SNES cart - cartridge variation question - plastic bottom

[c0ldb33r]

I know that this has probably been asked before. I did search the forum and google for the answer to this question, but the problem is that I have no idea what search terms to use.

What's the deal with early vs. late SNES cartridges? Why do the earlier ones have a "full" or thick plastic bottom and the later ones seem to have removed this and replaced it with a slanty bottom. I know I'm not describing this well, so I took a picture of three early SNES carts vs. three later ones:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/DSC01850.jpg

Why do the bottom portions of the three top carts look different from the three bottom ones? When did Nintendo switch over to the newer variation? Why did they switch it?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

The early SNES cartridges functioned as a "lock" mechanism with the power button.

When you push the power button "forward" a small bit of plastic would lock in to that slot, preventing games from being "ripped out" of the system while powered on, which could theoretically fry the system.

Unfortunately, that was never really "explained" ... and there is a huge "eject" button on the console.

Later games were modified ... and while the plastic still made light contact with the top most portion of the cartridge, if you wanted to, you could rip the game out or eject it even when the power was on.

I guess it's the engineering theory that it's better to be able to damage the less expensive part ... in this case the cartridge, as TECHNICALLY you could UNPLUG the SNES and safely be able to remove the cartridge ... but with that locking mechanism in place, if consumers decided that was what they wanted to do they could push on the "eject" button (or pull the cart out) SO hard that they would break all of those mechanisms in the SNES.

[Tupin]

I was JUST about to post this, as I was wondering too.

Maybe people DID damage their system by pulling them out with the lock engaged, so Nintendo just decided to make it so they could be if the consumer wanted to.

Oh, and another thing. The redesigned carts weigh a LOT less than the originals, probably in an attempt to save plastic.

[Pete Rittwage]

I thought the locking system turned out to violate a patent and they had to remove it? That was the story I recall from years ago.

[TonyTheTiger]

Not that I endorse ripping cartridges out of powered on consoles but I still don't understand the physics behind the danger. What's happening in the console that should a cartridge be suddenly taken out something could be damaged? Is the active current enough?

[izarate]

There was a site that recolected info about videogame related lawsuits and I recall reading that there was a class action against Nintendo for something related to the cartridge shape. I don't remember exactly what the problem was but I think that Tupin is right. Maybe people damaged their systems while trying to remove the cartridge with the power on.

[Tupin]

There was a site that recolected info about videogame related lawsuits and I recall reading that there was a class action against Nintendo for something related to the cartridge shape. I don't remember exactly what the problem was but I think that Tupin is right. Maybe people damaged their systems while trying to remove the cartridge with the power on.
I've never seen another cartridge that looks like a SNES cart...

Nintendo had done the whole "pushing the power on locks the game in place" thing before with Gameboy, and I don't think it was as a big deal as the SNES yanking cartridges out because you can't get a good enough grip on them. Plus, the lock on Gameboy is made of thick plastic, while the SNES lock is thin and easy to break if you try hard enough.

The redesigned carts aren't affected by the lock since they lack the groove on the front, so they can be pulled out.

[c0ldb33r]

Was there anything equivalent with Super Famicom carts?

[InsaneDavid]

Was there anything equivalent with Super Famicom carts?

I believe ALL Super Famicom cartridges use the setup that locks the cartridge in place.

[Poofta!]

i always thought it was to cut down the cost of the cart (remember paying 70-90$ per game? without it being a LE lol).

less plastic = less production cost

[Krook]

hmm, the PAL games all look the same.

[Willem]

PAL Games are in shape the same as the JAP versions. As is the same with the SNES console. The first time I saw a US SNES, I thought it was a bootleg :p

[Greg2600]

The later revised SNES console (1994 on) was much much lighter than the earlier ones. There was tons of metal removed, the sound board became integrated on the main board, the main board itself shrunk, and the plastic "locking" mechanism was removed. My bet is on lowering costs, and that the locking really wasn't needed. The carts were changed a year or two earlier than that though, I would say.

[NEOFREAK9189]

i always thought it was to cut down the cost of the cart (remember paying 70-90$ per game? without it being a LE lol).

less plastic = less production cost

yeah me 2

[MachineGex]

If the carts were made of solid plastic then the bottom would have alittle less plastic. Since they arent solid, I am betting they both have close to the same amount of plastic.

[CelticJobber]

Nintendo also stopped packing in those little plastic dust covers around the same time as the cartridge re-design.

I remember seeing a letter in Nintendo Power (or Gamepro) back in late 1993 asking why they changed SNES carts and took away the dust covers, and the answer was something like "it cuts back on plastic and is better for the environment since most people don't use the dust covers or Eject button". The environmental excuse was also used by Sega when they switched to cheap cardboard packaging for Genesis titles.