Onion game Cases

[Belmont86]

i'll definitely buy a bunch for nes, snes, n64, game boy, game boy color and some others as soon as they are available i'll get some. love the idea.

[AppleQueso]

Personally I'm looking most forward to the portable game cases. Seems like Nintendo's phasing out DS cases with GBA slots in them, so it'd be nice to have a solid alternative ready. Hell i'd be happy with just a UGC-style case with DS case dimensions just for portable games.

Plus modding those cases for GB carts is a huge pain in the ass.

What you're doing is very ambitious, but you seem to know what your doing and have a solid business plan. I support this endeavor.

[soundwave925]

Personally I'm looking most forward to the portable game cases.

Samesies

[FFXIK]

I'll be keeping track of this as well.  I could easily see myself parting with my money for these,

[TSOLfan]

Sega CD has 2 sizes (tall ones and CD sized)
Saturn has 2 sizes (normal tall ones and bit larger VHS ones like Andretti racing)

At least for the US Saturn collection, all of the manuals are the same dimensions, just varying thickness based upon the number of pages (with Dragon Force and Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire being the thickest US manuals).

Concerning Sega CD, which I'm currently scanning in here, there are 6 different manual sizes.  Of the 6, two sizes are nigh identical (the standard jewel case releases, with one variant only about 1/8" wider to accommodate larger manuals such as Eternal Champions).  Here are samples of each of the 5 primary sizes.  Also, to note, the "CD" sized manuals are not "CD" sized.  They are actually about 1/4" taller and at least 1/2"-3/4" wider than a "CD" cased size Dreamcast manual.  These are 300dpi scans, so you can pull the dimensions straight from the scans:

Original Pack In Release
Original Cardboard Release
Jewel Case Release (this is the "size" that has the minor width variant)
Digital Pictures Release
Other Release (this is the only manual of this "micro" size)

As mentioned, you can pull a ton of other examples (Saturn and Dreamcast included) from this thread, here.

From that list above, as it concerns height, Digital Pictures is the tallest, then Cardboard, then Jewel, then Pack In, then Other.  As it concerns width, Pack In is the widest, then Digital Pictures, then Cardboard, then Jewel, then Other.  If you were to turn a Pack In manual on its side (rotate 90 degrees), it's wider than all manuals other than the Digital Pictures release.

So, if you want to ensure that you build a Sega CD/Saturn case to fit all manuals, pick up a Sega CD Digital Pictures release (Corpse Killer, Kids on Site, Night Trap re-release, Slam City or Supreme Warrior), and design around that, and you'll have a case that fits all Sega CD/Saturn manual variants (though, as mentioned above, you'll need to rotate the Pack In manuals to fit or they'll be too wide).

As for Sega CD, as it concerns US releases, Eternal Champions is the thickest manual.  Sega Saturn, as mentioned above, it's a tie, and Sega Dreamcast, Grandia II is by and far the thickest manual.

[zakurowrath]

When it comes to the Neo Geo cases, I have no idea what the demand is for those.  Honestly when it comes to cartridge based systems I think the more popular systems like SMS, Genesis, 32X, NES, SNES, N64, & Atari would sell much better, especially Genesis and SNES as they seem to be the most popular systems to collect for, least from what I've seen.

The Sonic & Knuckles case is going to be a real nice addition, too bad it's the only cart like that and costs so much money just for one game.

I do agree with djshok, reproduction of the original Master System & Genesis cases would be a good idea and including 32x as the same size as well. But, whatever is easier since each mold as you said costs $20000.

The handhelds are gonna be interesting which I'm guessing is the popular ones Gameboy, GBC, GBA, Game Gear, Atari Lynx and the less popular Wonderswan , Neo Geo Pocket and Virtual Boy.

Lastly, I'm willing to bet these particular systems will be many years in the future since, well there's not too much interest in them, but it would be cool to have them in sturdy plastic cases next to the Atari games. I'm thinking the first video game system the Magnavox Odyssey, it's predecessor the Odyssey 2, and how about the Fairchild Channel F. Again these are way off in the future and would really need alot of interest to even consider them, but anything is better than cardboard so they could be possible.

Either way, you got my money for Atari, NES, SMS, Genesis, SNES, 32X, N64, GB, GBC, GBA, GG, Memory Cards, Game Genie, Super Gameboy, I mean the list goes on  

[thesubcon3]

What is the order you are going to be releasing these cases in? I'm very interested in the NES ones, so how far down the list are they?

Hopefully it's something like this....

SegaCD/Saturn
NES
Portable Games

Also are you going to produce the cases to support multiple systems like the UGCs do just without modifications being needed while still keeping the standard size?  I mean if there was a UGC that also supported NES and manuals without modification that would be the ultimate and you would only need to do one mold instead of multiple ones for each system.

[Seymor Onion]

Thanks for all of that info on manual sizes, TSOLfan.
I'm going to hunt down copies of those manuals asap, so I can make sure they'll all fit, nice and securely.

What is the order you are going to be releasing these cases in? I'm very interested in the NES ones, so how far down the list are they?

Hopefully it's something like this....

SegaCD/Saturn
NES
Portable Games

The list isn't set in stone, but NES and SegaCD/Saturn are currently the top two.

Also are you going to produce the cases to support multiple systems like the UGCs do just without modifications being needed while still keeping the standard size?  I mean if there was a UGC that also supported NES and manuals without modification that would be the ultimate and you would only need to do one mold instead of multiple ones for each system.

That's a pretty close description of how I'm going about it, and one of the reasons why my release order isn't set in stone just yet.
A single Master Mold has room for multiple case patterns, and some modular options for the layout of the innards of the cases, like the placement of inner tabs and walls and clips.
As you suggest, being able to define a standardized pattern for the outside of each UGC Style case would indeed save tons of $ on molds, because then it's just a matter of adding or removing different extra pieces to the inside of each pattern.

I don't think I've mentioned it here yet, but the outer walls of my UGC-Style Cases will be of similar design as the stock cases for Genesis Games.
The added strength that design gives to each half, will protect the manual side from over-bending, as well as the cart side.
This way, the Carts won't pop out of their designated areas unexpectedly,
nor will the Tabs dig in to the manuals, each time you open the case.

I'm going to stick to standard UGC Outer Dimensions (Cover Insert Area) as much as possible.
I might have to increase the spine width on two of the cases by a few millimeters:
The Sonic & Knuckles case, and the Super Gameboy/NES case.
I'll need to do some testing with pre-production prototypes, to make sure.

Current designs for most of the cases will fully support several different cart and manual types.
You can read about them at my Website.

I tried a whole bunch of different combinations of carts with each other, in order to try to reduce the number of variants I'll have to make, and the groups of cases at my website are what I've come up with so far.

If I forgo the Cart Retaining Clips, I could extend support for more cart types per box, but the carts would then have to press up against the manuals, and that wouldn't be good for the manuals or the artwork/labels on the carts, especially if you were to ship a Game+Manual in my cases, to someone.
Without my cart clips, it would be especially bad if the delivery guy thinks it's a PC Monitor, and throws it over a fence... [Link] 

[AppleQueso]

I know it's far off, but a small suggestion for whenever you make N64 cases: could you include controller pak slots? Kinda like the memory card holders in ps2 and gamecube cases.

I know there aren't a ton of games that use the controller pak, but it seems like the ones that do take up such a crazy amount of space that you can't really put anything else on them anyway, it'd be nice to be able to store them with their corresponding game.

(Also a special case designed to hold both Hey You Pikachu and the VRU in the same case would be great too)

[Arseen]

I know it's far off, but a small suggestion for whenever you make N64 cases: could you include controller pak slots? Kinda like the memory card holders in ps2 and gamecube cases.

I know there aren't a ton of games that use the controller pak, but it seems like the ones that do take up such a crazy amount of space that you can't really put anything else on them anyway, it'd be nice to be able to store them with their corresponding game.

(Also a special case designed to hold both Hey You Pikachu and the VRU in the same case would be great too)

I think the memory card  holder is not hard to implement as cases are just in design state.

Pikachu case would be nice but as there are just 2 games to use that, market that would be small.
I too would like the case though.

[Seymor Onion]

I know it's far off, but a small suggestion for whenever you make N64 cases: could you include controller pak slots? Kinda like the memory card holders in ps2 and gamecube cases.

I know there aren't a ton of games that use the controller pak, but it seems like the ones that do take up such a crazy amount of space that you can't really put anything else on them anyway, it'd be nice to be able to store them with their corresponding game.

Cool idea!
I'm pretty sure I can fit a nice mount/clip/walled area, for the Nintendo 64 Controller Pak, in the [SNES] & [N64] & [SNES Game Genie] Game Case [OGC-SNES-N64].
I will have to double check my current design for that case, to make sure I can, before I can make any promises though.
Most of my plans/drawings for cases are at another location, but I should be able to check it out within a couple of days.
How many Controller Pak Slots would be good to have in each case? Only One? Two or more?
I think I can get up to Two to fit in each case, depending on the orientation of the Manual Clips.

Also a special case designed to hold both Hey You Pikachu and the VRU in the same case would be great. too.

I'll add that idea to The List, and pick up a copy of the Game, the Microphone adapter, and the Microphone.
Are there any variations of the Game Cartridge, VRU, or bundled Microphone, that I should keep an eye out for?
I might make a specialized (separate) case just for the VRU+Mic, so it will wind up maintaining the same Height and Depth (but maybe not width?) of the standard [OGC-SNES-N64] cases, so it will look better on your shelves.
I might have to do this, if I can't include Manual Support in an all-in-one design, or If I have to make one or more dimensions waaay too big.
I'll try out different designs/methods once I get a hold of the Game + VRU + Mic.

Speaking of n64 Pokemon Games, Pokemon Stadium comes with that huge Transfer Pak thing,
that lets you use your own pokemon from some of the early Pokemon Game Boy Games,
and play some of those Pokemon Game Boy games, through the n64.

I haven't settled on a case design for the Transfer Paks just yet.

There were 2 Pokemon Stadium Games released for the n64, in the USA, and both support the Transfer Pak.
There is only one version of the Transfer Pak, right?
I mean, they didn't make any hardware revisions to it, did they?
Is it the same shape, in all regions?

One of my ideas is to make a case that can hold up to Four(?) Transfer Paks, but no n64 Carts or Manuals,
and try to at least maintain the same Height Dimension of the standard [OGC-SNES-N64] cases.
Is Four a good number? Should it just hold Two?

Does Pokemon Stadium 2 make the first game obsolete,
or does the first game have some features that the second game does not have?

[Arseen]

VRU and Transfer Paks were all same size around the world.

I'd like 4 Transfer Pak holder case.

Usually 1 Memory Pak slot is enough, but If more fit in there nicely put them there.
I have siblings that play and I frequently use back up saves on different cards, so we have multiple cards per game.

Does Pokemon Stadium 2 make the first game obsolete?

Not for collectors, for others yes.

[AppleQueso]

I can definitely understand not wanting to go out of your way to make something like a VRU case.
Still, memory card holders would be nice and a lot more universal.

Oh I was also thinking the other day, I know this is probably a ridiculous idea, but what about cases for Consoles?

[Rx_79]

The thickest snes manual I have is Sim City. I dont know how many pages it has but its huge.

however, Some times rpgs like Crono Trigger that have a lot of maps and posters need a lot of space.

[larryinc64]

Some more unusual cartridges include Product Image Virtua Racing and Pete Sampras Tennis for Genesis and the Game Boy Camera, Wario Ware Twisted, Robopon, Pokemon Pinball and a E-Reader for Gameboy Systems. How about making cases with no cart holders in sizes to to accommodate some obscure things or wires or whatever. And how about cases for Controllers? You should probably focus on the most popular items first though. BTW the website stoneagegamer.com may be interested in your cases. They use UGS's for there everdrives and are unhappy with how they hold some carts. I suggest throwing a email over to them.