Sealed MD games

So what's the deal for MD games (carts), all regions? (Excluding blister pack sealed games of course)

Why do I ask this?

Well, a quick scan of some posts here and I've seen

A 'sealed' PAL Flashback in that crappy vacuum shrinkwrap.
A 'sealed' JP Ooze in that crappy vacuum shrinkwrap.
Numerous 'sealed' Genesis games in, you guessed it, that crappy vacuum shrinkwrap!

To me these are NOT factory sealed games. Shop sealed, and potentially new, but not factory sealed. Is this right or wrong?

I've always believed the following

JP MD games - not sealed in any form of shrinkwrap when new, with the odd exception of course. Certainly not sealed in the type of shrinkwrap you occasionally see. For example the re-issue of one of the J-League games was indeed sealed as it came with an extra booklet/team guide, too big to fit inside. This was shrinkwrapped, in a vaccum type style plastic, but with much better precision, feel and quality than the normal crap you see. (Obviously there are other sealed JPMD games..the Doraemon LE, Striker Multitap set and so on). JPMD also didn't have the sega sticker on the side. I've been buying JPMD since 89 btw so know JPMD pretty well.

PAL MD - not sealed in any form of shrinkwrap, with the odd exception I imagine. Did have the Sega sticker on the side. Any shrinkwrap you see is some crappy shop affair. I don't ever recall seeing shrinkwrapped games in my youth (I live in the UK).

US MD - not sealed in any form of shrinkwrap, with the odd exception I imagine. (I don't collect US stuff really) Not sure about the sega sticker.

So am I right, talking crap, partially correct? Whenever I see a shrinkwrapped MD game advertised as new sealed I shake my head.

As one of the only sega md collector's here i'll answer

The Japanese Sega MD games i believe came in most mass unsealed and without any stickers. However some of them were sealed in shrinkwrap. I don't know why though. And why such selected. I don't trust japanese md sealed games anyway .

The PAL games. As for UK games i'm pretty sure they were all sealed with a sega sticker without any shrinkwrap. And also in blisters. But i don't know what ones came in blister and which ones only with a sega sticker. I'm pretty sure though that originally NEW they all came in blister and ALSO with a sega sticker.
Same for french games - blister packed.
As for australian version i've bought - i cannot even guess if it's a reseal or original shrinkwrap. I'll see when i get the game in my hands

As for US games - they were ALL sealed in shrinkwrap without any sega stickers. Pretty crappy shrinkwrap i should say. It is fragile as shit. It's hard to handle them. Moreover that plastic disintegrates fast.

Ok cheers, good info mate, thanks.

re JPMD - I genuinely think that aside from the odd exception I describe, no regular JPMD game was ever shrinkwrapped. That Ooze on yahoo jp was not legit sealed, I asked numerous contacts I have in japan about ti. I've been into JPMD since release and have virtually every cart released for it.

re Pal - I've never seen a UK blister packed game. Got any piccies? Back in the day I was very friendly with local game stores and their owners, used to help out on deliveries sometimes and I don't ever recall the blister pack for new UK games. Stickers yes, but I'm not too sure that ALL pal UK games came blistered as you suggest. If they did then where are they all now..I never see them?? Then again I don't really do Pal either so I don't look too hard. Although a quick look on ebay uk showed no blister UK Pal MD Carts.

re US - Good to know. As I said I don't collect US stuff so really wasn't sure about these. I kinda based my (incorrect) views for these based on how crap the seal actually is! Shitty as you say. I do know there is a shed load of sealed genesis stuff out there so its good to know its legit after all! And on a personal note I'm now happier in thinking my Warsong is legit sealed! Cheers!

Aside from the blister packs (Which seem to be common in France and most of Western Europe), most PAL Mega Drive games came sealed with only a small oval SEGA sticker over the opening. However, the cases are easily opened and closed again, even with these stickers on them. Poor design on SEGA's part.

As far as regional variations go, I would say that the majority of the blister packed games available on the continent (Ie, France etc) are in fact identical to the games released here in the UK (With exceptions, obviously), but for the most part most games available would be the same. I remember going to Calais one time back in the mid 90's and seeing loads of blister packed Mega Drive games on display in French stores, but never any here in the UK

I have a few blister packed Mega Drive games. Check my thread in the Sega Collection's area for pictures.


PS. I recently bought a sealed copy of "The Smurfs" on eBay which was blister packed, but the blister was in such bad condition that it literally disintegrated in my hands. The game was in perfect shape though, and was also sealed with the common SEGA sticker over the opening

Gemini-Phoenix wrote:
As far as regional variations go, I would say that the majority of the blister packed games available on the continent (Ie, France etc) are in fact identical to the games released here in the UK (With exceptions, obviously), but for the most part most games available would be the same. I remember going to Calais one time back in the mid 90's and seeing loads of blister packed Mega Drive games on display in French stores, but never any here in the UK

Thats exactly what I was trying to say, but not getting it across well lol. The majority of pal md games would be the same for numerous Euro countries. But how they were presented when new differed. So blister for france, no blister for UK. Or at least I'm yet to see a UK sold blister MD game!

wheelaa wrote:

Gemini-Phoenix wrote:
As far as regional variations go, I would say that the majority of the blister packed games available on the continent (Ie, France etc) are in fact identical to the games released here in the UK (With exceptions, obviously), but for the most part most games available would be the same. I remember going to Calais one time back in the mid 90's and seeing loads of blister packed Mega Drive games on display in French stores, but never any here in the UK

Thats exactly what I was trying to say, but not getting it across well lol. The majority of pal md games would be the same for numerous Euro countries. But how they were presented when new differed. So blister for france, no blister for UK. Or at least I'm yet to see a UK sold blister MD game!

There was a lot of Earthorm Jim's on UK ebay for past months. As well as Revolution X's. Some friends of mine bought a lot of them. They were blister packed. Although i need to confirm if they were UK or not.
Also i'm almost sure they were the special "marts" and supermarkets editions available only at these shops back at the days.

wheelaa wrote:Ok cheers, good info mate, thanks.

re JPMD - I genuinely think that aside from the odd exception I describe, no regular JPMD game was ever shrinkwrapped. That Ooze on yahoo jp was not legit sealed, I asked numerous contacts I have in japan about ti. I've been into JPMD since release and have virtually every cart released for it.

re Pal - I've never seen a UK blister packed game. Got any piccies? Back in the day I was very friendly with local game stores and their owners, used to help out on deliveries sometimes and I don't ever recall the blister pack for new UK games. Stickers yes, but I'm not too sure that ALL pal UK games came blistered as you suggest. If they did then where are they all now..I never see them?? Then again I don't really do Pal either so I don't look too hard. Although a quick look on ebay uk showed no blister UK Pal MD Carts.

re US - Good to know. As I said I don't collect US stuff so really wasn't sure about these. I kinda based my (incorrect) views for these based on how crap the seal actually is! Shitty as you say. I do know there is a shed load of sealed genesis stuff out there so its good to know its legit after all! And on a personal note I'm now happier in thinking my Warsong is legit sealed! Cheers!

re jpdm: so that means that ANY other then these japanese games are a definite reseal and fake?
re PAL: i'll get some pics
re US: yes, US sealing is the worst and most crappy. WOW you have Warsong sealed??? Wow. I'm jealous.
What other US games you have sealed?

Ah ok, didn't see those EWJs and Revxs. I'd be very interested to know if they were originally UK sold or not though. Of course I've seen lots of blister Pal MD games, but never any where they are guaranteed to be NOS UK stock. Like say my two sealed PDS (saturn I know). The blistered came from France, the normal from the UK (via a German collector).

Re JPMD - I believe so. I've asked jp friends in the past and none recall sealed md games at release, exceptions aside.

Re US - yeah I love warsong/langrisser. I jumped at the chance to get a sealed copy a few years back, although I've always had my suspicions about its authenticity as sealed. Not anymore thankfully! (That said I still can't shake out the thought that perhaps all the sealed genesis games that are seen originally came from one massive chain say, which decided to do their own shrinkwrapping. The seal is just too crappy for me to be entirely confortable with it tbh). I've got Arcus Odyssey sealed too, another favourite game of mine. And a couple of others that I can't recall. Rings of Power maybe...? Not into Genesis really.

I'd take Arcus off your hands...

wheelaa wrote:Ah ok, didn't see those EWJs and Revxs. I'd be very interested to know if they were originally UK sold or not though. Of course I've seen lots of blister Pal MD games, but never any where they are guaranteed to be NOS UK stock. Like say my two sealed PDS (saturn I know). The blistered came from France, the normal from the UK (via a German collector).

Re JPMD - I believe so. I've asked jp friends in the past and none recall sealed md games at release, exceptions aside.

Re US - yeah I love warsong/langrisser. I jumped at the chance to get a sealed copy a few years back, although I've always had my suspicions about its authenticity as sealed. Not anymore thankfully! (That said I still can't shake out the thought that perhaps all the sealed genesis games that are seen originally came from one massive chain say, which decided to do their own shrinkwrapping. The seal is just too crappy for me to be entirely confortable with it tbh). I've got Arcus Odyssey sealed too, another favourite game of mine. And a couple of others that I can't recall. Rings of Power maybe...? Not into Genesis really.

Great. Well if you have any sealed genesis games for sale let me know. Sega genesis/md is my main collecting habit

The only ones I have are Earthworm Jim 2, Revolution X, and Cool Spot Goes To Hollywood. Plus the above mentioned "Smurfs" game which I was forced to break out of the blister pack due to the blister being in such bad condition

Hey ppl. Need your opinions.
Is this a legit seal? Looks like a stupid cheap reseal for me.

Can't tell for sure. It looks like some of the sealed Genny games I just sold.

I completely agree for the japanese MD Games.
There never was factory seal,just like Mark 3,Game Gear..
Except the very few games you mentionned,like J League with multitap, Doraemon,etc..