Is it just me or does the core of the Red/Black Alien remind you a lot of the old Columbia 300 Formula core? The bottom flip block looks a little different on the Aliens but the main core looks very similar to the Formula. Just an observation of mine.

You have to remember who was making Elite balls at the time a particular Elite was made. That company would have cooperated with matching their cores with their covers to make the ball Elite wanted.

Initially, Brunswick made Elite balls; then, at the time of the Red/Black Alien, 900Global made them. Now I believe they are made in Asia, maybe either China or Korea.

SO when 900Global, the theoretical "style" successor of the old Columbia 300 family of balls (same manufacturing plant and some of the same personnel), made the Red/Black Aline for Elite, they used one of their old cores and one of their current coverstocks or one from their supplier(s). So once you take these ideas into account, it should be no surprise the core of the R/B Alien looks familiar to users of older Columbia balls.