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

[RH | 4,895]

59 minutes ago, Splain said:

@ThePhleo just give us a hint!

And lol, unfortunately there aren't enough impatient Game Boy label variant collectors to warrant a price like that.

The thing is, from my best observations, this looks like another Euro-only release (the Lock-N-Chase) so that means we'll have to get our copies from Spain, or something.  So, it might be "rare" to find one in the US, but with enough time, we'll get ours. 

[Splain | 2,560]

2 hours ago, RH said:

The thing is, from my best observations, this looks like another Euro-only release (the Lock-N-Chase) so that means we'll have to get our copies from Spain, or something.  So, it might be "rare" to find one in the US, but with enough time, we'll get ours. 

Ah that might be true, there's one in the Sold listings, and it's CIB from the Netherlands. And not 4 digits lol.

[acidjaguar | 258]

@ThePhleo @RH @Splain

 

Whatever happen to the hype machine Phleo!?!? We need answers here.

[RH | 4,895]

8 minutes ago, acidjaguar said:

@ThePhleo @RH @Splain

 

Whatever happen to the hype machine Phleo!?!? We need answers here.

He's not been on the site since February.   I guess he cracked it open and maybe it had an ElectroBrain logo, which I'd be very surprised to see.

[Splain | 2,560]

47 minutes ago, RH said:

He's not been on the site since February.   I guess he cracked it open and maybe it had an ElectroBrain logo, which I'd be very surprised to see.

The shock killed him!

[ThePhleo | 2,184]

Well, I hate to disappoint but I posted it on my IG a while ago and forgot to post it here.

Life comes at me in waves and I had a very, very busy three months.

Anyway, here's the results.

 

Yep...Electrobrain logo :(

[RH | 4,895]

Interesting. What's with the edge of the cardboard on the inside flap? It looks worn to me. Any chance that this was an odd reseal? I am stretching with this one since it has Electro-Brain documentation, but I always assumed that type of wear happened after a game was opened.

[ThePhleo | 2,184]

32 minutes ago, RH said:

Interesting. What's with the edge of the cardboard on the inside flap? It looks worn to me. Any chance that this was an odd reseal? I am stretching with this one since it has Electro-Brain documentation, but I always assumed that type of wear happened after a game was opened.

Nah, no chance it was a reseal.

These things were packaged by hand, so it's bound to have some damage somewhere on the assembly line. Some internal damage will easily pass QC...also, remember this particular copy was banged up in the corner (which popped out VERY easily by hand even while still sealed...oh well)

[Poohboooh23 | 0]

Bonk's Revenge on Game Boy differences?

I have the cart and manual of each version, and don't know the differences, other than the Hudson Soft vs. Electro Brain label. Is one more rare, are the games different, etc? 

[Splain | 2,560]

32 minutes ago, Poohboooh23 said:

Bonk's Revenge on Game Boy differences?

I have the cart and manual of each version, and don't know the differences, other than the Hudson Soft vs. Electro Brain label. Is one more rare, are the games different, etc? 

The games themselves aren't different, just an update to the label and manual to put Electro Brain's name on the stuff printed after EB took over the publishing. (but yeah, it still says Hudson in-game; they didn't go so far as to alter the ROM) I'd say the rev-1 Electro Brain ones are a little more rare, but likely not rare enough that you could fetch a premium over the Hudson ones.

[RH | 4,895]

@Poohboooh23 Splain is 100% correct. There may come a day when more than 5 people seem to care about GB variants but at this time, they don't seem to fetch a premium. I mean, some of these variants can be really rare. I'll pay a bit more if I have to, just to win an auction but unless I have an emotional attachment to a specific game, I will let rarer variants pass and just hope to find another one day.

Anyway, as far as specific variants are concerned, I had no difficulty finding this game.It might be less common that the first version, but it's not truly rare.

 

[_Brink_ | 48]

Count me as the 6th GB collector that cares about variants :).  After having the thrill (and absolute grind) of collecting the full set, its even more fun continually searching for ultra rare variants that are in plain sight.  Im two thirds the way to collecting all known variants, thanks to your lists, and the feeling never gets old when another one finally pops up that I need.  The harder and longer I search, the more rewarding.  Much more fun that when I collected NES and N64.  There is no reason to ever pay much of a premium for a rare GB variant at this stage of the game.  Similarly, I would never expect to charge a large premium until there are more than 6 people who care.  Thanks RH, Splain and Phleo - been following you for a long time.  Interested to hear how close you are to a truly complete set.  Daedalian Opus, Turrican and the E Rated SML 1 & 2 are not for the faint of heart.

Edited June 5, 2020 by _Brink_

[RH | 4,895]

32 minutes ago, _Brink_ said:

Count me as the 6th GB collector that cares about variants :).  After having the thrill (and absolute grind) of collecting the full set, its even more fun continually searching for ultra rare variants that are in plain sight.  Im two thirds the way to collecting all known variants, thanks to your lists, and the feeling never gets old when another one finally pops up that I need.  The harder and longer I search, the more rewarding.  Much more fun that when I collected NES and N64.  There is no reason to ever pay much of a premium for a rare GB variant at this stage of the game.  Similarly, I would never expect to charge a large premium until there are more than 6 people who care.  Thanks RH, Splain and Phleo - been following you for a long time.  Interested to hear how close you are to a truly complete set.  Daedalian Opus, Turrican and the E Rated SML 1 & 2 are not for the faint of heart.

It's surprising how hard some of these are to come by, and Daedalian Opus is starting to feel like a true white whale. There was a sealed copy in bad shape for around $50 when I first started looking. I wish I had bought it because they seem to be impossible to find. There was also a seller with an image of the Sunsoft version but he had 3-4 for sale. Over the year or so they were up (and might still be), I contacted the guy multiple times to see if he had a Sunsoft version and he never responded. That was annoying. 

Currently I need about 40 variants but I haven't pulled the trigger on some of the easy one's, and there are about 8 other first version titles I've yet to get. I think I agree. Variant hunting is more fun. I finished my complete set and since some of these variants are so obscure, I don't feel rushed to get them all right away.

But, IMHO, the worst to get is Kid Dracula because of the price. I'm honestly glad I knocked that one out pretty early on.

 

 

[Splain | 2,560]

14 hours ago, _Brink_ said:

Count me as the 6th GB collector that cares about variants :).  After having the thrill (and absolute grind) of collecting the full set, its even more fun continually searching for ultra rare variants that are in plain sight.  Im two thirds the way to collecting all known variants, thanks to your lists, and the feeling never gets old when another one finally pops up that I need.  The harder and longer I search, the more rewarding.  Much more fun that when I collected NES and N64.  There is no reason to ever pay much of a premium for a rare GB variant at this stage of the game.  Similarly, I would never expect to charge a large premium until there are more than 6 people who care.  Thanks RH, Splain and Phleo - been following you for a long time.  Interested to hear how close you are to a truly complete set.  Daedalian Opus, Turrican and the E Rated SML 1 & 2 are not for the faint of heart.

Great! I'm the same as you and @RH, I'm about 2/3 of the way as well, but many of those are easy ones I just need to snatch up. (and there's a handful that I've never seen with my own eyes lol) It's been so long since any new variants have popped up, I'm feeling a lot better about this list than I used to. I actually picked up a Daedalian Opus -1 manual recently, but the guy didn't have the cart. And I finally got this guy just yesterday!

[Splain | 2,560]

14 hours ago, RH said:

But, IMHO, the worst to get is Kid Dracula because of the price. I'm honestly glad I knocked that one out pretty early on.

Yeah I'm jealous, I still need the -1. Kid Dracula is sort of the Earthbound of the GB library; it's not the rarest or most expensive, but it seems to get talked about way more than others. Like if someone posts a haul and says "you'll never guess what GB game I found at this garage sale!" you just KNOW it's going to be Kid Dracula. So that makes it hard to get any kind of deal on it. Everyone knows what it's worth and every seller tries to push the value higher.

[0xDEAFC0DE | 1,277]

1 hour ago, Splain said:

And I finally got this guy just yesterday!

Nice!

If you have the time would you mind taking a picture of the pcb? I imagine the datecode will be similar to mine (9834, see below), but figured I would double check in case it's not. I'm still curious if the E-rated box exists, but I've yet to see one.

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

What's up with the Limited Run Star Wars and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back gameboy releases? Are they the same game as the Gameboy version or licensed by Nintendo somehow?  Just trying to determine if they would fit in the officially licensed variant category.  Seems difficult to decide.

Anyone have an idea how rare the Lock 'N Chase (Sunsoft Label) release is?  I see one listed on eBay but the seller wants a crazy high amount of money.  I've never seen another.

Edited June 7, 2020 by samsamsamsmasmasma

[RH | 4,895]

9 hours ago, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

What's up with the Limited Run Star Wars and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back gameboy releases? Are they the same game as the Gameboy version or licensed by Nintendo somehow?  Just trying to determine if they would fit in the officially licensed variant category.  Seems difficult to decide.

Anyone have an idea how rare the Lock 'N Chase (Sunsoft Label) release is?  I see one listed on eBay but the seller wants a crazy high amount of money.  I've never seen another.

I don't count the LRG items.  The are licensed by the IP owners, but not Nintendo.  These are comparable to the CAPCOM licensed repro carts for Street Fighter on the SNES.  They are "legit repros" but not licensed.  I think they are cool, but not official.

Regarding Lock 'N Chase, many of these are hard to find, but not impossible.  There's that one crazy wanting $1,500 on eBay, but he won't ever get that.

[Splain | 2,560]

Looks like mine is 9834 as well.

 

Also, I hope it was one of you guys that snagged this SML:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TESTED-Zelda-Final-Fantasy-Donkey-Kong-Super-Mario-Land-Nintendo-Gameboy/153962648023?var=454042040497

[ThePhleo | 2,184]

12 hours ago, RH said:

I don't count the LRG items.  The are licensed by the IP owners, but not Nintendo.  These are comparable to the CAPCOM licensed repro carts for Street Fighter on the SNES.  They are "legit repros" but not licensed.  I think they are cool, but not official.

Regarding Lock 'N Chase, many of these are hard to find, but not impossible.  There's that one crazy wanting $1,500 on eBay, but he won't ever get that.

Yeah, imagine if LRG existed back when the games were new.

It would be exactly like the Tengen licensed /unlicensed NES stuff.

[RH | 4,895]

9 hours ago, Splain said:

Also, I hope it was one of you guys that snagged this SML:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TESTED-Zelda-Final-Fantasy-Donkey-Kong-Super-Mario-Land-Nintendo-Gameboy/153962648023?var=454042040497

I will not be annoyed or frustrated by this.  I can only have so many saved eBay searches targeting this game, including just "Super Mario Land".  I have no clue how this one slipped through the cracks, but I'll just tell myself that this one wasn't in the condition I want.

But, the good news (for me anyway) is that even though this is the third one I've seen in about 2 years that I've missed, that also means about 3 (and possibly more) have gone up for sale in two years, so it's not legit super-duper-impossible-to-find rare.  It's just elusive for me.  I can live with that.

9 hours ago, ThePhleo said:

Yeah, imagine if LRG existed back when the games were new.

It would be exactly like the Tengen licensed /unlicensed NES stuff.

 

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

Would it be fair to say that the initial releases of Ducktales 2, Animaniacs, and Turn and Burn are the only three games that are significantly more difficult to find than the variants on this list? Edit:I would also include Star Wars in here as well.

I was also thinking that it might be helpful to specify somewhere that the player's choice version of Dr. Mario with the 'E' rating and the player's choice version of Space Invaders don't actually have the player's choice logo on the cart as is specified with one of the tetris variants. 

Edit* Whoops the player's choice of space invaders does have the player's choice logo.

Another thing I just realized is there is no U.S non player's choice version of The Smurfs and Mickey Mouse Magic Wands.

You all probably know all this they were just a few things that were initially confusing me that I thought were relevant to this thread.

Edited June 14, 2020 by samsamsamsmasmasma

[acidjaguar | 258]

4 minutes ago, samsamsamsmasmasma said:

Would it be fair to say that the initial releases of Ducktales 2, Animaniacs, and Turn and Burn are the only three games that are significantly more difficult to find than the variants on this list?

I was also thinking that it might be helpful to specify somewhere that the player's choice version of Dr. Mario with the 'E' rating and the player's choice version of Space Invaders don't actually have the player's choice logo on the cart as is specified with one of the tetris variants. 

Another thing I just realized is there is no U.S non player's choice version of The Smurfs and Mickey Mouse Magic Wands.

You all probably know all this they were just a few things that were initially confusing me that I thought were relevant to this thread.

I would disagree that the DT2, Animaniacs, and Turn and Burn are significantly harder to find than other variants.  I believe the late revisions of the Super Marios, Donkey Kong Land, and Dr Mario are the hardest to find.  With Super Mario maybe being on top.

 

Smurfs and Magic Wands do not exist as non-player's choice carts.  That is correct.

 

The Dr. Mario and Space Invaders comment is correct and maybe Richard can get that incorporated into his spreadsheet. 

[samsamsamsmasmasma | 16]

45 minutes ago, acidjaguar said:

I would disagree that the DT2, Animaniacs, and Turn and Burn are significantly harder to find than other variants.  I believe the late revisions of the Super Marios, Donkey Kong Land, and Dr Mario are the hardest to find.  With Super Mario maybe being on top.

 

Smurfs and Magic Wands do not exist as non-player's choice carts.  That is correct.

 

The Dr. Mario and Space Invaders comment is correct and maybe Richard can get that incorporated into his spreadsheet. 

I guess I meant the inital release version of a game compared to its respective variant not necessarily variants of other games.

[RH | 4,895]

Well, it's taken years, but I've finally checked this one off, assuming no snafus with the mail.

Well, it's an ugly sonofagun, but it allows me to check it off until I can get a better conditioned one.  I'll try to take photos of the board when it arrives.