27 replies to this topic

[JerseyDevil]

I saw a SNES Contra 3 cart today marked "not for sale-demo only" Does this mean this was a pack-in game? I don't remember Contra 3 being a pack-in.

[MegaManFan]

I strongly doubt it. I remember playing Contra 3 on a store demo SNES kiosk in Ames, IA as a kid, so I'm sure this one was just on display to promote the game.

[JerseyDevil]

MegaManFan said:

I strongly doubt it.  I remember playing Contra 3 on a store demo SNES kiosk in Ames, IA as a kid, so I'm sure this one was just on display to promote the game.

Thanks, do u have any idea of the rarity?

[MegaManFan]

Of the NFS-DO Contra 3? Well I suppose it's pretty rare since it was only shipped to stores, and only those that had an SNES kiosk. I'm not sure I've even seen it on a rarity list. I don't think it's a fully functional game though, or at least if it was the store kiosk was designed to time out and reset after a certain amount of time to prevent long sessions. With the NES one I figured out a way around it, but not with the SNES. The game itself is pretty popular either way and fetches a good price - two years ago I paid $15 for one with a beat up box and no manual but wanted it just so I could play it (from remembering how cool it was in that store kiosk ironically enough).

[Jasoco]

jerseydevil said:

MegaManFan said:

I strongly doubt it.  I remember playing Contra 3 on a store demo SNES kiosk in Ames, IA as a kid, so I'm sure this one was just on display to promote the game.

Thanks, do u have any idea of the rarity?

Hmm.. I wonder. Since it was a Kiosk game. Do you think it may be limited? Not complete or something?

[JB]

The kiosks reset, not the games.

And I DID know of a few places that had non-resetting kiosks. There was a DIP switch block on the side that I suspect controlled play time.




I've always believed the demo carts were complete games with new labels, but never had a chance to test.

[RMila75]

I think I remember Nintendo holding a contest that used "competition" StarFox carts that included only special timed stages. Could this Contra be something similar? Those Starfox carts would certainly be a nice item to own.

[Susuwatari]

JB said:

The kiosks reset, not the games.

And I DID know of a few places that had non-resetting kiosks. There was a DIP switch block on the side that I suspect controlled play time.

I have a SNES kiosks and I kind of figured out the DIP switch. 4 switches control the timer from 3 seconds to several minutes. It's probably the same design as the NWC cart switch. The 5th switch toggle beween the resetting circuit and open (ie no auto reset). The wires from the timer circuit goes into the SNES and is directly connected to the reset button switch. The rest of the board in the back is for converting from SCART to RGB for the RGB monitor. (yes the SNES display used SCART cable even though SCART based monitor are virtually nonexistient in USA)

I'dd have to take my display apart and get some picture and reverse engineer that timer.

[JerseyDevil]

I went back and bought this game. I think the title screen is different and the game seems harder than I remembered. It looks like it was never played, it was in absolutely mint condition.

[Jasoco]

jerseydevil said:

I went back and bought this game. I think the title screen is different and the game seems harder than I remembered. It looks like it was never played, it was in absolutely mint condition.

Even better! How much did you pay? Was it Cart only?

[JerseyDevil]

Jasoco said:

jerseydevil said:

I went back and bought this game. I think the title screen is different and the game seems harder than I remembered. It looks like it was never played, it was in absolutely mint condition.

Even better! How much did you pay? Was it Cart only?

Yup, it was cart only. I paid $2.99.

[Jasoco]

jerseydevil said:

Jasoco said:

jerseydevil said:

I went back and bought this game. I think the title screen is different and the game seems harder than I remembered. It looks like it was never played, it was in absolutely mint condition.

Even better! How much did you pay? Was it Cart only?

Yup, it was cart only. I paid $2.99.

Wow.. $3. I'd be lucky to get even the original Contra for twice that.

[JerseyDevil]

The place I got it only has a few video games. When I asked the price, the guy said "they don't make Super Nintendo games anymore, so I have to charge $2.99" I gladly paid and left.

[goatdan]

The cartridges that are labeled "Not For Sale: Demo Only" for the SNES were produced by Nintendo and sent out to the stores with kiosks as someone said. I believe that they were produced before the store got the game to get interest in it, but they are all identical or very close to identical of the final builds.

A lot of these carts had a sticker on the back that stated the store number on it and that the cart had to be returned to Nintendo to get another. Once Nintendo got the carts back, they would send out the next one. That way, stores couldn't sell the floor models.

Of course, some stores stopped using their kiosks during the SNES's lifespan and that's how the games got out. I have about 15 of them, and about 8 are different titles. From all that I've seen, they are the exact same game.

As for the Star Fox Competition Cart someone mentioned, these were actually an entirely different game. I've got one of those too...

NFR:DO carts are definitely much rarer than the originals, but there is no market for them because they are either identical or unseemingly changed from the final version of the games. I believe there are about 30 different carts in total with the NFR:DO labels, and the rarest in my opinion would be Donkey Kong Country 3.

[Susuwatari]

I also have some demo carts: Yoshi Island (SMW2), Tetris Attack, Killer Instinct, and Ken Griffey Jr Winning Run. I once had an odd one (probably the first one) a Super Mario World that has normal label plus extra sticker on the back and over end label that said Demo Only Not For Resale.

Other known SNES games with the label: (I would like to get them but collecting them is low priority)

Donkey Kong Country (may be different from released version?)
Street Fighter II
Donkey Kong Country 2
NCAA Basketball
Street Fighter II Turbo
TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
Donkey Kong Country 3
Mortal Kombat
Star Fox (not the Competition Cart)
4 Wheel Drive
Stunt Race FX

That's all I know of.

[Bratwurst]

jerseydevil said:

I went back and bought this game. I think the title screen is different and the game seems harder than I remembered. It looks like it was never played, it was in absolutely mint condition.

That is very interesting. Have you got a gamebit set? I'd open it up to see if there were eprom chips inside, which would suggest the program was very different indeed. If they're maskroms (without the windows in the middle) then it could be the Japanese version.

[JB]

Susuwatari said:

JB said:

The kiosks reset, not the games.

And I DID know of a few places that had non-resetting kiosks. There was a DIP switch block on the side that I suspect controlled play time.

I have a SNES kiosks and I kind of figured out the DIP switch. 4 switches control the timer from 3 seconds to several minutes.

3 seconds? WTF can you do in 3 sconds of demo? They just want a strobing Nintendo logo?

Quote

The rest of the board in the back is for converting from SCART to RGB for the RGB monitor.  (yes the SNES display used SCART cable even though SCART based monitor are virtually nonexistient in USA)

Well, at least they USED RGB...

[Jasoco]

JB said:

3 seconds? WTF can you do in 3 sconds of demo? They just want a strobing Nintendo logo?

LOL! That's what I was wondering!

[JerseyDevil]

Bratwurst said:

That is very interesting. Have you got a gamebit set? I'd open it up to see if there were eprom chips inside, which would suggest the program was very different indeed. If they're maskroms (without the windows in the middle) then it could be the Japanese version.

I really know nothing about eproms and stuff like that. I opened the cart and this is what I see: 2 solid black caterpillers (1 big and 1 small.) (they look like black body, lots of legs, no windows as far as I can tell). On the upper right hand corner of the board it says "mask rom" What do eprom chips look like?

[JerseyDevil]

Susuwatari said:

I also have some demo carts: Yoshi Island (SMW2), Tetris Attack, Killer Instinct, and Ken Griffey Jr Winning Run.  I once had an odd one (probably the first one) a Super Mario World that has normal label plus extra sticker on the back and over end label that said Demo Only Not For Resale.

Other known SNES games with the label: (I would like to get them but collecting them is low priority)

Donkey Kong Country (may be different from released version?)
Street Fighter II
Donkey Kong Country 2
NCAA Basketball
Street Fighter II Turbo
TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
Donkey Kong Country 3
Mortal Kombat
Star Fox (not the Competition Cart)
4 Wheel Drive
Stunt Race FX

That's all I know of.

I have seen the Ken Griffey and the first DKC a lot, I always thought they were pack-ins. The Griffey must be the most common, I've seen that one many, many times.

[Bratwurst]

jerseydevil said:

What do eprom chips look like?

Here's one in the attached image section. The window on the face of the chip is for erasing its contents with UV light for reuse.

If they're maskroms instead then they're more permanent and suggest the software is either the same or maybe the Japanese version, since large batches of maskroms are usually made at once and can be very expensive.

Still, you got a Contra 3 for 3 bucks, that's awesome. Don't the 'No Resale' carts go for about 15-20 bucks usually?

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[Susuwatari]

Bratwurst said:

Still, you got a Contra 3 for 3 bucks, that's awesome.   Don't the 'No Resale' carts go for about 15-20 bucks usually?

Depends on the game. I was offered $50 for KI once but it was my only copy at that time.

I don't think DKC and Ken are common, they are simply unpopular. Sport games usually get poor replay value past the first year of issue. Not sure about the DKC as I have yet to find one locally,

[goatdan]

The most common NFR:DO carts would be whichever cart was the most in-use when stores stopped having huge SNES displays. I believe that either Donkey Kong Country or Killer Instinct would fall into that category.

As for someone offering you $50.00 for that NFR:DO Killer Instinct, DAAAAAANG, if anyone wants to offer me that much, I'll sell you some of my carts

[JerseyDevil]

Bratwurst said:

jerseydevil said:

What do eprom chips look like?

Here's one in the attached image section. The window on the face of the chip is for erasing its contents with UV light for reuse.

If they're maskroms instead then they're more permanent and suggest the software is either the same or maybe the Japanese version, since large batches of maskroms are usually made at once and can be very expensive.

Still, you got a Contra 3 for 3 bucks, that's awesome. Don't the 'No Resale' carts go for about 15-20 bucks usually?

It looks like that except for the window.
I checked with a friend of mine that has a regular Contra 3 and my title screen is definately different.

[JB]

jerseydevil said:

Bratwurst said:

jerseydevil said:

What do eprom chips look like?

Here's one in the attached image section. The window on the face of the chip is for erasing its contents with UV light for reuse.

If they're maskroms instead then they're more permanent and suggest the software is either the same or maybe the Japanese version, since large batches of maskroms are usually made at once and can be very expensive.

Still, you got a Contra 3 for 3 bucks, that's awesome. Don't the 'No Resale' carts go for about 15-20 bucks usually?

It looks like that except for the window.

In other words, it looks like 90% of all ICs?