Beast Wars: Transmetals (N64) not rental exclusive?

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

So it’s always been said as long as I can remember that Beast Wars on N64 was a Blockbuster/rental exclusive. But going through some of my Nintendo Powers I found the review of the game and in the Satisfaction blurb it states

”BW is finally on sale after being a rental-only title since June...”

So the whole thing about it always being a rental exclusive is wrong it seems?

 

[a3quit4s | 4,121]

Wikipedia says it was a blockbuster rental and initially was available only for rental. That could be misleading though, perhaps you could only by it from blockbuster after it was used?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers:_Beast_Wars_Transmetals

I think they reference that Nintendo Power as well

Edited April 25, 2021 by a3quit4s

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

Nice detective work.

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

12 hours ago, a3quit4s said:

That could be misleading though, perhaps you could only by it from blockbuster after it was used?

Negative.  While it started as a rental exclusive, it was indeed later released at retail.  I remember seeing it a few times when I was browsing looking for games.  Wish I'd picked it up then, but I went with Conker instead.  But yeah, most "rental exclusive" titles were eventually released either through stores or mail order, and Beast Wars was no exception.  Frankly, it wouldn't be financially feasible to handicap your market exposure like that in the long term, as even in the late 90s, development wasn't cheap.

[SilverspoonGaming | 333]

13 hours ago, a3quit4s said:

Wikipedia says it was a blockbuster rental and initially was available only for rental. That could be misleading though, perhaps you could only by it from blockbuster after it was used?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers:_Beast_Wars_Transmetals

I think they reference that Nintendo Power as well

I dont always trust Wikipedia for obvious reasons.

[Code Monkey | 2,011]

The sealed Flintstones: Surprise At Dinosaur Peak came from a random privately owned rental shop, not Blockbuster.

They may have been rental only at Blockbuster but they were available for any shop to buy straight from Nintendo's suppliers.

[DefaultGen | 5,423]

I'll take a sentence in Nintendo Power over the regurgitated opinion of the collective any day (i.e. Flintstones). Whoever wrote the "initially only available for rental" line in Wikipedia probably knows it wasn't rental exclusive, but I wish they'd cite their source, even if it's just that Nintendo Power blurb. A bunch of "common knowledge" things in this hobby seem to be baseless or just guesses.

Edited April 26, 2021 by DefaultGen

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

13 minutes ago, DefaultGen said:

A bunch of "common knowledge" things in this hobby seem to be baseless or just guesses.

Or the truth is discovered, but most people aren't aware of it, and nobody knows where to find it anymore.  Think how many people STILL reference Etler's NES list and go on a futile search for an NTSC copy of Asterix, for example.  In this case, the wiki is actually accurate to what is known, and stated in the image the OP posted - it was a rental exclusive for a few months prior to it's general release.  What's more, the tactic seems to have backfired on them, as few people bought it on release after playing it on a rental, because it wasn't very good.

[DarkTone | 987]

Whats Etler's list?

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

1 minute ago, DarkTone said:

Whats Etler's list?

Mike Etler was the first guy to compile a list of NES games and graded their rarity.  There were a slew of inaccuracies, including the aforementioned Asterix blunder, but other major ones were listing Stadium Events as a B rarity (it was a couple years after the list was compiled when it was found to be much, much rarer, in fairness to it); the listing of Cheetahmen II as a top rarity when in fact it was an unreleased game that was purchased by Mike Etler from a warehouse that was clearing out it's trash through an auction, where he got every known copy and the boxes, packaged it all up, and sold on Digital Press and in the game shop he owned - a clear conflict of interest who's ramifications are still felt to this very day; and listing the Aladdin Deck Enhancer games as top rares in much the same way - a conflict of interest as he was the sole source at the time.  Ever wonder why Cheetahmen II has no manual? Now ya do.  And if you doubt me, go to Google and look up NES rarity list.  Two of the links on the front page go to his list - one to an updated version from 2002 that someone else did to fix a few errors, and the other to v.4 of the list, which includes all those blunders and more! 

[Dr. Morbis | 2,091]

13 minutes ago, the_wizard_666 said:

the listing of Cheetahmen II as a top rarity when in fact it was an unreleased game that was purchased by Mike Etler from a warehouse that was clearing out it's trash through an auction, where he got every known copy and the boxes, packaged it all up, and sold on Digital Press and in the game shop he owned

No, a few trickled out to a second hand charity store and were bought by early collectors/game hunters, such that when I started collecting, 5 to 10% of the cartridges that showed up on eBay were still in loose form, having never been boxed.  The rest were posted for sale on rgvn by Sean Roche, where Etler picked them up.  Here's the original ad:

 

[a3quit4s | 4,121]

4 hours ago, Dr. Morbis said:

No, a few trickled out to a second hand charity store and were bought by early collectors/game hunters, such that when I started collecting, 5 to 10% of the cartridges that showed up on eBay were still in loose form, having never been boxed.  The rest were posted for sale on rgvn by Sean Roche, where Etler picked them up.  Here's the original ad:

 

Goddamn 12 year old me missed out on a hell of a deal

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

13 hours ago, Dr. Morbis said:

No, a few trickled out to a second hand charity store and were bought by early collectors/game hunters, such that when I started collecting, 5 to 10% of the cartridges that showed up on eBay were still in loose form, having never been boxed.  The rest were posted for sale on rgvn by Sean Roche, where Etler picked them up.  Here's the original ad:

 

Still, it's a huge conflict of interest, but thanks for the clarification.  That's bloody awesome too...if only I owned an internet capable computer before 2003

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Anyone know what Mike Etler is up to now? Or Sean Roche?

[GetTheGreg | 105]

I don't think it's been mentioned, but the game has 2 box variants: one that states "blockbuster exclusive", and one that had that removed.  Long known to people deep into N64 collecting, but will likely never be corrected in the general collecting sphere.

 

Hell, apparently people now accept Super Bowling as a rental exclusive these days

Edited April 26, 2021 by Maertens29

[AdamW | 713]

"you can't tell who's connecting on screen or what's happening amidst the chaos"

So, the game was a dry run for the Michael Bay Transformers movies, then?

[jonebone | 1,307]

Well yes, there's a retail and rental version of the Beast Wars box and we've known about both for at least a decade...

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

5 hours ago, jonebone said:

Well yes, there's a retail and rental version of the Beast Wars box and we've known about both for at least a decade...

I would even go so far as to argue that it was known since it was released, what with it being printed in Nintendo Power when it happened

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

10 hours ago, jonebone said:

Well yes, there's a retail and rental version of the Beast Wars box and we've known about both for at least a decade...

I honestly don’t think about boxes as Ive only ever collected loose games. If I did know that info, I had long since forgot. It was probably beaten out of my head from the repeat of “rental exclusive” Ive heard over the years. Like someone above said, sometimes incorrect info just takes over