U.S. Sonic with UPC sells for $981.33

[Sunnyvale]

I'm sorry, but I feel that this is just to big of a misstep to not comment. Just because you say this is true does not mean it is so. The United States didn't go through some major change in the 12 years between Sonic SMS and Super Mario Advanced 4 that completely changed the nature of UPC codes. The European GBA UPC example logically proves that the very nature of UPCs is not indicator of region but arbitrarily changed or kept. A counterexample is the proof of the arbitrary nature of UPCs. You can't change that, no matter how hard you will it so.

Additionally, if we as a video gaming community are willing to accept that UPC is indeed indicative of region for the SMS due to the fact that Sega was consistent with it's regional UPC numbering (evidenced by NeoZeedeater), then we must take this through to it's logical conclusion and accept that multiple video game regional set lists would now be incomplete. If we accept that UPC means something for Sonic, suddenly European copies of games for the DS with UPC stickers in America become essential for American lists.

There is no logical reason to do otherwise.

EDIT: Changed phrase "games for the GBA with UPC sticker in America" to "games for the DS with UPC sticker in America," although this would also have weird effect on the GBA game mentioned as well.

How many times do I need to point out the Atari 2600 'bootlegs' before you guys put the damn blanket away?

And UPC's are vastly different than before. But I'm tired of trying to convince people technology changes drastically in 8 years time. Here's the 'smoking gun'.

http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/a/laurergj/upc/upc_work.html

Following the acceptance of the original U.P.C. specification, I was asked to find a way to add another digit. The symbol already held twelve, the eleven required by UGPCC and a check digit I added to achieve the required reliability. The addition of the thirteenth digit could not cause the equipment to require extensive modification. Further, the original domestic version could not be modified.

The extra digit would allow for "country identification" and make the U.P.C. world wide. Again I found a way to accommodate the requirement and the EAN (European Article Numbering system) symbol was born. Many countries are using the same symbol with their identifying country "flag" (the 13th digit), but chose to call the symbol by other names. An example is JAN (Japanese Article Numbering system), the Japanese version. The symbol has truly become world wide.

In the years since 1973, I have proposed, and the Uniform Product Code Council, Inc. (formerly UGPCC) has accepted, several other enhancements. Among these enhancements is a price check digit for domestic and another for European markets. There is also an expanded symbol, Version D, which has not yet seen wide use.

Look closely at the second paragraph.

Edit: Here's the proof of intent even clearer:

http://www.adams1.com/upccode.html

Note the Barcode on the sticker on Sonic has a US code. There's the intent to distribute, proven. And a little more history of the development of the UPC code. (Honestly, in 8 years we go from NES to N64, but UPC's didn't change?!?)