Official SNK Shock Box via Limited Run

[GohanX]

You make Neooldstore sound so good, but I have 153 MVS games that need cases. At 18 euros each that's 2,754 euros. That's $2,980 US without even getting into the inserts or shipping. It's similarly priced to the LRG ones really. Not to mention I already sent Neooldstore an inquiry about doing a bulk order of 160 cases about a year ago and they never responded. (Southtown Homebrew didn't respond to my inquiry about inserts either.)

Regardless, I think I'd rather bet on the quality of the Neooldstore soft boxes -- We already know what the quality is like. Plus it would just be weird to have old games like Magician Lord in a snaplock.

I posted a while back about Aliexpress cases. Dirt cheap, good quality (I suspect they are the same as Neooldstore soft cases) but you'd need to source inserts yourself and Shockbox inserts don't fit without Photoshopping a bit. They'll include inserts but the print quality is trash. I think they were something like $7 each?

*edit* Found some pics. The spine pic is the Aliboxes mixed in with legit homecarts in soft cases for a comparison. I have all my MVS carts in these now.

 

[Neo Alec]

I posted a while back about Aliexpress cases. Dirt cheap, good quality (I suspect they are the same as Neooldstore soft cases) but you'd need to source inserts yourself and Shockbox inserts don't fit without Photoshopping a bit. They'll include inserts but the print quality is trash. I think they were something like $7 each?

*edit* Found some pics. The spine pic is the Aliboxes mixed in with legit homecarts in soft cases for a comparison. I have all my MVS carts in these now.

Please provide a link. I have yet to find them that cheap. I did an order of 10 of them months ago and ended up with some imitation shock box-sized ones I don't want.

 

[GohanX]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804385737291.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.111.65241802Sulmti&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

That's the link to the exact one I bought. Looks like they've gone up a bit, it looks like I paid about $10 each, but IIRC I also bought most of them during a sale.

 

[supergoose]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804385737291.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.111.65241802Sulmti&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

These are different than the ones in your pictures.

I'm in the same boat as Alec. I too wanted the neooldstore cases but buying 160 of those without a significant discount is way too expensive.

 

[Tarma]

So I ordered a pack of these a few weeks ago, and, surprisingly, they rocked up today. Have Limited Run ever dispatched something so quickly?

Anyhoo... I thought I'd take some photos and share my opinion on these replacement snap-lock cases.

PART 1:

So the top portion of this photo shows the front edge of an original snap-lock case.

The Limited Run case.

The Neo OldStore case.

Three of a kind - (L-R) SNK, Limited Run, Neo OldStore

Front of the cases - (L-R) Limited Run, Neo OldStore - note that the vinyl used in the Neo OldStore case is quite cloudy.

 

[Tarma]

PART 2:

A Neo OldStore case - note the rectangle on the left handside, the general imperfections in the plastic, and the indent on the right where the cart sits.

Neo OldStore Case - note the embossed SNK is "framed".

Limited Run case - most obvious difference is, that for whatever reason, SNK is embossed on the lefthand side, not the right (as per the originals). Plastic quality is very good, even indent on the rightside is very close to original spec.

Original SNK snap-lock case.

Overall:
Probably the best replacement AES case you're going to get now that original stock has long since been exhausted and the original molds (presumably) have also long been disposed of.
The vinyl cover that protects the insert is nice and clear, unlike the Neo OldStore case which is quite cloudy by comparison.
The Neo OldStore case tries to copy the original design, and while close, doesn't pull it off, and should be readily identifiable to anyone who knows what the SNK item is like.
The Limited Run case is of better quality overall, but obviously is notably different in design to the original SNK item.

For conversions, I think it'll be more down to your personal taste over which case you choose. If you're looking to replace a case for an original SNK AES title, then I would chose the Limited Run case, even though the design is slightly different.

Not sure how long Limited Run are planning to offer these cases for, but happy enough to have scored my pack, and bear in mind 4 Neo OldStore cases will run you in excess of $160.00 plus shipping.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the carts sit much better inside the Limited Run case. I find the fit in the Neo OldStore cases to be very snug, making taking the cart out a little more awkward.

 

[LoneSage]

Tarma that is a quality comparison, cheers mate for going the extra mile and sharing.

 

[Teddy KGB]

Tarma that is a quality comparison, cheers mate for going the extra mile and sharing.

+1 thx @Tarma

 

[terry.330]

Are they any different from the cases LRG used on the deluxe versions of earlier ports like LB2, MS3 etc?

 

[Bennett]

How do they compare to the NGDEV cases? Those were really fragile.

 

[smokey]

if you need some boxed get some Fatal Fury 3 from Japan.

 

[yagamikun]

@Tarma When did you get your snaplocks from NeoOldStore? I think these are way different than I what I got from them a while back. Also, thanks for the new shots from Limited Run!

I remember not long ago they were "out of stock" of their Snaplocks and it looks like they went with a new mold/distributor. It seems that aside from the weird dot on the inside, the older NOS cases were of higher quality and the insert slip isn't at all cloudy - very similar to the look and feel of the plastic on a 95-96 case.

Here's a quick shot - the SNK logo is not in a frame, but there is that weird dot above the logo and on the adjacent side.


Here's some comparison shots of the NeoOldStore Old Stock versus authentic - taken from my website. I published this article around 2021 if I remember right.

 

[Tarma]

Are they any different from the cases LRG used on the deluxe versions of earlier ports like LB2, MS3 etc?

Good question, unfortunately I don't know as I've never dipped into those - but I do know to which releases you're referring. I wouldn't be surprised if they are the same design/finish.

@Fritz - never owned or even handled a NGDEV release, and never plan to either, but the Limited Run snap locks I've received are solid, as good as, or at least certainly very close, to the OG snap-locks. The Neo OldStore cases are pretty robust too, but just suffer from some minor flaws, as pointed out above.

@yagamikun - oh, ok, yeah my Neo OldStore cases are not like that! Picked up mine about this time last year. Guess they must have switched supplier.

 

[Johnny16Bit]

The "cloudy" snaplocks are what's currently available at the moment (with and without the SNK logo). There aren't any others that I know of, except these from LRG, and those used by TO.
The cloudy model is sturdier than the former repro boxes (especially the snap itself, which had a tendency to break) indeed but it's still not perfect unfortunately

 

[Tarma]

ADDENDUM:

For those who really want to get anal (oooer) about this type of thing:

An OG SNK snap-lock weighs - 225g
LR snap-lock - 212g
Neo OldStore snap-lock - 252g

In a similar comaprison to @yagamikun's here are the front top edges and spines:

Again L-R: OG, LR, NeoOS

 

[BIG BEAR]

Production status
PRE PRODUCTION
Is that what was listed at the time of your purchase?
BB

 

[Tarma]

Production status
PRE PRODUCTION
Is that what was listed at the time of your purchase?
BB

Yup.

And then two weeks later they were waiting for me when I got home from work!

 

[NeoCverA]

PART 2:

A Neo OldStore case - note the rectangle on the left handside, the general imperfections in the plastic, and the indent on the right where the cart sits.

Neo OldStore Case - note the embossed SNK is "framed".

Limited Run case - most obvious difference is, that for whatever reason, SNK is embossed on the lefthand side, not the right (as per the originals). Plastic quality is very good, even indent on the rightside is very close to original spec.

Original SNK snap-lock case.

Overall:
Probably the best replacement AES case you're going to get now that original stock has long since been exhausted and the original molds (presumably) have also long been disposed of.
The vinyl cover that protects the insert is nice and clear, unlike the Neo OldStore case which is quite cloudy by comparison.
The Neo OldStore case tries to copy the original design, and while close, doesn't pull it off, and should be readily identifiable to anyone who knows what the SNK item is like.
The Limited Run case is of better quality overall, but obviously is notably different in design to the original SNK item.

For conversions, I think it'll be more down to your personal taste over which case you choose. If you're looking to replace a case for an original SNK AES title, then I would chose the Limited Run case, even though the design is slightly different.

Not sure how long Limited Run are planning to offer these cases for, but happy enough to have scored my pack, and bear in mind 4 Neo OldStore cases will run you in excess of $160.00 plus shipping.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the carts sit much better inside the Limited Run case. I find the fit in the Neo OldStore cases to be very snug, making taking the cart out a little more awkward.

Do you own the new 8bitdo Wireless NEOGEO pads? - would 2 of those fit in that case?

 

[Tarma]

Do you own the new 8bitdo Wireless NEOGEO pads? - would 2 of those fit in that case?

Afraid not, so I have no idea me olde fruit.

 

[white castle]

Do you own the new 8bitdo Wireless NEOGEO pads? - would 2 of those fit in that case?

View attachment 72915

 

[smokey]

Did some goob just pay 200 euro for a Neo old store case ?

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[Dr Shroom]

wow, not even sunfaded like a lot of them are

 

[Lee Gray]

Here ya go:
View attachment 72246
View attachment 72247
For additional reference, the t-shirt cases sold in the Neo Geo Land popup promo shops were similar to what was used for the old Neo Geo X cases, but cartridges fit better in the t-shirt case as the old NGX cases didn’t allow for as much room around cartridges if you removed the foam pad and placed a home cartridge:
View attachment 72248
View attachment 72249

I got the Mai one a few years back