HEAVY FOUR-ER? What exactly are we looking at here?

[classicgamesnut]

     As many times as I've looked at this box, how have I never noticed something unusual on it? 

     The logical explanation is that the console shown was just a prop for the box photo, but does someone here know if there ever actually was a four-switcher in a heavy-sixer case, some weird hybrid of the four and six switch models?  I've never seen one in person.

 

     Larry

[0078265317]

Not to my knowledge.  It is fiction.

[alex_79]

It's not a prop. It's a photomontage, with the 4 switch bezel overlayed over the existing heavy sixer picture.

[Keatah]

What was the reason for making that photomontage?

[alex_79]

No idea. Maybe it was cheaper.

[+x=usr(1536)]

8 hours ago, Keatah said:

What was the reason for making that photomontage?

Consistency with the previous packaging, perhaps.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

While not a heavy... I have personally seen and just serviced two 4 switchers that were installed into light sixer case shells. They have a plastic like cover piece that was applied over the center to try and hide the original joystick port and power plug openings. 

 

So, there does at least exist some 4 switchers in a light sixer bottom shell.

 

 

[alex_79]

Yes, some early 4 switch have that bottom shell with the sticker covering the holes for controllers and power ports, but note that it's slightly altered as it has two small plastic studs added to support the 4 switch board. Normal 6 switch shells don't have those.

 

I think this was an "universal" bottom shell used during the transition between the two models (which didn't happen at the same time for PAL and NTSC).

[0078265317]

Interesting.

[buick]

On 9/4/2022 at 2:19 AM, alex_79 said:

No idea. Maybe it was cheaper.

Definitely. Saves them the effort of having to go rent a photo studio, set up the console and accessries, and essentially redo the whole boxart over something that really just amounts to a minor cosmetic change. You ever buy an appliance that says in small print on the box something along the lines of "actual product may vary slightly from depiction?" This is usually why.