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Region CodesFrom Sega Retro
In the late 1980, Sega made the choice of localising their releases for specific countries. To keep things in check the product code (listed on all Sega hardware and software) was often altered to reflect which region of the world the product was intended for. It is an extension of the system which first started in Japan, and applies to most regions of the world. This article describes the most common form of product region codes when dealing with Sega products. Others exist but were not as widely practised. This particular form has never been used in Japan or North America, and is completely absent from early games (typically those for the SG-1000). Regions are identifed by the last three digits of Sega product codes. Most common format is the following: First-Party: MK-XXXYYY-ZZ Third-Party: T-XXXYYY-ZZ in which green symbolises the First-Party MK-Series Code or Third-Party T-Series Code, and purple dictates the region. The amount of numbers may vary, and some codes lack the "MK-" or "T-". Often European country codes only apply to packaging - the cartridges or discs may be identical to other European releases. In some cases European product codes are identical to those used in North America. Identifying region codes is vital for documenting Sega game releases. Games can vary between regions of the world for language, marketing or censorship purposes. Many databases fail to take these attributes into account.
Other consoles have different methods. For example, Nintendo currently employs a coloured triangle system. |