game boy Work In Progress: Complete List of NA(US) Game Boy Cartridge Variants

[creepsthething | 9]

2 minutes ago, JVOSS said:

@creepsthethingdo you have the address??

The link? Right here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/224519223744?hash=item34466379c0:g:9OgAAOSw0c1g31pY

 

0144 with battery date of October 2001 (01-10).

[JVOSS | 1,762]

@creepsthethingo shitt that a jpn i was unaware that jpn had a -2.  i'm going to pick this up if no on objects!!!!

[creepsthething | 9]

Also of note was that I had also found a Japanese copy of Kirby's Dream Land 2 with a chipcode of 0236. https://www.ebay.com/itm/184918970508?hash=item2b0e07908c:g:Ef8AAOSwM1Rg3-4f

 

As well as a DMG-YT-USA-1 (Donkey Kong Land 1, Rated KA) that had a chipcode of... 9934? https://www.ebay.com/itm/184909004290?epid=2279&hash=item2b0d6f7e02:g:YxMAAOSwbldg2NnR

 

UPDATE: And some more. 

Adding onto the EXTREMELY late non-US releases, we have this copy of WL:SML3 from 2002! https://www.ebay.com/itm/324551602164?epid=1364&hash=item4b90c86ff4:g:X~IAAOSw321eEy2Z

 

"Mario Land 3 4028" is the selection to make, as that cart has DMG-WJ-EUR-2.

Edited July 6, 2021 by creepsthething

[JVOSS | 1,762]

@Splain, this is my potion to get the SML -2  i not much for contest in games a i always loose,  i can't win at a video game. shoot i can't win even in tetris but this "win" will help the world collection and @Splain can say in one swoop that the world collection will not go quietly in to the night and that this is for all the collectors who wish for a confirmed list of all games game boy.

or something like that!

so one vote for the little collector.

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

Another Limited Run release. I still haven't received the previous 2

 

Edit: looks like I missed the release of 2 others. I've added those as well. 7 Total "unlicensed" games by limited run so far.

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by samsamsamsmasmasma

[JVOSS | 1,762]

lol just reading the New Breed of Collectors this is one that points to why even.  get the real game first...

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

4 minutes ago, JVOSS said:

lol just reading the New Breed of Collectors this is one that points to why even.  get the real game first...

Why collect 10 copies of the same game because the label has slightly different text written on it?

Edited July 10, 2021 by samsamsamsmasmasma

[JVOSS | 1,762]

1 hour ago, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

Why collect 10 copies of the same game because the label has slightly different text written on it?

@samsamsamsmasmasmawow! really!  i know why i do but why do you?  you are in the "NA(US) Game Boy Cartridge Variants" thread.

on the other side thanks for the head up on LRG's next game.  now lets see if they do toxie or potato next..

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

3 minutes ago, JVOSS said:

@samsamsamsmasmasmawow! really!  i know why i do but why do you?  you are in the "NA(US) Game Boy Cartridge Variants" thread.

on the other side thanks for the head up on LRG's next game.  now lets see if they do toxie or potato next..

Because it's fun of course

[RH | 4,903]

8 hours ago, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

Another Limited Run release. I still haven't received the previous 2

These don't count, in my book. It might be an official Natsume release but it's an unofficial Nintendo release. I'll pass on all of these. Also, the string of games for the GB coming from LRG just don't make sense to me. Who is choosing these games?

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

2 hours ago, RH said:

These don't count, in my book. It might be an official Natsume release but it's an unofficial Nintendo release. I'll pass on all of these. Also, the string of games for the GB coming from LRG just don't make sense to me. Who is choosing these games?

I'm just not that much of a purest I guess. I think they add an interesting component to a collection along side the official nintento set. In line with collecting the Bible games which I think are required as part of a complete gameboy set.  Releases like this also have a chance of bringing new people into collecting that might not been interested otherwise which keeps the hobby going.

[phart010 | 1,707]

4 hours ago, RH said:

These don't count, in my book. It might be an official Natsume release but it's an unofficial Nintendo release. I'll pass on all of these. Also, the string of games for the GB coming from LRG just don't make sense to me. Who is choosing these games?

I get them. Not all of them, but I do get the LRG game boy games for games that I like. 
 

Hopefully all these LRG gameboy games are the same run and we dont have LRG gameboy variants too

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

Regarding the back stickers on the NFR cartridges, are there variations on them? I have a different sticker on the back of my dkl1 that I'm not sure if it's from nintendo or from the store that sold it. I think I've seen it on a few others that have sold but I can't remember. EDIT: it looks like the listed Killer Instinct has the same sticker as my dkl1

I've also never seen any sticker on any of the Kirbys Dreamland 2 or Wario Blast nfr. I remember one of Wario Blast that someone had sold that they received directly from nintendo that did not have a back sticker.

What do yall have on yours?

Edit: I added another example from ebay for super Mario land 2

I don't collect boxes either but I do see NFR box currently listed on eBay for Kirbys Block Ball. Any other boxes that have been confirmed?

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by samsamsamsmasmasma

[RH | 4,903]

I guess you could count them as variants but if the only difference is an NFR sticker stuck on the back, I personally don't consider that noteworthy as an "official" variant.

That's just my opinion. Is it worth more? Yes, probably to most. But is it a variant, eh, to me variants are difference of game made in the assembly factory. These stickers were slapped on post manufacturing so they are more a bonus.

But again, that's my opinion. Front label marked NFRs are variants though.

[JVOSS | 1,762]

IMO  the sticker on the back is not a variant and they are ones i don't add to the WORLD set.  no telling how many are real and how many are after market.  the are easy to produce and the catalog code is no different.

with that being said they are cool and in some cases the are more collectible then the original to some.

Also being able to truly validate the sticker is hard.

This is also the same with the Playtronic game out of Brazil. they have a group of games that don't have the playtronic label ie printed with in the label but they do have a little sticker on back with the Playtronic data.  i first started to identify the games and then add to collection but i was finding more and more without the serial number, and this added to the Questionable authenticity of the game. 

 

[phart010 | 1,707]

On 7/11/2021 at 3:07 PM, JVOSS said:

IMO  the sticker on the back is not a variant and they are ones i don't add to the WORLD set.  no telling how many are real and how many are after market.  the are easy to produce and the catalog code is no different.

with that being said they are cool and in some cases the are more collectible then the original to some.

Also being able to truly validate the sticker is hard.

This is also the same with the Playtronic game out of Brazil. they have a group of games that don't have the playtronic label ie printed with in the label but they do have a little sticker on back with the Playtronic data.  i first started to identify the games and then add to collection but i was finding more and more without the serial number, and this added to the Questionable authenticity of the game. 

 

This is getting into a grey area. There’s a company called Nortec in Cyprus that was Nintendo’s official distributor for Cyprus.
 

Part of their MO was they would get PAL region games, carefully cut the seal, open the box and slip a Greek language instruction manual into the box and reseal the game using Nortec labeled tape. 
 

So the game is technically a PAL version, but it’s still considered the official Cyprus version. You can’t really tell much difference from opened copies, but a sealed copy of a Cyprus game in my opinion counts as a variant because their process was officially sanctioned by Nintendo.

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by phart010

[JVOSS | 1,762]

50 minutes ago, phart010 said:

This is getting into a grey area. There’s a company called Nortec in Cyprus that was Nintendo’s official distributor for Cyprus.
 

Part of their MO was they would get PAL region games, carefully cut the seal, open the box and slip a Greek language instruction manual into the box and reseal the game using Nortec labeled tape. 
 

So the game is technically a PAL version, but it’s still considered the official Cyprus version. You can’t really tell much difference from opened copies, but a sealed copy of a Cyprus game in my opinion counts as a variant because their process was officially sanctioned by Nintendo.

 

Distributor Box Variant:

Through the life of GB and early GBA there were distributor BOX variants.  so what come to mind are:

Cyprus - EUR
METOR - AUS
Matel - EUR
Mani - KOR/Hong Kong/CHINA
GIG - ITA
Playtronics - Bzl
Lugina - EUR / SCN
And many more
 

While this contents of the box was add to the cart was never change in the start. in certain markets the items (ie incerst/instructions/magazine/posters) were adjust for the region. in other regions parts were shipped to a facility to be "assembled" due to heavy local import tax  (parts were cheaper then the whole.)

This is also where you get the photo copied Manual, locally printed black and white manuals (most of the time with no catalog code), and the locally printed color manual (most of the time with no catalog). 

This is also where you get the "stickers" on the boxes.

later certain regional distributors were given exclusive right for the term of 2 or 5 years.  This Exclusive allowed them to print there own label and boxes.  best example is GIG, Lugina, Playtronics, Gradiente (just ones i can think of now). 

 

here is the gig for GB the box/cart/og manual/ and poster/reg card are all original. GIG add the B/W instruction and the GIG reg then place a sticker on the box without (to my understanding) replacing the wrap.

 

Later, during Gig's exclusive contract time, any paper items had there catalog code changed (more specifically the region code) and the box was locally printed with their (GIG) logo. They also add the GIG insert for Club Nintendo and changed the reg address.  the region code was then changed to ITA region as GIG was the exclusive distributor to that region.

As for the one @phart010pointed to they started distribution in the smaller EU markets.  which was later changed to GPS region (as i understand). (still working the total picture of the EU Distribution Network)

Edited July 16, 2021 by JVOSS

[phart010 | 1,707]

43 minutes ago, JVOSS said:

Distributor Box Variant:

Through the life of GB and early GBA there were distributor BOX variants.  so what come to mind are:

Cyprus - EUR
METOR - AUS
Matel - EUR
Mani - KOR/Hong Kong/CHINA
GIG - ITA
Playtronics - Bzl
Lugina - EUR / SCN
And many more
 

While this contents of the box was add to the cart was never change in the start. in certain markets the items (ie incerst/instructions/magazine/posters) were adjust for the region. in other regions parts were shipped to a facility to be "assembled" due to heavy local import tax  (parts were cheaper then the whole.)

This is also where you get the photo copied Manual, locally printed black and white manuals (most of the time with no catalog code), and the locally printed color manual (most of the time with no catalog). 

This is also where you get the "stickers" on the boxes.

later certain regional distributors were given exclusive right for the term of 2 or 5 years.  This Exclusive allowed them to print there own label and boxes.  best example is GIG, Lugina, Playtronics, Gradiente (just ones i can think of now). 

 

here is the gig for GB the box/cart/og manual/ and poster/reg card are all original. GIG add the B/W instruction and the GIG reg then place a sticker on the box without (to my understanding) replacing the wrap.

 

Later, during Gig's exclusive contract time, any paper items had there catalog code changed (more specifically the region code) and the box was locally printed with their (GIG) logo. They also add the GIG insert for Club Nintendo and changed the reg address.  the region code was then changed to ITA region as GIG was the exclusive distributor to that region.

As for the one @phart010pointed to they started distribution in the smaller EU markets.  which was later changed to GPS region (as i understand). (still working the total picture of the EU Distribution Network)

@JVOSSso are we saying a standard PAL version box with a distributor sticker on it counts as a distributor box variant? Or are we saying the distributor regional exclusive box with the distributor name printed on the box is the distributor box variant? Or both??

[JVOSS | 1,762]

 

1 hour ago, phart010 said:

@JVOSSso are we saying a standard PAL version box with a distributor sticker on it counts as a distributor box variant? Or are we saying the distributor regional exclusive box with the distributor name printed on the box is the distributor box variant? Or both??

IMO  the stick is Distributor box variant for CIB set not the Cart Only Sets.  items like playtronics, gig would be the region non-variant. when dealing with cart only you don't see the box and there for cant determine if they were a sticker box variant or just the region it was in. see below.

  <--- this one has a EU Cart and EU box but an GIG sticker so this is a Box Variant CIB.

 

How do you classify this one??  --->

Spoiler

it was part of this CIB..

 

 

here is DT both are ITA both distribuited by GIG

 

or even the platronic SW.. what one is playtronics and which one is a standard NA game?

the one on the left is actually this is playtronic branded game.
 

Spoiler

both could be as there is no difference until you look at the back of the BZL game.

 

As for the world collection "Master List Cart Only" holds no place for the Box Variant carts as they are part of the box variant cib.

and yes you can have to different regions with same box sticker variant.

ie a dmg-ky-noe and a dmg-ky-ukv and both have the GIG sticker on the box. but the CIB for both is listed as a box variant to the GIG CIB set not the NOE/UKV cart only set.. 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by JVOSS

[JVOSS | 1,762]

2 hours ago, phart010 said:

this is a CIB variant not a cart Variant.  you have no clue as to what region code is on the cart. you just aware it is a sealed CIB. with a Nortec as the regional Distributor. do you know where this was sold?  at what outlet? how it was imported? 

[phart010 | 1,707]

40 minutes ago, JVOSS said:

this is a CIB variant not a cart Variant.  you have no clue as to what region code is on the cart. you just aware it is a sealed CIB. with a Nortec as the regional Distributor. do you know where this was sold?  at what outlet? how it was imported? 

The Megaman is an active listing on eBay. I don’t know anything about it.
 

Astro Boy is mine, I bought it online from a person that owns a small toy shop in Cyprus. That was long ago, didn’t pick up any details from him and I probably lost contact details by now

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

Finally picked up the bill and Ted corrected! Has anyone ever seen this version sold with the manual or box?  It looks like they just stuck a German translated manual insert in the box but it still has the US country code. I'm still waiting to get it in the mail to see what it looks like in closer detail. Interesting that there is also the US manual included. 

Any other examples of manuals like this?

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by samsamsamsmasmasma

[RH | 4,903]

3 minutes ago, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

Finally picked up the bill and Ted corrected! Has anyone ever seen this sold with the manual or box?  It looks like they just stuck a German manual insert in the box but it still has the US country code. I'm still waiting to get it in the mail to see what it looks like in closer detail. Interesting that there is also the US manual included. 

Any other examples of manuals like this?

 

 

I've not seen the box but everyone I know who's gotten one of these has picked it up from Europe. My assumption is that this was the European release, they fixed the error on the LJN logo but forgot to update the origin code. Seeing a German manual makes perfect sense to me and helps verify my assumption.

And you know, I've never plugged the game into a Game Boy. There is a chance it's in German. Lol, that'd be hilarious, but isn't likely.

Edited August 4, 2021 by RH

[JVOSS | 1,762]

11 minutes ago, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

Finally picked up the bill and Ted corrected! Has anyone ever seen this version sold with the manual or box?  It looks like they just stuck a German translated manual insert in the box but it still has the US country code. I'm still waiting to get it in the mail to see what it looks like in closer detail. Interesting that there is also the US manual included. 

Any other examples of manuals like this?

B&T was never produced outside of the US.  the fact that you have a Deutsch manual would suggest that it was a UKV import under the "The Game Ltd" Distribution.

Edited August 4, 2021 by JVOSS
Corrected information

[AdamW | 713]

On 8/4/2021 at 11:39 AM, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

Finally picked up the bill and Ted corrected! Has anyone ever seen this version sold with the manual or box?  It looks like they just stuck a German translated manual insert in the box but it still has the US country code. I'm still waiting to get it in the mail to see what it looks like in closer detail. Interesting that there is also the US manual included. 

Any other examples of manuals like this?

 

 

It's pretty common in Canadian copies of GB/GBC/GBA games. I've seen most of the Pokemon games with a French manual added (to meet the requirements for sale in Canada/Quebec at the time, I assume) somehow - either tipped into the box along with the US manual, or added outside the box, either attached to the factory wrap or placed on top of it and then sealed over again (there's a high-grade WATA sealed Emerald that's like this - you can't see the back of the box, just a French manual...)

Around the DS era they seemed to go to usually having a dual-language print for sale in Canada, with dual language box text and a dual language manual.