Ultra rare floppy disk game twisted and slashed into shards by US Customs or DHL checkers — ruined Tsukihime 1999 demo was one of only 50 ever produced

Tsukhime Trial Edition destroyed in shipping
(Image credit: Keripo on X)

A games collector shared a most distressing unboxing video this week. Keripo had ordered an important historical video gaming artifact, one of only 50 known copies of Tsukhime Trial Edition (月姫 体験版). However, as the images and video (embedded below) show, it looks like the US Customs and/or DHL have been rather heavy-handed when checking the parcel contents. You can clearly see that the original Windows 95/98 demo floppy disk has been deliberately sliced into pieces, after its protective shell was twisted and torn almost beyond recognition.

As Keripo opens the parcel in the video below, they naturally utter a few expletives, so this is an NSFW video in that respect. Turn the sound down/off if you prefer.

We don’t know exactly where in the transportation chain, from sender to Keripo, where the wanton floppy disk rampage took place. Hopefully, they will get some kind of compensation payment. Though that won’t totally make up for a 1-in-50 video gaming artifact being ruined.

The gamer and collector shares some before shipping pictures of the Tsukhime Trial Edition game/packaging in the X thread. It is clear to see that the sender took due care in packaging the artwork and disk. The contents were sandwiched by cardboard to prevent bends and thumbed corners, and then there were liberal rolls of bubble wrap used inside an outer cardboard shipping box. “Would never have expected US Customs to both remove all that AND intentionally damage the floppy directly,” says Keripo forlornly.

If they see this game for sale again online, “I will definitely be buying plane tickets,” said the disappointed new owner of the floppy disk shards. However, the game cover art doesn’t seem to be damaged. And perhaps a fellow collector will be able to share a disk image for a digital replacement of the mangled floppy. According to a quick search, the Mr. Data 2HD floppy we see was just a mass-produced piece of blank media – no other branding/artwork can be seen.

Was an official triggered by the 'adults only' notice on the game artwork?

We can’t fathom the reason behind the video game history vandalism that has been shown by parcel checkers of one brand or another (US Customs or DHL). One possibility is that they saw the imagery and the ‘Adult only’ notice and decided to indulge in a bit of censorship.

I’m not familiar with the Tsukhime Trial Edition demo disk, which I read is part of the Type-Moon visual novel style game series. There’s a possibility that nudity graphics may feature in the game demo, but whether that notion triggered a customs official isn’t certain. From Keripo's replies to the thread, it doesn't sound likely that they will pursue the matter with either of the probable destructive parties.

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Mark Tyson
News Editor