying for a copy that won't hold its value under the bright lights of a grading lab.

Before you even think about sending a game to a service like Wata Games, you need a high-intensity lamp and a magnifying glass. Standard room lighting is too soft; it hides the micro-scratches on the plastic and the subtle 'veining' on the box underneath. Start by looking at the seal itself. Factory seals aren't always smooth. You'll see vent holes (tiny, uniform pinpricks designed to let air escape during the heat-shrink process) and seam lines. These aren't defects—they're proof of authenticity. However, if those seams are starting to pull apart at the corners, you've got a problem. A 'seal split' is a major deduction. Even a two-millimeter gap where the plastic has pulled away from the box can drop a grade from an A++ to a B or lower. It's often caused by the plastic becoming brittle over time or by poor storage in dry environments (a common issue here in the colder parts of Canada).

How do small tears in the plastic affect a final grade?

Tears in the shrink wrap are the most frustrating flaw because they're often the result of careless handling rather than age. When you're looking at a potential purchase, check the edges of the box where the plastic is under the most stress. A small 'poke'—perhaps from another game's corner in a shipping box—might look like nothing, but to a grader, it's a breach of the seal's integrity. If the tear is clean and hasn't resulted in any damage to the cardboard underneath, you might still pull a decent grade, but the 'seal rating' will take a massive hit. Most collectors value the seal rating almost as much as the box grade. A 9.2 A+ is often more desirable than a 9.4 B because that B seal suggests the game is vulnerable to further degradation. If you see 'flaking'—where the plastic is actually crumbling away—that's a sign of terminal chemical breakdown. Do not buy those. They're a ticking time bomb for your collection.

Next, look for 'scuffing' on the plastic. This happens when games are slid around on retail shelves for years. While it doesn't affect the box underneath, it kills the 'eye appeal.' If the plastic looks cloudy or milky, it’s usually because of microscopic scratches. You can't fix this. Some people try to use heat guns to 'reflow' the plastic, but that's a one-way ticket to a 'Qualified' or 'Restored' grade label, which effectively ruins the market value of the piece. Authentic wear is always better than a tampered seal. You want to see that crisp, clear reflection when you hold the game at an angle to your light source.

Is a crushed corner an automatic disqualification for high-end collecting?

The short answer is: it depends on the severity. A 'soft' corner—where the point of the cardboard has been slightly flattened—is almost expected on games that are thirty years old. However, a 'crushed' corner where the cardboard has actually creased or split is a different story. Creasing is the enemy of high grades. Once the fibers of the paper have broken, that flaw is permanent and will be noted on the grading report. You should also check for 'white-ing.' This occurs when the ink is rubbed off the edges or corners of the box, revealing the white cardboard underneath. It’s incredibly common on black-box NES games because the dark ink shows every tiny bit of friction. If you're looking at high-value auctions on sites like Heritage Auctions, you'll notice that the games hitting the five-figure mark have almost zero white-ing on the corners.

One flaw that people often overlook is 'box-carring' or bowing. This is when the sides of the box bulge outward or cave inward. It’s usually a sign that the shrink wrap was applied too tightly at the factory, or that the game has been stored in a stack under heavy weight. A bowed box can be tricky because it affects the structural integrity of the entire piece. If the box is caved in, there's a good chance the internal cardboard tray is crushed too. You can sometimes hear this if you gently—and I mean gently—give the game a tiny shake. If you hear a heavy 'thud' rather than a light 'rattle' of the manual, something might be squashed inside. Don't go shaking your games like a Polaroid picture, though; you'll just cause more internal wear.

Which seal defects are deal-breakers for serious investors?

There are a few 'red flags' that should make you walk away from a deal immediately. The first is 'ink transfer.' This happens when the shrink wrap gets hot enough to bond with the ink on the box. If you see what looks like a 'shadow' or a smeared image on the inside of the plastic, the seal is effectively fused to the game. If anyone ever tries to remove that seal, the artwork will come right off with it. Another deal-breaker is 'foxing' or brown spotting on the box under the seal. This is a type of mold that eats the paper fibers. It’s usually caused by moisture being trapped under the plastic during a period of high humidity. It’s ugly, it’s permanent, and it can spread if the conditions don't improve. It’s the kind of flaw that makes a game look 'dirty' even if the seal is technically intact.

You should also be wary of 'price sticker residue' that is on the box itself, under a reseal. If you see a sticky patch on the cardboard but the plastic over it is perfectly clean, you're looking at a game that was opened, 'cleaned,' and then wrapped back up. Authentic store stickers on the *outside* of the plastic are actually quite popular with some collectors—they're a piece of history that proves where the game came from—but residue on the cardboard is just damage. Also, keep an eye out for 'fingernail indentations' near the opening flaps. These happen when someone tried to pry the box open without breaking the seal. It’s a sneaky way people used to check for contents back in the day, and it’ll tank your grade faster than a coffee stain.

Check the 'hang-tab' if the game has one. On early NES and Sega games, there's often a perforated plastic tab on the back used for hanging the game on a pegboard. If that tab is 'popped' (folded out), it’s considered used, even if the seal is still there. A 'flat' hang-tab is the gold standard. If the tab has been torn off entirely, leaving a jagged hole in the plastic, you're looking at a significant grade deduction. It’s these tiny, specific details that separate the hobbyists from the serious archivists. You aren't just buying a game; you're buying a preserved moment in retail history. Treat every square inch of that box like a crime scene that needs investigating before you hand over your hard-earned cash.

Don't forget to inspect the 'spine' of the box. This is the part that usually faces out on a shelf, so it's prone to sun-fading. Even if the front cover looks vibrant, a faded spine will kill the value. Compare the color of the spine to the color of the front. If the reds look pink or the blues look gray, the UV damage is already done. Grading companies are very strict about color-fading because it's a sign of poor long-term care. A game with a faded spine might still get a high technical grade for structure, but its eye appeal will be low, and you'll have a much harder time selling it later if you decide to rotate your collection.