Replacing video game cartridge labels

[Timstuff]

I've got more than a few game cartridges who have very dirty or damaged labels from years of use and impoper storage. Also, I've always been interested in re-painting my copy of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past to be gold, but it's probably not worth the trouble unless I can put a new label on it afterwords.

So, does anyone know of any place that sells replacement labels for video games? Or is there an archive somewhere that has high-quality images of game labels that I could get printed professionally elsewhere? I tried google but I couldn't really find any results. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Tanegashima]

If there is a way, I would love to find out, I feel your pain! Especially with old atari games. Some of my Genesis ones could certainly use a facelift...

[JFLY]

Same here. In my case, I have a bunch of Japanese Mega Drive carts that have the labels starting to peel. I was wondering what type of glue would be best to use?

[GohanX]

I haven't really been successful in finding already designed labels, but if you are handy with Photoshop it's easy enough to make your own. You can steal high quality artwork from the covers on thecoverproject.net if available and cut/paste it to the label format.

As for the labels themselves, you can go to any office supply store and pick up some full sheet labels. Print and cut them out, apply with a steady hand. You can get glossy labels as well for a more authentic feel, but you may have to order those from the net.

I just picked up hacked cart with Monster World IV English on it, and I'm doing this very thing to make a case insert and label for the cart.

[Timstuff]

Well, I decided to try my hand at making a SNES label in photoshop last night. I decided to do one of "Secret of Mana 2," since I'm interested in possibly commissioning a repro cart of the fan translation at some point in the near future, and would thus need a label to go on it. I think it turned out pretty good.



I printed it up on plain paper, cut it out, and fit it to a SNES cart to make sure it's the right size, and I think I got it pretty friggin' close to the official size. Maybe next I'll try my hand at re-creating Zelda 3's label.

*UPDATE*

Well, I went and did the Zelda label, and I think I got it pretty friggin' close to the real thing. Now the question is how to get them printed in a way that will be faithful to the original. I don't think I'd be happy using my regular inkjet printer, since if the label should somehow get wet (God forbid) the ink will bleed out. The ideal would be to get it laser printed on a glossy decal, so I guess I'll have to look into where such a service can be provided.

[17daysolderthannes]

The ideal would be to get it laser printed on a glossy decal, so I guess I'll have to look into where such a service can be provided.

on my color laser printer

[Timstuff]

That'd be great, if I had one.

[Timstuff]

I just remembered that when I made custom decals for model kits and action figures, the Testors Decal Kit came with a bonding spray that made the inkjet prints water proof, since I was making water decals. I'm thinking if I use some kind of lacquer or even the actual Testors bonding spray, it should give a nice glossy finish on the label and protect it from minor water damage.

Also, I found out that there's silver paper that you can use in inkjet printers. This would be totally kickass for the label on a custom gold Zelda cartridge and the case insert.

http://www.printonit.com/Metallic-Si...Paper-s/60.htm

I'm also toying with the idea of popping open a Pokemon Gold cartridge and transplanting the guts of Zelda DX into it, since Zelda for Gameboy never got a proper gold cart release either.

[Knux Kitsune]

The Cover Project lists the labels as being in the format for Xyron 250 stickers, which you can buy a Xyron 250 Sticker Printer from Wal-Mart for about $20. I'd honestly be willing to buy torn up, dirty old SNES games and fix them up. However, those awfully kept SNES games are nowhere to be found online these days. I guess I gotta keep my eyes open at garage sales.