You might ask why bother reviewing something long since out of production, but I figure this could give an idea of what to expect should you ever order from Limited Run Games, from the experience, the end product, and my overall impressions.
Ah, but let me briefly touch upon the company itself, because there are some misconstrued ideas about LRG, by far the most prominent being that they preserve games- which is fucking hilarious.
Let’s be clear, this is a collectibles-oriented service and nothing more. Regardless of doing physical releases for decades-old titles or releases that were digital only, they are made to sell you a Limited production run, with a hard stance on never doing another run regardless of demand. This is a FOMO tactic, no different than Bandai re-releasing a store-exclusive recolor of a figure that’s $200 on the aftermarket.
I can go on about the implications of that, but it’s not preservation by any means. Sure, some titles wouldn’t even have physical releases if not for them, but that’s more accidental in my eyes. It’s not like they’re tracking down rare ROMs to put out the same way Discotek finds old anime masters.
LRG’s forte is selling gaming tat to dorks like me and nothing more.
Still, having a hard copy of a game sounds good from a marketing standpoint. LRG is even guilty of leaning into that with the tagline “Physical Forever” on their site.
I fully understand that appeal, and it is still better than a digital service tied to DRM. At the same time, especially with more modern games, I’d argue having a physical copy can be a moot point when there are updates that can drastically alter the game. In fact, my first purchase from LRG was River City Girls, which had an update containing quality-of-life improvements that came after the physical release. That part of the game isn’t preserved on the cart and while that’s not on LRG, that’s the reality of the modern system in play.
I stress this because it always seems to come up with LRG and I wanna shoot that idea down fast. I’m approaching this as a collectible review first and foremost. Plus, is there much to say about a digital release that’s just on a cart? Not really.
As previously mentioned, my first personal experience with LRG was with River City Girls, and I want to mention this specifically because it sets the precedent, so I apologize for rambling a bit more.
I didn’t go for anything extravagant in my first purchase, just the standard release with the Soundtrack… There is a bit of a problem with that, though.
See, I ordered it primarily because it was just a few dollars higher than digitally, and the soundtrack was around nine USD on its own. So I thought it sounded pretty good to get the game on a cart and the OST on a CD. The issue is that the included soundtrack isn’t actually a soundtrack, it’s a sound selection. In other words, 12 select tracks from an OST that has 50.
The description never mentioned this, it simply stated that every copy came with the soundtrack on CD. The front cover even says Soundtrack. This left a bad taste in my mouth because it felt deceptive by omission.
Additionally, there was an oversight in one of the other areas, the manual. For the most part, the manual is nice, it has bios and art of all the characters, even a retro-style notes section. But one of the more novel aspects was taking the manga cutscenes in River City Girls and putting them in the manual like a mini manga. Unfortunately, it’s an idea that wasn’t fully thought through because it looks like this:
They very clearly resized the images to fit the manual but didn’t account for a buffer so the spine wouldn’t obscure the art and speech bubbles. I’m not sure if the PS4 version has the same issues, but the end result on Switch is just BAD.
It wasn’t the biggest problem to me, but it still is an issue and it raised the question of what the more expensive options are like if this is entry-level.
Fast forward to June 2021 and I took a shot at the Castlevania Collection. Pre-Orders closed that month, and while I was hesitant, Castlevania is one of my favorite series and there were some items I wanted in that bundle.
The description was also a lot better and upfront. The soundtrack was noted as having “select tracks from across the series” which aside from making it clearer than RCG did, also makes more sense for a compilation to have a sound selection.
The only point of concern was if the JPN versions of the games would be included. They were added in an update to the digital version long before, but there was no mention of it on LRG's product page.
Regardless, I already had those versions, so it wouldn’t be a huge deal, but is still something that should’ve been acknowledged.
But then came the waiting. The Ultimate Edition was estimated around Q1 of this year. The Bloodlines Edition was out by the middle of February, so I got excited that maybe next month I would get mine. Then the month after. Then Q1 became Q2.
It’s understandable with everything that was and still is going on, but there was a distinct lack of communication or updates regarding the situation, and this was a recurring thing throughout.
Most of my updates mainly came from the product page itself, or by looking at Twitter comments for other upcoming LRG releases, like the Contra Collection.
Even afterward they never mentioned anything on their site’s blog or social media about the release finally happening, which is weird. I did at least get an email followed by the shipping information, but that’s really it.
But hey, I finally got in mid July, so let’s get to unboxing all the contents.
First off, the initial presentation is great, as it should be. The package is loaded with game art on the back, and the Shadow Box’s lights and sound can be activated while still in the package. You’re not intended to leave it there, of course. Batteries are preinstalled so eventually it would result in a leakage long term. This just makes it easier to display and use in the box for aesthetic purposes.
You also have the option of hooking a USB cable to the shadow box for continuous power, but you’ll have to leave it outside the package for that.
Taking the shadow box out, we’ll be greeted with a multitude of goodies including two flat retro-style boxes, 3 prints of the NES covers, an enamel pin, mini replicas of the original NA boxes in a case, the game itself in a standard switch case with an NES style dust cover, History of Castlevania book, and finally, a slip covered super large Genesis/MegaDrive style case containing the steel book, CD, and poster. Altogether it makes for a damn impressive spread.
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| Goddamn. |
I’ve already touched upon the Shadowbox, it’s cute and the print job is pretty dang good, though it is a bit kitschy. The lights aren’t all that impressive and the sound is…interesting. The speaker quality is passable, but the music that plays is the Famicom version of Bloody Tears, the worst version of that track in my opinion. Frankly, the FDS version of Simon’s Quest has the most ear-piercing pitches, and I wish there were different if not more tracks altogether. That said, it’s the title theme for the Castlevania Collection, so their hands might’ve been tied on what they could use. On the plus side, if you hang it on a wall or leave it in the box the sound is muffled a bit.
Although I still prefer it on a shelf as the item itself is rather small and looks awkward when hung up. I understand why it’s small, but at this scale, I would’ve preferred a pre-framed print given how underwhelming the lights and sound are. So unless you just really wanna save shelf space, I think you’re better off finding a place for it to sit and never activating the sound.
The NES-style boxes are very nice, with embossed art, lettering, and a very metallic shine.
I was a bit confused as to why there’s an NES-style box along with a smaller slipcover for it, but that was to accommodate the bonus material for the Classic Edition without compromising the shape and size of the main NES box. It’s a nice touch and better than I was expecting given that the original promo shots only showed the NES box with an obnoxious Switch Logo in the corner, so it’s nice they worked around that caveat.
The dust cover that fits the standard Switch case on the other hand is kinda rough, as you can tell by the glue. I don’t blame the item itself for this, though. It was hot when it arrived and that’s just the reality of shipping.
Keeping with the NES theme, the three mini prints are very nice. Good cardstock, sharp printing, and vibrant colors. The description never told how big they were, but thankfully they’re a standard size of 5x7.
I was surprised to see that they went for the NA box art over PAL in regards to Simon's Quest, as the NA box is a bit tricky since it outright lifts art from Ravenloft. Although that tidbit might be part of why so much of the other cover art featured is either the first and third NES titles, or the newly commissioned art from Tom duBois as seen with the shadowbox.
Moving into the 16-bit area, this Genesis-style clamshell…isn’t great. They’ve tried to replicate the texture that original Gen/MD cases have, that sort of pseudo-leathery feel and look. But they went way overboard.
Here it is compared to my copy of Golden Axe, which you can see is much sharper.
It’s not pleasant to open either, it’s very stiff like a cheap old VHS case. Thankfully it’s just meant to hold the steel book, so you won’t be opening this often, it’s just an extra display piece. I will note that I like the sleeve mimicking the later Genesis cardboard boxes like Sonic 3D Blast and Clayfighters. In fact, later versions of Bloodlines came in cardboard.
The steel book is also very nice, and I’m not really a steel book guy. More often than not, they make the game or movie a pain to remove, but this one is buttery smooth. I’m sure the Switch using cartridges helps with that. The exterior is damn nice with a stamped texture that doesn’t protrude too much and won’t be a hindrance on a shelf.
And I love the Castlevania 3 cover with the retro C, while the back has Castlevania 1 art and the modern C. There’s also a printed clasp giving the case a book look.
Even the inside has the castle map from the first game. Everything about it is charming and made for a pleasant surprise in how much I ended up liking it.
Now for the CD, I have more to say than I was expecting. We have 5 tracks from Castlevania, 2 from Famicom Simon’s Quest, 4 from Dracula’s Curse, 2 from The Adventure, Belmont's revenge also gets 2, 4 for ugh 4, and 1 from Kid Dracula.
You also have an additional 9 that don’t list the games on the back. It’s 3 from Bloodlines, 2 from the NES Simon’s quest, and 4 from the Famicom Akumajo Densetsu.
There are some weird choices here, like how tracks 6 & 7 are the Famicom Simon’s quest, then 8-11 are Castlevania 3 NES tracks, but 24 & 25 are NES Simon’s quest followed by the Famicom Castlevania 3 tracks. Why not keep the NES and Famicom versions grouped together? It’s nitpicky I know, just weird.
That aside, I actually think this is a solid selection of tracks. They pick most of the big ones from each title. 3 is a hard one to narrow down. I maybe would’ve picked Mad Forest over Evergreen, but again, who knows what the licensing with Konami was like? They still got a great lineup and some interesting versions, like how the Castlevania 1 tracks are enhanced. They’re fundamentally still the 8-bit themes, but with a pseudo stereo effect added to give more depth. If you’ve ever listened to WiiDude/Niko’s 8-bit Stereo, well, Konami did that for Castlevania in ‘97 for the Japan Exclusive Dracula Music Collection, and that’s more or less the versions used, just as full renditions.
Prayer of a Tragic Queen from Bloodlines was an inspired choice. I would’ve suspected Iron Blue Intention, but I’m glad they picked something that I believe to be vastly underrated.
Also, the version of Reincarnated Soul is the official soundtrack version interestingly enough. The difference is that the introduction theme is added, shortened, sustains on a note, and transitions directly to the main stage theme. A small difference, but one I prefer.
IV’s selection... just makes me laugh cause it does put into perspective for as great as the game’s soundtrack is, the best tracks are inevitably covers from previous titles- bar Simon’s theme. I do think Dracula’s theme and maybe Rotating Room would’ve been nice, but again, I can’t really complain.
Next, we have the two-sided poster featuring the full art of CV1 and CV3. Damn shame this was folded, but there’s simply no way this would’ve practically fit otherwise. I went with displaying the CV3 side because I adore the art, and also because I’ve never been able to find a large print of it. I can easily find a large and high-quality poster of CV1, but not 3. And this is superfluous information, but I put it in a Belmont-branded frame.
Oh right, there’s a game in here, isn’t there? Guess I should talk about that.
I won’t be touching upon the individual games cause that would just take way too damn long. You can go watch SomecallmeJohnny or something for that, there’s nothing I could add to these titles. Now the case? That’s more in line for me. Basically just the CV1 art on a switch case. The reverse side has a screenshot from Bloodlines, and the inside has a lovely spread of that NA CV3 art.
It’s funny to me that all of the actual game cases use CV1 and 3 but never the new duBois art, which is relegated to novelty packaging.
A manual is also included, but it's basically just a copy of the in game digital manual.
Since we’re right back to packaging again, might as well talk about the mini boxes you get.
These are a bit odd to me, but very nice all the same. I’m legitimately surprised at how crisp the prints are with perfectly readable text. They even made Kid Dracula an NES-style box with the description seen in the game’s menu selection. That’s a really fun sorta ‘what if?’ for the set.
The boxes themselves don’t contain anything of note, just some sorta rock, chalk, or possibly even drywall. They add some heft but don’t keep the boxes upright or anything. You’re much better off leaving them in the foam case they’re packed in unless you have some acrylic stands.
Finally, we come to probably the most interesting item of the entire package, and that is the History of Castlevania book, which is essentially a physical version of the same thing you get in the game’s extra features. The front and back aren’t anything special, just a glossy hardcover not too different from the sorta journal you can buy for $10 at Walmart.
But the inside is what counts, and it’s much nicer than expected. Very nice thick paper with a matte finish, beautiful print quality, and overall just a better way to read the interviews and view the art, especially the concept art. I gotta say this is probably close to being the highlight of the set, and for a lot of people this is probably what sold the Ultimate Version.
Oh, one more thing. You get a nice Enamel pin with some depth to it. Really love the lavender and highlights, make it pop just right.
Final thoughts.
So… this was $200 after shipping. On some level that’s not that bad if you break it down. If you think about how much the average budget title is around 30-40 for a game, and Pixel frames are $30, a poster or print can be 15+ Yeah, getting all this isn’t all that bad.
And for the most part my impressions were fairly positive.
But I am left feeling…odd. While I love the prints and posters and even some of the other novelties, there are things in here I’m not quite sure what to do with. The NES and Genesis packages are really neat, and it makes sense to get those in the "Ultimate" Version. But at the same time, what do I do with them? They’re cool and make great display pieces. For people that bought the Bloodlines or Classics editions, I think the best thing to do would be to display them in a shadow box to show off that wonderful art. Not like there’s much point in putting the game in a case and then the case in a case.
But I already have a shadow box with the Tom duBois art, it’s bigger than the Genesis case and doesn’t have anything obscured like the NES one. So at the time of this writing, the NES boxes are remaining folded, and the Gen case is sitting on my game shelf containing the steel book I’m not sure I want to use. That’s another thing, regardless of if I use the standard case or the steel book, I have an extra Castlevania case I wouldn’t know what to do with beyond storing.
The CD is just taking up a small amount of room since I already have the full soundtracks for several Castlevania titles. The pin, while incredibly lovely, I’m too cautious to add to my bag since it could rust and is a collectible I can't replace. So it’s in my curio cabinet next to Dracula’s ring.
Honestly, after a few days I starting thinking about selling some of this stuff. I like the prints, the poster, the pin, and of course having the game. But I don’t need a lot of this stuff, the desirability associated with it is either minuscule or defeated by redundancy. I think someone else out there might want to have some of the exclusives like the mini boxes, or the book, and the packaging to display.
Looking back, I probably would've been better getting the Bloodlines Edition for about $60, getting the separate duBois 18x24 poster LRG sold for $50, and saving $90. The only thing I’d be missing (that I care about) is the Enamel Pin and mini NES prints, the latter of which I can easily find on Etsy.
I think if there’s anything to take away from this, it’s that LRG is a massive gamble on both the quality of the items and your enjoyment therein. Because even when things are substantial and surprising, you may still ask yourself if it was worth the time and money to you personally. At the end of the day, I know I can do better, and so can you.
P.S. I sold the entire thing bar the poster.
So that was kind of a bust. But the next review will be of something I love. Join me next time when I take a look at Discotek’s Gavan Bluray release.
As always, if you enjoy what I do considering tossing a dollar at my Kofi.
Feel free to leave a comment, but remember this site in held together with hot glue and I won't be able to respond. So if you wanna ask what episode the animal mascots appear in Gavan, go to my Twitter.
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