Which cart shape is your favorite?

[intvnut]

 

Personally, I always wanted that Mattel "slanted label" look for my game. To me it's better since you can tell at a glance which game is plugged in. The LTO cart shell is pretty and all with its big sticker; but once you plug it in, half the label is obscured by the Master Component. It seems to have been designed for collectors, to look great on a shelf.

 

Part of the reason I squared it out is that there's just no room inside the Mattel shell to do stuff. I wanted something future proof. The other part is that I did want big, beautiful labels on there, like my Sega Genesis had. The Atari 2600 also had great labels, and I was a little jealous of those homebrews too. You're right, they look great on the shelf.

 

They also work great in the unit. If you find yourself staring at the cartridge label while you've got the cartridge in the unit, maybe you need to play a different game. ;)

Edited December 29, 2015 by intvnut

[+DZ-Jay]

 

Part of the reason I squared it out is that there's just no room inside the Mattel shell to do stuff. I wanted something future proof. The other part is that I did want big, beautiful labels on there, like my Sega Genesis had. The Atari 2600 also had great labels, and I was a little jealous of those homebrews too. You're right, they look great on the shelf.

 

They also work great in the unit. If you find yourself staring at the cartridge label while you've got the cartridge in the unit, maybe you need to play a different game. ;)

 

On the unit, half the label is buried inside the console. Personally, I think that showing off the artwork on the box, the manual, and the overlays is sufficient. The reason I like looking at the cartridge label to see which one it is, is because I tend to leave a cartridge on when I plug it in. Sometimes I walk away and I take a peek to see what I was playing last.

 

Anyway, I just don't feel the need to create another "collectible" in the package, that's just me I guess. But I get it, if someone plans to sell cart-only releases, collectors would not be happy without artwork.

 

-dZ.

 

 

P.S. I don't mean the above as a pissing contest. It's just that what you are trying to do with the cartridge label is what i would like the manual to be: the big fancy artwork that someone can be proud of and show off. In that light, more art in the package just competes with that.

 

Plus, of all things that you can have around to stare at while you play, to get immerse in the game with, the cartridge label getting half-buried inside the console is not one of them. At least in my opinion.

Edited December 29, 2015 by DZ-Jay

[+fdr4prez]

But I get it, if someone plans to sell cart-only releases, collectors would not be happy without artwork. It's just that what you are trying to do with the cartridge label is what i would like the manual to be: the big fancy artwork that someone can be proud of and show off. In that light, more art in the package just competes with that.

 

I don't think that the artwork on the cart necessarily competes with the artwork on the manual cover, or box. It can complement them. The cart artwork is many times just the same artwork that is on the box or manual.

 

Do you look at the Congo Bongo cart and say "nah, it is too cluttered and distracting. Let's rip off that label"?

 

I was just asking a question about the shape/design of the carts, but I don't mind expanding this to a discussion on the labels and the artwork.

 

The labels on the Mattel carts is just too plain. Just a simple text. I like what they did for BurgerTime and others when they used the game's 'official' font/script

[+fdr4prez]

Plus, when people are bored and they make a falling cart domino video, if the carts have nice large labels, then we can see easily what carts were used by the large label.

[+BBWW]

Well with the LTO and Activision combined...they are so close...we have a winner...

[+DZ-Jay]

 

I don't think that the artwork on the cart necessarily competes with the artwork on the manual cover, or box. It can complement them. The cart artwork is many times just the same artwork that is on the box or manual.

 

Do you look at the Congo Bongo cart and say "nah, it is too cluttered and distracting. Let's rip off that label"?

 

I was just asking a question about the shape/design of the carts, but I don't mind expanding this to a discussion on the labels and the artwork.

 

The labels on the Mattel carts is just too plain. Just a simple text. I like what they did for BurgerTime and others when they used the game's 'official' font/script

 

To each his own. Personally, if the artwork is going to be the same all over, then it's just superfluous. If it is not, then it competes. *shrug*

 

-dZ.

[+fdr4prez]

How about if you lay the manual, box and overlays next to each other and they complete a larger picture?

 

Like the back of the Star Wars trading cards making a scene from the movie.

 

Or the Pepsi can "sex" message:

[+DZ-Jay]

How about if you lay the manual, box and overlays next to each other and they complete a larger picture?

 

Like the back of the Star Wars trading cards making a scene from the movie.

 

Or the Pepsi can "sex" message:

 

Why, so that they can be put side-by-side on a shelf instead of being played?

 

I guess if your interest is just to make something nice to look at, then fine. I don't have that interest, though. I play my games, and I make games for others to play. I like to show off the art of the box, though, and the manual should be pretty and interesting to read. The cartridge, I just plug it into the console.

 

-dZ.

[TrekMD]

My vote goes to the Activision design.

[freewheel]

Any cart design that doesn't have end labels is an UNHOLY ABOMINATION THAT MUST BE BURNED WITH FIRE.

 

Seriously, collecting loose carts is a goddamn pain in the ass for so many cart designs.

[Intymike]

Any cart design that doesn't have end labels is an UNHOLY ABOMINATION THAT MUST BE BURNED WITH FIRE.

 

Seriously, collecting loose carts is a goddamn pain in the ass for so many cart designs.

Is it you, A.V.G.N.?

[+Black_Tiger]

Mattel's will always be my favorite, but I think that the Imagic/Sega carts look best overall.