Easiest way to see is open up the board and look for the latest date code on the chips.
Easier codes to read are something like "3091" which means 30th week in 1991.
don't have one of the special screwdrivers that you need to open up a NES cart
You've got over 100 NES games now. It's about time you get one.
yeah it's about time.
Get the set that includes both sizes. The larger size is usually for opening game consoles.
I like the kind with the actual screwdriver handle and full-length metal shaft. I don't like the short bit because placing it into a socket driver means it won't fit in some devices (like Virtual Boy).
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
It seems unusual to me that they would produce SMB2 carts so close to the release of Super Mario All-Stars though. And why didn't it have a "Classic Series" release like Zelda II did if they were going to keep printing the game that late?
There are copies from after the SNES was released, where the box has "Nintendo Entertainment System" on the top. Not sure if those copies are actually from a reprinting, but they are obviously later copies.
It seems unusual to me that they would produce SMB2 carts so close to the release of Super Mario All-Stars though. And why didn't it have a "Classic Series" release like Zelda II did if they were going to keep printing the game that late?
Same reason Super Smash Bros Melee and Mario Kart Double Dash continued printing with "Best Seller" cases instead of Player's Choice cases despite being on the PC list at Nintendo's website: retailers could get away with charging more for it.
When my entire GCN collection was burglarized I had trouble finding new, cheap replacements for those two. Cheapest was $30 each no matter where I looked even though MSRP for Player's Choice games was $20. Luckily, Best Buy eventually slipped and had a promo of two for $30 for "all" Player's Choice titles. Of course, they neglected to realize that Melee and Double Dash were in the PC series so I printed out the list from Nintendo's website and they were happy to correct the price for me.
Retailers are very hesitant to devalue their best sellers and even Nintendo will sometimes oblige with special packaging. I saw several new locations springbup years after those were in the PC series and they'd still get "Best Seller" boxes! The PC boxes for those two would be rare variants.
The Wii Zapper with Link's Crossbow Training was another that you could rarely find at MSRP ($20). Most places wanted $25 and it seemed that Walmart was the absolute only place that stuck to it. Some place would temporarily put it on sale for $20 and would say "Save $5!" with a little line through "$25 MSRP." Yeah, I rolled my eyes. Pretty sure I got mine when Best Buy put it on sale for $20 and I tossed a $5 Gamer's Gift Card coupon on top to get it for $15. The trick was to buy a gift card first for any game or accessory $19.99 or higher to get the $5 off coupon. I and others exploited this a lot so I couldn't believe that they kept bringing it back year after year!
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
The entire series aired from September 4th, 1989 to December 1st, 1989. I've always thought they held Super Mario Bros 3 off until after Christmas 1989 in the USA just to try and push out as many copies of Super Mario Bros 2 as they could.
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
I believe 89-90. I tried looking up info on that, but I can't seem to find anything about it.
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
The entire series aired from September 4th, 1989 to December 1st, 1989. I've always thought they held Super Mario Bros 3 off until after Christmas 1989 in the USA just to try and push out as many copies of Super Mario Bros 2 as they could.
Yep and when SMB3 came out, there was a contest with Chip-A-Hoy's with a plastic overlay that would tell you if you won or not.
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
I didn't get an NES until the Top Loader was on the market, so those mid 90s years were the only years I really looked hard for NES games new in stores. You would see a lot of Final Fantasy, Startropics, Zoda's Revenge, Tetris 2, Mega Man 6, Kirby's Adventure, Yoshi's Cookie. I used to go to a lot of stores, but I NEVER saw a new copy of any of the Mario's anywhere. I always used to look for them because I wanted all three, they were unfindable by that point. I didn't end up getting copies of the NES Mario games until around 1999 and that was through phone order companies
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
I didn't get an NES until the Top Loader was on the market, so those mid 90s years were the only years I really looked hard for NES games new in stores. You would see a lot of Final Fantasy, Startropics, Zoda's Revenge, Tetris 2, Mega Man 6, Kirby's Adventure, Yoshi's Cookie. I used to go to a lot of stores, but I NEVER saw a new copy of any of the Mario's anywhere. I always used to look for them because I wanted all three, they were unfindable by that point. I didn't end up getting copies of the NES Mario games until around 1999 and that was through phone order companies
strange, that's the only explanation I can think of.
Obscure reprints can happen, I'm always looking for the 1996 version of Sonic the Hedgehog with the K-A ESRB, it's a pretty obscure variant. It's mostly just speculation until you can actually look at the board inside of the cart.
Mega Man 6 & Zoda's Revenge were the games that were specifically marketed with the NES Top Loader in the TV ads. The system launched the year before in October 1993 with no game tied to it specifically, the back of the box definitely showed Mario 3, I remember that vividly when I bought it at KB Toys, the image of Mario in Big Land. The only manual I've ever noticed from 1993 that specifically shows the dogbone controller is Tetris 2. There is also a variant of the NES Top Loader that came bundled with Dr. Mario, it was a Target release I believe, I wonder if those Dr Mario's were old stock or newly manufactured?
Mega Man 6 & Zoda's Revenge were the games that were specifically marketed with the launch of the NES Top Loader in the TV ads
I don't have a bit driver but I know a guy who owns a retro game store that replaces game batteries, so I could see if he could open the game up for me, then I could check the board.
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
I didn't get an NES until the Top Loader was on the market, so those mid 90s years were the only years I really looked hard for NES games new in stores. You would see a lot of Final Fantasy, Startropics, Zoda's Revenge, Tetris 2, Mega Man 6, Kirby's Adventure, Yoshi's Cookie. I used to go to a lot of stores, but I NEVER saw a new copy of any of the Mario's anywhere. I always used to look for them because I wanted all three, they were unfindable by that point. I didn't end up getting copies of the NES Mario games until around 1999 and that was through phone order companies
My local K-Mart still had stand-alone Super Mario Bros right up to and possibly past the N64 launch. In the years leading up to that I remember thinking that it was insane that they were still charging full price for it even though nearly everyone with an NES already had a superior version bundled with Duck Hunt that could be found anywhere for a few bucks. I only noticed it was gone a while after the N64 stuff started filling the shelves.
Yeah had I been able to drive to every K-Mart in the country back in those days of course I'd have bumped into one eventually, those were prime years of dead stock cluttering up cases for years. I remember a guy saying he bought a Super Mario Bros at Kmart sealed in 2000. But you wouldn't just walk into any store and find a Super Mario Bros. I used to have access to like a dozen stores that sold videogames in the areas I lived and could never find any of the Marios other than Yoshi's Cookie, which was why Yoshi's Cookie was one of my first NES games ever. The games I listed, I used to see the same group of titles in every KB Toys or Software ETC I would go to. But that's just speaking for the one particular little area of the country that I am from.
A later copy of SMB2, with "Nintendo Entertainment System" on the top of the box indicating copies were being made until at least 1991/1992. Again, I don't know if this is from a reprint or not. But it is obviously a later copy.
lol, it took me like literally 10 seconds of searching to stumble on this. Clear as day, Super Mario Bros 2 on KB Toys shelf in 1993. So open up that board and see when it was manufactured!!
Comments
Here's another one I found on eBay.
They had it without the seal and with the seal, but I don't think it was out of production and then brought back.
so so you think that they just kept producing it through the years?
They had it without the seal and with the seal, but I don't think it was out of production and then brought back.
so so you think that they just kept producing it through the years?
It was enormously popular, so it wouldn't surprise me.
Easier codes to read are something like "3091" which means 30th week in 1991.
Easiest way to see is open up the board and look for the latest date code on the chips.
Easier codes to read are something like "3091" which means 30th week in 1991.
don't have one of the special screwdrivers that you need to open up a NES cart
Easiest way to see is open up the board and look for the latest date code on the chips.
Easier codes to read are something like "3091" which means 30th week in 1991.
don't have one of the special screwdrivers that you need to open up a NES cart
You've got over 100 NES games now. It's about time you get one.
All you need.
Easiest way to see is open up the board and look for the latest date code on the chips.
Easier codes to read are something like "3091" which means 30th week in 1991.
don't have one of the special screwdrivers that you need to open up a NES cart
You've got over 100 NES games now. It's about time you get one.
yeah it's about time.
Easiest way to see is open up the board and look for the latest date code on the chips.
Easier codes to read are something like "3091" which means 30th week in 1991.
don't have one of the special screwdrivers that you need to open up a NES cart
You've got over 100 NES games now. It's about time you get one.
yeah it's about time.
Get the set that includes both sizes. The larger size is usually for opening game consoles.
I like the kind with the actual screwdriver handle and full-length metal shaft. I don't like the short bit because placing it into a socket driver means it won't fit in some devices (like Virtual Boy).
https://www.amazon.com/Screwdriver-SODIAL-Nintendo-NINTENDO-Transparent/dp/B01DXBE7P6/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1492874406&sr=8-8&keywords=nes+screwdriver
Buy one. Shipping is even free!
It seems unusual to me that they would produce SMB2 carts so close to the release of Super Mario All-Stars though. And why didn't it have a "Classic Series" release like Zelda II did if they were going to keep printing the game that late?
Same reason Super Smash Bros Melee and Mario Kart Double Dash continued printing with "Best Seller" cases instead of Player's Choice cases despite being on the PC list at Nintendo's website: retailers could get away with charging more for it.
When my entire GCN collection was burglarized I had trouble finding new, cheap replacements for those two. Cheapest was $30 each no matter where I looked even though MSRP for Player's Choice games was $20. Luckily, Best Buy eventually slipped and had a promo of two for $30 for "all" Player's Choice titles. Of course, they neglected to realize that Melee and Double Dash were in the PC series so I printed out the list from Nintendo's website and they were happy to correct the price for me.
Retailers are very hesitant to devalue their best sellers and even Nintendo will sometimes oblige with special packaging. I saw several new locations springbup years after those were in the PC series and they'd still get "Best Seller" boxes! The PC boxes for those two would be rare variants.
The Wii Zapper with Link's Crossbow Training was another that you could rarely find at MSRP ($20). Most places wanted $25 and it seemed that Walmart was the absolute only place that stuck to it. Some place would temporarily put it on sale for $20 and would say "Save $5!" with a little line through "$25 MSRP." Yeah, I rolled my eyes. Pretty sure I got mine when Best Buy put it on sale for $20 and I tossed a $5 Gamer's Gift Card coupon on top to get it for $15. The trick was to buy a gift card first for any game or accessory $19.99 or higher to get the $5 off coupon. I and others exploited this a lot so I couldn't believe that they kept bringing it back year after year!
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
Originally posted by: NESking80
Originally posted by: dra600n
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
The entire series aired from September 4th, 1989 to December 1st, 1989. I've always thought they held Super Mario Bros 3 off until after Christmas 1989 in the USA just to try and push out as many copies of Super Mario Bros 2 as they could.
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
I believe 89-90. I tried looking up info on that, but I can't seem to find anything about it.
Originally posted by: Trj22487
Originally posted by: NESking80
Originally posted by: dra600n
SMB 2 was massively popular and had at least 1 nationwide giveaway during the Super Mario Bros. Super Show airing (you'd call in when they displayed the number to see if you won), so I'm sure between that, and the popularity of it, that there would be some revisions to the packaging over time.
what year was the give away?
The entire series aired from September 4th, 1989 to December 1st, 1989. I've always thought they held Super Mario Bros 3 off until after Christmas 1989 in the USA just to try and push out as many copies of Super Mario Bros 2 as they could.
Yep and when SMB3 came out, there was a contest with Chip-A-Hoy's with a plastic overlay that would tell you if you won or not.
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
Originally posted by: NESking80
Originally posted by: Trj22487
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
I didn't get an NES until the Top Loader was on the market, so those mid 90s years were the only years I really looked hard for NES games new in stores. You would see a lot of Final Fantasy, Startropics, Zoda's Revenge, Tetris 2, Mega Man 6, Kirby's Adventure, Yoshi's Cookie. I used to go to a lot of stores, but I NEVER saw a new copy of any of the Mario's anywhere. I always used to look for them because I wanted all three, they were unfindable by that point. I didn't end up getting copies of the NES Mario games until around 1999 and that was through phone order companies
Originally posted by: NESking80
Originally posted by: Trj22487
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
I didn't get an NES until the Top Loader was on the market, so those mid 90s years were the only years I really looked hard for NES games new in stores. You would see a lot of Final Fantasy, Startropics, Zoda's Revenge, Tetris 2, Mega Man 6, Kirby's Adventure, Yoshi's Cookie. I used to go to a lot of stores, but I NEVER saw a new copy of any of the Mario's anywhere. I always used to look for them because I wanted all three, they were unfindable by that point. I didn't end up getting copies of the NES Mario games until around 1999 and that was through phone order companies
strange, that's the only explanation I can think of.
Mega Man 6 & Zoda's Revenge were the games that were specifically marketed with the launch of the NES Top Loader in the TV ads
I don't have a bit driver but I know a guy who owns a retro game store that replaces game batteries, so I could see if he could open the game up for me, then I could check the board.
But it would need to be like late 92 to get this back. I would be willing to believe Nintendo might have still been producing Super Mario 2's by 1991, but I can't say I remember seeing new copies of Mario 2 on shelves that late into the games life, and I don't think I've ever seen a Mario 3 with the later back label either. It would seem a little weird to me to still be producing Mario 2's that late when SNES Mario All-Stars was only a half year away
do you think they could have made more copies when the NES top loader came out? It would make sense as they would want a Mario game for people to buy with the console.
I didn't get an NES until the Top Loader was on the market, so those mid 90s years were the only years I really looked hard for NES games new in stores. You would see a lot of Final Fantasy, Startropics, Zoda's Revenge, Tetris 2, Mega Man 6, Kirby's Adventure, Yoshi's Cookie. I used to go to a lot of stores, but I NEVER saw a new copy of any of the Mario's anywhere. I always used to look for them because I wanted all three, they were unfindable by that point. I didn't end up getting copies of the NES Mario games until around 1999 and that was through phone order companies
My local K-Mart still had stand-alone Super Mario Bros right up to and possibly past the N64 launch. In the years leading up to that I remember thinking that it was insane that they were still charging full price for it even though nearly everyone with an NES already had a superior version bundled with Duck Hunt that could be found anywhere for a few bucks. I only noticed it was gone a while after the N64 stuff started filling the shelves.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Mario-Bros-2-NES-CIB-Collector-Complete-in-Box-w-manual-inserts-/182428876843?hash=item2a799bc02b%3Ag%3AGXEAAOSwo4pYgqc-&nma=true&si=SGGUJsPt7rj2a5gswQEVe6G2%252Bgo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
A later copy of SMB2, with "Nintendo Entertainment System" on the top of the box indicating copies were being made until at least 1991/1992. Again, I don't know if this is from a reprint or not. But it is obviously a later copy.