To release the special edition cartridge, Capcom is teaming up with iam8bit, a creative production company that specializes in video game memorabilia. Unlike the traditional gray color of the SNES, these freshly manufactured Street Fighter 2 cartridges will feature one of two colors. Of the 5,500 available, most will be colored Ryu Headband Red. For the remaining cartridges, 1,000 thousand lucky buyers will walk away with translucent, Glow-in-the-Dark Blanka Green. Which cartridge buyers will receive is anyone’s guess. During production, the cartridges are randomly inserted into sealed, unmarked boxes. There is no guarantee which version people will receive.
Aside from the game itself, the packaging also deserves some attention. Instead of a plain box design, this “Legacy Cartridge Collection” amplifies the core design with a foil sheen, embossed texture, spot varnish, and an innovative tri-fold cover. Opening up the folds reveals bonus vintage art. Inside the box, the original instruction booklet has been completely restored along with a new archival cover print and secret pack-ins. These extras won’t be revealed until buyers rip off the shrink-wrap seal.
Within each cartridge is original game code that makes the game fully playable on any NTSC console. One thing to keep in mind is that the SNES is considered a vintage collectible at this point and can be prone to unexpected issues. While iam8bit encourages buyers to have fun with Street Fighter 2, they also warn that using a reproduction game cartridge could cause the console to overheat or catch fire. This may be extremely rare, but it is probably not the best idea to leave the console on and unattended overnight.
This is not the first time iam8bit has produced a special edition SNES cartridge. To celebrate the indie game Hyper Light Drifter, they created a custom blue cartridge. Unlike Street Fighter 2, this one is just for looks.
The 30th-anniversary edition of Street Fighter 2 is available for pre-order through iam8bit for $100. Shipping begins late November. For those hoping for a glow-in-the-dark cartridge, may the odds be ever in your favor.
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