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View Full Version : DIY Neo Geo Pocket Color cases (using Nintendo DS case) - Warning: pic heavy



c0ldb33r
01-19-2013, 09:51 PM
I don't have any cases for my NGPC games. I got them all loose, a few have manuals and all have the little plastic shells, but no proper outer cases.

There are really three options to store the games:

Option 1 - buy all new NGPC games that include the plastic clamshell cases.
Positive: authentic
Negative: very expensive, inefficient as I already have the games themselves
Option 2 - buy proper NGPC replacement cases.
Positive: authentic
Negative: kind of expensive. Only source seems to be eBay (Over $4 per case after shipping (http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-NEW-SNK-Neo-Geo-Pocket-Color-Game-Cases-Replacement-clamshell-case-JAP-UK-US-/221016274774?pt=UK_PC_Video_Games_Video_Games_JS&hash=item337598b756)). Despite high cost I'd still need to print my own artwork.
Option 3 - Buy and modify Nintendo DS cases.
Positive: Cheap, most cover artwork found online is already formatted for DS cases
Negative: More work. Not authentic. Will likely annoy collectors.
Since I'm more of a game player than collector, I chose #3.

The Cover Project approach

I checked online and the folks at the Cover Project (http://www.thecoverproject.net/forums/index.php?topic=1866.0) have a great thread on how to use Nintendo DS cases to store games for other systems. Their best solution for the NGPC involves significant cutting of the DS case and does not hold the game in place very well. If you open the system the game will just fall out. It's also kind of ugly.

Here is their solution:

http://i.imgur.com/i6OkfZBl.jpg

My approach

I ordered some Nintendo DS cases from Nintendo. They are $7.00 for 10 cases with a minor shipping cost (link (https://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=83696&catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&categoryId=66716&krypto=GrjJmjV7%2Fh%2BV1GEtsktuSnNV6Wdl7%2Bd2ghHQO hfTdcNu50PXZ6DkCDuRaZFagm%2F4%2BbC1Nyj5LmU%3D&ddkey=https:SetCurrencyPreference)).

I printed off a label from the cover project, my wife cut it perfectly using her craft tools and mad skills. I think the outside turned out well:

http://i.imgur.com/iD6PGonl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kIpGrS5l.jpg

The cutting involved to accomodate the NGPC game cart is minimal. Basically just cut out the bottom of the GBA cart slot. Don't cut the whole width, just wide enough for a NGPC cart.

http://i.imgur.com/yzplPrsl.jpg

The great part is that the cart actually stays in place. How? My wife has small craft glue dots. They're made to be adhesive, but not super sticky and not to make a mess on things. Here you can see the glue dot on the case.

http://i.imgur.com/owAk2Aql.jpg

You can also see the back of the cartridge - there is no trace of the adhesive at all.

http://i.imgur.com/LedNeo2l.jpg

What about the manual? Well the DS case is the perfect height to hold that too. Here's a pic:

http://i.imgur.com/ROGUo2Zl.jpg

It may not be authentic or original, but these are gonna look awesome on my gaming shelf :)

wiggyx
01-19-2013, 11:19 PM
This is how've I've been doing it except I use a little heat to bend the GBA cart tabs in a bit so they actually hold the NGP cart on their own. There are pics somewhere on TCP. I'll post them here when I'm back at my PC.

c0ldb33r
01-20-2013, 06:45 AM
There are pics somewhere on TCP. I'll post them here when I'm back at my PC.
Great - I'd like that. Thanks.