/vr/ - Retro Games

I hate this boxart

Any Japanese game with an Americanized cover designed by the PR department.

>>2539732
you could fill up this thread with master system boxes, thats sort of not fair. Especially with that one being decent for the SMS

I hate all covers where it's just the logo against a solid white background. I mean, really? Put some fucking effort into it.

>>2539837

I liked that Sega tried to go for a consistent almost universal look, in comparison to the Mega Drive boxart labels that changed over time... does not look good on the shelf.

>>2539823
it almost looks like they put the image through a lighter setting of that ai image editor thing... also that isn't retro

>>2539837
I think the ones like that are the worse, I actually like the minimal look of a lot of the others

pic as example

>>2539846

Yeah my mistake that was the first thing that come off the top of my head, I'm actually surprised I'm seeing bad American Box Art compared to ones that came from the PAL region, usually we get the turd box art from my experience.

>>2539801
actually, a lot of them were done by well respected fantasy artists of the time, I think they are more just a product of their time rather than actually bad.

Pretty much a lot of the mega man box art. Early ones at least.

>>2539865
Sometimes you wonder if people in the late 80's didn't know how to draw or something. I mean it's easier today with all the digital stuff but goddamit.

>>2539837
>Especially with that one being decent for the SMS

A lot of SMS cover art is either very plain or out and out appalling (often hilariously so imo) but that Monster Land cover is by no measure "decent for the SMS".

>>2539862
Usually said artists know nothing about the source material and are forced to rush it, then shit like >>2539865 happens.

>>2539838
>not appreciating minimalism

Plebeian

>>2539997
see >>2539967
>>2539854

>>2539883
personally I don't see what is wrong with "plain", I said it in a different post already, but I really like the minimalism of the early SMS box art
another example

>>2539967
I guess it's just 2deep4me.

>>2539662
Honestly what's bad about BoF3's? The fire contrasted on solid black really catches the eye.

>>2539930
That's true about rushing it. I once read an interview from the Mega Man artist. He said he basically had to do it overnight.

>>2540009
Even if minimalism wasn't a complete pile of shit it doesn't excuse the fact that the leg doesn't even go off the cover properly.

>>2539875
>you wonder if people in the late 80's didn't know how to draw or something.
Nah, I wonder if game publishers in the 80s cared enough to pay someone to create good box art. Also this >>2539930. For example, the Phantasy Star 2 box is actually well done art that wouldn't look out of place on a scifi novel, but was obviously done by someone who was given one image to work with and/or a very limited description.

>>2540038

I didn't mean to imply that cover art being plain is inherently bad. That said, minimalist cover art isn't exempt from judgement. For example, imo >>2539732 and >>2539997 are pretty shit whereas I find >>2539854 and the one you just posted quite appealing. Just a matter of taste I suppose. By and large I find the simplistic cover designs on SMS games endearing though, but I did grow up with the SMS (my first console) so there is some nostalgia involved.

>>2540053
I think it's fine, too, if a little unimaginative.

>>2540038
The SMS box that thoroughly confuses me is this Pro Wrestling one.

>>2540061
I suppose you would have rather had something like this instead.

>>2540053
It's kind of eyecatching when talking colors, but that's really all that separates it from most generic PC budget games they had at the time. Almost all other RPG games did this better. Some sort of review quote might have helped, but instead you just have the same saying as the first game.

Compare this to the artwork on the second which just screamed "you want to buy this manly-ass game you little faggot."

>>2540080
Well, yeah.

Anyone would.

>>2540104
What a nice thing picked from deviantArt!

Wait, that's the real thing?

>>2540090
the clashing color choices are idiotic and the art it's self literally has nothing at all to do with the game, wtf is wrong with you?

>>2540115
Looks like a highschool kid did the art. Probably all they could afford.

>>2540104

Oh man did the TurboGrafix have horrid box art, specially the earlier games.

>>2540128
>the art it's self literally has nothing at all to do with the game

You mean like the large majority of old video game covers?

>>2540136
fuck it, you are just trolling at this point, I give up

>>2540080
Yeah actually that cover is pretty sweet. There's a lot of interesting artwork going on there.

>>2539838
It's funny, I remember when this first came out that the cover was the reason why I even bothered looking at it. The simple white background with only the title really stood out compared to the other covers at the time that I gave it a shot.

At least, that when I was young and hadn't seen very much. I don't remember many other games doing something like this back then, but I can be completely wrong. It was just different to me at that time.

>>2540174
I don't really get the whole idea that game covers have to have some flashy garish artwork to be considered "good", but then again I guess no one else agrees judging from the other posts in this thread.

>>2539838
>Not realizing the camouflage index is 100%
Snake is there you just cant see him, therefore it's a great boxart

>>2539823
not retro

>>2540248
I remember Vic Ireland told the story of this one, it was literally a couple employees holding brooms and posing while a family friend drew it.

>>2540262
Thats hilarious.

>>2540193
The camo index wasn't introduced until MGS3 you bimbo.

>>2539838
Nigga that cover was holographic

The world doesn't have enough holo covers

>>2540306
That's what Kojima wants you to believe

>>2540306
in that case it's STEALTH CAMOUFLAGE

>>2540128
Yeah but it actually draws you in and gets you interested to see what the game is like Master System covers weren't just minimalistic, they were bland and visually unappealing. Simple and crude artwork and uniform typesetting against a graph paper background doesn't interest me, it doesn't excite me, all it tells me is that the publisher had no idea how to make this game look interesting to me so why should I waste time picking it up?

>>2539865
That would be a good box art for a Tron game, just replace the gun with a neon frisbee.

>>2539865
I've always maintained that this box art is the result of a local elementary school holding a contest with Capcom to design a video game cover. No ADULT could have drawn this, handed it to another ADULT, and had them say "This shit is going to sell our game."

Compared to the NTSC original, it looks like SCEE got sent an earlier revision of the coverart before it was finalised, and just ran it without thinking anything was wrong.

>>2540596
Eh, I can forgive that. The cover at least provides an accurate description of what to expect from the game. Not creative or inventive, but it doesn't defeat the purpose either.

>>2539662
>>2539838
Both of these covers were simple and effective.

Not only does this cover not really tell you shit about the game, but I'll never understand the decision to put such a massive emphasis on "TECMO'S" in the title. Someone who didn't know better would think Tecmo was like the final boss or something.

>>2540251
Guy looks like he really has to shit.

>>2540339
This, Master System covers were commonly the most bland uninteresting shit imaginable.

>>2540613
I guess you can say it was Tecmo's deception.

>>2539865
Europeon cover was so much better, it looks like an actual painted movie poster, rather than that child-like crayon mess.

I remember we even had ours in what looked like a large VHS case.

>>2540712
Dr. Wily looks fucking crestfallen

>>2540717
He's in the transition phase between "My God, what have I wrought?" and "LET'S DO IT AGAIN!"

>>2540613
All the Deception games didn't have much when it came to titles. No one could really decide what to go by.

>Kagero is only used in one title
>fucking Trapt for no reason other than a band name

>>2540680
That's terrible.

>>2540347
No it wouldn't, the anatomy is all fucked and crayon coloring is shite.

>>2540079
>this was approved by someone for the production of their box cover

Sure, he was in the game, but I still feel like this cover wrote some checks that it didn't cash.

>>2540079
how very... odd

>>2544071
what the shit is this

europe get your shit together

>>2544071

This was a pretty fun game though, especially the dungeon crawl mode in it.

>>2540191

what the fuck is the story behind this shit

The face always gets me

>>2539662
I actually don't mind that cover art. I mean sure it could have been better, but it's not the worst.

>>2540191
I wish Mario was a clown.

>>2539662
is this seriously the PAL boxart? This is horrendously bad.

>>2539883
This is awesome. Are you gay?

>>2544071
yea this shit just looks like a bad bootleg

>>2539669
The Euro cover is so much better

Skirt-Man on Rock Fights Skeletons: The Game

>>2540594
I heard the story about this. Apperently is was drawn in a few days by somebody given a vague description of Mega Man.

>>2540712
>Bruce Lee Man

>>2544470
>Skirt-Man on Rock Fights Skeletons: The Game

It's not wrong

>>2546927
>That Sliders episode where Quinn is a Basketball/Mathlete

>>2540712
you guys got the short end of the stick with the second game though

>>2547005
oh, forgot image

>>2547006
Nothing screams platforming robot action like a guy with a chrome-plated suppository as an arm

>>2547006
It's accurate, yet...not

>>2547006
Well, at least he has the arm cannon and all, instead of a handgun.

>>2546927
>mfw I read it as "Take it IN the hoop"

technically not a cover, but still ugly

>>2547130
I would actually prefer the hand gun to that deformed excuse of an arm connon

>>2547205
at first I was going to say "well it's not that bad for the time period" but then I saw the screenshots and that it has to be mid-90s... wtf campcom... did they just have some old art from the 80s laying around and were just like "who cares, let's use that instead of paying a new artist"... actually that's probably exactly what happened.

>>2539854
I hate Alex Kid and I hate that cover.

>>2547006
I thought this cover was cool when I was 8.

>>2544209
That's from a "Cooper Black" (because of the font used) bootleg 2600 game. Putting up game art for a bootleg is even more lame than SMS covers, all bootlegs had crap art.

>>2547201
Heh so did I. Had a good chuckle. I spend way too much time on the internet.

>>2540675
And the wizard has a boner.

>>2540675
>>2549632
Either way it looks like none of them can have kids, being radioactive like that.

Another one that isn't outright terrible so much as it is a very Western interpretation of a very Japanese game.

>>2544071
considering i bought a bootleg copy of this game in like 2000 at a roadside bootleg game and porn store in rural bosnia next to a UN forces base, it felt just right.

>>2546927
>whiteboi

>>2539865
>someone actually gave the greenlight to this atrocity despite the sideways crotch and two elbowed right arm

>>2540251

They look like those old windows 98 cliparts.

>>2540262

I miss that spirit...

>>2550094
Well we did invent basketball.

>>2550118
I didn't even notice the elbows.

>>2550131
you folks invented nuclear war too so yeah

>>2551829
And you invented mud huts and spears and half of you never progressed past that. How's that feel?

I happen to own this masterpiece.

>>2551923
I'm not sure what's worse, that they made a game out of it, the game itself, or it's cover.

>>2551913
pretty good tbh

>>2540104
>Halo: Reach

>>2544158
>sword being held in front of him and sword being held behind him appear to be the same length despite the perspective

>>2551926
I actually want to watch the movie entirely based on that game cover. It looks hilariously awful.

>>2552038

Are you familiar with the works of Rob Liefeld?

>>2551926
The worst is that Stephen King mad a little bit of money off this game because he wrote a short story about a Norse god eating some dude.

No, really.

>>2552095
Eh, the movie is okish, but half way through it completely forgets it's a movie and just becomes a plotless tech demo for the studio's cgi system. To be honest a video game based on the movie could have been the best thing ever and better than the movie ever could have been, but all versions blew it.

>>2552103
do you hate Steven King for some reason or something?

>>2552110
No, I just hate the Hollywood Homogeneizer Machine that turned a cool story about an actual lawnmower man into some insane special effects wank-off about retards in VR.

To be honest all of Stephen King's movies were shit except for maybe Creepshow, which is still shit but shit on purpose.

>>2552119
>Carrie is shit
>The Shining is shit
>Shawshank Redemption is shit
>Stand By Me is shit
>The Green Mile is shit

>>2552119
>not liking The Shining or The Green Mile

>>2552123
I'd agree with you, other than maybe Carrie, which I feel is massively over rated. I have a feeling that >>2552119 just saw that there might be steven king fans in this thread and is trying to stir up shit though.

>>2540063
Oscar, is that you?

>>2552131
I'll agree with massively overrated, but not straight-up shit. Besides, it gave us THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU

>>2552119
>Creepshow
>shit
You take that back you motherfucker.

The Big LeBumpski