Video Game Artwork

[BrianC]

It seems that was the case, since the game was also ported to the big three 8-bit computers of Europe (ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64). They even used the same artwork from the JP flyer.

Interesting that it lists "Atari", but the Atari 800 version never came out.

[Jonny2x4]

魔界二名ヲ刻マレシ者タチヨ、
モハヤ逃レルスベハナイ。

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Another movie-like arcade flyer from Konami, this time for Dark Adventure/Devil World/魔獣の王国. Weird how this flyer shows all three protagonists, but Japan only got a 2-player version which lacked the Luke Skywalker-looking dude.

[BIL]

Wow, never heard of that one! Didn't know there was another Devil World besides Nintendo's early FC Pacman-esque.

Although the actual art style is different, the filmic adventure tone reminds me of Majou Densetsu II/The Maze of Galious.

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I'd like to track down a logo-free version... both characters get obscured either up top or below by the various JP/overseas formats. I like the overseas composition better, tbh - the JP hides fulltime player character Aphrodite behind that shield. I like that she's not portrayed as especially rugged opposite her husband, the grizzled warrior Popolon. Would probably get calls for boycott today.

[Sumez]

Wasn't it all of Konami's old video game artwork that was lost in a fire? (the Japanese ones that is)

[BIL]

I definitely recall hearing something about a fire destroying records relating to the original Akumajou Dracula's development.

[tomwhite2004]

It was an earthquake in 1995 that destroyed all that old art...

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/ ... _game_.php

[BIL]

Ah, I was wondering if a quake was involved somehow.

[Sumez]

Right, that's the one I was thinking of

[Jonny2x4]

Some of the Konami flyer art were done by Hideaki Kodama/小玉英章 and many of his original paintings have been auctioned off since last year, including the main visuals for Contra Spirits, GB Contra and Sunset Riders.
http://forums.lostlevels.org/viewtopic.php?t=3539

[Specineff]

Bwa ha ha. I like how the Metamorphic Force one has Totally Not Dolph Lundgren and Not Mel Gibson on it.

[BIL]

Surprisingly characterful boxarts on the Air Management series. Until now I'd only seen the resoundingly dull Aerobiz covers. I particularly dig the first's oldschool intrepid adventure comics vibe! Air Manager's lookin' a bit more complacent on the second, maybe it's like The Godfather Part II? Good scans of AM1 seem hard to find unfortunately, most are either sunfaded or tiny.





I'm sure there's a whole ecosystem of rad Koei materials I'm unaware of. Have enjoyed Yoko Kanno's OSTs for them for many years.

And because searching for a halfway decent scan of the first AM led me to it, here's longtime ROM folder text adventure curio J.E.S.U.S. Cover really pops out, love the colours and composition. Dreadful bio-monster, more like dreadful temptation to pick up just for the boxart. Fuck if I could get off the title screen though 3;

[ED-057]

That dude on the jesus cover could be Judau Ashita's 兄さん

[Ed Oscuro]

I recall seeing some footage of the immediate aftermath of the Kobe quake...I think there were widespread fires. Bad day, for sure. Sucks about the archives too. Also sucks that I didn't know about the original paintings being auctioned off, but at least I have a number of those flyers Now I have a name to put with some of my favorites.

Just published today:
https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/329 ... istory.php

Some familiar names in there.

[cj iwakura]

And because searching for a halfway decent scan of the first AM led me to it, here's longtime ROM folder text adventure curio J.E.S.U.S. Cover really pops out, love the colours and composition. Dreadful bio-monster, more like dreadful temptation to pick up just for the boxart. Fuck if I could get off the title screen though 3;

Adol?

[Stevens]

Is there room in here fire shitty box art, or would that be better in its own thread?

[GaijinPunch]

Is there room in here fire shitty box art, or would that be better in its own thread?

There is an ancient thread at Assembler Games which is pretty good. Definitely deserves it's own thread.

[Stevens]

Is there room in here fire shitty box art, or would that be better in its own thread?

There is an ancient thread at Assembler Games which is pretty good. Definitely deserves it's own thread.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Had SMS NTSC box art in mind:D

[Jonny2x4]

Is there room in here fire shitty box art, or would that be better in its own thread?

There is an ancient thread at Assembler Games which is pretty good. Definitely deserves it's own thread.

That's by Hideaki Kodama. The original piece was auctioned last year.



I always wondered what was Hitoshi Akamatsu's involvement in that game. It was the last Konami game he was ever credited in.

[GaijinPunch]

Damn! Sweet!
Where was it auctioned? How much did it go for?

[Ed Oscuro]

Some of the Konami flyer art were done by Hideaki Kodama/小玉英章 and many of his original paintings have been auctioned off since last year, including the main visuals for Contra Spirits, GB Contra and Sunset Riders.
http://forums.lostlevels.org/viewtopic.php?t=3539

That'll get you up to speed, GP. I was pretty damn jealous too!

So much good stuff in there.

[GaijinPunch]

wow - very cool thread.
Wonder what they finished for. I've got no aucfan account, so can't go digging unfortunately.

[BIL]

Dragon Buster arcade flyer. Epic fantasy and hardcore dungeon scrolling.

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(click for full res)

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THRASH RALLY. The Anti-Moe. Bunch of balding middle-aged white dudes. Their motors. Cute chick on the back. All in all a fine weekend of motorsport.

Arcade flyer (front):

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(back):

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AES cover:

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[FinalBaton]

Dragon Buster arcade flyer. Epic fantasy and hardcore dungeon scrolling.

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Straight up power metal/atmospheric black metal record sleeve.

[Squire Grooktook]

Hmmm, this might be partially a side topic from Video Game Artwork, but it's still technically a game so...

I've been slightly involved with a fan translation project for a Japanese Table Top RPG called Tokyo Nova. It's a pretty old rpg and fairly popular over there (debuted in 1993 or so, still getting official expansions and new content to this day) with a setting that mixes future cyberpunk with magic and the occult. If you're familiar with Shadowrun, it's a bit like that, though perhaps with a dash of World of Darkness (in that there's an active "masquerade" going on to hide the supernatural stuff, as well as being grittier and nastier overall). Another way of putting it is that it's like an amalgamation of every hardcore 80's-90's ova ever.

It also has an incredibly unique battle system. Instead of using dice for "checks" like most trpg's, the game uses playing cards, for which everyone always has a hand of 4 at all times. So in addition to the standard rpg battle mechanics, there's a neat little element of luck management/manipulation that adds some very interesting strategy to encounters. It also has a clever little "combo" system, where skills you acquire are assigned to different card suits, and you can "combo" them together and combine their effects if you play a card with the same suit as both. Overall probably one of the best turn based battle systems I've played, vidya or otherwise.

Anyway, the game has some absolutely killer artwork that I feel would be relevant to the tastes of some of the regulars here.

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The game also associates every class ("style") with a tarot card. The older editions had some very flowery amano influenced art for them, while the newer editions have tarots more in line with the rest of the games aesthetic.

old

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new

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Kugutsu (corporate samurai exercising a sort of suicidal Bushido for their megacorp), The Hanged Man (I'm fond of the whole monitor reflection echoing the tarots motif)



Ibuki (power armored rescue worker), The Emperor Reversed.



Fate (grizzled film noir detective seeking the truth), Judgement.



Etranger (inhuman horror slipped in from astral space masquerading as human), The Star Reversed (I'm fond of how subtly "off" the facial expression on the human guise is).

There's a lot more cool art (npc profiles in the books, illustrations for sample stories, etc.) but we don't have a lot of it scanned or in good quality.

[BIL]

Anyway, the game has some absolutely killer artwork that I feel would be relevant to the tastes of some of the regulars here.

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Could totally pass for early 1st-party JP Mega Drive manual artwork, the manga styling used by Super Shinobi et al... actually, I was going to say it reminds me of the NTSCJ Mega CD Shadowrun, which I recalled having a similarly hard-boiled look, but I just refreshed my memory and it's comparatively straight animu.

(And so I went to check SS's manual to make sure I'd not mis-remembered that one, too. gotta clear out the brain moths occasionally. )

[Squire Grooktook]

Heh. While a little more anime, the expansion for the game "The Other Side" (which made non-humans playable, including supernaturals, robots, and mutants) has the sort of action-shot framing that could work for an old game cover or manual.

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Amusingly, the horned girl is actually just a downtrodden mutant. The well to do looking butler is the actual demonspawn.

[BIL]

Somewhat on the biohorrific parasite tip, but definitely on the subject of action shots:

TAKE POSSESSION OF YOUR ENEMY'S BODY



Composition is sub-optimal, but if you can make it out, I really dig the scene of the player ship charging headlong into a cutthroat mecha dogfight - and I'm always down for those wordy Engrish captions! AN UNFEELING WAR CREATURE WEARING AN ARMOR OF METAL SFC box cleans up the concept but loses the menacing scene.



Riding Hero, unfettered class. AES version adds a blurb which I like the content of, but I think dints the scene a bit.

[Jonny2x4]

Speaking of Dragon Buster, I've always liked the artwork they made of the monsters and main characters. I'm guessing these were drawn for the console ports or used for a magazine article (I know Micom BASIC extensively covered Namco games in its early years, but the issue that covers Dragon Buster just happens to be one of the few ones not uploaded online).
Source:https://twitter.com/goegoezzz/status/947691934025256960

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[BIL]

^ Creepy yet faintly whimsical on the monster illustrations - very Baraduke, especially the cyclopean rockspider thingy. (whimsy excluded for that rather foul zombie!)

[GaijinPunch]

I should remove the water marks on these... It's been like 8 years since I scanned them.
I doubt the JSRF one is most people's cup of tea here but I've always loved the series, and this poster.