RF Generation Message Board

So this might be a stupid question, but here it goes. I was born in the 90's so I don't know a ton about the NES. I know all the games came with dust sleeves/covers in the box, but issue comes with this. I have seen many different types of them. All black ones, White Nintendo ones that open and shut as well as blue and yellow ones and more colors, clear plastic ones that open and shut, black one with Nintendo in front on them, and many more. I want to think they started with the plain black ones and added the black ones with nintendo on it later on, and the colored ones were just rental cases but I really don't know. If someone could explain this to me that would be awesome.

I am sure some of the other CIB NES collectors could explain this better than I can, and I may be totally wrong about this.  I believe all the first party titles (games Nintendo published) had the black sleeves with the red Nintendo across the front.  All other games not published by Nintendo had plain black dust sleeves.  I am not 100% certain on that though.  The colored plastic clamshells were protectors you could buy, like an accessory, and I am sure most rental stores used them and the clear ones.  Wow, I almost have forgotten what it was like to go into a rental store and check out the wall of games.

This actually crossed my brain the other day as well. From what I was initially told, the black sleeves were exactly as Johnny mentioned. The plastic clamshell boxes you mention had both first-party and third-party versions, including first-party pink and clear cases (which I own quite a few of from rental stores of yesteryear). I've also got "official" Funcoland sleeves in three different varieties, and there also the "official" Color Dreams, AVE, Tengen, and other non-licensed publisher sleeves.

Hey Shadow, didn't they make blue first party clamshells also?  I swear I have seen some with the Nintendo logo on them.  I may be wrong though.

I'd have to check in my bin, but I believe so.

They do, I just checked one on my shelf. There's also yellow ones.

That is weird, I have seen blue ones, pink ones and yellow ones.  What, did they give you an option like baby clothes?  Blue is for boys, pink is for girls, and yellow is unisex.  Anyone that has had a baby before knows what I am talking about.

I seem to remember seeing an ad for them, they came in packs of 4 or 8. Either one or two of each color. They may have been available individually as well.

I think I've got an official Green one too.

Just to clarify to the original poster though. Those plastic clamshell cases (the ones that open and shut) were mainly for rentals and not something that came original packaged with NES games. Most (possibly all?) NES games came packaged with the black sleeve that you stick the cart into. Those ones were either all black or had a red Nintendo logo across them.

as far as i know the sleeves came in 3 main types-black/no logo
black/dull red logo and black/shiny red logo not to mention the
several texture variations as well:)