Rental Only NES games

[Beardcore84]

I've heard of some games like Bubble Bobble Part 2 and Flintstones Surprise at Dino Peak. I was just wondering a few things, why Taito chose to make these games rental only, and if there are any mroe that were rental only by Taito or any company. Thanks to anyone who knows!

[Tynstar]

Huh I didn't know those 2 where rental only. I know of other games. That is a good question. Why do publisher do that?

[Pop Culture Portal]

Seems like there was a Madden or other sports Genesis game that was rental only 

[Tynstar]

John Madden 93 Championship Edition. The cover is gold instead of blue. Great game also.

[Beardcore84]

Can anyone confirm they were actually rental only? Or did I hear false news? Did anyone buy them new in stores? I'm trying to remember where I heard that, but I think it was from multiple sources.

[NationalGameDepot]

They were both indeed rental / mail order only.  That is why they are so hard to find boxes and manuals for.  They were mainly sent to Blockbusters but a few other rental stores had them as well.  You heard correctly
~~NGD

[Speedy_NES]

I've also heard this before (at the Digital Press forums), but I think it was more of a theory than fact.  I don't know of any rental places that did not tag their games in one way or another, and I have seen mint condition Flintstones 2 and Bubble Bobble 2 games before (in fact I own a mint Bubble Bobble Part 2 that I do not think was ever used as a rental).  It is technically possible for rental owners to order the games for their own private use, but I still find it somewhat hard to believe that any company would sell games as a rental only, as they'd make much more profit selling them to the general public IMO.  If anyone has any concrete info on this, I'd love to hear it as well!

[Beardcore84]

Thats true speedy. Although with the power of goo gone, etc, I've taken several rentals and made them look minty.  There's probably no way of knowing ,I wonder if there's a way to get ahold of anyone who worked at Taito's american offices before they closed.

I love this stuff!

[Mezmoron]

Flintstones 2 was indeed rental only. 

Companies like Blockbuster would pay Taito money to develop a game for them exclusively.  That way, if someone wanted that game, they'd have to go to Blockbuster to get it.  That means more money for Blockbuster, because people would rent other things while there.  Taito didn't care because they got money up front for a game that probably didn't cost them nearly anything to develop it anyway.  Those of you that have played it probably know what I mean.

Ken

[shaggy]

Wow, I've never heard of this at all.  It does make sense, though.  Those two titles, among other, I don't recall ever seeing in the stores.  I often wondered how I missed them.  Please, if anyone knows any truth to do post here.

[Izret101]

Like the Blockbuster Exclusive Outlaw Golf and Volleyball games

They are often solf for more in used gamestores than they retailed at Blockbuster for(between 5&10 $s)

Wasn't Clayfighters 63 1/3 a exclusive for some place also?

[shaggy]

Flintstones 2 was indeed rental only. 

Companies like Blockbuster would pay Taito money to develop a game for them exclusively.  That way, if someone wanted that game, they'd have to go to Blockbuster to get it.  That means more money for Blockbuster, because people would rent other things while there.  Taito didn't care because they got money up front for a game that probably didn't cost them nearly anything to develop it anyway.  Those of you that have played it probably know what I mean.

Ken

How did you find that out?  Did the make boxes for them games?  Or was it just cart and manual?  Did they create an official manual?  Or just that lame paper one that some rental companies made up and sent with there rented games?

[Mezmoron]

It was a normal game that was packaged like any old NES game. 

I had a friend at the end of my college years (he was about 45 then, now 50ish) that worked for Blockbuster.  He was telling me how they got that game and no one else could really get it.  No major retailer of games had it on their distrobution lists, and for that matter, didn't care.

Ken

[Izret101]

Something just poped into my head.

Does anyone anywhere have the ROM writer that Blockbuster was using for their GameFactory carts?

I haven't seen it mentioned on any of the forums i have filtered thru.

[Pop Culture Portal]

Urban Free-Style Soccer for the Xbox was a Blockbuster exclusive.
Sneakers for Xbox was a TRU exclusive.

And apparently Indiana Jones for the N64 was a Blockbuster exclusive:

http://www.lucasarts.com/...release/news20001030.html