Let’s face it, Nintendo Switch 2 games and their box art can be kind of ugly. No one wants a giant block of tiny text blocking key art. But why stop there? Some Switch 2 fans are taking matters into their own hands by creating Switch 2 cassette tapes with bespoke art and killer red transparent casing. Even if you have zero nostalgia for the days of Walkmans, Switch 2 cassette tapes are an inspiring take on what can otherwise be boring AF packaging on modern video games.
Creator eridyon is a part of the Switch Spines community, which predates Nintendo’s latest console. The group likes to print out their own covers for games, which sometimes means better artwork, but is specifically meant to spruce up the portion of the cover that’s most visible when lined up. Normally, Switch box spines simply show the name of the game in white text plopped on a red background. Once upon a time, game spines weren’t nearly this uniform and could sometimes feature unique logos and art tailored to look good inside their limited real estate. The cassette tapes are a hark back to those stylish times.
Image: Erydion
“This originally started as a way for me to display my digital indie games that never got physical releases, and I have always wanted to be a cover art designer, but had never done any graphic design work before,” erydion tells Polygon. “I loved designing them that it quickly went to making a goal for making a case for all of my games!”
It never got that far — erydion has a collection of over 600 Switch games, which would take a long time to replace. But the release of the Switch 2 reignited the passion project, which began two years ago.
The cassette tape covers can be bought on Amazon, but the inserts that hold the game cartridge are 3D printed. The covers can vary in source; sometimes erydion makes them, but there are also entire communities dedicated to redesigning Switch covers. Either way, while erydion plans on eventually selling his take on Switch 2 cassette tapes, it’s all stuff that Nintendo fans can theoretically recreate at home, provided they’ve got a printer, glossy paper, and spare cash.
Here’s the design erydion uses for 3D printing, which recreates the way actual cases hold and release cartridges. If you don’t own a 3D printer, your local library might have one. One roll of filament can produce enough for most if not all of your entire Switch 2 collection, if only because there aren’t many games out yet. Otherwise, you can get a set of five red casette tape casings for just under $20, or cheaper if you’re willing to settle for fully clear plastic over the colored options. Eventually, erydion is hoping to print their own manuals to attach to the cassette tapes.
Erydion isn’t the only one taking up the mantle for the lost days of physical media. Reddit user Longjumping_Dog7979, who was inspired by erydion’s creations, has also been making Switch cassettes for a couple of years now. Their spin on it involves designing covers that look like retro SNES games, like so:
“It is fun to present them like this,” Longjumping_Dog7979 tells Polygon. They’ve transformed a few of their own favorite games, and have also treated their friends to cassette tape cases and covers. “They love it, they find them all amazing.”
Cassette tape covers are bound to get more elaborate over time, as more people join the community and a wider swath of games become. The original Switch’s cassette community found ways to include small details in their boxes, like hidden messages for the mystery game Oxenfree. But if that’s not your bag, the Switch Spines community is also a great place for requests, so long as you make sure that someone hasn’t already made what you’re looking for.
“Its crazy how much different packaging can change the aesthetics of things” erydion remarked on Reddit. “I could also then have way more switch games on a shelf and that’d be a problem for my wallet lol.”
