Classic box art ruined by localisation

[BrianC]

I like some of the Atari 2600 and 7800 box arts of Nintendo ports over their NES counterparts.

[Lord Satori]

Another classic example:

The Japanese box art for Rockman:


The US box art for Megaman:

Oh my god, this! I don't know if this is worse, or the art for 9 reminding us about it. (no I will NEVER shut up about that) I am so sorry, Mega-kun. You've seen better days.

[EmperorIng]

Considering how Mega Man is a dead series, that statement is appropriate on multiple levels.

[Cagar]

Gimmick! for NES

JAPAN:



NORDIC EU:

[Immryr]

Big fan of minimalist covers, but I don't even know what I'm looking at with the Japanese one.

[/quote]

I think the pal cover is the best of the bunch here.

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/4/8/2/19482_front.jpg

the image is massive so I haven't embedded it.

[null1024]

Street Fighter II

Japan




US

Not going to lie, the US SFII art looks loads better. Head and shoulders above. The JP art has this oddly geometric and misshapen look to it.

but the II:Turbo US art is pretty bad next to the JP version [look at Sagat's fucking face, hahaha]

[BIL]

Not going to lie, the US SFII art looks loads better. Head and shoulders above. The JP art has this oddly geometric and misshapen look to it.

Bigger issue for me is the usual Western issue of ignoring the game's art design. Iconically stoic karateka Ryu is wilting like a limp-wristed little ladyboy, the grimy alleyway doesn't reflect any of the game's vibrant locales (its a street fite mirite), and the scene doesn't even make sense (its a two-on-one street fight mirite - special FATAL FURY VER).

I find this time and time again when discovering the original JP covers of games I grew up with. Suddenly, whoa, the packaging reflects the product instead of obscuring it!

I do like how someone's written "TURBO" on that particular SNES cover in ballpoint pen though. Sneaky buggers! Bet that ruined some poor kid's Christmas/bday revels.

As for my example, I'm not even a fan of this game, particularly, but this is senselessness bordering on vandalism:

[null1024]

That US SFII art is a bit more accurate than most, at the very least. Yeah, it falls into a few of the most common US box-art design pitfalls, where it's like the artist hasn't ever played the game, but at least here it's like the artist has seen what the characters look like and made a solid, honest effort to represent them [there's a lot of box art where it's like the artist never so much as got any kind of visual support, just a description of what to draw -- see Shadow Dancer for a textbook example].

that JP SFII art is hilarious in ways, although at least it has a logo on it that looks nice -- the II:Turbo art seems to be what they were intending the first time around

The Beyond Oasis art you posted... why do these things happen?
dem eyes, man

[BIL]

It certainly does get some points for the characters at least resembling the source material. Subconsciously I file stuff like Shadow Dancer and El Viento's Genesis covers into Localisation War Crimes tier with NES Mega Man, they're simply so horrific they can't be taken seriously. I actually find localisations that are just "buh" more distasteful. Such as:



The protagonist's battle-scarred, workhorse Leynos assault suit, with his rival's dauntingly more advanced model looming in shadow behind. This stuff is in the game!



A tiny little man in space going "OMG HAAALP" as his weapon recoils uncontrollably.

[Pretas]

TV static doubling the image (since the game uses TVs as a big motif in choosing the Smiths). The US cover is better though.

I think it's supposed to look like a printing error.

[Skykid]

Not going to lie, the US SFII art looks loads better. Head and shoulders above

Seriously mental.

[trap15]

I gotta agree with null on this. Leaps and bounds better imo.

[options]

I gotta agree with null on this. Leaps and bounds better imo.

ok, admittedly the JP art isn't exactly a home run, but still... only my pure love for the game and the fond memories/nostalgia built up over the years can allow me to look at that US art with anything other than scorn. it's hideous.

some things just aren't supposed to look 'realistic.' but yes, at least it seems like the artist had actually played the game prior to going to work.

[moonblood]

I still desperately want a print of that. I love Naoyuki Katoh's art so very much.

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp16 ... rdic-1.jpg

The file above is of decent quality IMO, maybe some photoshop interpolation and some filters, then take it to a print shop and then frame it? that's what I would do at least

[Kiken]

The JP original art isn't great or anything, but the totally unrelated guy with banjo art is still a complete headscratcher by comparison. More good SNES cover comparisons:

http://playingwithsuperpower.com/japane ... -art-pwns/

I was with this article until it tried to convince me that the JP Contra Spirits box art was better than the NA Contra III box art. It isn't. It's also rather grievous that they didn't recognize that the US Dracula XX box art was taken directly from the PC-Engine SCD Akumajou Dracula X Chii No Rondo cover.

[BrianC]

As for my example, I'm not even a fan of this game, particularly, but this is senselessness bordering on vandalism:

Reminds me of Guardian Legend's US cover. Yet another US cover ruined by ripping off the poster for Creature.

I was with this article until it tried to convince me that the JP Contra Spirits box art was better than the NA Contra III box art. It isn't. It's also rather grievous that they didn't recognize that the US Dracula XX box art was taken directly from the PC-Engine SCD Akumajou Dracula X Chii No Rondo cover.

The article also says that Outer World is the original title of Out of this World, and that the US version keeps the original title, despite how the US title is different and the original title is Another World. However, the JP art, which is taken from the original EU Amiga art, is the best in this case.

[pestro87]

A lot of people mention the NSTC box art of Mega Man 1 as a classic example of box art that was ruined by localization but imo, the PAL cover of Mega Man 2 takes the cake:

Seriously, what is this I don't even

[trap15]

MM1 is more heinous IMO. It legitimately looks like an elementary school kid's drawing. PAL MM2's is just weird and out there.

[Xyga]

That Beyond Oasis cardboard box: it's so ugly I had no difficulty finding one in perfect shape, IIRC back in 2010.

(I needed only the US cart but since it came boxed, heh)

[null1024]

Man, I like MM2's PAL cover, freaky as it is. It's not good, but it's likable. It's not fundamentally awful like the MM1 US box.
That doesn't excuse the fact that it has no business being the cover of a Mega Man game, bearing the vaguest resemblance to something MM related.

I'm genuinely curious as to why the fuck any of this was allowed. The artists clearly haven't so much as gotten ANY visual support of what they should be aiming for in some cases.

It's like the entirety of the conversation went:
C: "so, draw the box for Mega Man 2"
A: "okay, what am I aiming for?"
C: "he's a robot with a laser cannon for an arm that's fighting evil"
A: "anything els-"
and then the phone hung up and the artist drew this and sent it in and got paid

[Ed Oscuro]

Speaking of Mega Man art, there was obviously this just...perverse need to be special even when they switched over to more-natural art in 4. Witness the differences between the US and "Europa" covers: Mega Man's face looks more tanned and sculpted (ew) in the US one, as apparently the original art was sloppily airbrushed over.

I think the pal [Killer7] cover is the best of the bunch here.

http://img.gamefaqs.net/box/4/8/2/19482_front.jpg

The only one of the Capcom Five (four released) covers that I felt was really strikingly different, and possibly better, with the PAL release is the Resident Evil 4 one. (P.N. 03's PAL cover composition isn't quite as strong and there's no hand-fu going on, sadness. Viewtiful Joe's PAL cover has a more striking color scheme, but the city in the backdrop has lost all its color; the composition is otherwise a close match for the US one.)

Killer7's PAL tries to show off each character, almost as if they're measured up in a police line - actually, they're just sort of hesitantly ambling towards the foreground. While the suggestion of different personalities and hesitation from the supporting cast seems alright, trying to make too much out of the relative physical dimensions of the characters is actually against the entire aesthetic intention of the game, as memory serves. It doesn't matter if you're playing as the kid or the wrestler - the game's camera and perspective shifts and tracks each character so you don't feel one is large or small as you're using them. In their shoes - or barefoot - everybody is a commanding presence. Their specific characteristics ultimately differentiate them (along with the rather unstable progression of the blood leveling mechanic, this is the part where the game probably teeters the most - I know that there are long stretches of the game where you'll prefer one character over others, and only the special abilities ease you into using them all - but I'm getting off topic).

For comparison, the US cover shows the cracks in a pane of glass from a bullet shot (thematically appropriate, and executed in the style of the game) splitting the view into slots for each of the character's portraits - a more meaningful representation of the game experience, and it also happily avoids some of the awkward postures seen in the PAL cover (poor Kaede).

Harman is there in the US cover - but barely visible, as fits his rather mysterious position within the organization. The PAL cover calls too much attention to him; worse, his shading there makes him look more like a generic Man With No Name, Now In A Home type than himself, which is also unfortunate. Again, the PAL cover can't decide what it wants to do with the stylistic choices of the game - the outlines often don't make sense without enough shading detail, or the full image - yet the portraits are intended to be just as striking and possibly representative of the characters.

Long story short, the PAL cover sucks, and the US one is actually pretty good. Perhaps something about it seems formulaic or conventional, but actually it's the PAL cover that resembles an Ocean's Eleven cover or (insert your favorite "moody heroes walk in front of an uncompromisingly stark landscape" movie poster design here).

It's a long way from the 'aughts, but my memory of picking this game up at the store was of that US cover clinching the sale - given that I had already known the game was getting good word-from-forums I would have bought it even if presented with the lousy PAL cover. But that cover was just vague and stylish enough to yell "this ain't like that Resident Evil 4 you've been enjoying, but it'll be a trip all the same." Uncompromising, too. Admittedly, every cover style for the game gives up on attempting to portray many of the elements that make the game so compelling; the typical "mess of heads and some stylized locale scenery" would have probably been a good fit here. I'm not sure that the US cover alone would have sold me on the game - I mean, how? $30 or so was still real money back then - but the PAL cover isn't making the sale either.

Capcom is dead, long live Capcom.

Blanka: WOOD IS MY DRUG
I know it's just this particular cover's long service life, but man, that sawdust is going straight up his nose man
Meanwhile, Ryu kept his eyes on the prize but his only reward was a foot in his mouth. Maybe. Ryu's mouth is the abyss, especially with a flashing orange arrow pointed right at it.

Can't lie, the US cover has always delighted due to its unique combination of energetic silliness (VIBRATORY ECTO-COOLER FLAVORED SPEED LINES, speaking of drugs) and also being iconic. Nothing against the classic Capcom JPN illustration team here, but yeah that composition ain't great and that leaves the JPN cover rather forgettable.

[GaijinPunch]

Unbelievable it took until page 2 to get to Mega Man.

[BIL]

Rokkuman's elderly, bowlegged NES stand-in was embargoed in the first post, but he exploited his Bad Boxart connections to schmooze his way in anyway.

[apatheticTurd]

Considering how well-know Mega Man's cover his, I'm surprised the hilarious back cover doesn't have the same level of infamy. Did you know Rockman really is about a weaponized Übermensch protecting the gene pool from being polluted by cocksucking mutants?



WOW!

[Squire Grooktook]

Mega Man, WOW!

[BIL]

Mega Penetration: The Racial Purificationing

[Ed Oscuro]

Who the flying fuck is that Grand Wizard on the back supposed to be? Nice gold medallions, dude. (Not one, but two, flappin' in the breeze!)

Suddenly I got some respect back for the apes at Konami USA. Koranot I can abide, but this...auuu, not so rough ;_;

Sunnydale, CA...guess we always had our suspicions.

[BIL]

Indeed, Konami USA/ULTRA GAMEZ usually meant decent boxart and AWESOMEly bad MANUALS

"How do we know that all our soldiers have been brain trashed? You can see it in their eyes."



WINNERS DONT USE DRUGS KIDS

[BrianC]

Who the flying fuck is that Grand Wizard on the back supposed to be? Nice gold medallions, dude. (Not one, but two, flappin' in the breeze!)

He was Capcom's mascot in the early NES days, Captain Commando. He was on the game manuals for some of Capcom's earlier games.

[Ed Oscuro]

Yeah I saw the CC but that's NOT the Cap'n...it's some kind of silver haired klan impostor I think.

Indeed, Konami USA/ULTRA GAMEZ usually meant decent boxart and AWESOMEly bad MANUALS

"How do we know that all our soldiers have been brain trashed? You can see it in their eyes."

http://imageshack.com/a/img809/3522/1nlx.png

WINNERS DONT USE DRUGS KIDS

Fun fact: プレイ　can be rearranged into　レイプ!