spine cards and other extras...

NeoFreak · 07/15/2005, 02:47 PM

Did all import HuCards and CDs come with spine cards and/or registration cards?

Can someone explain the plastic "arm" that I have read about in HuCard auctions; from the look of things, it seems like a brace that holds the HuCard in place while its in the jewel case? Did these break easily?

Also, is Dragon Slayer the only game that came bundled with a map? I'm just trying to get a feel for what kind of extras were available so I dont get screwed over in an auction.

Thanks very much.

DragonmasterDan · 07/15/2005, 03:17 PM

Okay, the arm thing is correct. Not ALL came with spinecards some games that used a double disc case did not, but MOST did. Also US Ys 1 and 2 (the original print not the Duo print) came with a Map.

Keranu · 07/15/2005, 03:40 PM

I'm not even sure if the original prints of Ys Book I & II included a map, we discussed this before somewhere on here. I believe every HuCard game released in the USA had the arm, but some Japanese HuCard cases did not have the arm; I think Namco games might not have had arms, but I'll have to double check that with the ones I have.

And as far as spine cards go, I don't think the HuCards had them, but the CDs definitley do. Another game that came with a map included was Tengai Makyou II.

DragonmasterDan · 07/15/2005, 05:15 PM

Quote from: KeranuI'm not even sure if the original prints of Ys Book I & II included a map, we discussed this before somewhere on here. I believe every HuCard game released in the USA had the arm, but some Japanese HuCard cases did not have the arm; I think Namco games might not have had arms, but I'll have to double check that with the ones I have.

And as far as spine cards go, I don't think the HuCards had them, but the CDs definitley do. Another game that came with a map included was Tengai Makyou II.

All the Tengai Makyou games had a map (well, Ziria original CD version, ManjiMaru and Kabuki-Den did). I thought he was just asking about domestic releases. I'm sure tons of PCE RPGs had maps.

NeoFreak · 07/15/2005, 05:38 PM

alright thanks.

twor2005 · 07/15/2005, 07:09 PM

So-

Dragon Slayer- Map
Sherlock Holmes- some kinda newspaper
Vasteel- poster identifying the planets
Beyond Shadowgate- damn poster
Cosmic Fantasy 3- guide book

NeoFreak · 07/15/2005, 09:36 PM

oh great, i'm looking into picking some of those up. thanks for the heads up.

M1Savage · 07/15/2005, 11:28 PM

Quote from: KeranuI'm not even sure if the original prints of Ys Book I & II included a map, we discussed this before somewhere on here.

My original US version Ys Book 1 & 2 has a map. Many PC Engine cds had extras that came with them such as decals, paper dress up dolls etc. which is one of the reasons they are so fun to collect.

akamichi · 07/15/2005, 11:38 PM

I'm not familiar with the US Turbo games, but I don't remember anything extra with my copy Ys 1&2. Then again, if the extras didn't fit into the CD case, then I probably lost/threw them away long ago.

As for Japanese games, I've observed the following:
- No HuCard cases had that "arm" thing. If there is a game that does have one, I'd like to know.
- Pretty much all CD games had spine cards. The exception here are games that came in larger packages like 3x3Eyes + video tape, Forgotten Worlds + Ave Pad 3 set, etc.
- The only HuCards to have spine cards were the ones that came in double CD cases.
- All (more or less

) officially released games came with registration cards.

This isn't absolute of course, but I'm just speaking from observations of my own collection.

Hope this helps.

OldRover · 07/16/2005, 01:49 AM

When I bought my first TurboGrafx 16 that included KC, the jewel case did NOT have the arm but instead had a small sticky circle that held the plastic sleeve in place.

twor2005 · 07/16/2005, 03:28 AM

Quote from: OldRoverWhen I bought my first TurboGrafx 16 that included KC, the jewel case did NOT have the arm but instead had a small sticky circle that held the plastic sleeve in place.

I forgot all about that. I still have that neon orange box the system came in too. Wish I had the plastic cover that went on back of the system.

Keranu · 07/16/2005, 10:42 AM

Quote from: m1savageMy original US version Ys Book 1 & 2 has a map. Many PC Engine cds had extras that came with them such as decals, paper dress up dolls etc. which is one of the reasons they are so fun to collect.

Oops. What I meant to say was that I wasn't sure if every copy of the original US version of Ys Book I & II included maps. We discussed something about this before. I wish I had a map for mine

.

twor2005 · 07/19/2005, 05:32 AM

I think I might have an extra Dragon Slayer map somewhere if anyone needs one. Maybe I'll just ebay it.

Nutribrain · 07/19/2005, 09:05 AM

Quote from: akamichi- Pretty much all CD games had spine cards. The exception here are games that came in larger packages like 3x3Eyes + video tape, Forgotten Worlds + Ave Pad 3 set, etc.

Do you know if Forgotten Worlds was only released bundeled together with the Ave Pad 3, or was there also a "standalone" version without pad?

Keranu · 07/19/2005, 09:15 AM

Quote from: twor2005I think I might have an extra Dragon Slayer map somewhere if anyone needs one. Maybe I'll just ebay it.

I'll buy it off you if you can find it.

akamichi · 07/19/2005, 09:22 AM

I'm pretty sure there were separate versions released but I have no proof. I do know that the Forgotten Worlds + ave pad 3 pack is labelled as "limited Ave Pad 3 pack" so that would lead me to believe there was a "regular" release without the pad.

So if anybody has a version with the spine card, that would pretty much prove there was a stand alone version.

twor2005 · 07/19/2005, 03:18 PM

Quote from: akamichiI'm pretty sure there were separate versions released but I have no proof. I do know that the Forgotten Worlds + ave pad 3 pack is labelled as "limited Ave Pad 3 pack" so that would lead me to believe there was a "regular" release without the pad.

So if anybody has a version with the spine card, that would pretty much prove there was a stand alone version.

As a side question, what is the deal with the three button pad? Is button III the same as the run button only in a more user friendly shape? Is it possible to assign I,II,III, select and run all different functions?

NeoFreak · 07/19/2005, 03:27 PM

while we are on the topic of packaging, how many HuCards or CD games came with outer boxes like this? was this just to hold maps and other extras?

Keranu · 07/19/2005, 03:31 PM

Both HuCard and CD games were packaged like that until about the time the Turbo Duo was out, which was in 1992. Steve could probably give a more technical answer to this.

twor2005 · 07/19/2005, 03:35 PM

Quote from: NeoFreakwhile we are on the topic of packaging, how many HuCards or CD games came with outer boxes like this? was this just to hold maps and other extras?

Most Hucards and CDs did come with both those. Late in the systems life they did away with the hard plastic case and just put them in the box in a tray, so games like Air Zonk, Bonk 3, Magical Chase, Samurai Ghost, probably Somer Assault, Time Cruise had no cd style case. SCDs on the other hand never had outer boxes.

esteban · 07/23/2005, 02:28 AM

Here are the general guidelines

.

Japan HuCard:
Jewel Case + Manual + HuCard + Vinyl Sleeve + thin SPONGE FOAM + Registration Card
(not sure if all games included foam, but it was used to keep the HuCard in the tray -- a buffer between the HuCard and the manual when the cover was snapped shut. A FEW games (Namco?) had trays with two SHORT plastic HOOKS that were used to hold the HuCard + Sleeve in place... these special sleeves had two holes punched out -- for the hooks).
Comparison of Japanese vs. US packaging, using the same game.
TRIVIA: I have 1 or 2 vinyl sleeves that are decorated (i.e. a white concentric swirl is printed on one sleeve). No North American sleeves were decorated.

Japan CD:
Jewel Case + Manual + CD + Spine Card (OBI) + Registration Card
Example of Japanese CD packaging, sorry, no comparison to US packaging.

North America HuCard (NEC era):
Jewel Case (with plastic arm) + Manual + HuCard + Vinyl Sleeve + Cardboard Box + Styrofoam Insert (since the boxes were bigger than jewel cases, you need the styrofoam... same concept as NES packaging)
Note: As previously mentioned, Keith Courage lacked a plastic arm and had double-sided sticker instead.

North America HuCard (TTi era):
Manual + HuCard + Vinyl Sleeve + Cardboard Box + Clear plastic "tray"
(HuCard rested in the middle of the tray, with manual resting on top)

North America CD (NEC era):
Jewel Case + Manual + CD + Cardboard Box + Styrofoam Insert

North America CD (TTi era):
Jewel Case + Manual + CD

BOTTOM LINE: While cardboard boxes were wasteful (trees!), they were seen as a theft deterrent (like the longboxes CDs used to be packaged in). Later, TTi wanted to cut costs, so they revamped the packaging... but for HuCards, I guess it was cheaper for TTi to keep the cardboard boxes and nix the jewel cases.

I've said this before, but the plastic arm in the US jewel cases is a GREAT improvement.

Keranu · 07/23/2005, 07:57 AM

Very nice, informational post, Steve. Plastic arms do kick ass, indeed!

OldRover · 07/23/2005, 10:06 AM

While reorganizing the house, I found that I still have two copies of the Ys I& II game map. One of them isn't in the best of shape but the other's in pretty good shape (neither are anywhere near mint though). Talk about a blast from the past.

NeoFreak · 07/23/2005, 10:54 AM

wow, thanks for the in-depth descriptions.

Keranu · 07/23/2005, 10:58 AM

Quote from: OldRoverWhile reorganizing the house, I found that I still have two copies of the Ys I& II game map. One of them isn't in the best of shape but the other's in pretty good shape (neither are anywhere near mint though). Talk about a blast from the past.

Hey I'll take one off you!