Super Mario Land (GB) US box variants: what exactly are they?

[AdamW | 713]

Hi folks! So I'm spinning this thread off from an interesting discussion of Super Mario Land box prints in the "seller silliness" thread, starting here:

so I thought it might be fun/useful to try and nail down exactly what box prints there are, and possibly their precedence. Here's what I think we know so far, with some names I made up to distinguish the three prints with code DMG-ML USA. Pictures are taken from eBay listings, and from @MiamiSlice(thanks)! Note I found single listings with all necessary pictures: all pictures for each variant/print are taken from a single listing (or from @MiamiSlice's pictures of his copy, for GS3LW), except #3 where I took the tab pic from one listing and the other pics from another because the listing with the tab pic didn't have such clear pics of the other angles.

#1(?). DMG-ML USA [GS3LW]: tab code DMG-ML USA, no date code. Green background screenshots of 1-2 and 1-3, three lines of black-on-yellow warranty text, no "for sale and use in" text, DMG P ML not on back:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA (original label, no ESRB rating, oval seal)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA (original revision)
Population: 2.86% (all), 0% (sealed)
References: @MiamiSliceowns one (pictured above), @chuppy44owns one, eBay #284154063311 (until it expires)

#2(?). DMG-ML USA [GS5LW]: tab code DMG-ML USA, no date code. Green background screenshots of 1-2 and 1-3, three lines of black-on-yellow warranty text, two lines of "for sale in" text: "For sale and use in USA and Canada only." (different font from 3LW text), DMG P ML not on back:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA (original label, no ESRB rating, oval seal)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA (original revision)
Population: 11.43% (all), 8.33% (sealed)
References: @chuppy44owns one, eBay #233906362068 (until it expires) (pictured above), HA #7239-93042.s appears to be this print (on careful examination of back image)

#3. DMG-ML USA [YS5LW]: tab code DMG-ML USA, no date code. Yellow background screenshots of 1-1 and 1-3, three lines of black-on-yellow warranty text, two lines of "for sale in" text: "FOR SALE AND USE IN USA AND CANADA ONLY.", DMG P ML not on back:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA (original label, no ESRB rating, oval seal)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA-1
Population: 11.43% (all), 8.33% (sealed)
References: from unknown Instagrammer via @0xDEAFC0DE, mentioned by @RpgCollectorhere, eBay #402647839163 (until it expires) (tab picture), eBay #265118228731 (until it expires) (other pictures)

#4. DMG-ML USA [YS5LWM]: tab code DMG-ML USA, with date code. Yellow background screenshots of 1-1 and 1-3, three lines of black-on-yellow warranty text, two lines of "for sale in" text: "FOR SALE AND USE IN THE USA, CANADA AND MEXICO ONLY", DMG P ML code on back above UPC:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA (original label, no ESRB rating, oval seal)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA-1
Population: 7.14% (all), 8.33% (sealed)
Known date codes: 00601/00602, 00810, 00820(?), 00925
References: eBay #274680436965 (until it expires) (pictured above)

#5. DMG-ML USA-1: with date code. Yellow background screenshots of 1-1 and 1-3, four lines of white-on-red warranty text with "PURCHASE RECEIPT REQUIRED", two lines of "for sale in" text: "FOR SALE AND USE IN THE USA, CANADA AND MEXICO ONLY", DMG P ML code on back above UPC:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA (original label, no ESRB rating, oval seal)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA-2, possibly alternatively DMG-ML-USA-1 and/or DMG-ML-USA-4
Population: 12.86% (all), 25% (sealed)
Known date codes: 10703, 11004, 11107, 21016, 21127? (hard to read)
References: eBay #392904809801 (until it expires) (pictured above)

#6. DMG-ML USA-2: with date code. Yellow background screenshots of 1-1 and 1-3, three lines of white-on-red warranty text (no "PURCHASE RECEIPT REQUIRED"), two lines of "for sale in" text: "FOR SALE AND USE IN THE USA, CANADA AND MEXICO ONLY", DMG P ML code on back above UPC:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA (original label, no ESRB rating, oval seal)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA-4 (earlier), DMG-ML-USA-5 (later)
Population: 22.86% (all), 33.33% (sealed)
Known date codes: 31006
References: eBay #254908885745 (until it expires) (pictured above)

#7. DMG-ML USA-3: with date code. PLAYERS CHOICE MILLION SELLER rosette, gold "GAME BOY" bar. ESRB K-A (white). Three lines of white-on-red warranty text (no "PURCHASE RECEIPT REQUIRED"), three lines of "for sale in" text: "FOR SALE, RENTAL AND USE ONLY IN USA, CANADA, MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA."); IMPORTANT! box and supporting text. Yellow background screenshots with level names not visible, revised back text, DMG P ML code on back above UPC:

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA-1 (PLAYERS CHOICE rosette, ESRB K-A (white)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA-7, possibly DMG-ML-USA-5 (earlier)
Population: 31.43% (all), 16.67% (sealed)
Known date codes: 970530, 980702
References: eBay #284235494178 (until it expires) (pictured above)

#8. DMG-ML USA-4: with date code. PLAYERS CHOICE MILLION SELLER rosette, gold "GAME BOY" bar. ESRB E (black). Three lines of white-on-red warranty text (no "PURCHASE RECEIPT REQUIRED") (assumed), three lines of "for sale in" text: "FOR SALE, RENTAL AND USE ONLY IN USA, CANADA, MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA") (assumed); IMPORTANT! box and supporting text (assumed). Yellow background screenshots with level names not visible (assumed), revised back text (assumed), DMG P ML code on back above UPC (assumed):

Cartridge: DMG-ML-USA-2 (PLAYERS CHOICE rosette, ESRB E (black)
Manual: DMG-ML-USA-8
Population: 0% (all), 0% (sealed) - by survey, one known copy among forum members
Known date codes: 991117
References: @RpgCollectorowns one, mentioned box code and date in passing around https://www.videogamesage.com/topic/733-work-in-progress-complete-list-of-naus-game-boy-cartridge-variants/page/16/

I think that's all the US box prints. At least I can't find any indication there are any stealth revisions (changes without the print code changing) from -1 onwards. Note that there are different Canadian prints, with dual-language box text, Nintendo of Canada addresses, and CAN codes, I haven't catalogued those yet.

Key question: do we have any way to decide which of the two "green screen" variants came first? I would guess it would be the three-line one. Seems more likely they'd add text than remove it. But I have not seen a listing of either print with a date code, so it seems hard to be sure.

As well as that, if anyone with a copy who reads this can check whether it has a date code and, if so, post the date code and which print it is, that'd be useful! In case you don't know where to look, it's on one of the tabs under the top flap of the box (usually the top right flap). All flaps have the print code, usually only one has the date code.

Edited April 17, 2021 by AdamW
update pics for #3, add info about back code (absent in 1-3, present from 4 onwards)

[AdamW | 713]

I think it's kinda cool that they printed this game for nearly a freaking decade, going by the date code I found for the player's choice print. (There are many player's choice listings, but that was the only one with a legible date code). If we can find a player's choice print with a 99 date code that'd mean they really did print it for a decade.

edit: we did! So this game was definitely printed over a span of more than ten years.

Edited April 15, 2021 by AdamW

[0xDEAFC0DE | 1,277]

@RpgCollector has a rated E box. See:

 

[JVOSS | 1,762]

@AdamW

IRC there are 4 prints of this game and about 8 game box.

IRC there was a print run stop from 93-95

confirmed:

4 different PCB's
2 rom Version
3 Label Varents
19 region codes
Chip Code is "MLA" the "A" stand for All Regions.
NOA has 8 Different SML Manuals
SML and SML2 is only *Currently identified* combined manual.
 

Not confirmed....

SML Rom 0 was in a bundle pack with original GB
SML Rom 0 was available in retail package only.

 

 

 

[JVOSS | 1,762]

1 minute ago, 0xDEAFC0DE said:

@RpgCollector has a rated E box. See:

 

btw the only Retail Rated E box know at this time........

[AdamW | 713]

@JVOSSthanks, that's why I put "box variants" in the thread title dealing with the things that goes in the boxes is even more of a pain in the neck (I know from Pokemon experience) so I was gonna leave that alone for now

edit: oo, and you have a picture in that thread with some new date codes, whee.

Edited April 15, 2021 by AdamW

[AdamW | 713]

@RpgCollectorif you're reading this, can you give the box print code for your black-ESRB Player's Choice SML? I saw from the thread that you mentioned the date code is 991117 , but you didn't say what the box code is. I would expect it would be DMG-ML USA-4, but I guess it's possible there was a white-ESRB 'E' print in the middle or something. Thanks!

edit: OK, I think I saw you mentioned in passing it is indeed -4. Would be useful to know if there are any other differences from the -3 print or if all else (warranty text, back text, screenshots etc) are the same.

Edited April 15, 2021 by AdamW

[DefaultGen | 5,405]

Here are some more date codes. Not sure on the exact variants, just a pic I stole from IG.

[AdamW | 713]

Thanks! If only there were pictures of the sides of those boxes You can't tell the print from the front.

[0xDEAFC0DE | 1,277]

3 minutes ago, AdamW said:

Thanks! If only there were pictures of the sides of those boxes You can't tell the print from the front.

Actually, there is a picture. This matches the 8 boxes the picture above. The order might be slightly different, but you can probably match up most based on date code. No clue which are green screen shots though.

Edited April 15, 2021 by 0xDEAFC0DE

[AdamW | 713]

well, I'm sort of trying to do the opposite, match date codes to box prints That's a useful picture, though, as I think it confirms @RpgCollector's statement that there are eight prints, i.e. one more I didn't have...

edit: so top to bottom those are:

#4 DMG-ML USA [YS5LWM]
#3 DMG-ML USA [YS5LW]
#2 DMG-ML USA [GS5LW]
#4 DMG-ML USA [YS5LWM]
#4 DMG-ML USA [YS5LWM]
#5 DMG-ML USA-1
#5 DMG-ML USA-1
#6 DMG-ML USA-2

the date codes would be from the 4s, 5s and 6s. Putting them in order we have 00602/00601, 00810, 00925, 10703, 21016, and 31006. So I guess we can safely assign the dates to the box prints in that order. I'll update the first post. Thanks!

edit2: do you have the IG link/username so I can properly credit the info? Thanks!

Edited April 15, 2021 by AdamW
figure out prints and date codes in pic

[JVOSS | 1,762]

15 minutes ago, 0xDEAFC0DE said:

Actually, there is a picture. This matches the 8 boxes the picture above. The order might be slightly different, but you can probably match up most based on date code. No clue which are green screen shots though.

just missing the one with the warranty only or "first run"  box.

[AdamW | 713]

yeah, and the two player's choice boxes.

[0xDEAFC0DE | 1,277]

15 minutes ago, AdamW said:

well, I'm sort of trying to do the opposite, match date codes to box prints That's a useful picture, though, as I think it confirms @RpgCollector's statement that there are eight prints, i.e. one more I didn't have...

I don't think they are all different "prints" some of them only have a different date code. By match based on date codes, I mean the most recent box (the one with three line red-on-white) can be matched to the latest date code (31006). Continuing on four lines of red-on-white would be 21016 and 10703. The last three with date codes are probably DMG-ML USA [YS5LWM] (although I'm not confident). Also I'm not sure what's up with the one with two date codes.

1 minute ago, JVOSS said:

just missing the one with the warranty only or "first run"  box.

Yeah, the one marked first print is probably not the actual first print.

[AdamW | 713]

3 minutes ago, 0xDEAFC0DE said:

I don't think they are all different "prints" some of them only have a different date code. By match based on date codes, I mean the most recent box (the one with three line red-on-white) can be matched to the latest date code (31006). Continuing on four lines of red-on-white would be 21016 and 10703. The last three with date codes are probably DMG-ML USA [YS5LWM] (although I'm not confident). Also I'm not sure what's up with the one with two date codes.

Yeah, the one marked first print is probably not the actual first print.

No, the fact that the picture has eight boxes and there are eight variants is just a coincidence But it includes one I did not spot in my survey - the second one from the top of the stack, which I've called #3 DMG-ML USA [YS5LW] . That wasn't in my initial count. @RpgCollectoralso mentioned it in this post , the first post in this thread now matches his very concise list there pretty much exactly.

Edited April 15, 2021 by AdamW

[AdamW | 713]

@JVOSSbtw, since rpgcollector's manual is -8 code, there should be nine different manuals, as the very first has no revision number.

[JVOSS | 1,762]

19 hours ago, AdamW said:

@JVOSSbtw, since rpgcollector's manual is -8 code, there should be nine different manuals, as the very first has no revision number.

I'll adjust the official count when i see more copies of the manual.  I'm hopping that @RpgCollector box set is not a proto or employee box.  @RpgCollector, and i talked to the seller and got the same info but the seller was unsure where the previous seller was from or even if the previous seller was an employee of NA.   the box-code and manual code are same so that means there are more cib out there we just have not seen yet.  I'm hopping.......

[AdamW | 713]

Yeah, and logically speaking, I would expect that -8 revision to have the same change as the -4 box: the black ESRB E logo. Manuals usually have the esrb logo on the inside front page.

[AdamW | 713]

OK, so I sacrificed my afternoon to surveying every identifiable eBay and HA listing and feeding them into the little db tool I wrote for tracking Pokemon listings. I've updated the first post with cartridge and manual associations, and population data. I also have packin data, though the sample size is a bit small (70 listings) to be sure of the associations there. I'll post the raw data below. Interesting notes: I did not find a -3 or a -6 manual in the wild. @JVOSS, have you seen them? If so, do you know in which boxes?

Here's the packin raw data:

Print #1:
1. 1/2 (1/1 CC) - DMG-USA[P] ("NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH PORTABLE POWER" poster/ad (shows various games/accessories), "Printed in Japan" (stated).)
Print #2:
1. 3/7 (3/4 CC) - DMG-USA[P] ("NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH PORTABLE POWER" poster/ad (shows various games/accessories), "Printed in Japan" (stated).)
2. 2/7 (2/4 CC) - PMG-QU-USA ("To play seriously" Nintendo Power ad: "Castlevania II" cover story. "Printed in Japan" (stated))
3. 1/7 (1/4 CC) - PMG-MW-USA ("To play seriously" Nintendo Power ad: "Zelda II" cover story. "Printed in Japan" (stated))
Print #3:
1. 4/7 (4/4 CC) - DMG-USA-1[P] ("NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH PORTABLE POWER" poster/ad (shows various games/accessories), -1 revision, "Printed in Japan" (stated).)
2. 1/7 (1/4 CC) - PMG-??-USA ("To play seriously" Nintendo Power ad, exact version unclear from pictures)
3. 1/7 (1/4 CC) - DMG-USA-5 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-5 rev, presumed printed in Japan))
4. 1/7 (1/4 CC) - PMG-QU-USA ("To play seriously" Nintendo Power ad: "Castlevania II" cover story. "Printed in Japan" (stated))
5. 1/7 (1/4 CC) - PMG-USA-1 ("DANGER!!! DO NOT OPEN! UNLESS..." / "YOU'LL GOBBLE UP" Nintendo Power ad, "PRINTED IN JAPAN" (stated).)
Print #4:
1. 1/4 (1/1 CC) - DMG-USA-1[P] ("NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH PORTABLE POWER" poster/ad (shows various games/accessories), -1 revision, "Printed in Japan" (stated).)
2. 1/4 (1/1 CC) - PMG-USA ("BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR NEXT GAME PAK..." / "WANNA KNOW HOW TO NEVER GET LOST?" Nintendo Power ad, "Printed in Japan" (stated))
3. 1/4 (0/1 CC) - DMG-USA-? (Health And Safety Precautions Booklet (unknown rev, pics unclear))
Print #5:
1. 1/6 (1/1 CC) - DMG-USA-3[P] ("NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH PORTABLE POWER" poster/ad (shows various games/accessories), -3 revision, printed in Japan (assumed).)
2. 1/6 (1/1 CC) - PMG-USA-1 ("DANGER!!! DO NOT OPEN! UNLESS..." / "YOU'LL GOBBLE UP" Nintendo Power ad, "PRINTED IN JAPAN" (stated).)
3. 1/6 (0/1 CC) - DMG-USA-14 (Health And Safety Precautions Booklet (-14 rev))
4. 1/6 (0/1 CC) - GP-DMG-USA-3 (HUNGRY? Nintendo Power ad)
Print #6:
1. 5/12 (2/6 CC) - DMG-USA (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (first version, presumed printed in Japan))
2. 4/12 (4/6 CC) - P-DMG-USA-5 ("PLAY IT LOUD" graffiti-style, hand with eye logo / "GAME BOY PLAY IT LOUD!", images of several games, Super Game Boy. "PRINTED IN JAPAN" (stated))
3. 4/12 (3/6 CC) - GP-DMG-USA-1 ("WHOA! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT'S INSIDE!" / "IT GIVES YOU SO MUCH POWER EVERY MONTH...", "Printed in Japan" (stated).)
4. 3/12 (2/6 CC) - DMG-USA-4[P] ("HAVE YOU HAD YOUR FUN TODAY?" poster/ad (shows various games/accessories), -4 revision, "Printed in Japan" (stated).)
5. 2/12 (2/6 CC) - DMG-USA-2 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-2 rev))
6. 2/12 (2/6 CC) - DMG-USA-? (Health And Safety Precautions Booklet (unknown rev, pics unclear))
7. 1/12 (1/6 CC) - GP-DMG-USA-2 ("IF YOU DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO NINTENDO POWER..." Printed in Japan stated.)
Print #7:
1. 9/20 (8/12 CC) - P-DMG-USA-5 ("PLAY IT LOUD" graffiti-style, hand with eye logo / "GAME BOY PLAY IT LOUD!", images of several games, Super Game Boy. "PRINTED IN JAPAN" (stated))
2. 8/20 (7/12 CC) - GP-DMG-USA-3 (HUNGRY? Nintendo Power ad)
3. 8/20 (5/12 CC) - DMG-USA-6 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-6 rev, presumed printed in Japan))
4. 5/20 (4/12 CC) - GP-DMG-USA-2 ("IF YOU DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO NINTENDO POWER..." Printed in Japan stated.)
5. 3/20 (3/12 CC) - DMG-USA-7 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-7 rev, presumed printed in Japan))
6. 2/20 (2/12 CC) - DMG-USA-5 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-5 rev, presumed printed in Japan))
7. 2/20 (2/12 CC) - DMG-USA-? (Health And Safety Precautions Booklet (unknown rev, pics unclear))
8. 1/20 (1/12 CC) - H/DMG-USA-3 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-3 rev, presumed printed in Hong Kong))
9. 1/20 (0/12 CC) - H/GA-DMG-CAN-3 (INSTRUCTION BOOKLET / MODE D'EMPLOI, -3 revision, print location presumed Hong Kong.)
10. 1/20 (0/12 CC) - DMG-USA-4 (Consumer Information And Precautions Booklet (-4 rev, presumed printed in Japan))

"CC" means "claimed complete", or rather, "plausibly claimed complete"; if a listing very clearly claims it has everything, or if it kinda claims it does and I think it probably does, I mark it as CC. It's a bit subjective, but it can help filter out listings that just clearly didn't have everything, or had wrong stuff in them.

[AdamW | 713]

Oh, there was only one definite listing of print #1. But there were two green screenshots listings that didn't show the warranty side of the box, so I just marked one as #1 and one as #2. I usually do something like this for rare prints that aren't fully identifiable, I figure it's a lesser evil than leaving them out of the db and making them appear even rarer than they really are. When I can't precisely identify a common print I usually leave it out.

[RH | 4,904]

12 hours ago, AdamW said:

Oh, there was only one definite listing of print #1. But there were two green screenshots listings that didn't show the warranty side of the box, so I just marked one as #1 and one as #2. I usually do something like this for rare prints that aren't fully identifiable, I figure it's a lesser evil than leaving them out of the db and making them appear even rarer than they really are. When I can't precisely identify a common print I usually leave it out.

A better approach is to have a second table called PrintRunAssociations, or something like that. For each game, put the one print run you know it is and then when you are not sure, put multiple entries.

With time, you can use statistics to analyse what percent were likely which specific prints, but that's no guarantee. It does allow you to track the total number of games sold over the, while not ignoring the ones you can't fully evaluate but it also doesn't count them, which is shouldn't. Regardless, you certainly want to count each game only once.

[AdamW | 713]

yeah, there are ways I could do it better but it would've required me to write a better database schema and this thing only gets worked on when I feel like it

It's only an issue for really three pairs of prints so far, so I know which ones I need to go back and check if I can ever be bothered tweaking the database design.

[AdamW | 713]

oh, if you're interested in the tool it's https://pagure.io/gvt . disclaimer: when I'm being paid I am a much less slapdash engineer.

[oak | 2]

I hate to throw a curveball into this awesome thread, but I have another variant which is teeeeechnically not a US variant (or is it?) ...but it's a Canadian one that has both English and French text and has the same UPC as the normal USA releases.  I have a mint/complete one if anyone is interested in the photos or further info.

I believe the front of the box is completely the same, but the back only has one (yellow) screen shot in order to make room for the bi-lingual text.

Edited April 21, 2021 by oak

[MiamiSlice | 3,095]

11 minutes ago, oak said:

I have a mint/complete one if anyone is interested in the photos or further info.

Well, what do you take us for? Make haste!