Best Cartridge Design

[Gunstarhero]

Got a favorite cart design? Whether it be for its cool shape, or its 'stackability', or even for how much art covers them.

After some thought(probably too much), I have to go with the Standard Atari 2600 cart. It seems to be the perfect size, as it holds a fairly large label that covers the entire front side, but it isn't so big as to require loads of storage space, if loose that is. Their stackability factor is a perfect 10, I mean nothing really stacks better than these, maybe some other carts stack just as well, but probably not better. Well, maybe Activision because of the rails?

I really really like the Jaguar carts, and they have absolutely beautifull labels on those things, but I can't figure out why in the world Atari designed the back of Jag carts with a Curve. You can't really stack these up very well, they tend to wobble around too much after 3 or 4 carts, but I like the shape otherwise. Another minus for the Jag carts, for me, is the absence of an end label. I think carts should always have been designed to hold an end label, which is a nuisance for N64 carts as well as Jag carts, if you want to find a game quickly.

[FrankLee]

I really like the shape of the game boy advance carts...you should add durability to your stackablity and shape and stuff...One time i borrowed my neibhors The adventures of batman and robin for the genesis and ended up droping it or something because it was in the driveway in the snow had to be there at least a couple days untill my mom found it pulling into the driveway but it still worked. So i like GBA for the shape and Sega Genesis for the durability and snow-proofness

[Ed Oscuro]

Hehe, snow-proofness.

While I haven't put any of my games to that test, I'd have to say that the Genesis/Mega Drive cart wins for strangeness (as well as having a curved top edge covered by a label--see Daimakaimura for proof,) but my favorites would be the plain old Famicom and Super Famicom cart. Favorite design is still the Japanese Super Metroid cart.

[Bratwurst]

The HuCard for the Turbo Grafx-16 wins in my book. The merits of which have already been discussed but hey, it's super thin, the label's /painted/ into the plastic and very easy to clean.

[Cafeman]

Great Big Rigid 5200 Carts of course!

[Ed Oscuro]

Oh, whoops. Forgot to mention that.

I will also mention Famicom Disk games as well as Sharp x68000 disks (same as Apple 2 in size) just because they were cheap and sold a lot of games to kids who couldn't afford a collection of cart games.

[Bratwurst]

I will also mention Famicom Disk games as well as Sharp x68000 disks (same as Apple 2 in size) just because they were cheap and sold a lot of games to kids who couldn't afford a collection of cart games.

Man, if that had been brought over to America, imagine getting games like that for the price of a rental.

[Sylentwulf]

I like the NES carts for design, easy to stack in ANY direction, easy to pull out with the ridged finger tabs, end label, big front label.

The color of them is another story, but for design, the NES cart takes the cake. Most of the others I've seen mentioned are too small. Easily lost, and don't look good in a collection ;)

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Ah, you folks are nuts. X_x Make mine an ODYSSEY 2 cartridge with that all-too-handy handle! :D

[l_lamb]

Best: Tiger for 2600 - had slots and grooves that lined up with the Activision games with the bonus tapered end forming a handle.

Worst: M-Network - let's take the already unstackable Intellivision design, including the thick "insert to this line", and stick a large adapter on the end so you can't stack a damn thing on top!

Most durable: Atari 5200 - if you drop one of these on your foot, you might lose a toe!

[Captain Wrong]

Best: Neo Geo, home or MVS, because you can seriously injure someone with those. (Plus they're easy to open with out destroying.)

Worst: GBA, because babies can choke on them and that makes Jesus cry.

[simonbelmont7]

Well I was gonna say Genesis carts for there size, but then I saw the post above, then NO DOUBT i have to go with t16 HuCards! Soooo freakin easy to clean and take care of.., hell, store them in your wallet! :)

[ventrra]

The HuCard for the Turbo Grafx-16 wins in my book. The merits of which have already been discussed but hey, it's super thin, the label's /painted/ into the plastic and very easy to clean.
I'll go along with that. I can still remember my sense of shock at seeing one for the first time. :D

[maxlords]

The HuCard for the Turbo Grafx-16 wins in my book. The merits of which have already been discussed but hey, it's super thin, the label's /painted/ into the plastic and very easy to clean.

Agreed. Perfect cart (unless you need to replace the insides!) And the label is screened on. ;)

[buttasuperb]

Best: Neo Geo, home or MVS, because you can seriously injure someone with those. (Plus they're easy to open with out destroying.)

hehe, same thing I was gonna say, a Neo Geo cart is a sometimes expensive weapon.

Best to go with MVS, they're cheaper, and a little bit heavier, IMO, so they can do a bit more damage when thrown at someone, or just repeatedly smashed on someone's face.

[hezeuschrist]

Worst: GBA, because babies can choke on them and that makes Jesus cry.

Tears of LAUGHTER! HAH!

I slay myself.

[AB Positive]

Ah, you folks are nuts. X_x Make mine an ODYSSEY 2 cartridge with that all-too-handy handle! :D

PDF voting for Odyssey 2? I'm surprised! LOL

I will have to second the HuCards for TG-16, with runner up going to the SMS cartridge either loose or boxed, it works great.

But I just love those HuCards. Even got some SMS card games... too bad they suck.

-AG

[YoshiM]

I'd have to say the NES carts are best. Like Sylent said, easy to stack no matter what, has a spine and front label, and pretty dang durable.

Hu Cards were cool, but if you had a bunch stacked by themselves with no cases, they just look like a pile of flat white dominoes with no idea what game is what (except for what's on top).

[Bratwurst]

Hu Cards were cool, but if you had a bunch stacked by themselves with no cases, they just look like a pile of flat white dominoes with no idea what game is what (except for what's on top).

That's what baseball card albums are for. :D

[Videogamerdaryll]

I'd have the say..ODYSSEY 2 cartridges..

I have a few stacks of these and they always stay pretty straight even when I move stuff around..
My second choice would be Activision carts for the Atari 2600..they have these small grooves that keep them stacked nice..

I like the card design of Turbo Grafx 16 HU cards and the Sega Master System cards..
They are very durable and easy to carry..but would you call these a cartridge?

My most hated stacked cart is Microvision games ..the just look horrible when stacked..
I made a small box so I can stand the loose carts up..in a line..

[portnoyd]

You won't hear me say this again, but I felt the 2600 regular carts had the best design. Simple, stackable, small.

dave

[The Unknown Gamer]

Best stackable is Atari 2600 Activision carts

Best feel Sega Genesis

Funest SMS game cards

[maxlords]

Best stackable is Atari 2600 Activision carts

Best feel Sega Genesis

Funest SMS game cards

Funest is SO not a word :P

[Gunstarhero]

I like the NES carts for design, easy to stack in ANY direction, easy to pull out with the ridged finger tabs, end label, big front label.

The color of them is another story, but for design, the NES cart takes the cake. Most of the others I've seen mentioned are too small. Easily lost, and don't look good in a collection ;)

Yeah, good point about the tab, you can take any cart out of a tall stack without making a mess, thanks to those.

Also, a point about Genesis carts, I don't like how they stack loose at all. It's like you have to stack them upside down to be able to read the end labels. The only carts I know of that stack upside down. :/

[TRM]

I would go with the NES carts. Except for the unlicensed carts, everything had a uniform shape and size, they were great for stacking and easy to use.

I was about ready to say Atari 2600, though too many companies had their own cartridge designs and this forced the games to look junky when all stacked together. Though I like their sizes better, much smaller.

[Ed Oscuro]

Which unlicensed carts would be different? I know some were, but others--i.e. Tengen carts--were the same, maybe a different color (black for Tengen Tetris).

[Arqueologia_Digital]

SMS/Genesis carts are the best for me...simple and easy to carry...anything else.

[TRM]

All of the unlicensed NES carts have slightly different shapes. Tengen, Color Dreams, Codemasters/Camerica. SEI, Active Enterprises, and so forth.

[Cantaloup]

Worst I would have to say are the early (flat) Lynx carts. They were tough to remove and often hurt your fingers when trying. Later designs had a curved lip that made removing them much easier.

[Charlesaway]

I'm partial to the standard Genesis carts. They look cool with their curves and grooves, they stack pretty well, and the artwork wraps around the edge to include a top label.

Plus, nearly all regular stereo cassette trays seem to fit them. It's how I display my loose genesis games. :)

[jaydubnb]

TG16/PCE and NEO*GEO carts are my faves. One is small and low key, the other loud and boisterous. Theyre like the Odd Couple of gaming :)

[tynstar]

The Atari 2600 carts are the best to stack. My reason is stated many times in the above threads.

Worst cart to stack are the N64 because you can't tel what cart it is.

[scmsx]

Best: PC Engine HuCards, Atari 2600 carts
Worst: Mattel carts

Sergio

[Scoots]

I'm a big fan of Imagic's Intellivision carts. Great labels, cool shape.

[MarkM2112]

My two favorites are:

Sega Master System - very elegant design
ColecoVision - Shares all the positive aspects of the Atari 2600 carts with one added feature... the recessed section on the side where you can store the overlays. A very ingenious design!!!