Favorite Box Art

Super Mario Bros. 3

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:24:27 GMT

I'm not sure why I enjoy this box art so much. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. Maybe it's 'cause it's got an unusual, yellow background. I dunno, but I like it. I like it a lot.

Wrestle Kingdom 2: Pro Wrestling Sekai Taisen

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:13:23 GMT

As a fan of professional wrestling since I was a wee little lad, I find this cover to be absolutely fantastic. For those not in the know, the cover is basically just a bunch of legends that got over big in Japan. The fact that the Destroyer is on the cover (and in the game) makes me smile. He was the first North American wrestler to get over in Japan, and his series of matches with Japanese legend Rikidozan are some of the most significant matches in Japanese wrestling history. In North America, most publishers wouldn't even try to put a wrestler from the 70's into a video game. In Japan, they happily put in the Destroyer, who made his debut in the early 50's. I'm babbling now, but I really enjoy this cover as a wrestling fan...And from an artistic standpoint, it looks mighty nice, too.

Secret of Mana

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:51:19 GMT

I think I like this one just 'cause the characters are so small, while the world around them seems so huge. I just find it to be quite pleasing to look at.

Alan Wake

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 19:05:47 GMT

Before I knew anything about this game, I took a look at the cover and thought, "Y'know...That reminds me of a book cover." When I finally sat down to play the game, I found out why that was. It's a simple, yet effective, game cover that I just plain enjoy.

Namco Museum Vol. 5

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:21:17 GMT

I like box art that comes together when you put multiple games next to each other. I think out of those types of box art, I like Namco's Namco Museum box art for the original Playstation best. It's simple, but also kind of neat to look at, especially when you've searched for years to get all five volumes of the game and are finally able to put 'em all together.

Stubbs The Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:56:42 GMT

Stubbs the Zombie was a grotesque character that was also just plain lovable. I feel like this box art captures that. Stubbs, wearing his stylish hat from the 50's and with cigarette in his mouth, is about to eat some brains while a zombie army that he has created is terrorizing the town behind him. It might not be the best box art ever made, but I enjoy it...And hey, that's what this particular list is about.

Shin Megami Tensei

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:48:34 GMT

I enjoy how this is like a portrait of a bunch of demons that you can recruit...Almost like a family portrait. It's just really nice to look at and it's also really interesting to me, too. Kazuma Kaneko, the artist of most of the series, dating back to the Super Famicom entries in the franchise, has an interesting take on many of the mythical creatures and demons found within the Megami Tensei universe, and this box art displays several of 'em in one nifty picture.

Katamari Damacy

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:46:29 GMT

When I first saw the box art for this game on the shelf of a local GameStop (before I decided they weren't getting any more money from this fella here) I knew I had to buy it there and then. It's just so bizarre and strange that it caught my eye. It just happens to be a fantastic picture...a mountain top, a rainbow, a couple of cows, a city, and a big, hulking ball of assorted items rolling through it all. It's one of my all-time favorite box arts...Probably in my top five.

Left 4 Dead

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:28:21 GMT

This is another piece of box art that is simple, but still quite neat to look at. A mangled zombie hand, missing the thumb, reaching upwards...That's basically it. And I enjoy it. The scratchy, sketchy filter put on the background helps give it even more character. There's not much else to this one, but I still enjoy the overall concept of this cover.

Metal Gear Solid

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:30:51 GMT

There's something about a pure white background and nothing else on the cover aside from the game's logo that makes me smile. Oftentimes, box art is a cluttered mess with folks trying to fit way too much into a small space. With Metal Gear Solid, that mess wasn't needed. I remember seeing it at Wal-Mart as a young'un and immediately noticing how well the cover stood out amongst the sea of other games on display. I sometimes wish more game companies would follow this rule of moderation when designing their box art.

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:52:25 GMT

I've never been a big fan of Michael Jackson. When I was a kid, his transformation from looking normal into having that ghoul-like appearance he would eventually have scared the living daylights out of me. I'm also not much of a music guy, so his music never won me over, either. However, this box art is pretty nifty just the same.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:23:41 GMT

Here in North America, I feel we got the best version of Twilight Princess box art. It's simple, yet very artistic. I'm also a big fan of the dull, faded colors. When it comes to this console generation's box art, I think Twilight Princess is among the best in that category.

Heavy Rain

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:09:53 GMT

I feel that the North American version of Heavy Rain has the worst box art of the bunch. The Japanese box art comes in a close second to the European box art, which I happen to enjoy quite a bit. I just feel that the European cover art just has better imagery than the other two. The best way to describe it is like how I've described a few others on this list; simple, yet effective.

Suikoden III

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:46:51 GMT

I love this game...And I love the box art just as much. The three main characters are in color while a select few other characters from the game are displayed in monochromatic fashion. It doesn't feel cluttered at all, but very neat and contained. This is one of those box art designs that I'm happy to just look at for a while and take in the art.

Rakugaki Showtime

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:25:59 GMT

I like crayons. The art style both in-game and on the box art for Rakugaki Showtime resembles that of crayon artwork. I enjoy how the background appears to be that of a sketchbook and that they're all bursting out from the pages. It's an enjoyable piece of box art, unfortunately with as rare as it is, not too many folks have gotten the opportunity to experience the art both on the box and in the game first-hand.

Final Fantasy III

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:51:27 GMT

I never really understood the North american box art for Final Fantasy III (VI) but I always liked it anyway. The black background with a purple shadow of evil hovering over a moogle...It just looks cool to me. Plus, I just like moogles in general...So having one on the cover is a bit of a plus.

Twisted Metal Black

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:44:35 GMT

More simplicity here. The cover is almost entirely just half of Sweet Tooth's cranium...With only a small part of the side stating the title of the game. The cover looks dark and twisted and helps prepare the player for the demented stuff found within the game. I'm a fan.

Street Fighter Alpha

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:45:54 GMT

Street Fighter Alpha received two different kind of box art in North America. One style was for the original release of the game in the long box. The second was for the CD-style cases that Playstation One games eventually adopted as their case of choice. The second design is the one I enjoy. Most "fighters edge" games of this time had similar box art, but out of them all, I just enjoy this one the best...Possibly due to the color scheme used. I dunno. But I like it.

Policenauts

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:29:21 GMT

There's something neat about a Vitruvian man astronaut on a black background. I don't really have much else to say about this one aside from that I like it.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:45:24 GMT

While I also enjoy the North American version and its red hue, I prefer the Japanese version of Nocturne. This particular cover is for the original Japanese version of Nocturne, which lacks a bit of what the North American version (which was the 'extra' version of Nocturne released as 'Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Maniax' in Japan) had. That being said, the Maniax cover, like the red, North American cover, is also enjoyable. However, I still prefer the original, blue, Japanese cover over them all...Especially the European version. Not a fan of that one at all.

JU-ON: The Grudge

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:23:25 GMT

I've never seen the movie, and despite me owning the game, I haven't played that yet, either...But I really enjoy this cover art. An extreme close-up of an eyeball is quite nice from my point of view. It seems to set the mood for some possible creepiness when you begin to play. I dunno...This just seems mighty neat to me.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:18:52 GMT

I pretty much enjoy everything about this cover. The color scheme...I really like how it all blends together so well. I also enjoy the main characters featured, as well as a few of the class types that you can play as. I just really, really enjoy this cover. It's good stuff.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:54:07 GMT

This is another one that I enjoy for the color scheme. Everything is a blue-ish hue as the Turtles hover over a glowing city at night. The city bounces some light off of them, and the whole picture just looks pretty neat. This is easily my favorite box art for any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game ever made.

Rule of Rose

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:46:19 GMT

The thing I like about Rule of Rose is how disturbing it is. The game contains children doing some pretty ghastly things...So it's appropriate to have box art for the game that looks like something a demented child would create. The only thing that might make me enjoy this more is if the visuals on the cover has a crayon texture to them. But, minor griping on my end. I still enjoy the cover as it is.

Liberty or Death

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:52:43 GMT

No fancy reasons here...I think American history is rather neat, and in turn, seeing a portrait-style cover with a bunch of important figures in the history of the USA makes me think that the cover to this game is pretty neat, too. I do also like the contrast between the pale blue background and the more earth-toned portraits.

Forever Kingdom

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:46:08 GMT

Another game that I own, but haven't played yet...This game can credit the fact that it's in my collection purely on the fact that I love the cover art. It caught my eye at a flea market...And after enjoying the art for a few seconds, I realized that I had never actually heard of this game before then...So, I bought it and brought it home. If the gameplay is just half as enjoyable as its monochromatic box art, I'll be pleased about my purchase.

Phalanx

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 19:06:26 GMT

In my opinion, this is a cover so bad that it's good. What does a hillbilly and his banjo have to do with a scrolling space shooter? I don't know...But it's probably awesome. The fact that the hillbilly seems to not have any idea of what's going on or where he is just adds to this masterpiece.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 19:12:28 GMT

I like the art style of all the GTA box art from Grand Theft Auto III and up, but I think Vice City has the most charming of the bunch with its retro theme. The pastels and very 80's looking 'Vice City' logo just help pinpoint why I enjoy this more than any other box art in the GTA series, narrowly beating out Vice City Stories.

Quarantine

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:55:12 GMT

Considering you're running over a ton of folks in this game, it's only fitting that the cover be pure red with a windshield wiper wiping some of it away. I just really enjoy how artistic this one is...I find it to be quite clever.