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General and Gaming => Classic Video Games => Topic started by: matt on March 22, 2011, 10:20:31 pm

Title: Zelda test cart?
Post by: matt on March 22, 2011, 10:20:31 pm
Has anyone ever seen one of these before? It's new to me and the action has no details.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zelda-Test-Cartridge-/120701781051#ht_500wt_1156
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: scott on March 22, 2011, 11:10:38 pm
If you look at the label, it's a NES-ZL-USA... isn't that the same number as the standard one? Wouldn't they number it something different? Also, I've seen a couple fake carts around... actually the store we were at this weekend had a fake Donkey Kong Land III cart... of course the label was a total  knockoff, was lacking the "Land" in the title and the III was a 3. and the cart was grey, so that was dead giveaway.

Anyway back on topic. I'm voting pirate cart on this one.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: pceslayer on March 22, 2011, 11:14:04 pm
Its a test cart used by Nintendo certified repair shops to test the consoles after repair... Pretty rare...

I don't know if there is any difference in the gameplay though.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: jobocan on March 22, 2011, 11:14:22 pm
I HAVE heard about these carts... apparently they were used to test NES consoles and accessories in Nintendo repair shops back in the day, or something like that. From what I've seen in my research, there's a variety of those test carts (Duck Hunt, ROB, Power Pad, Port Test, and a few others), but each of them is fairly rare (some only have one known copy, others are a little bit more common like Duck Hunt and Zelda).

From what I've heard, at least in Zelda's case, it's no different from the actual cartridge other than the yellow casing. Finding actual concrete information on those isn't easy (or maybe I'm just being stupid in how I'm searching for it).
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: pceslayer on March 22, 2011, 11:22:14 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWz6JoZLaLY&feature=related
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: scott on March 22, 2011, 11:28:46 pm
Ha, color me enlightened.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: pceslayer on March 22, 2011, 11:36:50 pm
More info on the test station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJfk97AV9nc&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLLEgvuFhAs&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjXZ_8wRBWQ
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: matt on March 23, 2011, 10:22:10 am
TIL that if you paste a Youtube link into your post, it'll show the video. ha
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: pceslayer on March 23, 2011, 04:28:25 pm
> matt
> TIL that if you paste a Youtube link into your post, it'll show the video. ha
haha
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: brettybluevein on August 14, 2011, 11:13:15 am
I was in a Vintage Stock in my area the other day talking to one of the guys that works there, and I had asked him if he collected. His response was that he didn't, but he did have a few items he was proud of, one of them (as he explained) a "yellow gold Zelda cart, complete I'm box". He didn't describe it as a test cart, he just said that there were a few carts that had more of a yellow tinge to them, although they were still the shiny coating. I tried to clarify with him and asked, okay, is it yellow or still the gold color?" And his answer to me was to "just look it up online". Personally I think the guy is full of shit/very confused about what he actually has because I've looked online and can't find a damn thing. I'm gonna ask him to bring it in for me to see, that way the proof will be in the pudding.

Anybody know anything more about this?
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: pceslayer on August 14, 2011, 12:01:11 pm
As far as I'm aware it didn't come in a box, so someone took the test cart and sold it to him in a Zelda box.

The games are identical game play wise.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: brettybluevein on August 14, 2011, 12:36:10 pm
No its definitely not a test cart, he described it as being an early edition or something. I think he is just highly confused and has a regular Zelda that he thinks looks a bit different for one reason or another. I could be wrong but when somebody can't fully explain what they have it makes me weary.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: darko on August 15, 2011, 09:22:04 am
It looks like a test cart to me. That is, unless it's a reproduction cart.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: scott on August 15, 2011, 09:34:00 am
I've seen some old Gold carts and pretty much all of them still look bright gold metallic, no extra yellowing. If it was a test cart, I doubt Nintendo would put something only repair techs are supposed to see in retail packaging.
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: brettybluevein on August 15, 2011, 09:38:55 am
I've seen some old Gold carts and pretty much all of them still look bright gold metallic, no extra yellowing. If it was a test cart, I doubt Nintendo would put something only repair techs are supposed to see in retail packaging.


My thoughts exactly. I think the dude is confused about what he has due to some cartridge fading or something.

Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: darko on August 15, 2011, 09:47:02 am
Tell the guy I'll buy it for $50.00 :)
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: scott on August 15, 2011, 09:58:33 am
Tell the guy I'll buy it for $50.00 :)


Highway robbery! haha
Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: brettybluevein on August 15, 2011, 10:02:44 am
Tell the guy I'll buy it for $50.00 :)


Darko, I think you're misunderstanding me here...the test carts are Yellow, but not metallic in any way, this guy was explaining that his cart was still metallic, but a different shade of metallic, and he even went as far as to say "you can barely tell the difference." All of the research I've done has turned up nothing that indicates 2 different shades of metallic paint on Zelda carts. I'm thinking he might have "comic book guy" syndrome. Regardless, I'm gonna ask him to bring it in for me to see the next time I see him in the store, I've gotta clear this up now, especially since I've dragged you guys into it! :)

Title: Re: Zelda test cart?
Post by: darko on August 16, 2011, 02:20:28 pm

Darko, I think you're misunderstanding me here...the test carts are Yellow, but not metallic in any way, this guy was explaining that his cart was still metallic, but a different shade of metallic, and he even went as far as to say "you can barely tell the difference." All of the research I've done has turned up nothing that indicates 2 different shades of metallic paint on Zelda carts. I'm thinking he might have "comic book guy" syndrome. Regardless, I'm gonna ask him to bring it in for me to see the next time I see him in the store, I've gotta clear this up now, especially since I've dragged you guys into it! :)



Ahhhhhh. Okay. That makes much more sense. Sorry, guess I didn't read deep enough into the posts :/