Maybe just do something simple like "Flint Hook (Variant Release)" for the 2nd cover?
An item has to stand on its own, so a title should have something that you can see on the actual item. A term like "variant" refers to something else, that you can't see because it isn't that item. Such terms "Variant" or "alternate" or anything like that should not be used in an item title, unless that term is on the item itself.
Is there really nothing different between say, the two Shantae covers, besides the front artwork? Is there no item number somewhere on the spine or the back that is different?
Here is an example of an item title that normally wouldn't be something you'd do, but you have to do because there is no other way to do it. Transformers The Game on PSP (Greatest Hits) has two versions, and the only thing different about them is a number on the back.
https://vgcollect.com/item/130626I had consulted with Silverbow about how to handle an item like this, as he was working on the PSP section at the time.
Another situation with a game that has 3 covers in Sega Saturn Japan, Lupin the 3rd: Chronicles, fortunately these three have different item numbers:
https://vgcollect.com/item/144847https://vgcollect.com/item/144848https://vgcollect.com/item/67950The only thing then, is if you have to put some descriptor into the item title, if it is not obvious (for example, this is not needed for the Saturn example because the item number field matches) then you should put into description field about that number, as you see in the TF PSP example.
For any of these LRG games that have a retail/online name, you can put that into the description also. Such as "This item was sold as "Game name (variant artwork) on Limited Run Games' website." or something like that. Same thing you would do for consoles that were sold as "Bundle" but various retailers, but the term bundle does not appear on their packaging, as in Xbox holiday bundles and the like.
