NES Box Designs -- Changes?

[SoulBlazer]

Here's a real nitpicky question for you NES experts.

I was talking to a old college friend the other day -- I told him about this site when he mentioned he was starting to collect NES games, etc. Right now he has no internet access due to a recent move, but he asked me a question I cold only partily answer and thought I would ask here.

He wants to know the different designs that were used for NES games during their life -- on the box, primarly, but he asked about the carts also. I ASSUME the design on the box and cart are the same in most cases -- someone correct me if I'm wrong.

What I mean is -- I'm aware of four different 'types' of designs that were used for NES boxes and labels for carts:
1) Original 'Black Box' with old style NES Seal of Quality
2) Unique Designs with old style NES Seal of Quality
3) Unique Designs with new style NES Seal of Quality
4) Red strip at top saying 'Nintendo Entertainment System' in black letters

Am I missing something? I know there are going to be exception games (such as the Zeldas) but as a rule, can we lump NES box/cart designs into those four groups?

Any ideas on the years that the designs were used?

And what was the first game to have the red strip at the top? I know they started doing this after the SNES and GB was out and the NES was starting to wind down it's life. Frankly, I always liked that design best -- it made the boxes stand out easy and it looked cool.

Thanks in advance.

[jajaja]

I prefer the 1st and original release of NES games.
The red line on top is the "Classical Series" i think. Dont have any games like this of my own because i dont like re-release of the boxes.

[SoulBlazer]

No, you're wrong -- the Classics Series is a totally DIFERENT design, one I admit I forgot about.

Okay, so there are five then......

The 'red line at top' started to be used for all late NES games, sometime around 1992. Original games, NOT re-releases. I recall seeing over a hundred boxes like that.

[izret101]

The Classic Series says "Classic Series" acrtoss the top front of the box in gold print on a red bar.

[yoursisterspretty]

Not to thread-hijack, but does anyone know where I can find a list of NES games that had the old circle Seal-of-Quality?

[SoulBlazer]

Good question. I'm sure there have to be SOME collectors out there who can help us.

[goatdan]

I believe that the red lined games started in Canada and trickled their way down to the US. The Canadian releases had that red line on the carts too. I think it looks really slick like that.

[Qixmaster]

Here's a real nitpicky question for you NES experts.

I was talking to a old college friend the other day -- I told him about this site when he mentioned he was starting to collect NES games, etc. Right now he has no internet access due to a recent move, but he asked me a question I cold only partily answer and thought I would ask here.

He wants to know the different designs that were used for NES games during their life -- on the box, primarly, but he asked about the carts also. I ASSUME the design on the box and cart are the same in most cases -- someone correct me if I'm wrong.

What I mean is -- I'm aware of four different 'types' of designs that were used for NES boxes and labels for carts:
1) Original 'Black Box' with old style NES Seal of Quality
2) Unique Designs with old style NES Seal of Quality
3) Unique Designs with new style NES Seal of Quality
4) Red strip at top saying 'Nintendo Entertainment System' in black letters

Am I missing something? I know there are going to be exception games (such as the Zeldas) but as a rule, can we lump NES box/cart designs into those four groups?

Any ideas on the years that the designs were used?

And what was the first game to have the red strip at the top? I know they started doing this after the SNES and GB was out and the NES was starting to wind down it's life. Frankly, I always liked that design best -- it made the boxes stand out easy and it looked cool.

Thanks in advance.

And so it begins... again. here is a little story about NES variations.
If you are concerned with black box era variations, read below.

1st Gen - 5 Screws (hangtab box), No Country Code, Round/Gold Nintendo Seal, includes Famicom Adapter inside cartridge, Regular Screws

2nd Gen - 5 Screws (hangtab box), No Country Code on Cart, Round/Gold Nintendo Seal, DOES NOT include famicom adapter inside cart, Regular Screws

3rd Gen - 3 Screws (NON Hangtab box, REV-A), No Country Code on cart, Round/Gold Nintendo Seal, regular screws.

4th Gen - 3 Screws (NON Hangtab box, REV-A). Country Code on cart, Round/Gold Nintendo Seal, Regular Screws

5th Gen - 3 Screws (NON Hangtab box, REV-A) Country code on cart, Round/Gold Nintendo Seal, SECURITY SCREWS

6th Gen - 3 Screws (NON Hangtab box, REv-A) Country code on cart, OVAL/White and Gold Nintendo Seal, SECURITY SCREWS

And from what Bronty_2 has shown me there very well could be a 7th or 8th variation (yay x_x ). Please note that NOT ALL black box era games had each style of variations as some were only released once (or so we think) and some were released later then others (DK Jr., DK, DK Jr math, Popeye, Mario Bros.).

In concerns with pinpointing the variations people have been examining the games release dates. From what we "ASSUME" all hangtab boxes were released Prior to January of 1988.

In terms of later variations, you should just search for yourself. If you want to figure out when the Round style seal changed to the Oval White/Gold Seal, then you gotta look at dates. As of now, i don't believe anyone has quite figured it out.

Also, there are indeed later variations of white/gold seal games. There is for example and tecmo bowl with a country code NES-blahblah-USA-1 and NES-blahblah-USA-2.

AND THEN! there are instruction variations, some have stars after the country code, some don't, and most of the time you cannot eve tell a single difference in the cartridges. Yikes.

Another concern i have foud with box variations is in for example two top guns i stumbled upon. Both carts are identical (3 non-security screws, Round gold/black seal), both instructions are identical and both boxes are ALMOST identical, EXCEPT, above one of the seals it reads REV-A, when in fact both carts are REV-A. Wierd.

And then (yes again)... i just recently recieved a Complete (was brand new, but guy opened it) version of Athletic world. This was a gold seal version box, without a hangtab... however the cart was indeed the 5 screw Family Fun Fitness version that was SUPPOSEDLY released when stadium events was released. The instructions were also missing the the "Series 1" which is on the bottom of the cart. Maybe Bandai just didn't want burn up more copies of there game and kept old stock and released it with this varation. Who knows?

And then (last one i promise).... there are those very wierd variations you gotta check for. I have found cart labels placed upside numerous times, once such example is one of my copies of Yoshi.

And thats about it. Any help (in agreement with everyone i this thread) would greatly be appreciated.

-Josh

[SoulBlazer]

Okay, thanks, that does help with a lot of the information I wanted to know.

The one question I have left is -- when did Nintendo switch the style to the last one -- the red stripe on the top of the box and cart with 'Nintendo Entertrainment System' in black letters? I think it was something in 1992. Does anyone know the first game to have this?

[Qixmaster]

not sure, but probably around the time when they re-released zelda, zelda II, punchout and whatnot... that'd be my guess.

-Josh

[yoursisterspretty]

What about this Ice Hockey cart I have. Its the old circle seal but the inside is white instead of black? Are there anymore like that?

And no list on old seal-of-quality games? damn. i was (and guess still am) going to start focusing on those..

[jajaja]

Do you mean these kinda games?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

Thats the Classical Series i thought about.

[SoulBlazer]

That IS part of the Classic Series, but it has the 'late design' box design, with the red stripe at the top and 'Nintendo Entertainment System' inside.

I started seeing those around 1992. Look at late release NES games like Mega Man 6, Startropics 2, Wario Woods, etc.