PSA finds 2 ROM header quirks in $25,000 Pokemon prototype
PSA verified a 32KB read on the Game Boy cartridge, which features a custom flash memory chip and a 16-megabit capacity.
By Julian Kobayashi ·
A single bidder placed a $25,000 offer on a 1998 Pokémon Red prototype for the Nintendo Game Boy. The item is currently listed on the Goldin auction platform, where it has attracted only that one bid as of today.
PSA specialists authenticated the cartridge but could not perform a full data read. They successfully accessed the first 32KB of the contents, a result the grading company described as technically unique. PSA stated that the readable data is completely identical to the U.S. retail version and expressed confidence that the unreadable sections match the standard release.
The PSA report identified two differences in the ROM header data that do not affect gameplay. At offset 0x014C, the Mask ROM version is set to 55 instead of the standard 00. This error changes the calculated header checksum at offset 0x014D to CB rather than 20.
The physical cartridge bears a sticker reading DMB-MBC-16M-FLASH and part number DMG-(F)KGDB-01. The label suggests the device uses a Memory Bank Controller with 16 megabits of flash-writable memory. This custom chip allowed the game to exceed the Game Boy's standard 32KB ROM limit. The prototype is also physically longer than a standard Game Boy cartridge.
The auction listing calls the board previously undocumented, though the specific part number appears in the Rare Gaming Dump wiki. That database lists a 2000 development cartridge with the same part number and a similar 16-megabit Sharp flash chip. Images in the Goldin listing show a design nearly identical to the wiki entry, though the older item uses a slightly different sticker.
Pokémon Red launched in the 1990s alongside Green and Blue, helping establish the global franchise. The combined titles sold more than 31 million copies. Several days remain before the auction closes, and the current bidder may win the piece if no higher offers are placed.
A commenter on the original report suggested the cartridge is a master copy that powers on and plays normally. The user claimed it came from a Nintendo employee who kept it rather than destroying it. These details remain unverified as they originate from a reader comment.
Source: Tom's Hardware
