What makes a game a Videopac+ game?

[hydr0x]

Hey everyone

I'm new here I'm a German collector and run the site retrocollect.com. We're trying to create a comprehensive database of all video games suited for both collectors and gamers alike. As we're already covering the mainstream platforms (Ataris being the exception) I've been looking into a few smaller platforms to add to the database. We already have some in there (VC4000, MicroVision, GX4000...) but next on my list is the Videopac. I'm not a huge collector of it myself to be honest, only owning a boxed C52 and 15 games. I was send here by George (of videopac.com) as I'm facing a problem and he suggested it's probably best to discuss this within the community to resolve it. I agree that's the best way to go as we want our database to be useful even for die hard Videopac fans.

Anyways, here's the problem. While most sources on the net seem to mix Videopac and Videopac+ games at will (probably due to the fact that most run on a G7000 and vice versa) they are entirely separate platforms, at least in my and George's opinion at least. Which means I'm going to add two platforms to our database. I'm not sure how familiar you are with that platform but I think the two Videopacs are quite similar to Game Boy and Game Boy Color. About 100 GBC games are GB compatible (just like most + titles are Videopac compatible) and all GB games run on a GBC (just like all standard Videopac titles run on a G7400).

You're maybe wondering what the problem is   Well, the problem is: What makes a game a Videopac+ game? I basically see three options so far:

1) Change in packaging, meaning all red stripe front cover releases are considered + releases
The downside: Some red stripe games have no + enhancements at all
Slight problem: Jopac exclusive games have no stripe too but can be plus titles...

2) + sign on the front cover = Videopac+
The downside: I've seen games with no + on the front cover but a + on the actual cartridge

3) + enhancements = Videopac+
The downside: You can't tell from the packaging if it's a Videopac+ game or not

So yeah, what I'm looking for here is help in coming up with the cut-off criterium. I can use any input/feedback on those three suggestions, and if you have a better suggestion that's very very welcome as well

Thanks for reading all this and in advance for helping

Jan

PS: Anyone attending Retrob?rse in Bochum May 7th? Cause I'll be there, maybe we can have a chat

[grgh]

Excellent summary, looking forward to the opinions 

[gertk]

Well, technically if the cartridge has two adjacent GND pads it is not a plus game as the second ground disables influences the plus systems graphics part. AFAIK all + games have to have a single GND pad to work properly as a plus game.

[Janzl]

I think a game is a + game when it has certain features that you need a G7400 or JoPac for. Regardless the packaging and or labeling.

[manopac]

I second Janzl's opinion - if it has Videopac+ features its a Videopac+ game ... if it runs on the Videopac+ only, then its a Videopac+ only game :-)

examples:
Videopac 20  - Videopac game
Videopac 20+ (the later release)  Videopac+ game
Videopac 57   Videopac game
Videopac 60+  Videopac+ only game

btw: will be on the retroboerse in Bochum ... you can easily recognize me, I am the only one selling Videopac stuff  :D

[ccc---]

I think a game is a + game when it has certain features that you need a G7400 or JoPac for. Regardless the packaging and or labeling.

+1

[Janzl]

btw: will be on the retroboerse in Bochum ... you can easily recognize me, I am the only one selling Videopac stuff  :D

Cool  I'll see you there then!

[Rene_G7400]

Well, technically if the cartridge has two adjacent GND pads it is not a plus game as the second ground disables the plus systems grahics part. All + games have only one GND pad.

The second ground pad doesn't disable the plus graphics, it only changes the size of the blanking.
Odyssey2 games with Voice sounds also have only one ground pad.
All 8k Videopac carts have only one ground pad, so some non-plus games too.

[Rene_G7400]

2) + sign on the front cover = Videopac+
The downside: I've seen games with no + on the front cover but a + on the actual cartridge

Which ones would that be?
Do you mean a few UK releases?

[manopac]

btw: will be on the retroboerse in Bochum ... you can easily recognize me, I am the only one selling Videopac stuff  :D

Cool  I'll see you there then!

there's never a "like" button when you need one  :D

[hydr0x]

2) + sign on the front cover = Videopac+
The downside: I've seen games with no + on the front cover but a + on the actual cartridge

Which ones would that be?
Do you mean a few UK releases?

Yeah, exactly, like the first variant of Terrahawks here.

Thanks for all the input so far, it looks like option 3 is "winning" but I'll wait a little longer to make the decision.

[manopac]

Which ones would that be?
Do you mean a few UK releases?

Yeah, exactly, like the first variant of Terrahawks here.

Thanks for all the input so far, it looks like option 3 is "winning" but I'll wait a little longer to make the decision.

Its still a Videopac+ game ... they only didn't print a + there because the G7400 was never released in the U.K. (AFAIK)

[grgh]

Amazingly everyone is saying something completely different to what I had said before this thread 

I had suggested that everything in a plus box could be referred to as a plus game and it should be done on packaging, the justification being that these were released to coincide with the release of the plus consoles.

It seemed a better solution because only die hard videopac fans would understand the technical differences, and the packaging differences would be much easier to understand.

For the grouping in the database, I still think it should be done on packaging, but maybe not referred to as "PLUS" but something different like "V2 STYLE" or something. For example, we would not separate Jopacs into standard and plus versions.

[manopac]

 :D  :D  :D  :D    ask 10 people, get 11 answers 

[hydr0x]

For example, we would not separate Jopacs into standard and plus versions.

Why? Jopac games, except for the exclusives, are just local variants of Videopac games, at least when it comes to database design. Like I showed you we allow unlimited variants per game, we even allow different platform names for those variants. Afaik there are enhanced and normal Jopac games, no?