Super Metroid Barcode Battler Cards: The Lost Nintendo Relic Recreated by a Game Historian

Super Metroid Barcode Battler Cards: The Lost Nintendo Relic Recreated by a Game Historian The Barcode Battler holds a unique place in gaming history as a pioneering piece of hardware from the early '90s, designed to let players scan special cards to battle digital foes.

Distributed by Tomy in the UK, the system enjoyed far more success in Japan, where official Nintendo-themed decks for The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, and even Street Fighter were produced.

Yet, throughout its lifespan, fans never saw an official Super Metroid set—until now, thanks to the creative efforts of renowned game historian and Time Extension contributor, John Szczepaniak. The story began when Time Extension reported on the legacy of the Barcode Battler, a nostalgic relic for many retro gaming enthusiasts.

Shortly afterwards, the editorial team received a mysterious package purportedly sent by "Zack Joseph Zanin," who claimed to have worked at Tomy during the device's heyday.

Inside the parcel were meticulously crafted Super Metroid Barcode Battler prototype cards, allegedly premiering a long-lost project intended to entice Nintendo into full-scale production.

The authenticity of these cards, however, took an unexpected turn. It was soon unveiled that Zack Joseph Zanin—an anagram for John Szczepaniak—was a clever persona created by Szczepaniak himself.

A respected authority in the documentation of video game history, Szczepaniak has dedicated years to researching the industry across Japan and the UK, as well as restoring classic titles.

His Barcode Battler cards were, in fact, a passion project, skillfully made with high-resolution artwork sourced online and barcodes directly adapted from the authentic Zelda set, aided by the resources of the Barcode Battler Museum. "I began by translating the Zelda cards into English," Szczepaniak explained.

"I realized printing them myself would be more cost-effective than searching for an original deck.

After working on those, I wondered—there were official Mario and Zelda cards, but never a Metroid set.

Would the gameplay mechanics translate? With some tweaks, I discovered around 95% of the core mechanics overlapped—projectile weapons, health upgrades, enemy variety, even movement-enhancing footwear.

It was fascinating to see how Metroid’s system could be adapted from Zelda’s blueprint.

For example, Link’s magic points could easily become Samus’ Metroid Power for special attacks, and many of Zelda’s spells fit perfectly into the Metroid universe." The attention to detail in Szczepaniak’s work is striking.

Text, layout, and visual design closely mirror original Barcode Battler cards, and the custom set stands as a testament to both the enduring appeal of Super Metroid and the creative potential of fan-driven preservation efforts in classic gaming culture.

Although these prototype cards will not be made available to the public, they capture a what-if moment for Nintendo’s international legacy with the Barcode Battler—an era when games, hardware, and collectible cards overlapped in ways that influenced gaming for decades to come. While the Barcode Battler never achieved broad commercial success outside Japan, especially compared to Nintendo Switch or titles regularly spotlighted during Nintendo Direct presentations today, its rich history continues to inspire new generations.

Szczepaniak has no intention of releasing these Super Metroid cards widely, but the excitement they have generated among enthusiasts highlights the nostalgia and curiosity that defines the classic gaming community.

Those interested in game preservation, Nintendo collectibles, or the untold stories behind hardware like the Barcode Battler can look to projects like this as a reminder of how much passion remains for gaming’s formative artifacts.

Metroid Super Metroid Nintendo Barcode Battler Tomy John Szczepaniak Time Extension Barcode Battler Museum Zelda Mario Street Fighter