Regional Box Art Comparison: FDS vs. NES

[timewarpgamer]

I just uploaded a new installment in this series and wanted to share it with y'all. For those of you who are as fascinated by box art variations as I am, I think you'll find the results to be pretty surprising. Enjoy!

http://timewarpgamer.com/features/box_art_disparity_fds_vs_nes.html

[TonyTheTiger]

Nice. I was wondering when you'd get back to this.

I miss the old Castlevania logo. :puppydogeyes:

[timewarpgamer]

Nice. I was wondering when you'd get back to this.

I miss the old Castlevania logo. :puppydogeyes:

Thanks, man, I was wondering when I'd get back to it, too. Can't believe how long it takes to create a feature that's relatively simple.

Good call on the old logo. I've been so focused on the old Castlevanias that I hadn't realized it had disappeared with the new games.

[Arasoi]

Neat article! The European Metroid box art is actually taken/the same art from the FDS handbill/flyer. The "Cloudy blobs" around Samus's legs are actually blue shadows of her doing a flip.

http://disk-kun.com/node/88

[timewarpgamer]

Neat article! The European Metroid box art is actually taken/the same art from the FDS handbill/flyer. The "Cloudy blobs" around Samus's legs are actually blue shadows of her doing a flip.

http://disk-kun.com/node/88

I love chatting about this stuff in forums, because people like you make it so much more interesting. Had no idea that sweet poster existed. Will have to add a little update to the commentary on my at some point. Thanks so much.

[timewarpgamer]

Neat article! The European Metroid box art is actually taken/the same art from the FDS handbill/flyer. The "Cloudy blobs" around Samus's legs are actually blue shadows of her doing a flip.

http://disk-kun.com/node/88

By the way, that disk-kun site is rad. Just added it to the links for my site. Thanks again.

[Brianvgplayer]

Nice article, though the US art for early first party games gets a bum rap. Don't get me wrong, I like the JP art better, but the US artwork is based on the in game sprites of the games. I'm especially surprised that the lava in the SMB art was mistaken for "brown ground".

I like how some of the EU art uses the JP artwork. Zanac was a real surprise. I like how the US art isn't obscured like the JP one.

I know this is comparing FDS to NES, but I think it would still be nice to show the box art of the JP Famicom carts for comparison. Of the games on the page, SMB, Akumajo Dracula, and Zelda 1 have JP cart versions (though the latter two were ported to cart).

[SparTonberry]

One thing I've wondered is why there were actually two different covers for Gun.Smoke in the US?

(though the one in the article is the better one. The other one is a color pencil one.)
Google Image link for the other (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gamersace.com/images/Gun-Smoke-NES-Cartridge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gamersace.com/games-shooter-c-9_86_92.html&usg=__kC_CoicZoLCw7SQKKQMCCf1l9_E=&h=480&w=432&sz=26&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=2dWocXo4mFaSyM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=129&ei=1xi-TYCfDIjq0gGIy4XCBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgun.smoke%2Bnes%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D992 %26bih%3D589%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=401&vpy=210&dur=9926&hovh=237&hovw=213&tx=81&ty=133&page=1&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0)

[timewarpgamer]

Nice article, though the US art for early first party games gets a bum rap. Don't get me wrong, I like the JP art better, but the US artwork is based on the in game sprites of the games. I'm especially surprised that the lava in the SMB art was mistaken for "brown ground".

I like how some of the EU art uses the JP artwork. Zanac was a real surprise. I like how the US art isn't obscured like the JP one.

I know this is comparing FDS to NES, but I think it would still be nice to show the box art of the JP Famicom carts for comparison. Of the games on the page, SMB, Akumajo Dracula, and Zelda 1 have JP cart versions (though the latter two were ported to cart).

I hear what you're saying. I try not to beat up on the original US black box art too much, and--believe it or not--it actually has grown on me quite a bit. Interesting idea about covering the cart versions of the three FDS games that made the transition. I just did a quick check, though, and all the box art for those carts is basically lifted directly from the FDS originals with adjustments for border color and title positioning, fairly minor changes. Thanks for reading.

[Apocalypse612]

I approve. Thanks, always nice the comparisons so you make sure you don't buy the wrong version :) Japanese box art is cool also.