You'd be forgiven for scoffing at limited-edition vinyl album releases, whether because you mock them as the stuff of snooty hipsters or because you take issue with their supposed sound-reproduction superiority. But I will defend to the death anybody who lovingly manufactures gatefold-sleeve albums—or, at least, the ones that are dedicated to retro video game soundtracks.

This new niche genre of gaming product actually didn't kick off until late last year, when British company Data Discs began publishing remastered vinyl soundtracks of classic Sega games. Gaming-merch company iam8bit has also gotten in on the fun with its own line of albums. Ars doesn't typically write about album launches, but we're making an exception for Killer Cuts: the Killer Instinct soundtrack.

Why? Because the soundtrack for the original 1995 arcade game was a veritable soup of genres and sound samples, which makes it one of the most interesting candidates for iam8bit's remastering process. The soundtrack won't start shipping in its vinyl edition until October, but preorders kicked off Friday as a promotion linked to this weekend's hugely popular EVO fighting game tournament. The vinyl will come in one of three covers, each with the record colored to match the character on its front. This weekend only, interested fighting-music fans can score KI's green-vinyl Fulgore edition with metallic paper. Also, pre-order customers are automatically entered to win a pretty cool-looking Fulgore figurine.

What's more, every copy of Killer Cuts will include a locked groove on side A that will play the game's famed "COMBO BREAKER!" shout repeatedly—which, I gotta admit, is a hilarious touch. Should you want to spice up your live DJ mixes with more Killer Instinct sound and announcer samples, iam8bit has your back in the form of a special Killer Scratches 7" made up entirely of samples. I can't wait to hear DJs and MCs rock some hot beats with Sabrewulf's death cry blasting on the ones and threes.

This isn't iam8bit's first dalliance with classic Rare video game soundtracks; you can still pick up the company's run of Banjo-Kazooie songs on wax, which you might want to do solely for its incredible cover art. That sleeve depicts a drawing of a real-looking bear and robin faking like the game's cartoon heroes.