How many of you have loose carts hanging around the house? Perhaps you’ve been to your favourite second-hand games store in the past and found a rare game without a box that you’ve been keeping safe in polythene ever since, or maybe a box has long since perished from years of use, leaving you with a lonely game that’s simply left to collect dust and be picked up by the dog when he’s looking around the house for things to nibble on.
I’ve had both of these scenarios of late (ok, the dog part was a little exaggeration). I recently picked up an unboxed copy of Banjo-Tooie from Sore Thumb Retro Gaming in York (you’ll be seeing this amazing place on an episode of the Retroad Show very soon) for £60, and it’s been sitting on my shelf in its plastic wrapping ever since to keep it protected. I’ve also discovered a sorry-looking copy of Star Wars Episode One: Racer in my collection that had somehow escaped my loose cart storage and done a runner underneath the TV, covered under a layer of dust like an old relic from an Indian Jones movie.
So, when Book4Games got in touch to see if we wanted to review their cartridge storage solutions, I jumped at the chance. For years now, I’ve had a box of loose N64 and SNES games which have been hidden away from the world. Six of those cartridges (Banjo-Tooie is definitely one of them) are now softly cushioned within a premium storage solution that allows me to look at my favourite carts when not in use.
- Dimensions: 32 cm x 31 cm x 3 cm
- Cartridge Type: N64
- Available Cartridge Slots: 6
- Price: €25
- Available Variants: NES, Famicom, SNES, DMG/GBC, GBA, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear, PC Engine, Game & Watch
- Available From: Kickstarter
Table of Contents
Book4Games – Giving Loose Carts A Home Since 2021
There’s something incredibly satisfying about slotting in cartridge into one of these inlays. I felt a little bit like I was working in a Video Game Museum, protecting the carts of the past for future generations. And in some way, I guess I am. Bar Banjo-Tooie in the top left corner, these are all the original cartridges that I have had since I started collecting N64 games as a seven-year-old kid. They’re part of my gaming history, and I’m glad that they’ve finally got a proper place to live.
Before I go down a nostalgic rabbit hole, I better start talking more about the specifications of these storage boxes. I’m a huge vinyl record collector, and these storage units from Book4Games are about the size of a vinyl record, albeit thicker. They’re the same thickness and size as some of the gaming compendiums that I have on my bookshelf too; think Hyrule Historia but with N64 cartridges instead of pages. I mean, the company is called ‘Book4Games’ for a reason, after all.
Designed and made in France, these display units have a high-density EVA foam tray with a rounded segment allowing you access to your games without compromising the protective casing. They’re the perfect size for each cart; my games fit snugly within each segment and no amount of shaking is going to make them fall out.
Attention To Detail
One thing that I want to touch on and something that I first discovered when reporting on the Book4Games Kickstarter Campaign going live, is the clever use of graphics on the lower part of the unit that covers the reinforced base. Each display case bears an image of the game cartridge it has been designed to house, the controller you use when playing said games, and a graphic relating to that console.
The N64 variant I’ve filled with my carts in the pictures above has a graphic of a Nintendo 64 console on the front on a grey background that instantly makes you think of the console casing, and the NES display case shown in the picture below boasts ‘Entertainment System Storage Deck’ in a style synonymous with Nintendo’s first console. The whole thing looks like it could be an enlarged game case, and that’s not where the design gems stop either.
Flip the display units over and you’re greeted with some cool graphics that complement the cartridges you’re storing inside them. Ok, I’ll admit that the N64 one could have been a little more imaginative rather than just showing the phrase ‘the fun machine’, but the back of the NES display unit is amazing. Even without Mario in the picture, it’s clear what game world this is from, and it’s a nice nostalgic touch for Nintendo fans to soak up. Of course, you probably won’t be looking at the back of these units that often, but it’s a nice feature that shows Book4Games are really into their gaming and creating the best user experience possible.
How Protective Are These Units?
When it comes to protection, these Book4Games units have things covered from most angles. As I’ve said above, the foam tray is super supportive and keeps your games snug and secure, but because of the viewing window at the front of the case, there’s always the risk that you could damage the fronts of your carts if the box fell from a height. At just 0.4mm, the plastic viewing window isn’t very thick. Granted it doesn’t obscure the carts themselves inside, but if you’re looking for the kind of protection that could withstand the apocalypse, then this isn’t it.
There’s also the depth of these units to take into consideration; my N64 games are sat within the case on top of a narrow part of my desk, and a firm shake of the wood makes the box wobble. At 3cm deep there’s not that much to stop it from wobbling over if I nudge into my desk or a shelf, and as I’ve said above, while the back and sides of my carts are protected, it’s the front I would be worrying about.
Look, I’m being pernickety here because that’s my job. I love these display cases a lot and the chances of me casting them onto the floor like Isildur should have cast the one ring into Mount Doom are very limited, but if you have children running around or that pesky dog we imagined all the way back in the beginning paragraph of this article, then it could be a problem.
Overall Opinions
- Secure cushioned segments to store your loose carts
- Simple to store and change out for new carts
- Reinforced outer case with protective sleeve
- Detailed graphics evoke nostalgia
- The box is quite big and thin and could be knocked over easily
- The plastic casing isn’t hard so cartridges aren’t protected from falls if the unit falls forward from height.
Book4Games have created a superb display case that keeps my loose cartridges fresh and secure. It’s easy to display and transport from place to place, and the designs of all the different variants are great. As I’ve said above, there’s a risk of them being knocked over, so just bear in mind where you’re placing yours in your office or games room.
Would I love to display more N64 games in this set? Yes, but realistically if this thing were any higher it would certainly be toppling over when any heavy-footed person stomped into the room. I love the fact that you can get 8 Mega Drive/Genesis carts in the same size box in the Sega variants for example, and while I’m obviously on Team Dodo Display when it comes to showing off my DMG, GBC, and GBA carts, it’s nice seeing them all safe and snug in the same format as my N64 carts too.
Considering these units only cost €25, I think you really can’t go wrong with them. They’re definitely worth a purchase if you’re sick and tired of finding places to put your loose carts, and I’m very grateful to Book4Games for finally giving me a place to keep Banjo-Tooie. On behalf of me, Banjo, Kazooie, Mumbo-Jumbo, and the rest of the gang, thank you guys!
