Sega Genesis [NA]https://vgcollect.com/browse/genSega released Genesis games in the United States and Canada.
All releases with variations where a cardboard box version exists, but have no descriptor are considered to be the plastic case release. The case type should be put into Description.
HangtabsNearly all plastic case releases have a molded hangtab as part of the shell. A used copy may have this removed.
Grid style coversThe grid style plastic case releases have different spine designs,
Box text "Made in x" matching to cart stampings
In most instances, the "Made/Assembled in" text that is printed on the box will match the manufacturing location of the cartridge.
The first release of
Ecco the Dolphin has cover text "Cartridge Made in Japan" and the cart has a "Made in Japan" stamping.
The second release of
Ecco the Dolphin has cover text "Assembled in the USA" and the cart has a "Assembled in the USA" stamping.
The exception to this is concerning the grid style box with the barcode on the spine. For these releases, Sega did not print different inserts based on the cart or manual like other releases. So for example, there are two carts for
Greendog but only one
box.
Seals of QualityThere are three seals of quality, the original "Official Sega Genesis Seal of Quality", the later "Official Sega Seal of Quality" and the white/gray/blue version of the original that was sometimes used by third party publishers.
There are a few instances where a game was released with an old and new seal, but there is no known releases with/without the white seal and one of the yellow ones. There is a black/red version as well, but it is only known to exist on a rare version of
Quackshot.
Not for ResaleThere are three main types of Not for Resale (NFR) logos or labels on boxed releases. The first is a small text label that is present on boxes and the corresponding carts.
The second is the large NFR which is printed on the front cover and cart label. With exception to some NFR releases of
Sonic the Hedgehog, where it is a label on the box and cart instead.
The third is printed on a front cover and is either printed on, or is its own label on the cart label. More about cart labels are at the end of this section.
Plastic Case ESRB re-releasesSome games were re-released in the plastic case with ESRB ratings on the cover and manual.
Cardboard box re-releasesSome games were re-released in a cardboard box with a black and white manual and a cart with a re-purposed cart shell. The cart stamp is typically covered by a black label. The exception to this is the cardboard box release of Sonic 2 which contains a Sonic 2 NFR cart with a white Sega Seal of Quality label on the cart label.
Canadian releasesCanadian releases are typically the same as original US releases with the exception of having a different cover.
Later releases of grid covers have no frame around the artwork and the art goes to the edge of the covers.
For the early releases where the US cover had that type of cover, the back cover of the Canadian version is missing the white frame and player number.
Sega Red SpinePlastic case releases can have either a VRC or ESRB rating. The Genesis text may be in either white or silver, but there are no known instances where a white
and silver text version exists for the same game. These should also have a hangtab molded into the case.
KonamiKonami released games in plastic case with a Konami logo on the cover and in plastic case and cardboard flip-top and slide boxes with a Konami Classics logo on the cover.
BallisticBallistic releases come in a cardboard boxes. The boxes are identical between the licensed and non-licensed releases. Video Game Classics releases are licensed. Cartridges are the same as in EU releases. Single color cart label variations exist for unlicensed carts.
Unlicensed cart label
Licensed cart labels have text "Licensed by Sega Enterprises Ltd. for play on the Sega Genesis System"
Majesco and Ballistic reprintsMany plastic case games were re-released by Ballistic in plastic cases and cardboard boxes. The boxes, manuals and carts are often Made or Assembled in Mexico. Some games were released in one style or in both styles.
The boxes are either flip-top boxes or slideboxes. The slideboxes will have either a vertical or horizontal cart holder insert.
Ballistic releases will have a "Published by Ballistic" label on the back cover.
There is a transitional period for the cart shells used in these releases. The manufacturing location in Mexico was previously owned by Acclaim, and as a result, some of these releases may have a cart with a black label on the back, and if that label is removed there will be an Acclaim stamp. Other labels used were for Konami or Virgin, before eventually Sega labels and then official Sega Assembled in Mexico stampings. In general, the stampings or type of label will match either the flip-top box, slidebox or Ballistic label releases (even Ballistic labelled plastic case releases) and there are a few known examples where a specific packaging type may have come with more than one cart stamping or label version. In general, any Ballistic plastic case or any cardboard box games
should not come with a "Made in Japan" cart.
Electronic ArtsThe first releases from Electronic Arts came in cardboard flip-top boxes. Afterwards they released games in plastic cases that
did not have a molded hangtab. The boxes come in three main sizes: size similar to regular Genesis plastic cases, a double sized version and a thin version that did not have the tabs for holding a cart. For games that were released in mutiple different sized plastic cases, the inserts are not interchangeable between them as they are cut different.
For the pre-white cover design sports titles, covers are marked as either Electronic Arts, EASN, EASN Presents, EA Sports or EA Sports Presents.
Some EA Sports releases in 1993 and 1994 have either an EASN or EA Sports Limited Edition 1st Round label on the front cover. There are no known instances of a game having
both EASN and EA Sports LE releases.
The prefix for the serial number may vary and is not tracked or seen as a valid variation in the database.
Starting in 1993, the NBA games released by EA (as well as NBA Jam/TE from Midway) have an Officially Licensed Product hologram on the front cover (except NBA Jam where it is on the spine).
EA also did some reprints where the most obvious difference between releases are the use of different cart labels, but these carts are also made in different countries and the boxes often will have different copyright info.
Cart revisionsSome EA carts have different item numbers. It is not currently fully understood what the differences are or the purpose of these numbers. They may be rom or even manufacturing changes.
Some are known however, such as PGA Tour Golf II where the 7155 cart uses the 7 Courses ROM and 7155A uses the 6 Courses ROM.
There are other releases where a cart label revision exists but is currently not tracked in the database nor is it known what the revision entails. For example, Populous has been identified to have 6 different carts: 7016, 7016 with B label, 7016 with C label, 7016 with C printed, 7016 with D label, 7016 with D printed.
TengenTengen releases have many variations including plastic case (Made in Japan), plastic case (Made in USA) and cardboard slide box (Made in USA). The box front for the Made in Japan box has text: "Manufactured by Sega Enterprises, Ltd. for play on the SEGA GENESIS SYSTEM" while the Made in USA box and cardboard box has text: "Manufactured for play on the SEGA GENESIS SYSTEM"
The cartridges are also different between versions, having either copyright text, and in some instances with and without Sega Seal of Quality on the label.
Cart labelsNot for ResalePack-in games with consoles often do not also include their own case. These loose cartridges would use one of three labels: Not for Resale (NFR) with small starburst, NFR with large starburst.
Yellow Sega labelSome carts can be found either as pack-ins or (typically) in cardboard box releases with a yellow Sega label on them. This label is put over top of an existing NFR label or logo.
There is one known instance of a different label, the white Sega Seal of Quality label which was only used on the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cardboard box releases.
Sega Game Secrets logoOn later releases, you may find cart labels with a Sega Game Secrets text box with phone number. They can be found in two colors: yellow and white. In some instances a game may have been released with both, such as Taz in Escape from Mars - Mega Hit Series, where the first release has the yellow logo and the Ballistic reprint has the white logo.
