Famicom Cartridge Shape, how many differences are there?

[Parodius Duh]

How many different types of Famicom Cartridge shells are there? (not including pirates)

I know of the most common short shell, then the namco imprinted square shell, The Jaleco imprinted short shell, the Sunsoft imprinted short shell, the Tall Namco shell, the Tall Jaleco shell.....what else is there out there? sorry if this is a bit confusing......

[manuel]

Konami had a special cart shape with a little whole on the side of the cart. Bandai has carts with round corners.
There are a lot of shapes, some only with minuscule differences.

[Parodius Duh]

Ahhh yes, Konami Has a Very Unique cart shape! although theres quite a few also released in the common short shell (Mad City, Motocross Champion, etc...)

[L___E___T]

I like the tall Nes-style cartidges and the taller Koei ones

[i heart yuna]

I think Punch out special is the most NES like, in terms of visual cues.




overall i think there would be too many cart variations to even bother keeping track of...

[L___E___T]

Famicom Jump Stars is a bit like that cart design too if I remember correctly.  
I thought a list like this would exists somewhere - if not we should definitely make one!

This is probably my favourite cart design of them all:


(on the right) one of a kind as far as I'm aware, though other games used the adaptor I think.

[i heart yuna]

i also really like the Maniac Mansion style with the removable dust protector:

(it's white, near the middle of the bunch)




EDIT: looking at that photo reminded me that Final Fantasy 1 & 2 is a lot like a NES cart, also.

[L___E___T]

Family Basic is awesome too - prob my 2nd fave design.

So should we make a definitive list, seriously?  
I actually think FW should have this as part of the site info collective.  I can contribute, but I can't manage the whole thing just yet

[UglyJoe]

I wouldn't be opposed to having an article that shows the various cart types.

[manuel]

That's a neat idea!

[i heart yuna]

i don't own enough of the main variants to helm it, but i will contribute pictures and anything I have to such an article.

[L___E___T]

same here - I just think we need a dedicated member to spearhead it.

[jpx72]

Listing color variations would take forever, but there are not so many "official" shapes.
Maybe this will help
Credits: BootGod's database and |tsr's NES archive

Nintendo (Famicom Family)


Bandai


And another one had the Bandai's Karaoke Studio:

- cartridge for it:



Jaleco


Konami


Namcot


Seta


Sunsoft

This one comes with two small cartridges ("Kogame Cassette") that can be inserted inside:

Those two small carts are:
1. Nantatte!! Baseball: Kogame Cassette '91 Kaimakuban
2. Nantatte!! Baseball: Kogame Cassette OB All-Star Hen
The only picture I was able to find:


Taito

This one has a "battery-door" so it's different

This one has only a "fake" battery-door


Irem


Idemitsu Kosan


Another type of cartridge shape had the Bandai Datach system:

and the cartridges to go with it:

Here's a list of the available carts:
1.Battle Rush: Build Up Robot Tournament データック バトルラッシュ
2.Crayon Shin-chan: Ora to Poi Poi データック クレヨンしんちゃん オラとポイポイ
3.Dragon Ball Z: Gekitou Tenkaichi Budou Kai データック ドラゴンボールＺ 激闘天下一武道会
4.J.League Super Top Players データック Ｊリーグスーパートッププレイヤーズ
5.SD Gundam: Gundam Wars データック ＳＤガンダム ＧＵＮＤＡＭ ＷＡＲＳ
6.Ultraman Club: Supokon Fight! データック ウルトラマン倶楽部 スポ根ファイト！
7.Yuu Yuu Hakusho: Bakutou Ankoku Bujutsu Kai データック 幽遊白書 爆闘暗黒武術会



So that's 27  (not counting the small cartridges that insert in the bigger adapter) of them so far.

Some of them have only small differences:
-Namco has both NAMCO and NAMCOT written on the front
-Seta cartridge is very similar to clasic small Nintendo one
-Bandai large cartridges differ only in the text (game name) on the front (only two AFAIK, both Famicom Jumps have the same, and all Family Trainers are the same)
-Taito cartridges with battery-door differ only on the back side
-Nintendo large format carts have Famicom or Nintendo written on the front

[fredJ]

Koei = Nintendo ?

[jpx72]

Koei = Nintendo ?

Nintendo is the manufacturer of those plastic cases, KOEI is the company that made the game. The cartridge's shape is the same as (for example) Final Fantasy I+II, or Metal Slader Glory (HAL laboratories).