Sealed Pokemon Yellow With No ESRB Rating

Written by Link on 8th August, 2008

You may not be aware, but Game Boy collecting is on the rise. With such a massive library (especially if you count original, Color and Advance as Game Boy games in general), high price retention, hard to find completes, tons of rarities and loads of missing information, anyone who tackles this set is in for a brutal run.

Lots of people seem to be up for it though. I can see why too. I feel the argument could be made that the Game Boy is the most important video game system of all time. Odds are that if you read this site, than you’ve owned a Game Boy. The same can’t be said for any other system, even the most popular ones like the NES and SNES.

Not only is the popularity climbing, but so are the prices. Just take a look at a few of these recently completed auctions. Granted these are all sealed and may be suffering from the VGA affect, but prices are on the rise.

Sealed GB Original System (VGA Graded 85) - $1350.00

Sealed GB Original Megaman $537.99

Sealed GB Original Donkey Kong Land II - $203.51

Sealed GB Original Wario Land - $153.50

Sealed GB Original Pokemon Red - $127.52

Sealed GB Original Pokemon Yellow - $112.55

Sealed GB Original Pokemon Blue - $102.50

The money games are basically what you would expect. Zelda’s, Mario’s, Pokemon’s, etc. The classic games that defined the system.

Anyway, that’s a bit of background on the way GB collecting is going. In the meantime, there is the matter of the auction I mentioned in the title.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games.

Originally established in 1994 by the Interactive Digital Software Association (now the Entertainment Software Association), it had rated over 8,000 titles by 2003. The decision to found the ESRB was influenced by violent content found in games such as Mortal Kombat and Night Trap and other controversial video games portraying violent or sexual situations at the time.

That’s what I know, but according to the seller before the ESRB existed, there was a video game rating board that existed somewhere around the Genesis/SNES era. However, they did not last long as there was no organization or standardization for the ratings themselves. They were also not aligned with every game system. The ESRB eventually came along and formally set-up a ratings system that is not unlike movie ratings.

However, there was a window period that exists where games had no ratings on them, and the Game Boy was one of the systems affected by this.

Also the ESRB went through a graphic design revision. There was originally a “White Outline” Letter set-up. However, they eventually moved to a solid black letter system, as referenced here. Essentially what this all means is that there are at least three confirmed variant packaging styles for Pokemon Yellow; No ESRB, Original ESRB, and Modern ESRB.

If this is the type of thing that interests you, check out the auction. There’s more info, references and pictures available there. The seller is a well known variant whore within the PSX collecting scene, so I would say his word is pretty good on this.

While I’m plugging GB stuff, I should mention two more auctions on my watch list. First, there is this original sealed GB. The VGA graded GB above has me wondering how this one will end. There is also this auction someone emailed me about. It has a logo that says” Santa Clara Division” with a background scene that shows a bird in flight and a tree. Some kind of LE? I have no idea, but my searches don’t show anything. I’m guessing it was some sort of sticker applied and the seller is hoping it’s more than that. Maybe not though and I’d love some input if you have any ideas.

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5 Responses to “Sealed Pokemon Yellow With No ESRB Rating”

UncleBob on August 8th, 2008 10:00 pm

There’s a fourth Pokémon Yellow Box. There’s the “Game Boy” box with the white ESRB logo… then there’s a “Game Boy Color” box with white ESRB Logo. In fact, if you did some digging, you might find even more variants than that. Many early “Game Boy Color” boxes had holographic “Game Boy Color” spines on the front and were re-released later with non-holographic boxes.

If you want to check out Game Boy variants, do some research on Link’s Awakening/Link’s Awakening DX. As this was *the* best selling Game Boy Game of all time (and for good reason), it apparently went through several different printings. There’s the original, Player’s Choice reprint, DX/Color Holographic run, DX/Color Non-Holographic run. Add in the No ESRB Logo, Old ESRB K-A Logo, Old ESRB white E Logo and new ESRB Black logo, there’s a number of different versions of this game. You should do an article on it.
Plasticrelic on August 9th, 2008 9:03 am

http://www.swisssupply.com/nintendo.php

link to a Gold and Diamond Game Boy. One of a kind
Dracc on August 9th, 2008 9:52 am

When will it be time to make a call on how the VGA is affecting the market?

I had a GBA, but even that was pretty sad in comparison to my first handheld, the Gme Gear. I have considwred getting a Micro, or DS Lite, but my PSP is already pretty neglected. I’m not sure there is room for two hanhelds in my life.

Anyway, I don’t see myself collecting GB games anyway, now or ever. It is kind of cool to see them get some legitimacy though.

I MUST get my sealed OgreBattle64 graded… putting it on my todo list.
tony on August 10th, 2008 12:16 pm

hahahahh @ vga gameboy prices! god people are dumb!
» The Most Lame Numerology Reading? Games cheats Tips and tricks on August 28th, 2008 7:13 pm

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