Found this a while ago and knew something just wasnt right. The Spine is completely different from all the other ones i have seen. (Standard version is on the right) 
It doesnt seem to be a reproduction, the paper quality is the same as all other gamecube games. Im thinking it must be a later release as well.
The picture quality on the back seems to be a little fuzzy. As far as i can tell the manaul and disc all have the same markings as the normal one.
Has any one seen or have another like this? any ideas if it was a later release or a pack in ? I dont see a "not for resale" anywhere. (Higher quality image attached below the imbedded image) .. uploaded higher Quality Image



 

 

Wow that's neat if legit. I could be wrong, but that semi-fuzzy looking Nintendo logo on the back cover gives off the impression that it's a bootleg of sorts.

I checked the coverproject and it's not one of the custom ones on there but that doesn't mean much.

I know that there were two different cases on launch day because I preordered at two different places: one was the locking case with the hole on the bottom that Nintendo started using for all games and the other was the original style case with no hole. There was also a Target variant with some exclusives coupons but this was made clear by a large bubble graphic in the front (upper-right).

That spine font reminds me of the store demo boxes and those seen at E3 prior to release. Anyone got a picture of one of those?

Could it be a Canada variant? I know the Canadian Pikmin 2 has a different cover.

There's two K-Mart exclusive variants as well that came with a WaveBird controller or a Nintendo Power game guide. Man, would that have been a nice deal to get...
 

K-Mart had the same deal with Mario Party 4 and a Player's Guide offer for Animal Crossing. I think they also had one for WarioWorld. I got in on all three but my collection was stolen on 2004. They took most of the cases but left some when they realized that all the games discs were in the zippered pouches they already had. I believe I still have the Mario Party 4 case variant. When repurchasing out of pocket (no insurance) I took the opportunity to upgrade to case variants of Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike (Target dual-disc with the preorder bonus disc variant), 1080 Avalanche with mini-DVD (Wal-Mart variant), Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Target Tour variant), Metroid Prime with Prime 2 Echos (console bundle dual disc variant), Wind Walker (console bundle double-disc variant with Master Quest), and others. I never replaced my variant of Mario Kart Double Dash (double disc from Wal-Mart, IIRC) but I do still have the case for that one and someone gifted me a scratched up bonus disc so I bought one of the "Best Seller" re-releases.

I never bought used back then except for that Wind Walker/Master Quest variant since I wasn't about to buy two consoles. Despite this, the only game I was forced to get a Player's Choice package for was Animal Crossing. I really didn't want to go used for that one because of the exclusive item on the memory card.

IIRC, there were multi-language (Canadian) and English-only cases for Master Quest bonus disc and Zelda Collector's Edition at different retailers but neither could really be considered a variant since they were both available in the US simultaneously from various places (not specific to one source).
 

Some supporting pics of various variants...

Looks like I sold my Target variant in 2005 when I made this pic.


That's a launch-day copy so almost guaranteed to be v1.0 (of importance for sequence-breakers and speed-runners?). Paid WAY too much (full-price) considering that Blockbuster Video (LOL! Remember them?!) had it for $20 and then $10 even before it went into the Player's Choice series. Guess I kept this version because it belonged with my cell art but I still didn't want to open it. That's probably why I bought the Prime bundle GameCube instead. Wish I had just opened it because then I would have got the Wind Waker/Master Quest bundle and still had a digital out port. I replaced my stolen Component cables and had to do the system swap program with my brand new GameCube for a refurbished one... even though I could have just purchased a refurb for less in the first place! Having to buy the Wind Waker + Master Quest double-disc variant used just added insult to injury for me back then, but I guess it broke the ice on me finally being open to adding used games to my collection which I do for non-current games without hesitation these days.


Some more variant cases


The normal versions

I'll have to check my copy when I get home. It's the regular spine but if it's a Canadian version that would debunk that theory right? I've never personally seen this spine but that doesn't mean it can't be a Canadian version, I don't pay much attention to this title anyway

Bert, go and fuck yourself. Metroid Prime is a gem.

last time i checked, this was the entire list for Metroid Prime Variants.



I have never seen a varaint with that spine on it... i'd love to compare it some more.

Here is a couple of more up close pics. if you look close you can tell that it is a little fuzzy .. it reminds me of Majesco Super nintendo releases. Does anybody know if there were re-releases of Gamecube Games ? Looking closely at the Nintendo Seals they definitely do not look like they were printed with the gold ink tho. the paper looks and feels like other gamecube games and the print ink seem to be the same quality as well, just the image is not as sharp.. If it is a bootleg cover its the best one i have ever seen. Just seems like a lot to go thru to change the spine. 

I don't know if it counts since the art is the same but they are definitely missing the non-locking standard art case variant. Locking and non-locking were available on launch day. Nintendo had just revised the cases to have the locking slot at the bottom and Metroid Prime was the game caught in the transition. Every prior release did not have the lock slot though later reprints and re-releases of earlier games did. I recall the case design update being discussed in an IGN mailbag shortly after the switch if anyone wants a historical reference. The non-locking variant is obviously less common since followup shipments had the lock slot but it also seemed more difficult to find even on launch day (I checked several stores that day). IIRC, I only saw it at Toys R Us.

I don't recall ever finding a non lockable Super Mario Sunshine and that was released before prime Also I think all of the double disc games only came in the lockable case.

If I hadn't seen the non-locking variant of Metroid Prime at launch I would be similarly unaware of it. IIRC, IGN mentioned some company making updated cases with a lockable design to satisfy some market (rental stores?) and then Metroid Prime was released with both cases. I was pretty obsessed and noticed that kind of thing immediately, but it's possible that the stores I frequented only had old stock of Super Mario Sunshine until Metroid Prime and others launched.

Though pretty much my entire GC collection was stolen in 2004 the thieves left a handful of empty game cases and Super Mario Sunshine happens to be one of them. Unlike Metroid Prime, I didn't buy it at launch from multiple places and, instead, bought it through the Nintendo Power resubscription offer that I used when I renewed a few months later. Of course, I got a lockable case then and again when I replaced it in 2004, but all new shipments of older titles were in lockable cases by that point in 2002.

Hi!!

Sorry for reviving the necro post, but I also have one of these Black Spine Metroid Prime variants and as far as I can tell this is the only thread on the internet about it. Does anyone have any insight as to what's going on here? I'll be glad to take more pics of it or whatever's needed to help get to the bottom of this.

Thanks!

I tried to attach this pic the first time but it timed out and accepted only the text apparently. Let's try again:

 

I don't really know much, but comparing it to my standard copy, the only difference I see is the spine. This even includes the box revision code which is normally incremented when they make a change to the box.

Wow !! Nikkums, i was quite surprised to see your reply. Finally, Great to see another one of these have surfaced !! Unfortunately, i have been unable to find any additional info on this but hopefully your find will stir the pot a bit.

So it's a rare variant. You selling?

Probably not in the short term. My GameCube stuff is my main collection, and this has long been an oddball, curious part of it. I bought this several years ago used from GameStop simply because the case wasn't quite right and I thought it was interesting. I mostly want to know what it is and why it exists. But as the previous posters mentioned, none of the cover art sites I've checked have a variant like this. The lower print quality on mine matches the description of the OP, which makes me think they might not be legitimate... then why would two exist in different parts of the country with the same quirks, using the same, apparently obscure, cover art? Was someone distributing these, or could these have been a print error of some sort? I wish I knew how to find out.

Curiously, the other Prime shown in my picture is a non-locking variant! I had never thought about the locking/nonlocking cases like that before and had no idea non-locking Prime was uncommon. So after looking them over for a while I wondered, what's actually in my versions of Prime?

The non-locking variant is the original version, DOL-GM8E-0-00, as you would expect to find. In the black spine edition, however, the disc is DOL-GM8E-0-01, which The Cutting Room Floor lists as the US Player's Choice 1 version. My other version of Prime (hah, I know, I have three of em!) is the MP1 + MP2 Bonus Disc edition, and it has DOL-GM8E-0-02, which is apparently the US Players Choice 2 version. (https://tcrf.net/Metroid_Prime/Ve...) All three boxes are black label though.

I'm even more confused than when I started, lol.

I'd be interested in knowing if this is also true for OPs copy as well.  Maybe they accidentally got the wrong version of the updated cover art out to print and a few slipped through the distribution cracks before it was fixed.
 

hmmmm .. My Black Spine Prime has the DOL-GM8E-0-02 disc. As far as i know everything is original to it. I found mine in a little video game shop. it had just come in a decent lot of stuff someone brought in to them, the disc was in the case when i found it on the shelf .. they didnt have the disc behind the counter or anything. I wouldnt think so .... but who knows if it got disc swapped.
I checked my Metroid/Zelda Combo and it has the 0-02 disc in it as well. *** As does my MP1 + MP2 Bonus Disc edition (0-02)

hmmmm .. My Black Spine Prime has the DOL-GM8E-0-02 disc. As far as i know everything is original to it. I found mine in a little video game shop. it had just come in a decent lot of stuff someone brought in to them, the disc was in the case when i found it on the shelf .. they didnt have the disc behind the counter or anything. I wouldnt think so .... but who knows if it got disc swapped.
I checked my Metroid/Zelda Combo and it has the 0-02 disc in it as well. *** As does my MP1 + MP2 Bonus Disc edition (0-02)