Game Boy Cart ID Question

[Qamel]

This might be a silly question, but it's one that I've been wondering about.

Each original game boy game has a cart(game) id on the left side of the cartridge on the label:


Also, each game box has an id on it's flaps. My question is, are these two ids (the box and the game) always supposed to match? I ask because I bought a new Super Mario Land, to replace an old one who's label was ripped to shreds when I was younger. I realized then that my box had the id of DMG-ML-USA-1, as well as the manual, but the new cartridge had DMG-ML-USA. Neither the box nor the cartridge were "player's choice." I checked out all my other game boy games and all ids matched their box (and no other boxes had a 1 after the id).



I also searched through eBay a bit, and never found a cartridge with DMG-ML-USA-1, except for ones that were "player's choice," which my box is certainly not. Does having a 1 on the end of the id for the boxes, just signify that they had to print more, or change something on the box, but yet still have the same cartridge contained within? Any ideas? The collector in me wants to make sure that the box and cartridge can go together.

[Ziggy]

Usually when the ID is changed on a game cart it signifies a change to the ROM. It is possible that they altered the ROM to make a new version (new ID) but were still packing them in boxes that were already made. It is very possible that your cart goes with that box.

But this is all speculation.

[noiseredux]

are you saying you have an extra SML box and manual?

[Flake]

are you saying you have an extra SML box and manual?

He smells blood...

[Anapan]

I think I remember a Super Mario Land Ver. 1.1 rom.

[noiseredux]

I think I remember a Super Mario Land Ver. 1.1 rom.

really? I wonder what changes would have been made?

[3GenGames]

There were changes in the ROM? On NES games and assumably every game, it just means there was a change made in general. Could mean anything from the art, cart, manual typo fix, anything, and to possibly the ROM. I doubt that there was something done to the ROM though. If they'd go that far, Mario Brothers 1 world -1 trick would only be on like 50% of the carts.

[Qamel]

Well, the 1.1 version ROM was probably the greatest hits version. My cartridge still says it was the original version, just the box and manual said it was DMG-ML-USA-1, even though it wasn't the greatest hits version.

And noiseredux, I already had the box and manual, and just needed the cartridge (since mine had a torn label). So I just bought a replacement cartridge... But it did come with a manual, so I have an extra one of those, but no box. Interestingly enough, the manual id is DMG-ML-USA-3. The fact that it came with a cart with id of DMG-ML-USA, seems to say that the box/manual id doesn't have to match with the cart id.