List of cardboard box Mega Drive games
From Sega Retro
For the most part, Sega Mega Drive games were distributed in plastic "clamshell" cases, however many, particularly in North America were released in cardboard boxes to keep manufacturing costs down.
Only one officially licensed game, Sonic & Knuckles, was distributed in a cardboard box for all regions, primarily due to its unusual cartridge shape. This list does not include special bundles.
Contents
Electronic Arts
Early Electronic Arts-published games were distributed in "hard-top" cardboard boxes in North America, much like PC games of the era. This is only applicable for games released in 1990 and early 1991 - EA moved to the clamshell design for its second batch of releases and kept this design for the rest of the console's lifespan:
- Populous (1990)
- Budokan: The Martial Spirit (1990)
- Will Harvey's Zany Golf (1990)
- Battle Squadron (1990)
- Sword of Sodan (1990)
- John Madden Football (1990)
- Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs (1990)
- Blockout (1991)
- James Pond: Underwater Agent (1991)
Accolade/Ballistic: Early Releases
Accolade did not acquire an official license from Sega for many years, so its initial set of games, originally distributed under the Ballistic brand, also used hard-top PC-style cardboard boxes. Some, such as Winter Challenge were re-released in clamshell designs in Europe. Ishido: The Way of Stones, Accolade's oldest Mega Drive game, used a flip-top design.
- Ishido: The Way of Stones (1990)
- HardBall! (1991)
- Mike Ditka Power Football (1991)
- Onslaught (1991)
- Star Control (1991)
- Turrican (1991)
- The Duel: Test Drive II (1992)
- Universal Soldier (1992)
- Double Dragon (1993)
- Summer Challenge (1993)
- WarpSpeed (1993)
- Super Off Road (1993)
- Al Michaels Announces HardBall III (1993)
- Winter Challenge (1992)
- Jack Nicklaus' Power Challenge Golf (1993)
- Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (1993)
- Pelé! (1993)
Flip-Tops
North America saw many of its later games (1994 onwards) released exclusively in cardboard "flip-top" style packaging.
- AAAHH!!! Real Monsters
- The Adventures of Batman & Robin
- Art of Fighting
- Frogger
- Jurassic Park
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (both variants)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
- NHL All-Star Hockey '95 (Canadian version)
- Sonic & Knuckles
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (re-release)
- Sonic Classics
- Sonic Spinball (re-release)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Crossroads of Time
Note: all Mega Hit Series games are also flip-tops.
Slide-boxes
- ATP Tour Championship Tennis
- College Football's National Championship II
- Comix Zone
- Crusader of Centy
- Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park
- NBA Hang Time
- NFL '95
- NHL All-Star Hockey '95
- The Ooze
- Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
- Primal Rage
- Prime Time NFL Football Starring Deion Sanders
- Ristar
- Shining Force II
- Skeleton Krew
- Sonic 3D Blast
- Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition
- Vectorman
- Vectorman 2
- WeaponLord
- Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits
- X-Men 2: Clone Wars
- Zoop
Re-release Slide-boxes
The very common slide-box design was used almost exclusively for re-releases in North America, i.e. those previously distributed in clamshells.
- 6-Pak
- Ariel the Little Mermaid
- Beyond Oasis
- Caesars Palace
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Clue
- Columns (later Sega Classic variant)
- Combat Cars
- Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf
- Disney's Aladdin
- Earthworm Jim
- F-15 Strike Eagle II
- F-22 Interceptor: Advanced Tactical Fighter
- Family Feud
- Gauntlet IV
- Hard Drivin'
- Jeopardy!
- The Jungle Book
- Jungle Strike
- Klax
- Light Crusader
- The Lion King
- Mario Andretti Racing
- Mega Bomberman
- MiG-29 Fighter Pilot
- Monopoly
- Ms. Pac-Man
- Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures
- Paperboy
- Paperboy 2
- Rampart
- Risk
- RoadBlasters
- Road Rash II
- Steel Talons
- Street Fighter II: Special Championship Edition
- Super Battleship
- Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure
- TNN Outdoors Bass Tournament '96
- Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
- Urban Strike
- Wheel of Fortune
- World of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
Tec Toy
Much like many of its early Sega Master System titles, Brazillian Sega distributor Tec Toy chose to package games in its unique style of cardboard packaging. Many were re-released in clamshell designs.