Two dumb questions

[boek]

1. What do the *s mean at the end of a game title on the end label?

 

2. What do the numbers/letters stamped on the end label mean? For the hell of it, here's mine (if they mean anything):

 

Defender* 39 2R

Missile Command 22 4

Missile Command 23 4

Galaxian* 24 3R

Pac-Man* 30 2R

Yars' Revenge 36 2R

Star Raiders 38 2R

Star Raiders 42 2R

Swordquest: Earthworld 44 2

Swordquest: Fireworld 03 3D

Ms. Pac-Man* 04 3R

Berzerk* 38 2

Space Invaders* 20 4

Mario Bros* 06 4R

Battlezone 32 3R

Asteroids 52

Circus Atari 04 4R

[Christophero Sly]

The asterisks probably denote game titles under license.

 

The number stamped into the end label are the date of the cartridge's production. The first number is the week of the year. The second number is the last digit of the year; 1=1981, 2=1982, 3=1983, 4=1984. It isn't known what the letters mean, but one plausible theory is that they denote a specific manufacturing site, like a mint letter on a coin.

Edited December 29, 2006 by Christophero Sly

[Foxsolo2000]

I just wanted to add that no questions are ever dumb so dont be afraid to ask them for otherwise how is knowledge to be gained if everyone stayed silent through the possibility of being considered dumb?