I've had two PAL copies of Sonic 1 on Mega Drive for a while, and only today did I notice that there's subtle differences between the two. Version 1: Patent information on the box, manual and cart. Made in China. Version 2: No patent information on the box or manual; cart reads 'Caution avoid exposing cartridge', etc. Made in Japan. Can anyone tell me anything about these two versions? One of them is a pack-in with the Mega Drive I own but I don't know which.
*four: https://info.sonicretro.org/File:Sonic1_box_eu.jpg https://info.sonicretro.org/File:Sonic1_MD_EU_mij_cover.jpg https://info.sonicretro.org/File:Sonic1_MD_EU_mim_cover.jpg https://info.sonicretro.org/File:Sonic1_MD_EU_mit_cover.jpg From Sega's many cartridge factories, though where they were all sold is a mystery perhaps lost to time. This is a thing with other Mega Drive games too.
Thanks for this. I was just judging from my personal collection, I didn't know there were two others out there. I've checked the rest of my MD collection, and it seems the oldest games lack the patent information also. Is it possible that the Made in Japan cover is the first edition?
My gut feeling is that the Japanese-produced boxes/cartridges are the earlier ones, with the other factories being brought online later, but I don't have much proof (other than "made in Japan" versions are more common from what I recall).
My PAL REV01 cart says 'Made in Japan', as does its box. My family's had it since the 90s, so I don't think the box and cart are mismatched.
Rev-00 is the one where there's no cloud movement in Green Hill and REV-01 is the opposite, right? Both my Japan and China carts have no cloud movement, so we're back at square one. Although I did find the original Sega no-tamper sticker inside the box with the original owner's clothes fibers still attached. So although I don't know when it was bought, I do know that the person who bought it was fittingly wearing a blue jumper!
Mine is identical to the first scan. Made in China with patent information, cart says made in China. It was a Christmas gift pack in with a Model 1 Mega Drive in dec 1991. Since the game had been out for months by then it could be a second run. I wouldn't be surprised if the no patent Made in Japan is the first print EDIT: Instruction Manual says Printed in Hong Kong
