[Black Squirrel]

Don't want to clog up the other topic(s)

I have done a quick check-through in an attempt to find patterns. It differs from Japan, but there is some logic here. In many cases, the US codes are "identical" to their EU counterparts, just with extra stuff added.


For Europe, xxxx often becomes MK-xxxx-RR (MKxxxxRR) or xxxx-RR. The "RR" represents the Region Codes, in most cases it is 50.


SG-1000
Japanese product code rules. No change.


Master System
US and EU codes are identical in most cases, mostly due to identical publishers.

First Party:
I believe every first party game has its own code, but they don't always print it on the spine. However, I am of the impression it was incorporated into the barcode like this.

32kB ROM (Card) - 40xx
32kB ROM (Cartridge) - 45xx
128kB ROM - 50xx
Combo cartridges - 60xx
256kB ROM - 70xx
3D - 80xx
512kB ROM - 90xx
512kB ROM + backup - 95xx

Germany - 410xx - overrides everything for some reason

Third Party:
This applies to Europe only because there weren't really any third-parties in the US (Activision has its own rules).

Sega doesn't adopt the T-series stuff straight away. It sticks with MK-whatever-50. But it starts dealing with five number patterns instead of four.

256kB ROM - MK-27xxx-50
512kB ROM - MK-29xxx-50

note the "2".

Vitally important point - Brazillian boxes also degrade into a similar system - "02x.xxx". I don't quite understand it though.

Mega Drive

new system adopted.

At the beginning Sega don't bother to print codes on the spines at all, so this might be wrong. I think barcodes can offer clues.

First Party:
1xxx

ROM sizes may affect the second digit. I can't see a clear pattern if I'm honest.

Third Party:
T-xxxx - T-series code, essentially. Sometimes they drop the "T-", sometimes the "-50" for Europe. I don't know why. And this applies to everything Game Gear and Mega CD-related too

Game Gear
First Party:
2xxx

Mega CD
First Party:
4xxx

32X
First Party:
We jump for some reason to
84xxx

Third Party:
Third party codes change slightly. Just slightly.
In Japan, letters are added to the end, so for 32X it becomes
T-xxxxA

in the US/EU it is
T-xxxxB
T-xxxxB-50 being the European variant


Saturn
First Party:
81xxx
accessories at this stage are
801xx (US) and 803xx (EU)

Third Party:
In Japan we've moved forward to
T-xxxxG

in the US/EU it is
T-xxxxH

"what happened to the other letters" you might ask

Dreamcast
First Party:
5xxxx

Third Party:
In Japan we've moved forward to
T-xxxxM

so in the US it is
T-xxxxN

BUT in Europe, it is
T-xxxxD-50




these are initial findings, there may be anomalies. Presumably there is third-party software out there that is of the pattern T-xxxxC, T-xxxxE, T-xxxxF, T-xxxxI, T-xxxxJ and T-xxxxK

[Andlabs]

I'm pretty sure the letter/number at the end identify the console and region

0 - Pico JP?
3 - Mega Drive JP
4 - Mega CD JP
6 - Mega Drive US(/EU?)
7 - Game Gear JP
A - 32X JP
B - 32X US(/EU?)
D - Dreamcast EU
G - Saturn JP
H - Saturn US(/EU?)
M - Dreamcast JP
N - Dreamcast US

unless you figured that part out already

This post has been edited by Andlabs: 18 April 2012 - 08:30 AM

[Meat Miracle]

First party games do indeed seem to have their serials in the barcode, for Megadrive and Master System games.

Couldn't find a pattern for third party titles though, but it looks like that in the same position they have a numerical representation of the release #.
Like:
Boogerman eu:
5 026102 028105
Boogerman US:
0 40421 83018 3

So megadrive release number 2810 and 3018.
This is entirely speculation because not all barcodes seem to match this rule (Electronic Arts titles seem to have the game serial number in the barcodes, instead of a release counter). But, do note that Saturn titles DO have a numerical release counter like that on the cd inner rings, and those take into account EVERY release numerically - not making any difference between region, first or third party, retail or demo, etc.. They top around ~2500 or so.
So it would make sense if Megadrive titles were counted that way too. If this list exists, it probably has tons of holes due to not all games having that number present in any form (Saturn discs often not have that part in the ringcode either).

[Black Squirrel]

Electronic Arts made their own rules. The story goes that they reverse-engineered the Mega Drive and were ready to go without Sega's permission, but they struck a deal to keep things pleasant. Chances are they were manufacturing cartridges and boxes completely separate from Sega (though started to conform again by the 32X/Saturn)


I'm under the impression that back in the day, publishers really did publish games, I.e. they had developers write games, then take the code to one of their privately owned factories and started manufacturing cartridges and boxes for distribution. So I would imagine that for third parties, the barcodes have a format specific to the factory that manufactured the box/game. These days there are proper security checks and the like, so you are pretty much forced to go through Microsoft or Sony or whatever, and they can dictate how the packaging should be designed.

So the barcode trick probably only works with Sega-published games. That being said, I think it's only Sega-published games we lack product codes for (and unlicensed stuff... and EA).

[ReBirFh]

Brazilian releases follow this format:

Barcode = xxxyyyyzzwkkd

xxx - country - (789) - Brazil [This is a standard of barcodes]
yyyy - Manufacturer - (1196) - Tec Toy [This is a standard of barcodes]
zz - console/hardware
w - series/random number/???
kk - ??
t - Verifier digit [This is a standard of barcodes]

From the numbers above they create the model nº ("serial code") by taking the last 5 numbers and replacing the last digit with 0 or 6 (all cartridges are 0 and most cds are 6)

Model Nº = zz.wkkm

zz - console/hardware =
w - series/random number/??? = !!See explanation below!!
kk - ?? = serial
m - media = 0 or 6 = "0" means its a cartridge and 6 means its a CD but there are a few CDs with a "0" instead of a "6".


The "zz" digit = This is the console/hardware.

01, 07 = Game Gear;
02, 03 = Master System;
04, 05 = Mega Drive;
06 = Sega CD;
15 = Mega 32X;
19 = Saturn, Dreamcast;


The "w" digit = In the first releases I noticed this number matches the letter that appears in most of the boxes then at a certain point I couldn't understand it anymore.

1-A
2-B
3-C
4-D
5-E
6-F
7-G

--------------- Sample ------------


Mega 32X Games

Blackthorne	152130	7891196152139
Cosmic Carnage	151020	7891196151026
DOOM	152010	7891196152016
Golf Magazine Apresenta: 36 Great Holes Estrelando Fred Couples	152100	7891196152108
Knuckles' Chaotix	152090	7891196152092
Kolibri	152150	7891196152153
Metal Head	152060	7891196152061
Mortal Kombat II	153010	7891196153013
Motocross Championship	151010	7891196151019
Star Trek Starfleet Academy: Starship Bridge Simulator	152140	7891196152146
Star Wars Arcade	152080	7891196152085
Tempo	152070	7891196152078
Virtua Fighter	153020	7891196153020
Virtua Racing Deluxe	152020	7891196152023
		
Fahrenheit	32x	??????       ????????????
Surgical Strike 32x	157036	7891196157035

DREAMCAST (P.S¹)

Airforce Delta	197136	7891196197130
Blue Stinger	197116	7891196197116
Crazy Taxi	197286	7891196197284
Daytona USA	???????	???????
Dead or Alive 2	197126	7891196197123
Flag to Flag Cart	197106	7891196197109
House of the Dead 2, The	197066	7891196197062
Hydro Thunder	197176	7891196197178
Jet Grind Radio	???????	???????
King of Fighters, The - Dream Match 99	???????	7891196197154
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver	197256	7891196197253
Monaco Grand Prix	197046	7891196197048
Mortal Kombat Gold	197186	7891196197185
NBA 2K	197206	7891196197208
Phantasy Star Online	197306	7891196197307
Quake III Arena	197296	7891196197291
Rayman 2	197076	7891196197079
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing	197196	7891196197192
Resident Evil Code: Veronica	197036	7891196197031
Sega Rally 2 - Sega Rally Championship	197056	7891196197055
Shenmue	???????	???????
Sonic Adventure	197086	7891196197086
Sonic Adventure 2	197316	7891196197314
Speed Devils	???????	???????
Tomb Raider The Last Revelation	197216	7891196197215
Toy Story 2- Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue	197246	7891196197246
Unreal Tournament	197336	7891196197338
Vigilante 8 2nd Offense	197266	7891196197260
Virtua Striker 2	197276	7891196197277
Wacky Races	197346	7891196197345

P.S¹ = If you order the Dreamcast releases by model nº you can see the "kk" digits is a sequential number going from 03 to 34 with four games missing barcodes and another four possible games released. As far as I know this list is complete but with only 30 releases this mean that or Tec Toy skipped four numbers in the sequence or there are unknown releases out there,. My theory is that internally they might have counted the Generator disc, Web Browser and Sonic Adventure 2 (Demo) as part of the sequence of the sequence and the lost game might be Crazy Taxi 2, it was announced but in all these years I have yet to see it.

This post has been edited by ReBirFh: 19 April 2012 - 12:50 PM

[Scarred Sun]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute.

Is there a list of Tec Toy Dreamcast product codes somewhere I never knew about?

Also, I've been really baffled by the lettering on Mega Drive covers, especially those with no product number (early releases)--what exactly do those signify?

[ReBirFh]

I maintain lists for all SEGA games and hardware released by Tec Toy.

The lettering was used to dictate the price range of the game in the stores, e.g:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOJA GAME SCORE - Agosto de 1993 (Game Score Store - August, 1993)

Prices in Cr$ (Cruzeiro Real <- not used anymore, replaced by Real in 1994)

Cartuchos Master System (Master System cartridges)

Carts 256K = 1.371,000
Carts 1 MEGA
Série B = 1.911,000
Carts 2 MEGA
Série A = 2.269,000
Série B = 2.423,000
Série C = 2.742,000
Série D = 2.949,000
Carts 4 MEGA = 3.240,000
Carts 4 MEGA ESPECIAL = 4.064,000

Cartuchos Mega Drive (Mega Drive cartridges)

Série A = 2.485,000
Série B = 3.280,000
Série C = 3.536,000
Série D = 4.397,000
Série E = 4.779,000
Série F = 5.832,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This post has been edited by ReBirFh: 20 April 2012 - 05:09 AM

[Krigo]

You've yet to see Crazy Taxi 2? I have a European DC copy somewhere, amazing game.

[Meat Miracle]

ReBirFh, on 20 April 2012 - 05:07 AM, said:

I maintain lists for all SEGA games and hardware released by Tec Toy.

Do you have actual hardware too? I want to take some looks inside the various Saturn models they released.

[Scarred Sun]

Oh, that makes sense—I assume all the crazy hyperinflation around that time would have made just issuing a range make more sense. That does sort of throw a kink in our plans of listing MSRP/RRP of games, though.

[ReBirFh]

Scarred Sun, on 20 April 2012 - 09:24 PM, said:

Oh, that makes sense—I assume all the crazy hyperinflation around that time would have made just issuing a range make more sense. That does sort of throw a kink in our plans of listing MSRP/RRP of games, though.

I was organizing my bookmarks and found an interesting parallel to the letters in the japanese Master System releases, it seems SEGA of Japan used stars in the back of the box as a pricing code just like Tec Toy used the letters here. Seeing as how Tec Toy had a close relationship with Sega of Japan it wouldn't surprise me if the star were the source of inspiration.

bombman said:

So... what's the deal with these stars on the back of Mark III game boxes?
Is this Sega's way of, erm.. judging their own games? I really wouldn't put it past them to do something like this.

Looking quickly through my collection. Most of my games have 5 stars including Alex Kidd, Kenseiden, Maou Golvellius, Blade Eagle 3D, Alien Syndrome, etc.

Family Games, Mahjong Senkoku Jidai, Ninja Princess, Tensai Bakabon, Doki Doki Penguin Land, Masters Golf, some other games, have 4 stars.

Phantasy Star and Haja No Fuuin (both are pretty flashy as far as packaging) have 6 stars. After Burner also has 6 stars.

None of the games go below 4 stars... lawl

ccovell said:

Luckily I have a "Sega Consumer History" book (Japanese) right here, which explains it all.

It's a pricing code.

Stars->Price
1 = 3800 yen (N-SUB, Congo Bongo, etc)
2 = 4300 yen (Champion Baseball, Sindbad, etc)
3 = 4800 yen (Choplifter, Pitfall II, etc)
4 = 5000 yen (Hokuto no Ken, Fantasy Zone, etc)
5 = 5500 yen (Rocky, Enduro Racer, etc)
6 = 5800/6000 yen (Haja no Fuuin, Phantasy Star)
7 = no titles
8 = 9800 yen (Zaxxon 3-D + 3-D Glasses Set)

Source: http://www.digitpres...-III-game-boxes

[Black Squirrel]

That star system would have completely passed me by had you not pointed that out

ReBirFh, on 26 April 2012 - 10:18 AM, said:

ccovell said:

Luckily I have a "Sega Consumer History" book (Japanese) right here, which explains it all.

On another side note, this book keeps popping up a lot in my travels

Collectively they cover pretty much everything Sega-related which is Japanese (up until 2002). I was under the impression the consumer one was effectively Sega of Japan's site in book form, but I'm starting to think it might have a great deal more use.

The arcade history book has tons of use because it specifies exact release dates of arcade games and the like, which I'm pretty sure Sega of Japan's site has never done. The occasional page scan exists, just a shame that both are in Japanese.

[Andlabs]

http://www.jap-sai.c...s/Sega/Sega.htm they're still being resold and I really should get copies too =P

[Overlord]

That arcade one is really overpriced..... but the other.... hmmm.

[Sik]

Considering how it has less pages? Yeah, overpriced. But holy shit, 432 arcade games? o_O;