15 replies to this topic

[Jasoco]

I am guessing the plastic cases for the Genesis games came first. When and why did they switch to cardboard boxes?

[Bratwurst]

Can't say exactly when, sometime after Vectorman came out. As for why.. well, it was cheaper.

[christianscott27]

maybe it was that they finally exhausted the SMS plastic case overstock, just a theory. i wonder the same thing about sega CDs and saturn games both being packaged in that horrible sure to shatter case.

[Bratwurst]

christianscott27 said:

maybe it was that they finally exhausted the SMS plastic case overstock, just a theory. i wonder the same thing about sega CDs and saturn games both being packaged in that horrible sure to shatter case.

The SMS casings are molded slightly differently to accomodate a cartridge that is less wide and smaller manuals. It's a sound theory though, Sega probably only did minor retools on the machine that made the original cases to make Genny ones.

[chrisbid]

somewhere halfway in 1994 is when they switched.

Sonic 3 - plastic
World Series Baseball - plastic
Sonic & Knuckles - cardboard
Phantasy Star IV - cardboard


all 32X first party games - cardboard


this may sound bad, but for the cardboard box games that were in bad shape, i cut the spine, and slipped the sleeve into a plastic case. The value may be less, but those cardboard cases are terrible, they couldve at least made a gatefold box

[Bratwurst]

chrisbid said:

this may sound bad, but for the cardboard box games that were in bad shape, i cut the spine, and slipped the sleeve into a plastic case.  The value may be less, but those cardboard cases are terrible, they couldve at least made a gatefold box  

Agree 100%. Personally I don't collect cardboard packed games at all and for a few rare exceptions I print out my own slips (S&K, Sonic 3D Blast).

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I dont mind the cardboard, but id rather have the plastic case. I fold up all the cardboard boxes and throw them on a pile (i have about 6 of them) and stick the games with the rest of my loose games. I have a castlevainia: bloodlines cardboard box, i have seen quite a few and they are all plastic, anyone else have this?

[maibock]

Hmm funny.. I have the 1st Madden in a cardboard box for the Genny but the rest all the way up to Madden 98 are in plastic.

[Jasoco]

Hmm.. out of the four cased Genny games I have, 3 are Sonic related. Sonic 3, Spinball and Mean Bean Machine. I had planned on going after cases for all the Mega Collection games (So I could say I had a "Mega Collection Boxed set" ) but after hearing S&K isn't plastic cased, forget it.

At least I have all the Mega Collection games. That's pretty cool. I can play on my GCN and my Genesis.

Personally I didn't know there were cardboard Genny game cases until I found the new Game Stop and saw someone had brought in some sports (Mostly Golf) games still wrapped. I haven't bought them yet, but had thought up till then they were always in plastic!

[King Atari]

The cardboard cases were just a cost saving feature, plain and simple. They had to have stopped producing plastic cases around 94/95, Batman Forever came in a plastic case, and the film was done in '95, so the game had to come after that.

[chrisbid]

EA was a bit of a rogue company, they used their own carts, and at first had cardboard boxes. They later used plastic boxes like Sega, but they were thicker than sega's boxes

[JerseyDevil]

I would think collectors would want the cardboard boxes, seeing how they are not as durable and will be rarer in the future.

[Bratwurst]

jerseydevil said:

I would think collectors would want the cardboard boxes, seeing how they are not as durable and will be rarer in the future.

For me, it's about having something that looks good (should I ever display it, which I doubt) but also durable. Cardboard just doesn't hold up very well if the nature of your collection entails storing but also playing the games too.

[MegaManFan]

That's why having an SMS collection is so much fun. They +ALL+ come in plastic cases. Some are soft (Brazil, Australia) but none I've ever bought are cardboard, although I've heard it's common in Brazil these days (yet my one Brazil game Fire'N'Ice is in plastic, and seems tough too).

[video game addict]

The first production EA games all came in cardboard boxes, Madden, Zany Golf, Budokan, Block Out, Road Rash, etc. Then they started using plastic. Balistic/Accolade used cardboard boxes as well, until late, Winter Games, SUmmer Games, Onslaught, Hardball, Star Control, etc. Most all the other third party, as well as Sega used plastic. And yes it was a cost saving deal to switch to cardboard. I personally prefer the pastic, I don't know why anyone would want cardboard if you also game, it will degrade opening and closing. As a collector, I just want to be able to find them complete, and in good shape.

I have seen some cardboard versions of some games, that came out prior to 94, I believe so anyways. Some do have multible releases,

Barbie Super Model, World Of Illusion, etc. World of Illusion is a black box, kind of odd seeing a black box genny game, and not be plastic. But some titles were released, as plastic, and then when the swap happened they went to carboard. Others were cardboard only late releases:

Shining Force II
Phantasy Star IV
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic 3D Blast
Ristar
Vectorman 2
Mega Bomberman
X-Man 2
Some sports titles
(I think most of those were anyway)

Also of note, was the Majesto(sp?) releases, these were a TON of these at TRU and from Amazon online even until last year. They re-released the Genesis 3, as well as several Sega games, and I think they did Frogger, themselves, all of their releases are cardboard.

One thing also with the cardboard releases, budgets one, anyway, most have B&W instruction manuals, just another cost saving measure.

Oh and I have the Sega Classic version of Golden Axe, this too is a late re-release by Sega, it'd dated 95, but it's in a plastic case! So it's very odd the way they flip floped around with all these different versions. I always loved the Sega cases versus cardboard of NES and even the old Atari. Just so much cooler!

[ussexplorer]

Plastic Cases:

1. Good game label on most games I find
2. Instruction Manuals
3. Additional Goodies
4. Keeps plastic inserted label in nice condition
5. Store well on shelves

Box Games:

1. Box can get damaged pretty easily
2. You are stuck with the name of the game and picture on the box
3. Doesn't hold well when weight is accidently shifted onto the box
4. Need I go on.

Beleive me. When I see a stack of used plastic containers for Sega, Nes, Snes. I try to pick up what I need. To cover my loose carts. They come in so handy.

Laters....