Mattel Electronics Standard Box Versions

[BSRSteve]

I have been cross referencing the Intellivision Productions collection with INTVFunhouse and the release date information Keith did at http://www.intellivisiongames.com/credits.phpand have come up with a different way to look at the box subsets. Perhaps this is not a new thing, but here is what I have found. There are sometimes additional variations. I am only considering the American releases (or rather, the English language non-PAL releases)

 

As most everyone knows, there were eight games released with the standard text on the front mentioning the Keyboard Component, but with the "For Color TV Viewing Only" text up in the main artwork. These were eight of the first fifteen boxes released, but were not the first eight, though the last two, which were released a month after the others, were both test marketed. NASL Soccer and Space Battle appear to have avoided that text despite being released in the first two weeks of official releases. For the record, I have all eight of these, four in shrink (and that is after selling one in shrink that I had a non-shrink copy of). These are all made in the US, in a gatefold box with a tray, and the part number on top. I call these GFFCTVVO

 

Then the For Color TV Viewing Only was moved to its permanent location in the lower right of the front of the box. Through the end of 1980, the Keyboard Component text remained. Still Gatefold with a tray and part number on the top, all nineteen games released in 1980 were printed in both US and Hong Kong. I have 17 or 19 Hong Kong versions (missing Horse Racing and Roulette) and 15 of 19 US versions (missing Soccer, Roulette, Math Fun and Word Fun). I call these GFUSKC and GFHKKC

 

In 1981, the Keyboard Component text was removed and the part number taken off the top. Nine games were printed in the US while retaining the tray, which I call GFUS. Six of those were reprints, while Bowling, Space Armada and Triple Action got a tray in their first US boxes. The Hong Kong boxes continued with the tray with at least 37 games printed this way. Boxing and Star Strike are the only 1981 games with no Hong Kong box reported, and it would not surprise me at all if they existed. After all, Frog Bog was not listed until I acquired one in a lot just last week. Space Battle, Soccer and Hockey are the older games with no HK box reported. I have five of nine GFUS and 19 of 37 GFHK.

 

The US printing quickly switched to the no-tray gatefold (GFUSNT), and 33 games are reported in this format, including ALL the 1981 and 1982 releases. Twelve of the 1980 releases are not listed as having this version and two of those are not even reported as existing without the Keyboard Component text. I am missing three of the GFUSNT.

 

In 1983, six games were printed in Gatefold boxes in Singapore, including three ECS games. I only have Burgertime from this batch. Las Vegas Poker Blackjack had a Taiwan printing. The only one reported so far, I think. All the 1983 releases except for TRON Solar Sailer were printed in flip top boxes, like the Intellivision Corp boxes to follow. I have 16 of the 17 in this format. My Vectron is GFUSNT.

 

 

[+Steve Jones]

Did NHL Hockey ever come out in a Mattel version that didnt have the Keyboard Component text on the front?

[BSRSteve]

It appears that neither Soccer nor Hockey was released by Mattel Electronics without the Keyboard Component text

[boxpressed]

It appears that neither Soccer nor Hockey was released by Mattel Electronics without the Keyboard Component text

Hockey has an additional variant one has a part number on the top flap and one doesnt. Both are Hong Kong keyboard component boxes.

[+Steve Jones]

It appears that neither Soccer nor Hockey was released by Mattel Electronics without the Keyboard Component text

Soccer was, I have one, never seen a Hockey though

 

 

[GenetixJ]

Great reference, thank you.

[BSRSteve]

On 9/11/2018 at 6:22 PM, BSRSteve said:

I have been cross referencing the Intellivision Productions collection with INTVFunhouse and the release date information Keith did at http://www.intellivisiongames.com/credits.phpand have come up with a different way to look at the box subsets. Perhaps this is not a new thing, but here is what I have found. There are sometimes additional variations. I am only considering the American releases (or rather, the English language non-PAL releases)

 

As most everyone knows, there were eight games released with the standard text on the front mentioning the Keyboard Component, but with the "For Color TV Viewing Only" text up in the main artwork. These were eight of the first fifteen boxes released, but were not the first eight, though the last two, which were released a month after the others, were both test marketed. NASL Soccer and Space Battle appear to have avoided that text despite being released in the first two weeks of official releases. For the record, I have all eight of these, four in shrink (and that is after selling one in shrink that I had a non-shrink copy of). These are all made in the US, in a gatefold box with a tray, and the part number on top. I call these GFFCTVVO

 

Then the For Color TV Viewing Only was moved to its permanent location in the lower right of the front of the box. Through the end of 1980, the Keyboard Component text remained. Still Gatefold with a tray and part number on the top, all nineteen games released in 1980 were printed in both US and Hong Kong. I have 19 of 19 Hong Kong versions and 19 of 19 US versions. I call these GFUSKC and GFHKKC

 

In 1981, the Keyboard Component text was removed and the part number taken off the top. Nine games were printed in the US while retaining the tray, which I call GFUS. Six of those were reprints, while Bowling, Space Armada and Triple Action got a tray in their first US boxes. The Hong Kong boxes continued with the tray with at least 37 games printed this way. Boxing and Star Strike are the only 1981 games with no Hong Kong box reported, and it would not surprise me at all if they existed. After all, Frog Bog was not listed until I acquired one in a lot just last week. Hockey is the one older game with no HK box reported. I have eight of nine GFUS (missing NBA Basketball) and 37 of 37 GFHK.

 

The US printing quickly switched to the no-tray gatefold (GFUSNT), and 33 games are reported in this format, including ALL the 1981 and 1982 releases. Twelve of the 1980 releases are not listed as having this version and two of those are not even reported as existing without the Keyboard Component text. I have 33 of 33 GFUSNT.

 

In 1983, six games were printed in Gatefold boxes in Singapore, including three ECS games. I have four from this batch. Las Vegas Poker Blackjack had a Taiwan printing. The only one reported so far, I think. All the 1983 releases except for TRON Solar Sailer were printed in flip top boxes, like the Intellivision Corp boxes to follow. I have 17 of the 17 in this format.

I have updated the above text to account for boxes that were found and updating my personal counts. For example, while previously there was no GFHK Space Battle, I now have FOUR different versions of that box.  While there are no GFHKs reported for Boxing or Star Strike, there are English language 920 manuals printed in Hong Kong for both, which imply that the boxes may exist.

 

Of course, beyond these basics, there are the red boxes for Space Battle/Space Armada, and various other variants, which may or may not warrant a G1 or G2 on the box part number, or which just add a sticker on the bottom.

[+intellivotion]

the UK Hockey is exactly (except for the NHL logo) what the "three lines" box would look if it existed:

 

[+JasonlikesINTV]

7 hours ago, BSRSteve said:

In 1983, six games were printed in Gatefold boxes in Singapore, including three ECS games. I have four from this batch.

Are these correct?

 

Melody Blaster

Scooby Doo

Mind Strike

Burgertime

Buzz Bombers

Mission X

 

Was there ever a Vectron?  Maybe I'm thinking of the beige internationals.

[BSRSteve]

1 hour ago, JasonlikesINTV said:

Are these correct?

 

Melody Blaster

Scooby Doo

Mind Strike

Burgertime

Buzz Bombers

Mission X

 

Was there ever a Vectron?  Maybe I'm thinking of the beige internationals.

Those are the six. Vectron has a GFUSNT and a GFHK. It has a box that says "Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, or U.S.A. as designated", so no separate Singapore box (or Korea).

[boxpressed]

Not sure if this is what BSRSteve is looking for in this thread, but Space Spartans (US) has the running man/no running man variant.

 

(Also, the link in the first post is 404.)

[BSRSteve]

15 minutes ago, boxpressed said:

Not sure if this is what BSRSteve is looking for in this thread, but Space Spartans (US) has the running man/no running man variant.

 

(Also, the link in the first post is 404.)

That link should be https://history.blueskyrangers.com/game-list.html now. 

 

And I was not trying to cover all the "minor variants". IntvFunhouse does that quite well. I was just trying to capture the major variants that pretty much applied across the board.

[Wizewonathome]

On 9/11/2018 at 8:46 PM, Steve Jones said:

Soccer was, I have one, never seen a Hockey though

 

 

@Steve Jones, Looking over this Comment from a while back. Could you please post Front, Back top and bottom Flap views of this box. If it happen to be unsealed please post a full view of the interior. So I can confirm information in my database.

[Wizewonathome]

On 9/11/2018 at 8:46 PM, Steve Jones said:

Soccer was, I have one, never seen a Hockey though

 

 

@Steve Jones, Please provide a full view of the bottom flap, and the back of this box.

Thankyou

[Humblejack]

On 7/28/2019 at 3:16 PM, intellivotion said:

the UK Hockey is exactly (except for the NHL logo) what the "three lines" box would look if it existed:

 

One other minor variation is that almost all the UK versions were made with cardboard that had a white finish on the inside.

 

[jukeboxhero10]

Sorry to Necro such an old post but is there an excel sheet or a link to the database for collecting purposes.  Would be nice to see everything listed out and if possible with a picture so we can check off as we go. 

 

Side question beyond different manual art is there any major difference between us and Hong Kong varients?

[Wizewonathome]

24 minutes ago, jukeboxhero10 said:

Sorry to Necro such an old post but is there an excel sheet or a link to the database for collecting purposes.  Would be nice to see everything listed out and if possible with a picture so we can check off as we go. 

 

Side question beyond different manual art is there any major difference between us and Hong Kong varients?

My spread sheet, does not contain, pictures, but all the information to identify each individual box. I am continuously adding to the picture database, that complements the spread sheet

 

[BSRSteve]

1 hour ago, jukeboxhero10 said:

Side question beyond different manual art is there any major difference between us and Hong Kong varients?

Actually, manual and box art does not typically vary between HK and US versions, though some times there are different colors on the manual. The most visible difference besides the HK/US text is that later US versions come without a plastic tray, while the HK versions keep the tray throughout.

[Wizewonathome]

6 minutes ago, BSRSteve said:

Actually, manual and box art does not typically vary between HK and US versions, though some times there are different colors on the manual. The most visible difference besides the HK/US text is that later US versions come without a plastic tray, while the HK versions keep the tray throughout.

When looking at variants, more than just the box art, has to be looked at. The front, back, and bottom flap, and top flap, plus interior types, had to be considered, when building the variant list. This goes, way beyond, what any web site has. It was the whole reason, why I started the picture project in the first place. 

[jukeboxhero10]

Did not know about intvfunhouse thats kinda what I was looking for. Shame game eye doesnt have varient options you gotta add each one. 

 

For the manual and box varients, is there an easy way to tell which came with what ? Or like if say 3 manual varients are listed as 1981 hong kong that means they could have come in any 1981 hong kong varient? 

 

Often times when i buy like 10-15 bulk game lots i gotta piece together varients and wanna make sure I'm doing it right.

[Wizewonathome]

42 minutes ago, jukeboxhero10 said:

Did not know about intvfunhouse thats kinda what I was looking for. Shame game eye doesnt have varient options you gotta add each one. 

 

For the manual and box varients, is there an easy way to tell which came with what ? Or like if say 3 manual varients are listed as 1981 hong kong that means they could have come in any 1981 hong kong varient? 

 

Often times when i buy like 10-15 bulk game lots i gotta piece together varients and wanna make sure I'm doing it right.

You can not rely on a specific manual, as per varian of the box. The same box, came with different manual versions. This is why, my concerns lie with the boxes, them selves, and not the manuals paired with a specific box. 

[Omnibro]

Wait, there's a Triple Action US box with a tray? Damn.

 

Looking at your article, I think I may have a couple that aren't listed on INTV Funhouse.  I was just looking g at it yesterday a d noticed a couple that seemed to be missing pics or verification.   When I get home today I'll take a look.

[Wizewonathome]

1 hour ago, Omnibro said:

Wait, there's a Triple Action US box with a tray? Damn.

 

Looking at your article, I think I may have a couple that aren't listed on INTV Funhouse.  I was just looking g at it yesterday a d noticed a couple that seemed to be missing pics or verification.   When I get home today I'll take a look.

Are you referring to my post @Omnibro?

[Omnibro]

No, I meant @BSRSteve and his original post.  

[Wizewonathome]

44 minutes ago, Omnibro said:

No, I meant @BSRSteve and his original post.  

Here is the definitive answer for USA triple action with a tray