DIY Nostalgia: The Player Bringing Back Game Manuals by Hand
For Rowan Fox-Noble (MBPUK), gaming isn’t just about playing, it’s about making the experience tangible again. That’s why he began hand-crafting his own manuals and inserts for Nintendo Switch games. Cutting, stitching, and binding each one by hand. In an era where cases are bare plastic shells, his booklets restore the feel of opening a new game and finding something inside. “It started more from frustration than pure nostalgia,” he explains. “When I first opened Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild, the Switch cases were empty...just clips. I honestly wondered why there was nothing to put in the case anymore. I tried printing something myself at home and, despite the rough result, I liked how it filled the case.”
The first attempts were basic: scissors, tape, and stitched-together images. “My first was Super Mario Odyssey. I basically stitched flat images together and printed them, cut them with big scissors, and bound them as best I could. It filled the case, and I thought that was great at the time, but looking back the quality was awful! Alignment, fonts, cuts, paper quality, everything.” Those rough experiments became the foundation for a much more meticulous craft. Today, each manual he makes is measured, trimmed, and folded to slot perfectly into a Switch case, a process that blends old-school DIY energy with a collector’s eye for detail.
Rowan didn’t just stop at making manuals for himself. Community feedback quickly showed there was wider demand. “At that point I shared my Breath of the Wild booklet in a Zelda community on Facebook. I’d made it for myself, a little companion with checklists for quests while I was playing. People absolutely loved it. That post just exploded, and suddenly I had people asking, ‘Can you do this game next? Can you do that one?’ That was when I realized maybe this wasn’t just for me.”
Since then, his process has evolved into something thoughtful and intentional. Each manual is designed to feel authentic, as if Nintendo had produced it themselves, but with Rowan’s handmade care. “Design is about striking the right tone. The manuals are 100% unofficial, but my goal is always: if these existed officially, this is what they might look like. I want them to match the style, vibe, and care that Nintendo puts into their games.”
Even decades after his first gaming memories, Rowan’s work on these manuals bridges the gap between nostalgia and modern design. He isn’t just recreating pages; he’s making something fans can hold, flip through, and enjoy in a way digital manuals never allow. “Manuals are great when you step away from a game for months. Coming back to Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, for example, I often forgot where I was. Digital notes on my phone kept disappearing, which was frustrating. Having a physical booklet meant I could pick up exactly where I’d left off.”
In Rowan’s hands, a small Switch manual becomes more than just paper, I like to think of it as maybe a little piece of gaming history, crafted from scratch for collectors and players alike by someone who cares.
From Idea to Design: The Process Behind the Manuals:
Every manual Rowan creates begins with some kind of ‘spark’ moment. Sometimes a personal obsession with a game, sometimes a request from the community. “There are a few pillars I always return to when deciding what manual to make next,” he explains. “Community requests: I get constant messages and emails asking for specific games, and I keep track of them. Games I enjoy: if I’m having fun playing something, that energy goes into the design. And learning opportunities: sometimes I choose a project because it lets me experiment.”
The design phase is far from simple. Unlike digital assets, creating something tangible for a Switch case requires attention to scale, detail, and user experience. Rowan describes the early challenges: “New games often don’t have much imagery available, so I may need to capture my own screenshots, edit assets, or even commission friends who are stronger in illustration. Sometimes the lack of resources forces me to change direction, but when materials finally become available, I can go back to my original vision.”
For him, authenticity is key. “I spend a lot of time looking at older manuals—not just Nintendo, but Sega, PlayStation, whatever. It’s about understanding how they spoke to players, the tone, the way they presented information. I want mine to capture that same feeling.” That means careful attention to fonts, layouts, and illustrations, ensuring each manual feels like a genuine part of the game experience.
Printing adds another layer of complexity. Rowan has spent years figuring out paper types, finishes, and dimensions. “I learned that names and terms for paper stock differ between the UK and the US. Basically, I spend a lot of time finding a paper I’m happy with. High-resolution, minimal errors, something that isn’t glossy or matte, just the right feel. Industrial printers are necessary because home printers can’t produce the quality I need. I also consider the weight of the paper, especially to make sure the booklet fits in a Switch case and doesn’t exceed the maximum page count.”
He also balances aesthetics with practicality. “Special editions have slightly larger dimensions to accommodate foiling and UV effects, but I test those prints to make sure they remain functional. Thickness matters, too; too thick and the foil finishes can damage the paper, so I balance aesthetics with practicality.”
The final product, though, is more than a manual...it’s a user-friendly tool. “I think about what players will actually need: a concise refresher of core mechanics and the most commonly forgotten bits (controls, key systems, shop times, calendars, etc.) without spoiling the game. Manuals should give a couple of hours’ worth of helpful info, enough for a quick catch-up, but not spoilers.”
From concept to design, Rowan’s process is meticulous, combining creativity, technical know-how, and a deep understanding of what players want. Every step, from capturing images to choosing paper stock, is an effort to make each manual not just functional, but fun, too.
Community Influence: Feedback, Requests, and Collaboration:
For Rowan, creating manuals isn’t a solitary endeavor. The community plays a central role in shaping his work, providing feedback, suggestions, and sometimes even direct inspiration. “Usually the community engages directly with me...through Twitter, Etsy, email, or even Trello. On Trello, if you’ve got an account, you can vote on cards, so that helps guide what I prioritize,” he explains.
Sometimes, Rowan reaches out for input himself. “If I’ve been staring at something too long or can’t decide between ideas, I’ll post on Twitter and ask, ‘Which one do you prefer? Does this look good?’ The community gives me a consensus, which really helps. As much as I like to trust my own eye for detail, you can’t always see clearly if you’ve been working too long. It never hurts to check in with people.”
Community requests often directly influence which games get manuals next. “I make these manuals for my own collection, but I also want to complete other people’s collections. That’s what drives me to keep going: following suggestions, even buying games I wouldn’t normally play just to make the manual people have asked for.”
Sometimes, the community even shapes the content itself. Rowan recalls a fun example with Kirby: “I made a joke mock-up where the cover art showed Kirby eating the manual. It was meant as a silly little thing, but the community demanded I turn it into a full booklet because it was ‘too cute not to exist.’ And honestly, I agreed...it had to be done!”
Fans extend beyond the Switch community as well. Retro collectors reach out to appreciate the nods to older manuals, while parents often want to recreate the magic for their children. “I have two nephews myself, so when they play something like Breath of the Wild, I give them the matching booklet to keep track of their progress. Seeing them flip through the manual alongside the game makes it all worth it.”
Rowan also receives commissions from indie developers, producing manuals for new releases across Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. “A few of those are under NDA, but it’s been amazing to collaborate in that way,” he says.
In short, the community isn’t just alongside Rowan’s work, they actively co-create it, provide validation, and keep the project evolving. The give and take between maker and fan is as much a part of the process as the hand-crafted design itself.
Balancing Nostalgia and Modern Expectations:
Rowan’s manuals are rooted in nostalgia, but they also have to work for today’s gamers. “Nostalgia is already baked in the moment you open a Switch case and find a booklet, but it just doesn’t happen often anymore,” he notes. “But beyond that, it’s about capturing the essence of the series. For something like Metroid, I look at what makes the franchise visually distinct, how older manuals felt, and how I can recreate that atmosphere.”
The challenge comes when modern game design changes player expectations. Tutorials, in-game prompts, and digital resources have replaced much of the guidance manuals once provided. Rowan strikes a careful balance: “You want to respect the past while making sure the manual feels relevant to today’s players. For remakes, like Link’s Awakening or Metroid Prime Remastered, I try to capture the feel of the original while making the manual look right for the remaster. It’s a real balancing act.”
He gives the example of Super Mario RPG: “I initially recreated pages very closely in the old style: textures, fonts, layout, and it ended up feeling almost like an authentic 1990s manual. That was too much: it read like I was trying to make a manual from another era rather than something that complements the remaster. So I dialed it back, kept the essence and nods to the original, but uplifted the layout and typography to match the modern presentation.”
Practicality is just as important as style. “I focus on what players will actually need: a concise refresher of core mechanics and the most commonly forgotten bits. Controls, key systems, shop times, calendars, etc., all without spoiling the game. Manuals should give a couple of hours’ worth of helpful info, enough for a quick catch-up - but not spoilers. It’s usually trial and error: design a page, step back, test it against the game, then tweak until it feels right.”
For Rowan, it almost seems to be more about the experience than the content. Manuals aren’t just a pretty nod to the past; they’re a tool for engagement, enhancing gameplay and helping players immerse themselves fully in the worlds they love.
Navigating Legal and Logistical Challenges: Staying on Safe Ground
Making handmade manuals for Nintendo games sounds fun, but as Rowan quickly learned, it’s not just about design and printing. There’s a tricky layer of legal and logistical hurdles that every creator in this space has to navigate.
“I’ve checked with a few solicitors, and they say it should be fine since I don’t claim Nintendo’s imagery or revenue, I’m just the author and designer,” Rowan explains. “But getting written confirmation costs thousands of pounds, and solicitors don’t come cheap.”
He recalls his first attempt at launching a website to sell his creations: “Platforms like Shopify shut my initial site down after I spent a month creating it, simply because it mentioned ‘Nintendo’ and ‘Pokémon.’ They told me I’d need legal documentation to continue. That was a bit of a blow, but it taught me early on that research and caution are essential.”
Rowan does what he can to stay on the safe side, reaching out to companies directly when needed. “I emailed one for instance, to check if it would be okay for my manuals to appear on Amazon and eBay, and they were very happy to approve it. It’s all about making sure everything is above board.”
Shipping, too, can be a headache. International deliveries are especially tricky: “At the moment, sending to the US has been an issue because of customs and DDP arrangements. Sometimes items get lost or delayed. It’s frustrating, because I’ve put so much effort into the manual itself, and then the last step (the delivery) feels out of my control.” He adds that he uses tracked services, Etsy protection, and workarounds whenever possible, even hand-delivering items locally if needed.
Despite these challenges, Rowan keeps perspective. “Nintendo could shut me down if they wanted, but they haven’t, and I hope they see it as a compliment. I try to make everything in a transformative way...writing, designing, and commissioning imagery myself, so it’s legally sound and avoids gray areas.”
For Rowan, balancing creativity with legality and logistics is just part of the craft. “It’s tricky at times,” he says, “but knowing that the manuals are safe, accurate, and reaching people who will appreciate them makes it worth the effort.”
The Physical Value of Manuals: Why Paper Still Matters:
For Rowan, these handmade manuals aren’t just nice-to-have extras, they’re an essential part of the gaming experience. In an era where most Switch cases come almost empty, he believes there’s something special about holding a physical booklet.
“Manuals have a real use case and cultural value,” he says. “When I was younger, I’d read manuals on the bus or train before even playing the game. They cut down on tutorial fatigue—you already knew the basics by the time you started.”
He notes that digital manuals, tucked away in submenus, can’t replicate the tactile experience. “Digital notes on my phone kept disappearing, which was frustrating. Having a physical booklet meant I could pick up exactly where I’d left off. Even remembering controls matters. In Metroid Dread, I’d take a break, forget a button combo, and get instantly killed by an EMMI. With a manual, I could check quickly instead of restarting the whole game.”
Manuals also serve a cultural and nostalgic purpose. They preserve the feel of older games while complementing modern releases. “A proper physical release has three essential elements: the case, the cartridge, and the manual. Everything else: art books, collector’s items—is a bonus,” he says.
Beyond gameplay, Rowan enjoys the connection these manuals foster. Parents reach out wanting their kids to experience the joy they felt growing up with printed guides. Retro collectors appreciate the nods to older manuals, and even indie developers commission him to create manuals for their games. “Seeing someone flip through the manual alongside the game makes it all worth it,” he says.
For him, the tactile nature of a manual, the paper, the layout, the feel, completes the experience. It’s not just about nostalgia; it’s about bringing something simple and physical to increasingly digital gameplay, helping players learn, and preserving a piece of gaming culture that’s slowly disappearing.
Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Evolving Projects
Even after years of making hand-crafted manuals, Rowan isn’t slowing down. “There are always new games coming out, and the community keeps pushing me to try new things,” he says. For him, it’s never just about filling an empty case—it’s about improving the craft with each project.
He’s exploring ways to expand beyond standard manuals. Special editions with foil, UV finishes, and more intricate layouts are on the horizon, though he’s careful not to make them prohibitively expensive. “For special editions, foiling and UV finishes are added, but I try to keep pricing reasonable—no more than about £16—because I don’t want it costing half the price of a game,” he explains.
Rowan also considers broader formats. Collaborations with indie developers, manuals in multiple languages, and even expansions into PlayStation or Xbox titles are all possibilities. “I’ve been commissioned by indie devs for their releases: sometimes Switch, sometimes PlayStation or Xbox. It’s amazing to collaborate like that.”
The goal isn’t just quantity; it’s maintaining the quality, feel, and authenticity of each booklet. Even as he experiments, Rowan’s eye for detail hasn't changed. Each new design balances nostalgia with usability, keeps content relevant, and remains a collector’s item in its own right. “Design is about striking the right tone. If these existed officially, this is what they might look like,” he says.
For Rowan, creating these manuals is more than a craft, it’s a connection to the history of gaming and the community that loves it. “I want people to enjoy having them. I’ve loved making it, and I want you to love having it and fill up your case,” he says.
The project is deeply personal but also collaborative. The feedback, requests, and encouragement from fans have turned what began as a solo hobby into something much bigger. He’s proud that these booklets not only fill a void left by the modern shift to digital but also spark joy and nostalgia.
Ultimately, Rowan’s work stands as a reminder that games are more than software...they’re experiences. And while digital guides and menus have their place, there’s something irreplaceable about holding a carefully designed manual in your hands, flipping through its pages, and seeing the love poured into every detail.
“I think the fact that people want them, that they ask for these, is incredible. It’s proof that the small, thoughtful things matter,” he says.
From the first scissors-and-glue experiments to polished, hand-crafted booklets that collectors cherish, Rowan has created a bridge between old-school charm and modern gaming culture...one manual at a time.
I love what Rowan makes, I've shared his work for years now on whatever platforms I tend to be on, and whenever I do...the reactions are always amazement. I'm so grateful that he agreed to chat to me, and was excited about the idea of this article. I'm not old enough to have grown up in the 1990's and thus have that strong sense of nostalgia for the paper inserts, but when I do get to experience it now, I'm always in love.
I hope you've enjoyed this one, it's something different, but I get the impression that maybe some of my readers on here might be in that age-group where those inserts in the cases are missed greatly.
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