PapaStu

That's my take too. Looking at the sticker, it implies that it's a replacement of some kind, rather than some kind of refurb. So glad this wasn't a bump for a new 3DS title. But if anyone has any leads on a/that Mario Tennis..... My wall has seemingly run out of things that aren't the rabbit hole I'm not sure I'm ready dive so deeply into, now that there are no new things and my variants are down to a dozen-ish maybe variants...

Honestly, there were far far far more Canadian variants than I thought there would be. A huge percentage of the 3rd party library got something that was created to sell north of the border. What I've done a few different times is go game by game and scroll through EVERY listing on eBay (and eBay Canada) looking for the obvious marks of a Canadian variant (typically dual line ESRB logo, and sometimes a dual line 3D warning). I compare based on what I've got, and if it's new, I note it down and watch/bid on games as budget allows. Thankfully, in a bunch of cases, publishers just did a single case that had dual languages as the only thing so they didn't need to print two separate runs for the different markets. I then note stuff I didn't find that didn't have a dual ESRB and either save search it, or peek back in every little bit. At this point I've only got about a dozen titles on searches. It's probably time to do another deep search on the Nintendo stuff. I've got a few One side got another revision that the other didn't get and those were normally in lock-step on both sides of the border. **Edit to add** I got my shipping notice for the 'basic' edition of Fragrant Story: Papayas Path today. I had the CE/Signed CE in a separate order so I expect that one to pop soon as well.

Currently, one game larger than my collection was in 2023. It'll get bigger though, there's always more to eventually appear so I can add it to the wall.

I have it all documented in my collection list, It's just not a list that's publicly facing, but it's all verified because these are things I actually own. I've got a small list that I've got save searches for because I'm speculating that there could be variants to them, based on publisher prior history, and low sample sizes preventing me from discounting one outright. Hell, one I took a long shot hope on because there was a US version finally paid off and was delivered last week. That's a save search I've had going for ~3 years on that whim over a licensing sticker. I'd say like 90% of them are just Canadian insert variants or Nintendo revision 00000/00001/00002 type stuff, nothing wild, though a few of those revisions/Canadian editions are quite uncommon/rare. Why'd it take SO long to find a Canadian Green Lantern or Reel Fishing 3D among a few others? Beats me, but it did. The other 10% are the real variants, like adding in the missing 3D warning on the front of the insert, correcting missing info on the back near the UPC, the addition or removal of an attention burst to the insert art and stuff like that. I've made a solid stab at the stuff that had sticker call-outs as well, and while I've gotten all the ones I've ever stumbled across (save some of the Target discount to buy snacks at their old store quick serves, those I've got a representative sample of) I know there is more that will eventually come and no list will ever be complete, because that's just how it works. Hell, we still have NO clue how many 3DS titles even got official refurbs, and I'm still missing one of the known ones to boot. And lastly, I've got the deeper South American dive still to go further into. That stuff is going to be a true pain. I'm sure at some point I'll get around to sharing info, but it's not going to be soon because I've yet to even get all of the data into my list (like UPCs, which is a great way to see obvious variants that are often missed) as I've added new fields over time, and then do new searches and sort through everything listed on places like eBay and Mercari all over again (I've done this a few times) for all 420 whatever releases. I just don't always have the time or desire after I get home from work, take care of dinner, family time, chores and the stuff that does matter. We've still got some more new stuff that's yet to even hit the digital storefront shelves (Shantae reprint) and some other stuff that's still to ship (Fragrant Story 1.2 themed packaging). Could VVVVVV be hiding in the wings? Sure, but Nicalis sitting on it so long makes little sense at this point. There are 2 ESRB ratings for it on 3DS so conceivably one could be for digital and the other for a retail release, but they're both basically lacking ANY info to glean anything about why the game was rated twice.

I've always rolled with system releases, so I have to get determined to chase full sets. I've completed three (DC, NGPC and 3DS), but made it so there is always something still to chase (variants...) and have another two (PS1 & DS) that are both pretty far along (~85% and ~70%) that I've kinda just let sit due to space and no huge desire to finish them off. I'm so far down the 3DS rabbit hole at this point that I really need to just find someone who's in Brazil to help me with my next self made hurdle if I really want to make any more real progress as I'm basically just chasing whims & the vain hopes of theoretical shadows while I wait for eBay searches to maybe hit pay dirt.

Currently sitting on just over 500 "variants" in addition to the full NA library. (Variants include Store exclusives, errors, US/CAN versions, US/CAN Nintendo Selects+ revisions, 'World' editions, US/CAN revisions, a few Mexican cover releases, NOA official refurbs, etc..) I'm down to what may be a few got a Canadian insert (or maybe not) I'm waiting for a hit on, stumbling into other refurb versions I don't have/not yet seen and the need to find a good contact who can grab stuff for me in South America because there's a pathway I'll likely end up needing to go down there too.

Yeah, When I went digging for info after the new version went on sale after the 1.2 patch dropped, there was a note in a Patreon post that the dev said they were just carts that there had been issues with that didn't go out before and were being repackaged and that the batches of them were much smaller than the original release batches were. They're supposed to ship sometime this month (January). In other 3DS news, a saved search I've had running for a few years now finally paid off for what I hoped would be a Canadian variant that I'd not been able to verify actually got done that was indeed actually done. The things you do for a sticker.

3DS cartridge production was ended nearly 2 years ago (all final orders were due 12-31-21). There isn't anything in any production pipelines at this point. Assembly maybe... but nothing is in production. The ESRB doesn't trigger recertifications for reprints so VGP stuff won't ever show up there. Best I can tell, that only comes up with a new Publisher gets their hands on a game. I haven't seen the print dates on Kokopolo but I'd guess that they would fall in the same time frame as the Shantae PC reprint. Josh has told me that they weren't going to release it (their final game) until it was all fully assembled (and I'm assuming now that we can clearly see that's happened) and the shipping dept was in better shape. I've got no clue how bad their backlog is anymore but with Kokopolo finally going out, it may be a smart drop to help close out the year, especially if their release schedule is light (which right now, only has titles dropping next week, and event exclusives that have been posted for months).

VGP reprints shouldn't hit ESRB notices, they're not 'new' games, just ones that have already been reviewed and approved, getting a fresh print. VGP hasn't really talked about them much since they said they had more reprints coming. The best time for them to have capitalized on it was as the system and e-shop shuttered. Holding another year doesn't make much business sense. A second run of Fragrant Story is interesting. There is new cover art on the site, and new coming soon DLC 'Papaya's Path' is listed as a 1.2 build of the game, but i'd be surprised that any additional games got produced, but then again, I'm surprised that a Shantae's reprint is LRG's theoretical final drop too (and Pirates Curse is listed on ESRB's site as an LRG release for the 3DS).

Timing was funny, but I finally got my shipping notice for Kokopolo Monday morning, just before Shakedown went on sale. There is still one more LRG title to come and it's possibly a reprint. Based on leaks that hit Reddit, photos of a new CE version of Shantae and the Pirates Curse have been shared.

Do I have a finish line? Sure. Do I move the goal posts? Yep. Have I just outright stopped some of those chases as well? Yep again. Have I finished anything? Sure, but then add to it, so it's back to the races. Do I enjoy the hunt more than the finish line? Without question, because once it's all 'gotten' then what?

Saved search paid off... This is a refurb sticker on the front of the insert and the new sku sticker is on the back of the insert. Fun fact, this one is utilizing the original pack-in insert for Kid Icarus rather than the creation of a new one as most every other one has had for the 3DS so far.

It's one of a few versions of the Super Mario Advanced NFR and the was the first of them in kiosks, hence the RP ESRB. For it to be complete it needs the rear sticker on it as well. http://www.nintendemos.com/?id=game&sys=gba&game=marioadvance1

2-3 weeks ago... **dies a little inside**

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh Where did you see this? Just find the picture or an actual copy for sale someplace? Goes and sets up some new searches (again).

@TanookiA free base card with a gold card opportunity still exists for all games they are publishing (not the distribution line games, none of which get cards.) They go and do other cards in addition to for some sets and sell them in the bundles. They've done it for Shantae (character sets), Turok (buncha dinos) and a few others the last few years. Those really only matter if you're chasing their trading cards too.

Ordering was about 2 minutes early and first reports of issues I was seeing on the LRG Discord were at 3 or 4 minutes after the hour. My whole order was done and squared up by the hour so I missed the address drama. It did take a hour to sell out of the CE/Double pack, but I think a lot of that was due to the shipping glitch the site was throwing on address verification checks. Considering how slow Atooi moved I wasn't sure if this drop would follow the same path or if the hype train had blown it up like it has everything else 3DS of late due to the stores closing and the loss of cart production. Either way, I was up early and grabbed all the LRG numbered stuff for a Friday drop per usual as I've done since SMRPG.

The site broke for orders for many this morning so if you didn't get your order in over the first 2-3ish minutes you got caught in a Shopify glitch for a while. US folks had a chance, I saw a lot of overseas folks very grumpy because LRG had to go back in and manually reenter shipping tables to be able to process their orders and wave 1 CE/double packs all sold out in that time. I forgot to check to see how the second drop went, but I'm sure those went fast too.

GameStop/EB Games shelf display case. Notice the lack of UPC? No UPC, no retail release. Not a pack in, no 'Not for Resale' in the spot where it'd be.

I had a search up for months waiting for another version of Art Academy to show up (there was a revised release that they accidentally made that forgot the game logo on the front of the insert) and of course didn't see thus one come up during the wait. I didn't expect to see this of all games getting a refurb run and and funny enough, this is the 00002 release, with that errored logo-less insert the 00001 release.

Welp.... One more to the pile. This showed up a few weeks ago in a DS/3DS Facebook group I'm in (MiamiSlice is too) and the dude picked it up off ebay for a very normal-ish cost for the game. I didn't bother asking if it was going to be kept or sold because I am not a fan of someone sharing something (rare or not) and then getting a bunch of Is that for sale/want to sell kind of posts/messages. I just went and put the save search back up for the game on eBay and expected to wait another bazillion years. Like a week later it popped back up (guess he was fishing for interest) with a not small BIN/OBO. And for a not small sum I bought it and it just arrived. Sorry phart010. It is open, so I don't know how it was originally sealed. Assuming that this is the original case, there is no seal sticker residue on it, so that would imply a shrink wrap is on the game. The new UPC sticker is on the insert itself.

Lots of stuff has spiked crazily. Rhythm Thief is like suddenly a $400+ game now.

This is the second time they've gotten Etrian V 'recently'. Last time was in October of 21 and they also rereleased Untold 2 then at the same time. There is a chance that one reappears as well.

The bump gave me a mini stomach drop thinking there'd be more 3DS titles to look for. I've not seen a Kid Icarus yet, but then again, I've also had a search running for Super Mario 3D land for a few years with no hits either. I was able to snag a Mario Party Island Tour a while back though so small wins.

I don't think these (or the PQ/PQ2 that also just got last final prints from VGP that also dropped at the same time) are it especially with their "last stuff is still coming" comment. They'd be completely new titles as I don't think any real announcements about reprints are ever going to move that announced/theoretical production needle. As for the the loose game conundrum, I always vote to only purchase games in the manner that you principally collect that system. If you don't then you've got odd ducks that don't line up with anything and the cost to eventually make it complete, or to wait and hope for a complete one, then to list the loose one, sell it and everything *I* don't tend to feel is worth it.