boxart
Latest
Cooking Mama pulls boxart, screens fresh from the oven
It's been awhile since we had a chance to discuss Cooking Mama: World Kitchen. In fact, it's been months, as our time with the title back at E3 was the last we've heard. Well, thankfully, that changes today.We've got some fresh screens for the game, as well as boxart. The boxart is, well, quite pleasing to us. We have Mama looking over the shoulder of our new wouldbe chef, smiling happily and ... wait, what is that? Mama, how could you? The first rule of the kitchen is to turn off all unused burners on the stove! Are you trying to get someone killed?! Tsk tsk, Mama. We guess we can still love you. And play your game.%Gallery-28210%
Display your failure proudly: Mega Man 9 shirt now available for purchase
What's the best way to show off the fact that you've been spending the last few days of your life being punished severely by a video game? Other than the murderous look that comes from spending too much time in Dr. Wily's Castle, we think that the official Mega Man 9 t-shirt is the most effective method of sharing your pain.Capcom's online store is now taking preorders for the black shirt featuring the American Mega Man 9 "boxart" for shipping on September 30. It costs $24.95 plus shipping, which is actually quite a bit more than the game costs -- but it's entirely worth it when you consider that the "proprietary MegaWeave™ technology provides improved gaming performance in Mega Man® 9 and all other Capcom titles." Sorry, Roll's Item Shop shoppers -- Capcom doesn't accept screws![Minor update: it appears that leaving an item in your cart and then backing out with your browser's 'back' button triggers a survey pop-up that, when completed, nets you 10% off your purchase!]%Gallery-30253%
Wii Warm Up: Day of Boxart
Anyone else still surprised that this game is actually being released? We've got boxart! Huzzah! Not bad boxart, either. Thoughts?
Blue Period: A collection of Mega Man boxart
When both Capcom USA and Capcom Japan released their (very different) "box designs" for the downloadable Mega Man 9, they each drew on their own histories of packaging for the series -- Capcom USA commissioning a ridiculously over-the-top image with Mega Man rendered as a low-rent space ranger, and Capcom Japan creating a dynamic, cartoony splash portrait of Mega Man surrounded by Robot Masters. Capcom Europe doesn't seem to have done anything in particular.With Mega Man boxart nostalgia more relevant than ever, we thought we would collect Mega Man boxarts in a handy annotated gallery. But this gallery doesn't feature every Mega Man boxart. Since Mega Man happens to be the most prolific game series ever, we had to put some stringent restrictions on what we would include. These restrictions are reasonably effective hints about just how many games there are: No spinoffs. Including games not starring the original Blue Bomber would have meant hundreds more images. This is about Mega Man anyway, not those other jokers. No handheld games. Sorry, Game Boy Mega Man fans! This also means no Game Gear Mega Man, no GBA Mega Man & Bass, and no Rockman Battle & Fighters. The only exception, as pointed out by reader Antonio: the PSP Mega Man: Powered Up, which has really great boxes anyway, and which we forgot we weren't supposed to put in. No awful PC remakes. Enough time has been spent on those games. Which is to say, any amount of time. No guest appearances. Sure, SNK Vs. Capcom Card Fighters Clash has Mega Man in it, but it's not a Mega Man game. Same with Cannon Spike and a hundred other games. Don't worry, there's still plenty left to look at! This way to the gallery!
Wii Music gets boxart, slight date change
For all the, ahem, polite debate that Wii Music has encouraged, we can probably all agree that it has a nice-looking box. Clean, simple, and to the point: we like it when companies use clutter-free boxart, and Nintendo does this better than most. There's simply no way this could confuse Grandma.In other Wii Music news, Amazon and GameStop have now both updated their release dates for the game toy: previously, it was due November 3rd, but now both sites display October 20th. A stylish box and a sooner-than-expected launch date -- everybody at GameTrailers will be happy!%Gallery-27713%[Via Go Nintendo]
Wii Warm Up: Here come the City Folk
So here we go -- the next iteration of Animal Crossing is on its way, and we showed you the latest (the box) already. The art definitely emphasizes the larger scope of the title, while still using the familiar logo and character design. By now, though, you probably know whether or not you like Animal Crossing, considering you've had two chances to give it a shot. For a game like this, does the box even really matter? Do you thinkt hey should have changed it, or was keeping the characters -- with their familiar looks -- prominent important? Should the franchise's icons, like KK Slider, been more prominent? Do the fruit trees, and the idea of harvesting all that produce, give you nightmares? Gallery: Animal Crossing: City Folk KK says: buy Animal Crossing: City Folk to visit the city, reach out to friends, and make Iwata cry!
Animal Crossing boxart warms our cold, cold hearts
Just as Animal Crossing: City Folk won't be abandoning the series' trademark graphics, so the boxart is exactly what you'd expect: a bright, bustling village scene featuring fresh fruit, happy animals, KK strumming out a tune beneath a tree, and Tom Nook waiting to rake in your Bells. A lot of those villagers look familiar to! While a lot of traditional elements are on display, there is a hint of the fresh possibilities afforded by the titular city, and a bright yellow bus to transport us there. Ah, we're excited already! Do you approve, dear reader? %Gallery-27704% [Via Go Nintendo] KK says: buy Animal Crossing: City Folk to visit the city, reach out to friends, and make Iwata cry!
Glorious Mega Man 9 boxart: Japan edition
The screens contained in the latest Mega Man 9 media update at Gpara are a mix of old and new, awesome and also awesome. But the real attraction is this amazing artwork, which serves as a Japanese counterpart to the amusing "boxart" displayed on t-shirts at E3. The disparity between boxart styles continues, though it's intentional and hilarious this time: while the American art is a monsterpiece in vaguely realistic proportions, the Japanese art is on-model and anime-style. It mirrors the style of the classic Rockman covers exactly. Much like the game itself, it could easily have been produced in the late 1980s.The only bad thing about the WiiWare release of Mega Man 9 is that there won't be a box to adorn with this image.%Gallery-30253%
Okami replacement covers shipping with bonus!
Hey, remember ordering replacement boxart for your copy of Okami? To make up for the unsightly blemish on the covers that came with the game (sorry, IGN), Capcom offered a selection of replacement art ranging from "the real cover, but IGN-free" to completely new, unconventional box designs, and we all got to pick one. We've had to wait a bit, but it turns out that we'll get all of them! According to Capcom's Colin Ferris, "Each cover sheet features the cleaned cover art on one side, and the two different new designs on the other." The covers are now on their way out, ready to adorn those copies of Okami that you forgot about or traded in.If you didn't order a replacement cover, perhaps because you didn't yet own Okami and are an honest person, you can still find the high-quality images available for printing.%Gallery-16485%
One step closer to Chrono Trigger: the boxart
Wow, we sure called this one. Like the rest of the game, the boxart for the DS version of Chrono Trigger is very similar to the original. Of course, in some cases, less (effort) is more, and this just may be one of them. Was there any way Square Enix could have improved on Chrono Trigger's boxart? %Gallery-27682%[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
It's-a Mario World: The Lost Premises
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/The_Mario_games_that_never_were'; Being a solitary Mario fanatic is rewarding in its own right, but when the obsession is affirmed by other people, gaming geekery reaches new heights. More cultural icon than game character, Mario has inspired everything from an animated television series to an extremely lengthy scarf. And probably a couple of other things in between, like cakes and stuff. Most recently, though, we've become infatuated with the thriving community over at VGBoxArt.com, a website dedicated to all kinds of game box artwork, both real and imagined.Barring occasionally subpar Photoshop skills, voluntary contributors to the site's public database have created an interesting collection of box art. Whether it be a reinterpretation of an existing cover or a completely new idea for a game, box art in the Wii category is worth checking out. Of course, the Mario-themed works take precedence in this humble feature, and we've assembled a new gallery showcasing the finer of the bunch. Click on and imagine the Mario games you'll likely never see. It's-a Mario World is a weekly feature in which the ubiquity of Nintendo's flagship character is celebrated: We'll incessantly ruminate about mustache wax, debate the curious whereabouts of the princess and covet the luminous power stars strewn about the galaxy. Check back here every Friday to find out what strange and wonderful thing has got us tipping our caps.
DS Daily: Moon
Click for hi-res version Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham recently posted this Moon boxart on his IGN blog, along with the planned back of the box. So, armchair analysts ... what do you think?%Gallery-20245%
Castlevania boxart: Order of Colada
Further proof that Konami's decision to dump its anime-inspired art direction was the right choice for the Castlevania series! This boxart for Order of Ecclesia, revealed at the game's Amazon product page, puts the previous two entries' covers to shame, especially the Konami's Best packaging for Dawn of Sorrow.Also, we're amazed (and a bit confused) to see that the game will feature a giant plastic cocktail sword as a wieldable weapon! Why fumble with a vampire slaying whip when you can brandish a rapier that doubles as a drink stirrer?Jump past the post break for comparison shots of the previous two Castlevania DS games' boxarts!See also: Promotional Consideration: Behind the boxart%Gallery-22992%
Half-Elf Tentacle Assault's boxart is -- gasp! -- NSFW
Looking to satisfy the legions of perverts interested in its upcoming homebrew release, Half-Elf Tentacle Assault, doujin-developer Team-DSX has posted a potential design for the game's CD-ROM cover -- to cut down on costs, the group plans to release the ROM on CDs instead of traditional carts, so that customers can transfer the game to their flashcarts.The screenshots featured on the packaging give you a good idea of what to expect from the visual novel (if the Half-Elf Tentacle Assault name wasn't descriptive enough) and are, naturally, very NSFW. Even with stars and white spots covering all the naughty bits on the images, we've hidden the cover past the post break, away from chaste eyes.Just one last quick caution -- the boxart depicts half-elf Colin and another heroine in suggestive scenes of forced sodomy. Also, a green pig-man with killer abs has his head totally slashed off. You've been warned!See also: Naughtiness on the Nintendo DS, More Naughtiness on the Nintendo DS
Flower, Sun and English Screens
Click to embiggen. Rising Star Games has planted a European release date and the first English language media for Flower, Sun and Rain on the internet. Although the release date (October) is old news grandad, everything else is new, including the very lovely and understated boxart above, featuring a passenger airliner cruising across a calm, salmon-colored sky, a bomb presumably tucked away somewhere on board.Some (very) minor details/impressions we picked up from the screens: We've now got our first look at the memo pad that can be used to make notes. Handy! Somehow, vampires are involved, thus escalating Flower, Sun and Rain's awesomeness. The 3D sections look more crude than we recall. We wonder: will Rockstar be able to better this? Geeks and freaks ahoy! %Gallery-12911%[Via press release]
Capcom to create mega shirts out of Mega Man 9 boxart
Remember that Mega Man 9 boxart/shirt we featured last week during E3? Of course you do, how could you ever forget its magnificent image? Apparently, I Am 8-bit artist Gerald de Jesus was commissioned for the homage to Mega Man's packaging designs of yore.The shirts were originally created exclusively for Capcom's staff, including director Hironobu Takeshita and producer Keiji Inafune, with a limited run of four. But after seeing fan reactions to the astounding apparel, the publisher has decided to make t-shirts with the Mega Man 9 cover art "available for purchase soon" in the States. Oh, wondrous day!Let's all hope Capcom decides to make a lot more than just four shirts this time!%Gallery-26790%
E308: Glorious Mega Man 9 boxart
Ultrasound graphics synthesis! 8-bit fidelity engine!We have always been of the opinion that even downloadable games should have boxart. Capcom agreed, putting together this mix of the original Mega Man game's North American packaging and Mega Man 2's PAL cover. The resulting Mega Man 9 art showed up at the publisher's E3 booth on what looked like an iron-on transfer shirt.Unfortunately, only a few of the shirts were made for internal staff, and Capcom doesn't intend to give any away. At least we have this photo (taken by 1UP's Jeremy Parish)! Check out that huge M on his belt!
E308: Princess Debut shots dance the night away
Look what just arrived at the ball in our inboxes! As promised earlier today, Natsume has distributed lots of fresh media for its localization of Cave's Princess Debut, complete with talking animals, an entire wardrobe of accessories, and (of course) lots of dancing with charming Princes. That Cesar is such a dish! Pirouette your way into our gallery for plenty of new screens and art.%Gallery-27282%[Via press release]
Cuteness overload in these new Legend of Stafy 5 screens and boxart
It's been a little while since we got some eyecandy for Legend of Stafy 5. Well, that's changed, as Dengeki has uploaded a couple of new screens from the upcoming title, including the game's boxart. And, we don't have to tell you how damn cute the game is. It's like that Mikey kid times a billion.Head on over to Dengeki for the screens.
Jawa gets less mysterious through boxart, new screens
Fresh screens and the Japanese boxart have dropped for Spike's Jawa: The Mammoth and the Mysterious Stone, depicting the young caveman protagonist (you can also play with your own Mii) going about his usual business. The boxart, which is pictured to the right, actually kind of clicks with us. We know, line-ups are totally boring, but there's something about this line-up that just resonates with us. Maybe it's the huge, tusked Mammoth that's chilling behind the clan, soaking up the sun. Or, maybe it's just all of those darn dinosaurs going about their business in the backgrounds. That's probably it. Dinosaurs are pretty awesome, you know.Head on past the break for a look a pair of new screens from the game.
