Different Box, Same Cartridge: A Collecting / Classification Problem

VGS_fcgamer

Oh game collection, such a pain!  Why can't classification ever be black and white, why didn't the publishers / developers produce their games in a manner to help facilitate collecting 30 years later?  Hehe.



Without getting into too many details, I want to ask about a situation that has been nagging at me for some time.  On the Famicom, there are some (unlicensed games) where the publisher published the games, CIB releases.  Then the original publisher merged into publisher B / sold the rights to publisher B (either way it is clear that the original publisher was very closely related with publisher .  The boxes were reprinted, with publisher B's name on them, but alas the cartridges still were the exact same as by publisher A, no stickers or any change at all!  Same with the manual.



So how to classify a release like this?  Since both companies were very closely related (i.e. one of the big wigs for both was the same guy), and the carts are exactly the same, count them as one release with just box variants?  Or since there essentially two publishers, count them as two releases even though the carts are the same?  



Also, what about for collecting purposes?  Would a collector need both boxes, AND two copies of the cartridge to fulfill a full set requirement, or just one cartridge and two boxes, or what?



Hehehe, first world nerd problems. 

gutsman004

If it quells one's OCD,then get both carts and both box variants. For the collector not OCD stricken,one CIB should suffice.

Fluffy

I always try to find the one printed first and buy that cib. The second one becomes a variant in my opinion.

dr.robbie

The Ps2 gets a lot of weird stuff like this as well. Imo the first game released is the standard one and the different box / codes / bonus items / etc with the same game are considered variants.



I guess technically you don't need two copies of the game since they are the same in each, but having an empty box on my shelf listed as cib would drive me mad

Bort License Plate

I'd count it as a variant. If one doesn't care about variants it's not necessary to have both. But that's just my opinion

WATA GRADED WEBSITE

I would just treat it as a variant since it's essentially the same game. I don't collect variations since 1x copy is good enough for me. So if it was me I wouldn't pick it up.

mikestrife

Originally posted by: dr.robbie



The Ps2 gets a lot of weird stuff like this as well. Imo the first game released is the standard one and the different box / codes / bonus items / etc with the same game are considered variants.



I guess technically you don't need two copies of the game since they are the same in each, but having an empty box on my shelf listed as cib would drive me mad

I only found out recently that the Silent Hill 2 Greatest Hits for PS2 includes the bonus scenario, I'd been holding on the Xbox version for that alone, so annoying. I don't care about the different covers for greatest hits games, but having different content on the disc is annoying.



To answer the question re-famicom, I would just go with the first print box if the carts are the same. I'd say having one copy satisfies the full set case, unless you want to be able to say you want to say you have a complete set "with all variants".

pegboy

People count myriad and its literally the same thing.

Holy_Ostrich

This brings to mind that Zombies Ate my Neighbors alternate box that's kicking around, (and is 100X more expensive then the easier to find box). Since the label and everything else is literally the same and only the box is different I'd classify it as a variant for collecting purposes.

Holy_Ostrich

You've got me thinking: for console purposes........ since most of the time only the boxes are different (along with any pack in games), to me that constitutes a variant. I'd say it's very similar to games in that same vein.



Controllers and consoles for the n64 are all varying colors, but perform the same purposes...... and we call those variants, right?

AstralSoul13

If it's the same game I say count it as the same game but as a variant. In the same sense of Player's Choice/Nintendo Selects variants. At least that's my take.