PAL-B SCN/Bergsala 1st? release:

Control Deck w/Ice Climber
The box has an Ice Climber sticker and a Sweden-Norway-Denmark-Finland sticker, flaps: no code, no SoQ, no Imported By Bergsala mark, backside of box is all grey/silver.

Box: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...
Ice Climber sticker: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...
Swe-Nor-Den-Fin sticker: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...
Flaps: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...

PAL-B SCN/Bergsala release:

Control Deck w/Super Mario Bros: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...

The box has a Super Mario Bros sticker (with SCN printed on): http://img.photobucket.com/albums...
and Sweden-Norway-Denmark-Finland-Iceland printed on the front of the box: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...
Flaps has this code: NES-S-CD-EEC-1: http://img.photobucket.com/albums...
Oval SoQ

Split the PAL systems off into another thread: http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/...

All the picts from photobucket don't look like they work anymore, can they be posted again in the other thread?

Has anyone figured out when the Action Set w/ Orange gun was first released in the US? I googled for it, and this thread popped up. I can't find anymore info on this anywhere.

This would had been much easier if Nintendo would had time stamped there parts like Sega did. I believe they did the swap in 89" I checked the Action set box with the Orange Zapper it's Copyright Dates are 1987,1989 and then the Grey Set box is just 1988 weird right, but it's safe to assume they rolled out that year 1989.

There is the sports set that came with Golf and RC Pro AM, ill get you a pick later I have to dig it out.

I want to point out that November 1988 is not the correct release date for the Action Set (the one with the 2-in-1 cartridge featuring Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt, and the Zapper Light Gun for use with the latter title). Already I'm searching Google News archives, and I am indeed finding newspapers with mention of the Nintendo Action Set prior to November 1988.

Here is one of these 1988 newspaper articles mentioning the "NES Action Set" with the double cartridge, and it's dated May 26th.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5DpOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y...

Another one of these 1988 newspaper articles mentioning the Action Set is dated September 8th:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yM9RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8...

Like I earlier said, I remember getting mine from the defunct Best Stores (formerly Jafco) in March/April 1988. Thus, I'd like to think the 1st version of the NES Action Set (before the change of Zapper gun color from two-tone grey to red and grey) came out in February 1988.

Another way to find out the original release date is to determine the exact wording on the seal. If the text of the seal has the words "This seal is your assurance that Nintendo has approved and guaranteed the quality of this product" then it is from the January-October 1988 timeframe.

But if it has the version of the seal in which the words "approved and guaranteed" are replaced by "evaluated and approved" then it is from November 1988-April 1989.

~Ben

First you have them in wrong order and the first control deck you put up is a later model very first control deck just system and controllers no mario gme no pkayers guide and no seal whatsoever

The deluxe set comes with duckhunt and gyromite in their boxes?
I assume they are hang tab boxes?

You're missing the Deluxe Set with the Stack Up sticker. Here's a link to a terrible copy:

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.co...

wow I never even heard of that one (deluxe with stack up sticker)
do you own one?

satelite set? with satelite 4 controlers rf ac and console plus basic set in early 90s

i have one. the top styrofoam piece has a rectangle cut out of it for the Stack Up box to fit in.

Is that different from the Sports Set?

Can you take a bigger pict and check the box for any other changes?

first contral deck is 88-89 after seal change 2-3 are 87 boxes while red stripes are 90 and up action set grey is late 87,early 88 grey power set late 88 early 89 the orange sets are 89 only has red stripes came in 90 pre deluxe was 85 & early 86 only by late 86 was deluxe sets with pic 87 the deluxe set was out the same time as control decks i can tell which system gos to each box just by vin # on system 0000001-50000pre deluxe (accordingly what howard of nintendo america said from g4 icons) 50000-2500000 are deluxe sets 2500000-4500000 are control decks some are mied with 2nd deluxe sets 4500000 and up are action power and all others

 

Not seeing this Challenge Set among the variations in this thread. Only noticeable difference from the other three identified in this thread is the box with text to the left of the Nintendo. Text says "The complete system for the first time game player". Original sale sticker is Kmart (top right) so assume it is still a North American release. Anyone have info? 

^ is that a sticker or is it printed-on?

Good question. Not sure since I don't have it in my possession yet. I suppose it could be a sticker and it's hard to tell from the pic, but the colors match the "Includes Super Mario Bros 3 Game Pak" text that's on the box to the right which is definitely printed on the box. Plus they both have the text overlay and one color overtop of another background color that kind of makes up the graphic. Will have to wait and see when it arrives. Figured someone would have run across one before and may have info so curious what may be learned about it.

I finally got home to open the package and see if the text mentioned above was printed or a sticker, and it is a sticker. Haven't seen many with this sticker but since there is a Kmart price sticker on the box as well I wonder if it may be a Kmart exclusive? Wish it had been printed on the box so it would be considered a variant but still a little unique nonetheless and happy to have it. Anyone have any additional info on this?

I feel like there could be excellent info in this post if I could understand it better. 

I think what we are saying is that the reason the first deluxe sets don't say "deluxe set" is because that was the original 85/early 86 console offering.   Since there WAS no other set, you wouldn't need to call it a deluxe set.

After that, they start to want to differentiate because they are going to be selling "control decks" and "deluxe sets" - ie more than one option.

So they run off 2.5m "deluxe sets" that are named as such, and then start selling "control decks" alongside the "deluxe sets."

Other models come later.

I.e. the original model system is the ROB box with no photo.   

And the control deck with SMB pack in comes next.    Quickly they move to Action sets with SMB/DH pack in and control decks with no pack in.

Is that what I'm hearing?
 

Furthermore, it would seem to me that the control deck variations were released in this order. I might have 2 and 3 three reversed, possibly. Anyone know?

You have the second and third sets swapped. The control deck with the Players guide is 1987 and the control deck with the new oval seal is 1988.