Rendering Ranger: R2 (SNES) - Limited Run Games !

[marurun]

I'm also hoping it'll be a well designed PCB, which is almost always NOT the case with pirate/bootleg carts.

Unfortunately, this is sometimes not the case with the legit re-releases. I've heard horror stories about some of the RetroBit carts not being designed properly for 5v due to using too many 3.3v components.

[BoneSnapDeez]

It just feels very strange buying a new snes cart of an old game in 2022. Don't get me wrong- if it is a new game running on the snes. Fuck yeah. That rules. This however just feels like a cashgrab to me.

Collecting retro games to me is about specifically collecting older games. I'm not saying you have to do that. I have flash carts. Games are expensive! I just don't even think about this game as a retro game. Its a modern snes game and I don't know why you'd ever slot it into a collection. Part of the cool thing about a retro game collection is the age and authenticity that the age brings. This robs you of that.

I just don't understand how like a gba pokemon bootleg is that far off from this. The licence I guess? To me that doesn't make it authentic, that makes it feel like a new grift from a publisher who has the licence and wants to make a buck because they are looking at the secondary market soar. They want a piece of that.

So now we are collecting modern carts of old games because the licence is the same? It just feels like a flash cart with more steps and a worse product. For me, I'd always *always* be on the side of instead of putting money into this, save it, wait a little while longer, and then buy the real thing. Its far more interesting/impressive than a 2022 preorder.

But buy them if you want to! I'm not trying to come down on it. Absolutely enjoy it if it is your jam. I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, I just don't get it and was curious if others felt the same way or if I was a weirdo.

Yeah I hear ya. I have mixed feelings about this type of stuff, honestly. I don't hate Limited Run; I was happy to buy Switch Shantae as I'll never own the original GBC version. I believe I own a few of their other releases too.

I think the fact that these reissues are scarce in their own right is bothersome. So, this is no longer a game that I'd have to buy on ebay.... it's now a game I can buy on eBay or from the Limited Run webstore? Okay. It just feels kinda kitschy and tailor-made for the flippers and "own every game" crowd.

Official, licensed rereleases of old games is a great idea. I'd prefer to see this business model expanded to other publishers who have a wider distribution model.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I like when we get all new games on old systems! A lot of homebrew games show their limited budgets, but games like Alwa’s Awakening, Sydney Hunter & The Caverns of Death, Unholy Night, etc. are awesome.

[marurun]

Official, licensed rereleases of old games is a great idea. I'd prefer to see this business model expanded to other publishers who have a wider distribution model.

I genuinely believe that companies like Limited Run would not be able to release as much as they do if they had open orders. By controlling production and inventory they can ensure they sell enough to cover their costs. I really think if most of their production was open-ended and more widely distributed that they would lose money and wouldn't be able to release as much as they do. The up side is that there are more copies in the pipeline for people who really want to play them. And those re-released copies hold their value pretty well, so that collectors don't have to feel that put out over having a "lesser" release. The down side is that if you're not aware of the release and don't get on-board early you can't get the initial release price and are stuck choosing either an expensive option (LR re-release used) or a very expensive option (original release used). Tracking down owners, negotiating licenses, and doing localization and quality control, even on action titles, isn't free, so I'd rather we have these limited legitimate avenues to get titles vs only the originals on eBay.

[Michi]

People have to also remember that these releases are still pretty niche. I mean, yeah, WE might be excited with a re-release of a rare and pricey SNES game from the mid 90s, but the retro scene is still a small audience. Would it be nicer to just be able to go to a store and buy it? Of course it would. But it doesn't make sense to have a continuous production line producing a large stockpile when maybe only a couple thousand people might be interested. But hopefully with a month-long pre-order window enough people who would be interested can get an order in.

[ZRofel]

Official, licensed rereleases of old games is a great idea. I'd prefer to see this business model expanded to other publishers who have a wider distribution model.

I genuinely believe that companies like Limited Run would not be able to release as much as they do if they had open orders. By controlling production and inventory they can ensure they sell enough to cover their costs. I really think if most of their production was open-ended and more widely distributed that they would lose money and wouldn't be able to release as much as they do. The up side is that there are more copies in the pipeline for people who really want to play them. And those re-released copies hold their value pretty well, so that collectors don't have to feel that put out over having a "lesser" release. The down side is that if you're not aware of the release and don't get on-board early you can't get the initial release price and are stuck choosing either an expensive option (LR re-release used) or a very expensive option (original release used). Tracking down owners, negotiating licenses, and doing localization and quality control, even on action titles, isn't free, so I'd rather we have these limited legitimate avenues to get titles vs only the originals on eBay.

This has always been my impression to from what I've heard about them, and I would assume it applies similarly to a lot of the other companies doing niche physical releases. It certainly has led me to purchase some games I'm not that enthusiastic about so I don't end up having to pay out the nose to a reseller years later if I do suddenly get into the game, and it's definitely frustrating when I've missed a physical release because I didn't hear about it in time. But, when the only alternative is scouring eBay for an ancient, overpriced cartridge that may be in terrible shape or with text in a language I can't read, I'm overwhelmingly in favor of companies like Limited Run bringing out lovingly curated re-releases whenever and however they're able. Sure, an original Super Famicom cart of Rendering Ranger would be cool, but this is an official western release, and all of Limited Run's stuff always looks super professional. It's definitely a win in my book.

[Ziggy]

I'm also hoping it'll be a well designed PCB, which is almost always NOT the case with pirate/bootleg carts.

Unfortunately, this is sometimes not the case with the legit re-releases. I've heard horror stories about some of the RetroBit carts not being designed properly for 5v due to using too many 3.3v components.

Exactly! That's why I'm hoping Limited Run Games will be different. I'm thinking it will be well designed. There's been a lot of backlash lately for poorly designed carts. There was a recent homebrew Genesis cart that got flack because the cart edge wasn't beveled. Limited Run Games seem like they would be on top of that. I'm on the fence about ordering this game. If I do, the first thing I'll do after receiving is open it to check out the PCB!

People have to also remember that these releases are still pretty niche. I mean, yeah, WE might be excited with a re-release of a rare and pricey SNES game from the mid 90s, but the retro scene is still a small audience. Would it be nicer to just be able to go to a store and buy it? Of course it would. But it doesn't make sense to have a continuous production line producing a large stockpile when maybe only a couple thousand people might be interested. But hopefully with a month-long pre-order window enough people who would be interested can get an order in.

I had a co-worker that would laugh at me any time I talked about retro gaming, or any kind of old tech that I still like to use.

[nickfil]

But, when the only alternative is scouring eBay for an ancient, overpriced cartridge that may be in terrible shape or with text in a language I can't read, I'm overwhelmingly in favor of companies like Limited Run bringing out lovingly curated re-releases whenever and however they're able. Sure, an original Super Famicom cart of Rendering Ranger would be cool, but this is an official western release, and all of Limited Run's stuff always looks super professional. It's definitely a win in my book.

While this is a western release, the box is translated. Not the game. The game is still running the JPN rom.

It certainly has led me to purchase some games I'm not that enthusiastic about so I don't end up having to pay out the nose to a reseller years later if I do suddenly get into the game, and it's definitely frustrating when I've missed a physical release because I didn't hear about it in time.

to me, the fear of missing out is part of the grift. "Buy it now because you might need it" was a mantra I had through the ps2 and ps3 era. Now I'm playing a lot of those "must play" ps3 games and not enjoying them. Either because they weren't for me, or because they didn't age well. Completely cured me of this fomo stuff because I wish I had just saved the money. I wish that I got a game and then played it before getting another game.

[opa]

Are the original programmers seeing any of the money? Or just some random company that holds the rights 30 years later?

If the latter, just pirate the game.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Excellent points nickfil! But it was ZRofel you quoted, not me.