CD English Case Embossing

[doaal]

I have three English NGCD releases: AoF3, Pulstar and Metal Slug 2. Pulstar and Slug 2 have the Japanese-style Neo Geo masks logo embossed on the front of the jewel case, like all the JP releases do, but AoF3 doesn't. Looking around online I'm seeing English copies of these games without the embossing. Did someone swap around the cases on my copies or this is classic SNK packaging inconsistency?

 

[GohanX]

SNK was never consistent about anything. Don't worry about it.

 

[Heinz]

No this is not SNK packaging inconsistency, are you that stupid? C'mon man get with it, stay up to date on alternative truth news.

The real truth to the situation is that a US based CD case terrorist group called M.O.E. seized a number of English release shipments and swapped their original embossed cases for cheap replacements. They were planning to hoard the embossed cases until the time was right to sell them for exorbitant prices to elitist goobs.

 

[HellioN]

No this is not SNK packaging inconsistency, are you that stupid? C'mon man get with it, stay up to date on alternative truth news.

The real truth to the situation is that a US based CD case terrorist group called M.O.E. seized a number of English release shipments and swapped their original embossed cases for cheap replacements. They were planning to hoard the embossed cases until the time was right to sell them for exorbitant prices to elitist goobs.

View attachment 73969

Don't forget they also swapped all the CD drives out from the original 8x for those 1x to sell later as an upgrade.
That plan fell through though due to the CDEMU units becoming available.

 

[Tarma]

I don't honestly remember whether US releases were supposed to have embossed cases or not, been a long time since I bothered with them, but as others have said SNK wasn't exactly consistent. The early Japanese releases can be hit or miss (Nam '75 is a good example), but all post '94 Japanese titles should have an embossed case (I think it was all releases after, and including FF3, but I'd need to check), including AoF 3 which was available as a standalone or in a box set (there are differences in the OBI strip).

Indeed, Jap Pulstar and MS1 & 2 should all come with an embossed case.

That's my nerd bit done for the day.

Why anyone would want to bother with US CD releases these days is beyond me.

 

[Neo Alec]

I always thought all NGCD releases in all regions had the embossing. I assumed any without it were case swaps to standard jewel cases, since they're fragile.

 

[HellioN]

I always thought all NGCD releases in all regions had the embossing. I assumed any without it were case swaps to standard jewel cases, since they're fragile.

Yeah, I just figured they were replacing a broken original.

 

[doaal]

Weirdly the AOF3 I got has no embossing but the case is in terrible condition.

I only have some English CD games because people treat them as rarer and more valuable than JP copies, yet the demand is so low that they can be had for cheap. I just got a sealed English Mutation Nation for $130 that was sitting on Rakuten of all places. The Neostore has one listed for $1400.

 

[kernow]

a) it's still a neo cd game
b) neostore prices mean absolutely nothing and aren't a good comparison

 

[doaal]

Look at sold prices of Pulstar and you'll see a variance of hundreds of dollars in what it actually sells for. People put way too much value on the CD. I'd like a copy of NTM/BTG but you've seen what people are asking for it.

 

[games_sk]

What about registration cards?

I know ENG releases did not come with any but not all of the JPN ones did either. Is there a list somewhere?

Apologies in extending the nerdiness...

 

[Takumaji]

Back when I compiled my ngcd faq, I tried to find out whether or not all ngcd releases had the embossing on the case. The result of my enquiries was a definitive maybe... from what I could gather, most, if not all cases had it, at least that goes for releases that came out when the system was already a year or so on the market but in the early days of the ngcd, some games may have been released without it. That's the closest I could ever get to an answer.

 

[joe87]

Inconsistency

 

[Orpheus]

I bought many NOS Neo Geo CD games (US & Jap) back when & I vaguely remenber some sealed ones not coming with embosed cases.


TBH though, that's not the thing that matters. What DOES matter would be the plastic backing tray that holds the disc. The ones that SNK made & used were proprietary I believe. This is both in terms of thier color (slight tint of grey to the black plastic) and, most inportantly, to the details of the mould. The OEM ones fit/fill the case back so that the soine sections of the rear papercard insert are pressed up against the spines of the case at a proper 90 degrees. Makes things look a bit better & the text more legible.

I have gione through different brands of aftermarket CD cases & they have all been industry standard. None have had the minor differences of the ones that came with the Neo CD games.

It COULD also be a Japanese CD market difference. I do know that thge CD format never died over there, that space is at a premium in cities (so they need spines to be as legible as possible) & their culture is very honor based so they take shit seriously.

Checking the backing tray to see if it's an SNk original would be a certain indicator of the whole case possible being OEM.

 

[Tarma]

What about registration cards?

The following Japanese Neo-Geo CD games all came with reg cards:

ADK World
Master of Syougi
Futsal
Metal Slug 2
Iron Clad / Brik'inger
Crossed Swords II
World Heroes Perfect
Ragnagard
Art of Fighting 3
Samurai Spirits 4
Samurai Spirits RPG
Last Blade
Last Blade 2
Real Bout Special
Real Bout 2: The Newcomers
King of Fighters '96, '97, '98 & '99

 

[wyo]

Surprised some enterprising individual hasn't repro'd these yet.

 

[Tarma]

Some the CD reg cards are identical to their AES counterparts... but only a few.

 

[Atro]

Just grab some cheapies and swap the jewel cases.

 

[Viewpoint]

Weirdly the AOF3 I got has no embossing but the case is in terrible condition.

I only have some English CD games because people treat them as rarer and more valuable than JP copies, yet the demand is so low that they can be had for cheap. I just got a sealed English Mutation Nation for $130 that was sitting on Rakuten of all places. The Neostore has one listed for $1400.

Your 1st mistake was using the Neo Store as a basis for pricing.

 

[Takumaji]

On a sidenote, it's kinda funny how things played out in regards to the NGCD. I was a day-one fan of the system because it gave me a ton of great Neo games for a fraction of the cost of the cart versions and also ASTs in many cases which always was a welcome second use of the NGCDs.

For years I have been ridiculed for loving a reputedly inferior system like that, prices for CD games went down, to a point when you could get some of them for less than 20 bucks. Fast forward to 2024 and we're looking at prices for some CD titles that surpass cart prices, NGCDs are sought-after now, prices are still on the rise, just try to find a complete NTM for a decent price.

So... seems that my NGCD library of games and the systems I have are still inferior but friggin' expensive now and some of the people who poked fun at me for liking the system now own one themselves and sing its praise at every possible opportunity. Oh the irony.

 

[Neo Alec]

Just grab some cheapies and swap the jewel cases.

I am currently casually collecting Japanese NGCDs. Spine cards are nice to have but not a must. I prefer the case embossing, but don't check for it. I guess I just need the CD, manual, and back at a minimum.

 

[Tarma]

I think you'd drive yourself nuts if you deliberately set out to buy every Jap NGCD game with an embossed case.

I've owned multiple factory sealed copies of Samurai Spirits 2 - none have ever had an embossed case.

Some of the earlier games had more than one print run - denoted by changes to the obi and rear insert - I've had three sealed copies of Nam '75 pass through my hands, only one had an embossed case and that was from the later run.

To put things into perspective - Nam '75, Top Players Golf, and Football Frenzy were all launch day titles in Japan. I've never come across a copy of TPG with an embossed case from factory sealed stock. From notes I made for a buyers guide article i was writing for my ngcd blog, all post January '95 Japan releases have an embossed case. All those that came before, it's a bit of a crap shoot.

Best guess is, there was some kind of timing issue with games being packed at the pressing plant, and the manufacture of the embossed cases.

 

[games_sk]

The following Japanese Neo-Geo CD games all came with reg cards:

ADK World
Master of Syougi
Futsal
Metal Slug 2
Iron Clad / Brik'inger
Crossed Swords II
World Heroes Perfect
Ragnagard
Art of Fighting 3
Samurai Spirits 4
Samurai Spirits RPG
Last Blade
Last Blade 2
Real Bout Special
Real Bout 2: The Newcomers
King of Fighters '96, '97, '98 & '99

Thanks for the list, Tarma. Much appreciated!

I've put off purchasing a few NGCD games thinking they weren't complete!