PSA-verified 1998 Pokémon Red prototype starts at $25,000
The cartridge features a custom flash memory chip and technical quirks that distinguish it from the retail version sold in stores.
By Leila Reynolds ·
A rare prototype of Pokémon Red for the Nintendo Game Boy is currently listed for auction with an opening bid of $25,000. The item was first identified by Retro Dodo, which described the cartridge as incredibly rare. The listing remains open for several more days, meaning the final price could rise above the current offer.
Specialists at PSA authenticated the cartridge but could not perform a complete data read. They successfully read the first 32KB of content, a result PSA termed technically unique. According to the authentication report, the readable game data is completely identical to the U.S. retail version. PSA stated it has confidence that the unreadable remainder matches the retail release as well.
Two differences exist in the ROM header data, though neither affects gameplay. PSA noted that offset 0x014C, which denotes the Mask ROM version, is incorrectly set to 55 when it should be 00. This error alters offset 0x014D, a calculated header checksum, which reads CB rather than 20.
The physical cartridge carries a sticker reading DMB-MBC-16M-FLASH and the part number DMG-(F)KGDB-01. The report suggests DMB refers to Dot Matrix Game, the Game Boy's original internal codename, while MBC likely stands for Memory Bank Controller. This custom chip allowed games to exceed the system's 32KB ROM limit, and the 16M label probably indicates 16 megabits of flash-writable memory. The prototype is also physically longer than a standard Game Boy cartridge.
The auction describes the board as previously undocumented, although the specific part number has appeared in other records. The Rare Gaming Dump wiki lists the same number for a 2000 development cartridge that used a 16-megabit Sharp flash chip. Close-up images in the Goldin listing show an almost identical design, but the wiki entry features a slightly different sticker reading DMG-MBC3-16M-FLASH.
Pokémon Red launched alongside Green and Blue in 1998, helping start the global franchise. The combined sales of Red and Blue are reported to exceed 31 million copies. A reader comment on the original report suggests this specific copy is a master version that powers on and plays normally, though those claims remain unverified. The commenter also noted that similar demo cartridges from a Nintendo employee were sold in 2015.
