Slashdot Mirror
More Terrible Box Art
Press the Buttons has an article up discussing some of his least favorite Nintendo box art. The article is a follow-up to a box art column on Gamespy. From the article: "I eventually did get the game, but it never occurred to me how unexciting this box art actually was until sometime later. How did SNK expect this to sell? 'Mom, Mom, I want the game starring Lee Trevino that's endorsed by the U.S. National Video Game Team!' I hope that SNK's target audience was adults here, because if not then they have only themselves to blame."
He's dead on about Mega Man. Mega Man 2 is probably my favorite game ever. But it had the most terrifying box art you ever saw. It's just wrong.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
I just looked at the Gamespy article and was (re)introduced to the wonders of Sega Master System box art. Minimalistic cartoon art against a graph-paper background! Large serif fonts!
Good God, Lotus 1-2-3 looked like more fun than Sega Master System games did.
For more information, click here.
Almost all their "worst" titles are practically Hollywood productions.
You want box art? Try looking at some of the Atari 2600 boxes one day.
Dammit! the link sends you right to the end of the article? who did that? i am so annoyed right now.
i mean, clicking the link to the first page isnt very hard, but the end is already ruined. DAMN IT.
Thats like linking to the part of fight club where you find out they're the same guy.
System.out.println(syynnapse.getSig());
PST is my favorite CRPG of all time. But the box art. The box art. What were they thinking? That had to contribute to the relatively low sales.
I find it funny if this is it.
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
The box art for curse of the azure bonds had a permanent home in my bathroom.
I miss puberty.
This game had by far the worst Art. You have the hottest, arguably the most supreme combat vehicle of all time in Sophia.
/ blsmbxf.jpg
Yet Sunsoft put a giant beast on the cover. The ugliest one with a sniper rifle target. There is no sniper rifle in the game.
http://bmunderground.chaosr.com/gfx/02_images/ads
here is the 10 best list. What I can't understand is that each of the 10 best has a runner up. Wouldn't that just be "The 20 Best"?
Best box ever = Wasteland for the Apple II:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/wasteland/cover-art
The old album-style packaging had it all: excellent cover establishing the tone of the game, ornate illustration of a decimated Las Vegas on the inside panels, and a photo of the game designers in post-apocalyptic gear carrying weapons.
Best ever. No contest. Nothing comes close.
Anticipation
Need I say more?
Thanks for linking directly to Gamespy's #1 worst box art and ruin it Zonk!
No sig for you!!
Being in the UK I was always importing Super Famicom and US Super Nintendo games back in their heyday. I'd never usually wait for US releases unless the wait was going to be very short or the game was full of Japanese. It never ceased to amaze me when I saw the final US boxart how they changed it compared to the Super Famicom version.
Take a look on Ebay, search for Final Fight, Turtles in Time, Mystical Ninja/Goemon, Actraiser they all look terrible. Even Zelda III had an inferior US box design.
Date of article: Jan. 12, 2003
How can this be news??
What about the covers for most of the Atari games? I remember the cover for skydive wasn't anything like the game. Same with Tank.
How about the differences between American box art and Japanese box art?
There seems to be a trend to totally ruin the simplistic and quite often wonderful box art that Japan gets when a game comes to America. It's almost as if they (the companies) feel the need to dumb down the art here in order to reach out to a market that just does not understand videogames.
One of the most blaring examples is Ico. In America we get a box with some kid with a stick in his hand and a bunch of other random stuff on there. Sure, it does relate to the game but it doesn't make the game look very good. American box art.
Now compare that image to the one from Japan.
Japanese box art
Sure, it has the same stuff that the American one has, the boy with the stick, the girl, the windmill, but it has a much more ethereal quality to it which more captures the feel of the game, which for those of you who haven't played it, it's more what the game itself is like, simple, quiet, and a visual treat.
Another example is Final Fantasy VII.
Scroll down to the bottom. Compare the simple white of the Japanese to the more action-y (Cloud with his huge sword) American version.
I read about a new game, usually online. I read a review or two. I look at some screengrabs, sometimes try the demo. And if it looks good, I go out and buy it. Who cares what the box looks like? With so many godawful games out there, how can anyone look at the box and use that in their buy/no-buy decision?
That shit is state-of-the-art, and high resolution. Capcom was way ahead of the times!
Where do I sign up?!?!?!?
I read the title and thought this thread was about tatooed cooters.
Glad I was wrong.
Cheap storage VM.
Welcome to Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge. I am Carvallo. Now, choose a club.
You have chosen a three wood. May I suggest a putter?
Three wood. Now enter the force of your swing. I suggest feather touch.
You have entered "power drive". Now, push seven eight seven to swing.
Ball is in: parking lot. Would you like to play again?
You have selected "No".
All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
No matter what anyone else says is the worst box art ever, Cock'in has the worst art ever. Ever. Ever, ever.
Must go wash my eyes now...