Hori has long been recognized as the crème de la crème of screen protector manufacturers, the standard by which all other screen protectors must attempt to live up to, though they will inevitably fail. Whether you’re looking to guard the screens of your original Nintendo DS or your DS lite, Hori is the way to go. The attention to quality, affordable price, and ease of application all come together to form one giant Voltron of awesomeness.

Unfortunately, most retail shops like GameStop and Best Buy insist on carrying less-than satisfactory screen protectors, cruel parodies of Hori’s product. Those hoping to fetch a Hori screen protector usually have to buy online from either an import site or eBay. According to recent findings however, bootleg screen protectors are just as widespread on eBay as pirated GBA carts!

Early reports claim that these counterfeit screen protectors scratch very easily compared to the authentic ones. Adding further insult, the fake protectors will have a slightly brown tint, sullying the vibrant colors of your DS lite. Much like with bootlegged GBA/DS carts, there are also packaging inconsistencies you can keep an eye out for to ensure that these phony protectors never touch your DS’ screens.

Much thanks to jlo mein from the GBATemp forums for his photos and notes.

Blurry package art - The difference between the two images in this photo is not due to the camera. The actual artwork is blurry and slightly faded on the bootleg product. Hori’s artwork is crispy like KFC chicken.

Resealable bag - The bags that house the authentic screen guards should not be resealable. The bags should not have any text on them either.

Cheap microfiber cloth with a stamped Hori pattern - Hori’s straight-edged cloth feels softer and has no design or writing on it.

White tabs on the corners with Engrish writing - The real deal has centered yellow tabs with only Japanese characters printed on them.

If you have any corrections to the above tips or possible abnormalities you’d like to add, please let us know. We want to make sure that our readers aren’t duped. While it is likely that a few sellers on eBay are selling actual Hori screen protectors, we cannot at this time suggest eBay as a reliable source for this particular product. We advise you to instead buy these protectors from a trustworthy import site, such as the ones we have listed below.

Hori Liquid Crystal Filter DS Lite at Play-Asia and Lik-Sang

Protecting Your DS/DS Lite: What to Buy and What to Avoid

Buying Legit Hori Screen Protectors (Requires Forum Registration)