Famicom game question [Archive] - Retrogaming Roundtable

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Nukie

02-27-2006, 12:08 PM

I was going through a collection of games I got from my friend and came across these. (http://photobucket.com/albums/e1/Nukiestl/)
Can anyone tell me what these are and if they are worth anything. I know next to nothing about famicom games. Thanks in advance.[/url]

Chrome

02-27-2006, 12:21 PM

The first one is obviously Mario Brothers, I believe the Arcade version. And the last one is Hydlide Special. Not sure about the Famicom version, but the American version is terrible. The only other one I really recognize is Fantasy Zone II. I believe Tengen made the version for the American market, but they aren't entirely similar. The American version is a great shooter.

Take this all with a grain of salt, I'm not very familiar with the import scene.

Later,
Chrome...

Aussie2B

02-27-2006, 12:30 PM

Pantechnicon

02-27-2006, 12:40 PM

The black-shelled Taito cart with the red "07" in the lower-right corner is the Japanese version of The Legend Of Kage. Pretty common AFAIK.

Hammy

02-27-2006, 01:21 PM

To the best of my knowledge, none of those are particularly valuable, and at least a couple appear to be pirates to me. As for what they are, since most have their titles in English, they are what the say. :P

most of them are pirates, the fantasy zone looks like the only real deal in that bunch. just remember tho, some people are mad on collecting pirate games stuff!

Ed Oscuro

02-27-2006, 03:37 PM

Blitzwing256

02-27-2006, 03:45 PM

Push Upstairs

02-27-2006, 03:51 PM

The one with the green dinosaur is (according to my research) a game called "Wagyan Land". I know this because i own Wagyan Land 2 & 3.

Funny thing is that my Namcot carts look different than the ones in those pics. Mine are taller, blue, and have NAMCOT under the label. I can post a pic later is anyone wants me to.

Ed Oscuro

02-27-2006, 03:57 PM

hydlide special is the same as the us hydlide and thats an original.

super chinese is the jap version of kung fu heroes and thats an original.

fantasy zone is an orignial
kage is either an orignial or a very well done pirate (the taito in the upper right is a sign its an orignial)

the namcot game is also an original
Agreed so far...

the rest are pirates
What are you getting this from? The Kage no Densetsu, for example, is clearly a real Taito cartridge. Damned people.

Thanks for the info, Push Upstairs. I've seen the name and the character before, just couldn't place it (shit, I do this a lot, don't I).

Funny thing is that my Namcot carts look different than the ones in those pics. Mine are taller, blue, and have NAMCOT under the label. I can post a pic later is anyone wants me to.
Before anybody says it, that doesn't mean the one pictured is a pirate. Those later carts probably have the special Namco sound chip/mapper inside, and after a certain date Namco started using the cartridges with rounder edges (like Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti has).

Hammy

02-27-2006, 03:59 PM

most of them are pirates, the fantasy zone looks like the only real deal in that bunch. just remember tho, some people are mad on collecting pirate games stuff!
Only the first cartridge - the shitty looking Mario label (not Mario himself, though he's gotten handsomer over the years - I mean the text on it)- is a pirate, unless the pirates made perfect carbon copies of the real things.

I don't know what the Namcot cartridge (I think it is, dinosaur thing, top right picture) is, looks interesting.

i stand corrected! they look pretty badly made, and the artwork looks rarther dodgy on them for original cartridges, i'd of expected better looking games.

i surpose the japanese were not perticually bothered how good the cartridges looked, they just wanted to play the games.

Ed Oscuro

02-27-2006, 04:03 PM

i stand corrected! they look pretty badly made, and the artwork looks rarther dodgy on them for original cartridges, i'd of expected better looking games.

i surpose the japanese were not perticually bothered how good the cartridges looked, they just wanted to play the games.
Well, Hydlide wasn't terribly well made to begin with, but the logo's nifty. The Kage no Densetsu cart, though...that's a classic of game art right there, can't believe you don't like it.

You gotta remember that this was back when you could make and sell a game on a budget numbering in the thousands of dollars, and overall these were exactly high-budget titles anyway (Super Chinese?)

Blitzwing256

02-27-2006, 04:08 PM

What are you getting this from? The Kage no Densetsu, for example, is clearly a real Taito cartridge. Damned people.

re-read what I wrote turbo, I said kage WAS either an original or a very well done pirate, i've come across a few kage pirates that still have the taito molded into the cart but were pirates anyways (best way to check is to read the back label on the cart and compare it to a confirmed original

mario bros and formattion Z are definatly pirates.

Nukie

02-27-2006, 04:22 PM

Thank you all for the help.
Edit: games have been sold.

Ed Oscuro

02-27-2006, 04:30 PM

re-read what I wrote turbo, I said kage WAS either an original or a very well done pirate
My apologies. Having it right under another item (instead of separated like the others) and having "all the others" refer to two titles threw me off a bit.

However, on the Formation Z...is that based off of the cartridge color? Aside from that, it looks just like other ones, including the copies (all from toysonlinehk...in HK, could be they're dumping). I've found only two pictures that suggest the game should be pink, instead of orange, like this one (http://www.gamersgraveyard.com/repository/nes/history/images/famicom/good/Formation_Z_cart.jpg), or this one (http://devmagasins.100p100.fr/photos/vignettes/62x62/17074.1.jpg), and I don't see any that are orange. All the same, this isn't terribly convincing.

Blitzwing256

02-27-2006, 04:33 PM

I've also come across a jaleco molded one in pink, but that coloured one i've seen a few pirates of. the colour is what throws me off and makes me believe it is a pirate.

Ed Oscuro

02-27-2006, 04:37 PM

I've also come across a jaleco molded one in pink, but that coloured one i've seen a few pirates of. the colour is what throws me off and makes me believe it is a pirate.
Strange, but you know, I'm starting to become convinced - and I have seen some pink cartridges before, elsewhere. Basically:

- two pink cartridges show up for the Google search, one at a website I know of and think can be trusted.

- two orange cartidges pictures show up, and one's being used for a bunch of $2.50 BIN auctions from Hong Kong. Hmm...

InsaneDavid

02-27-2006, 04:49 PM

The only other one I really recognize is Fantasy Zone II. I believe Tengen made the version for the American market, but they aren't entirely similar. The American version is a great shooter.

Tengen released the first Fantasy Zone Famicom game in the US but there were some changes. (need to go over those as the arcade comparison is coming up at RTM) The second was never released stateside and generally garnered lower reviews than the original.

Thank you all for the help, and I guess the follow up question is:
Is anyone interested in any of these? If so, pm me with an offer.

Please PM me with what you would like for the Fantasy Zone II cart as I would like it as a companion to when I got to review the Tengen port of the original. If you've gotten no bites I'd also be interested in what you would like for all of them / remaining. Please let me know!

Also - the original SMB Famicom release used artwork from Wrecking Crew?? There's your pirate proof right there.

Push Upstairs

02-27-2006, 11:52 PM

Wagyan Land 2 & 3

http://usera.imagecave.com/Push_Upstairs/Other/Wagyan.jpg

I supposed i'd be interested in that Wagyan Land game (just to have all three) but i have no idea what to offer.

InsaneDavid

02-28-2006, 12:16 AM

I've already made an offer and paid for all the games.

Ed Oscuro

02-28-2006, 12:24 AM

Wagyan Land 2 & 3

http://usera.imagecave.com/Push_Upstairs/Other/Wagyan.jpg
I bet the cases for those games would be wider than the usual Famicom ones - just like Splatterhouse. The carts look pretty much exactly the same.

InsaneDavid

02-28-2006, 01:54 AM

Also, since I mentioned it...

Also - the original SMB Famicom release used artwork from Wrecking Crew?? There's your pirate proof right there.

...a real copy of Wrecking Crew looks like this...

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/aau07300/game/closeup/up_fc/lkk.jpg

The pirate SMB cart is still a decent looking reproduction but now I'm curious if the game inside is going to be a bootleg of Super Mario Bros. or Wrecking Crew. Guess I'll find out soon enough. :D

Push Upstairs

02-28-2006, 03:16 AM

I bet the cases for those games would be wider than the usual Famicom ones - just like Splatterhouse. The carts look pretty much exactly the same.

They are in the same case as "Splatterhouse". I got those two along with "Splatterhouse" in a huge lot of famicom/Mega Drive games some years ago.

I also got a baseball game that is in a weird case that curves around at the top and in the back a little tiny cart plugs into it. I've never seen another one of this particular game outside the two i bought.

InsaneDavid

02-28-2006, 03:28 AM

I also got a baseball game that is in a weird case that curves around at the top and in the back a little tiny cart plugs into it. I've never seen another one of this particular game outside the two i bought.

When I was doing Famicom/NES/FDS emulation research a couple years back I read something about that. I think it accepted roster updates or something similar... hmm... I can't remember what it did, but it was something like that. I don't think the Famista games are what I'm thinking of.. it was awhile ago though and it was just sort of a footnote to me then.

InsaneDavid

03-02-2006, 06:43 PM

Games arrived today, oh and I've posted in your feedback thread Nukie, would appriciate the same (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=69490). :)

Now let's get down to business to educate those who see Famicom and instantly think "those are crummy looking - they MUST be pirates!"...

Fantasy Zone II - Commercial release, but we all agreed on that.

Formation Z - Commercial release, this is NOT a pirate, I had assumed it was as well but now that I have it in my hand I can tell you it isn't. It's a Jaleco shell with a real Jaleco label front and back with their contact and copyright information. Color variations on early Famicom games are fairly common, don't know why this threw us all off.

Hydlide Special - Commercial release, agreed upon.

Kage no Densetsu - Commercial release, proper Taito Corporation back label.

Super Chinese - Commercial release, proper labels although the one up top has worn away and dissapeared.

Wagan Land / Wagyan Land - Commercial release, proper labels including the top edge label. (hurray!)

Super Mario Bros. - Pirate, most of us said that right out of the gate and it is a knockoff of the Wrecking Crew cartridge and of course the label is at a lower resolution. The back label gives it away, 100% engrish - "The unique manufacturer adopting high class IC and processed by not oxidized gold plate on the apparatus, to protect protect your IPU." WTF, that's the worst engrish I've read in awhile... "...to protect protect your IPU." LOL This is what a proper SMB cart looks like...

http://www.gamersgraveyard.com/repository/nes/history/images/famicom/good/Super_Mario_Bros._cart.jpg

Now is it a pirate SMB or a pirate Wrecking Crew? Well let's take a walk over to the bookcase o' NES cartridges and grab my salvaged converter cart and.... hmmm... not here... ..hmmmm.... Let me check my in/out logs and... ah, I lent it out so a friend could play her Macross cart...

*phone call*
...what do you mean you don't know where it is? AGGGHH.. ..alright...

So the mystery will continue until the top of next week when I can salvage myself another (the flea market brings with it cheap copies of Gyromite and Hogan's Alley) convertor board and socket, or unless the cart I cut off and made nice and user friendly decides to show up. :/

Ed Oscuro

03-04-2006, 04:22 PM

Huh, thanks for the info. Glad to see I was right, but for the wrong reasons, heh :embarrassed:

InsaneDavid

03-04-2006, 06:24 PM

Yeah, I think it's time to start visually cataloging all my games in preperation for when I expand my hosting model to unlimited space and unmetered bandwidth this summer. There's just too many sites with fuzzy little pictures or great pictures but with zero information, etc. I can understand that though given the time and cost of doing uniform projects like that.

Guess it would be kind of like Lugnut & CinC's old emulation sites, except no roms. LOL Something like a visual collection database to accompany the text lists I have currently.

InsaneDavid

03-21-2006, 06:13 PM

Bumping this old thread as I finally picked up some Gyromite carts (since my last converter doesn't look like it's coming back) and one of them had the Famicom - NES conveter inside, so I built myself yet another converter cart. (not as nice as the previous or the others I've built since I don't have my master one to base the sizing off of, also it was in a Gyromite cartridge that HAD the TM on it, and the grape colored Robot Series label... right along side another cart that was the same with no converter.. further debunking all the BS how you can tell if there's one inside or not. People, it's luck of the draw either way, unless you're good at checking the weight.

Back on topic...

The pirate "Super Mario Bros." cartridge is...........

Wrecking Crew, my assumptions based on the label art were correct, it's just a straight pirate of Wrecking Crew.