1993’s Super Star Fox Weekend holds great memories for my little brother and myself. It was our first major gaming tournament we participated in and for two really bored home schooled kids it was something outside the norm of our regular weekly routine. Despite not really doing well in the tournament and being extremely disappointed that my little brother surpassed my score with little hardship, I had a fantastic time! Honestly, I wished I could have got a do over on that competition cart, but I knew it was impossible. My Super Star Fox Experience had ended, but it least I got to walk out of that Wal-Mart with a Star Fox pin.

Flash forward about a year later and inside a 1994 Nintendo Super Power Club catalog was the very same Super Star Fox Weekend carts we played on at the tournament for 45 bucks. That may not seem like a lot even for 1994, but trying to explain to my parents that I wanted a 45 dollar game that literally lasts 5 minutes didn’t go over very well. I had no allowance either so my plans of getting another crack at that game was ruined.

20 years have passed since I played at that tournament and the Super Star Fox Weekend Cart is now one of the more expensive 16 bit video game related collectables on the market. Going anywhere from 500 to 700 bucks, it is above and beyond anything I would pay for a 5 minute game (Oh man, now I sound like my parents did 20 years ago!). Thankfully, we live in an age where people know how to make their own reproduction carts and despite my lack of interest in adding repros to my game library; I decided it was time to pick up a reproduction of that very cart that has eluded me for so many years. Enter Time Walk Games, a reproduction company that not only provides reproductions of certain games, but makes them with a custom box, manual and double sided poster! From the website all of their products look great with sharp looking boxes and clean looking manuals. This is where I decided to purchase my Super Star Fox Weekend cart, even though I kept cringing at the 100 dollar price tag (It’s still cheaper then the real thing!). With my order placed, I was prepared to wait the typical 4-6 weeks it takes for the company to make the game and just a few days ago; I received the shipping notification for it. I became pretty excited and I couldn’t wait for it to come so I could pop it open and finally get a “Winning Score”. Today was that day, but unfortunately the moment got somewhat soured when the shipping package was opened up.

Inside the box was the game and when I say game, I mean the physical cart. No manual, no game box and certainly no double sided poster. I instantly became pissed, I waited 4 weeks for this and they forgot more then half the stuff! I took a few deep breaths and wrote them an e-mail asking if they could kindly send the rest of my 100 dollar purchase, hopefully they’ll respond quickly.

A few minutes later, I was off to do a workout and while I was driving in the car, I realized something: I just scored the cart that I’ve been wanting for 20 years and I’m pissed that its missing the box and the manual? The original DIDN’T have a manual and it certainly DIDN’T have a box! I should be thankful I got the game at all!  My 10 year old self would of counting his blessings for being able to acquire the cart and here I was 20 years later having a hissy fit about it. Realizing how stupid I was being, I snapped out of it and realized that at home sits something that I am going to really enjoy, even without its extra piece of card board and paper. It’s the game and the memories that count folks! Time to do a barrel roll!

-Mike M