Error Spotlight: Data Errors

In this article I will tell you what a data error is, the different types pf data errors, how they happen and I will give a few examples of them. A data error is when a game is sold and packaged and even looks like one game, but contains another. This has happened quite a few times on CD/DVD based games, and I'm sure it's happened on cartridge games but it's easy enough to swap boards so it's nearly impossible to tell if it's legit, with the exception of one game which I have already covered

here.

There are two types of data errors which happen game to game, and cross platform ie DVD movie being on a ps2 disc or a game being on a soundtrack. Data errors are often met with disbelief and accusation of the games being faked or otherwise tampered with, because visually there is no way to tell what's on the disc unless you know what you are looking for.

For game to game it varies by system and region for the NTSC/UC PlayStation there is a PSRM number etched into the inner ring on the disc which if you know what to look for can show you that a different game is on the disc if it's visible for example the second data error i ran into was Tony hawk 2 GH which has PSRM 017301 printed on the outside of the game the misprinted copy which plays Action Bass will have PSRM 020280 etched near the center ring.

Another example of it is Castlevania Symphony of the Night it plays Elmo's Number Journey PSRM 012360

Another example of this happening is Namco Museum Vol 1 while the PSRM is not visible on the disc there is a video of it booting up

Big thanks to Dangerboy from Game-rave for providing the video

Game-rave.com

In the UK they use a different coding system on the double disc 2 Games in 1 007 Tomorrow Never Dies/ The World is not enough some copies got Medal of Honor Underground burned on the Tomorrow Never Dies disc with the data code A0100343956-0101

For US PlayStation 2 games they have a similar number on the discs but this number is the PDSS number it's printed on the outside edge of the disc and just like PS1 etched near the center for example there is Lord of the Rings the Third age which plays Crash Twinsanity the way to find this is check the front of the disc and the back the numbers will differ drastically the PDSS number to look for on the back of the disc is PDSS-011805A1

NHL 2K6 has one which it plays Genji Dawn of the Samurai is another one which I've seen multiple times the misprinted on has a PDSS number of PDSS-019195A1

The one caviat with PS2 games is that some games from a later released boxed set will have vastly different PDSS numbers on disc and etched into the disc

The Sega Dreamcast has a few one which i own is the first data error I came across in the wild it's a copy of Midway's Arcade greatest hits vol one which plays Marvel Vs Capcom 2 this misprint has a data number of T-1212N

There is also some copies of Resident Evil Code Veronica where disc 1 has disc 2 data on it will have T-1204N-2 on the back of the disc

As far as cross platform data errors these are more rare.

The first one is one that I own is Power Drome which has the DVD of Good Times season 5 disc one on it

Another is Buzz Junior Robojam this PAL copy seem to have an Italian subtitled version of Apacolypto on it

I often see people wondering how something like this can happen. It's quite simple when video games are made they come from a master disc this disc is used to make the many copies if someone forgets to remove the old disc from the copier or puts the wrong disc in the machine soon you will have a full print run of games with the wrong one on it. Most of which maybe recalled and destroyed if not sold once the error is found out.

As for the examples of movies being placed on PS2 games it's most likely that one or two blanks from something else slipped into the stacks of DVD's to be labeled for the games as none have had multiple copies.