We take the distribution of game updates for granted these days. So long as the download happens in an acceptable amount of time, everything is fine.
Sometimes the patch notes matter. Sometimes they don’t. Whatever. Game on.
Meanwhile… the previous version of that game? It will never be seen again.
In the cartridge days, this was a different story. If a game needed an update, new code had to be sent to manufacturing. New mask ROMs were made, and the updated cartridge was shipped to retail.
Customers had no idea that this happened.
Unlike modern patches acquired via downloads, older versions of NES games still exist so long as as any cartridges out there containing that version still exist.
This episode of Behind the Code: Version Control examines the two USA releases of Super Mario Bros. 3. It covers the differences that we know and perhaps discovers a difference that we didn’t know – or at least haven’t documented. The longer you watch, the more technical it gets.
Enjoy!
