The Game Packaging Awards

[fishsandwich]

I had my own award ceremony this morning for The Game Packaging Awards and these were the winners and losers. Disagree? Have your own awards show. P aris H ilton said she was going to be there, but she flaked out. Skank. Bea Arthur showed up, though.

And without further ado...

:king:

Best Ever- Neo Pocket Color UK plastic cases, <added----> Neo Geo AES cases

Best Runner Up- Plastic Master System & Genesis/Megadrive

Honorable Mention- Any DVD cased game, <added----> N-Gage

Best Until You Sneeze And Break It- Saturn, Sega CD

Worst Ever- PAL Dreamcast

Worst Runner Up- Cardboard! NES, SNES, N64, some Genesis

Best Classic- Atari 5200 Parker Brothers releases

Best Classic Until It Falls Apart- Odyssey2

Worst Classic- Cardboard anything

Best "Lazy But I'll Take It"- PSX, Dreamcast NTSC

Best "Nice Try But You Failed Anyway"- 3DO

Dishonorable Mention- TurboGrafx-16. I can deal with the flimsy out boxes as you had cool CD-style cases. Then you got cheap on us and took away the cases. Bitches!


Congratulations to all our winners! Eat me to all our losers!

:D

[jslithy]

What about the PSP cases?

[Husker Fan]

I was interested in what these all looked like. Could you add images of each of the cases? I am curious about the NGPC cases.

[Cauterize]

DS cases get the :rocker: from me! :D

[Husker Fan]

Yeah I really like the DS cases... Small and compact. The only thing that I am annoyed by is how the manual is layed out... :|

[howdoin]

DS cases are great, PSP are pretty good, SFC Cardboard are fragile but an interesting format.

[Big Papa Husker]

Ive never seen a SFC box other than ones on Ebay.

[otterpop]

I agree with those that said DS cases - they're like a DVD case, only half the size, and they included a slot to put GBA games in there as well! Doesn't get much better than that.

[Jorpho]

I thought the classic Infocom adventures had the best packaging. ;)

[fishsandwich]

Unfortunately, the packaging for both the DS and the PSP were not eligible for this year's awards due to their release dates after October 31st, 2004... the official cutoff date as set by the alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus at some point in the distant past. They will certainly be eligible for next year's awards and the DS is already a front-runner for best packaging (though early reports say the Neo Pocket will be hard to beat!)

[DeputyMoniker]

I disagree with cardboard being the worst. My opinion is exactly the opposite, I love cardboard. It felt so good to grab a game at the store and shake it. I miss that...now I just get a stupid DVD case.

[tholly]

Best Classic Until It Falls Apart- Odyssey2



I agree with that one....Odyssey 2 boxes have amazing art work on them, some of the best I have ever seen, but, being as they are cardboard, they don't withstand the test of time unless you take care of them (like i do)

Examples of all the art work can be seen here (http://home.ptd.net/~tholly/O2Collection.jpg).

[The_EniGma]

I like the way PS1 PAL cases are but goddamit they are so annoying then you drop and crack them. Even a lil pull will put them into two pieces.

[FABombjoy]

Not exactly an official release, but the packaging that continues to impress me is the limited release of Protector for the Vectrex. It was clearly a labor of love and has to be the best homebrew packaging ever.

[fishsandwich]

I disagree with cardboard being the worst. My opinion is exactly the opposite, I love cardboard. It felt so good to grab a game at the store and shake it. I miss that...now I just get a stupid DVD case.

I know what you mean... I miss them too in a strange way. I loved buying a fresh, shrinkwrapped SNES or N64 game off the shelf with all its new sharp corners and well-defined edges. I'd give it a little squeeze... and it would give, then return back to its original shape. It was almost like it was BREATHING. I'm sure the classic games were the same way.

Unfortunately, I haven't lived a lifestyle where my games have been able to stay put, and constant moving (no matter how careful) has been hard on my cardboard-boxed games. Not so great for the Saturn and Sega CD games, either.

I believe that's why the voting academy went with the plastic boxes of the NGPC, Genny, and SMS over all others. The DVD cases, while tough and mostly interchangeable, lack the feeling of love found in older packaging formats and lost points because they are easily mistaken for regular DVD movies. Not good. The cardboard boxes simply do not stand up against the ravages of time unless they are handled and stored extremely carefully. As you know, many collectors must find their games online, and even the best-intentioned seller might that realize that their "like new" Atari 2600 box is actually beat to shit.

:D

[Cauterize]

Infact i decided, add N-Gage Packaging to to the List! Awesome small style DVD cases with special MMC Card holders inside! Awesome if you ask me!

[Arcturius]

Worst Ever- PAL Dreamcast

Wow you REALLY have a bee up your ass about the PAL Dreamcast cases don't you this is the SECOND topic you've started with something about them being crappy. >..o

Sure the front parts are fragile but I've have very little problems with mine and I have a complete set (bar one French release) In fact most the ones I've replaced were shodily packaged in the mail and in those conditions I've had all types of cases broken just as often.

[fishsandwich]

Infact i decided, add N-Gage Packaging to to the List! Awesome small style DVD cases with special MMC Card holders inside! Awesome if you ask me!


No! The Academy of Videogame Packaging has spoken, and they have a solid reputation of standing by their decisions. They felt that the N-Gage disgraced itself with it's first side-talkin' bulimic meltdown and was therefore excluded from the competition. It may be eligible next year if they vote on it (and I get one.) Otherwise it shall remain a smelly turd with no chance of redemption! So sayeth The Academy!




http://www.gimpcity.com/severe/free-cat.jpg

[fishsandwich]

Worst Ever- PAL Dreamcast

Wow you REALLY have a bee up your ass about the PAL Dreamcast cases don't you this is the SECOND topic you've started with something about them being crappy. >..o

Sure the front parts are fragile but I've have very little problems with mine and I have a complete set (bar one French release) In fact most the ones I've replaced were shodily packaged in the mail and in those conditions I've had all types of cases broken just as often.

Actually, yes... I do have a bee up my ass about the PAL Dreamcast cases.

I was naked when I opened my latest aquisition, and the bee flew right out of the broken, smashed, shitty case and flew right up my ass. It has been getting on my nerves ever since. And?

Cheers

:ass:

[calthaer]

When you say "packaging," are you only counting the boxes? What about the other materials that may be included with or in the box?

I personally was a big fan of the cloth maps, pewter figurines, and other sorts of goodies PC games used to come with back when they made more than mere FPS / RTS clones for the PC. Man...I shed a tear to think that maps, posters, little mini-comics, and all those other goodies are relics of a bygone era.

But in terms of packages...I think I have to say that I liked Eidos' old pyramidal-type boxes (the ones the old Tomb Raider / Thief games used to come in). Not sure why - I just did. I also like the fact that GBA didn't change the size of the boxes from the old GB size. Nice to have them all on the shelf at once, stacked neatly.

[StealthLurker]

???.... Hands down Neo Geo AES Snap lock cases.

:D

.

[Jorpho]

Not exactly an official release, but the packaging that continues to impress me is the limited release of Protector for the Vectrex. It was clearly a labor of love and has to be the best homebrew packaging ever.

Did you not see the packaging for Venture II (2600) ?

[fishsandwich]

???.... Hands down Neo Geo AES Snap lock cases.

:D

.

Clerical error prevented the fabulius Neo-Geo AES packaging from being including in the voting. Our stupid academy members were drunk and lumped the Neo Pocket and the Neo AES together. The error has been corrected and several members have been flogged.

;)

[fishsandwich]

When you say "packaging," are you only counting the boxes? What about the other materials that may be included with or in the box?

I personally was a big fan of the cloth maps, pewter figurines, and other sorts of goodies PC games used to come with back when they made more than mere FPS / RTS clones for the PC. Man...I shed a tear to think that maps, posters, little mini-comics, and all those other goodies are relics of a bygone era.

But in terms of packages...I think I have to say that I liked Eidos' old pyramidal-type boxes (the ones the old Tomb Raider / Thief games used to come in). Not sure why - I just did. I also like the fact that GBA didn't change the size of the boxes from the old GB size. Nice to have them all on the shelf at once, stacked neatly.

It almost goes without saying that the packaging for PC games is often far superior and much more original that console releases, but I'm glad you brought that up. I never keep PC games packaging, but I sometimes wish I did. I remember some terriblegame based on Star Trek DS9 from years ago... it was in some funky shape and I just thought it was super-cool.

Indeed, computer games often have remarkable packaging, but they weren't counted in the voting.

:D

[Jorpho]

It almost goes without saying that the packaging for PC games is often far superior and much more original that console releases, but I'm glad you brought that up. I never keep PC games packaging, but I sometimes wish I did. I remember some terriblegame based on Star Trek DS9 from years ago... it was in some funky shape and I just thought it was super-cool.

Indeed, computer games often have remarkable packaging, but they weren't counted in the voting.

Ohter funny shapes that come to mind include Gabriel Knight, The Even More Incredible Machine, and Final Fantasy VII. (VIII had a normal box, but it did stand out pretty well with its funky, shiny art.)

[AtariBuff]

Best packaging:

Infocom's first releases (Archon, MULE, Murder on the Zinderneuff, Axis Assassin,...)


Yeah, baby.

[squidblatt]

I thought the classic Infocom adventures had the best packaging. ;)

Yes.

Intellivision had some nice packaging, too.

[squidblatt]

Best packaging:

Infocom's first releases (Archon, MULE, Murder on the Zinderneuff, Axis Assassin,...)


Yeah, baby.

Those weren't Infocom, were they? I'm almost positive that those were some of the first EA titles.

[AtariBuff]

damn, Electronic Arts, of course :P ;)

[swlovinist]

I agree with Neo Geo AES games being some of the best packaging, you get what you pay for. I also agree with TG 16 US art being some of the most hidious ever...

[Castelak]

Duh! Working Design's deluxe packaging! :love:

[Mayhem]

Best packaging:

Infocom's first releases (Archon, MULE, Murder on the Zinderneuff, Axis Assassin,...)


Yeah, baby.

Those weren't Infocom, were they? I'm almost positive that those were some of the first EA titles.

Almost ALL of EA's releases for the C64 during the 80s were of the record/gatefold variety. Very distinctive and highly collectable today :)

[Mayhem]

Hmmm double postage from the server being VERY slow on me... people hammering the games again? :P

[FABombjoy]

Did you not see the packaging for Venture II (2600) ?

Yep, I have. I hate to compare the two because of the different approaches taken to their packaging, but I still feel that Protector is tops and represents the greater effort and detail.

[calthaer]

Almost ALL of EA's releases for the C64 during the 80s were of the record/gatefold variety. Very distinctive and highly collectable today :)

Back in those days, EA was intent on treating their designers like artists (hence the name - Electronic Arts). It was a really novel concept, and something that differentiated them from, say, Atari. The "album" boxes (and the pix of the designers on the inside flap) were really cool, it's true, and was certainly part of this "artiste" mindset.

Oh, how things have changed.

As a side note: FF7 also had that cool pyramidal Eidos box...and had a sort of "album" for the CDs. The best of both worlds!

[anagrama]

While the PAL DC cases are pretty fragile, at least they look good when not damaged. Much nicer than the oversized, blocky and if-anything-more-fragile US Sega CD & Saturn cases.
I'd put the later plastic PAL Satuirn cases right up there aswell - nice size, robustly built and looking really good lined up en masse.

[THATinkjar]

I think the GameCube cases look so sexy. I thought the recent Pirates UK Collector's Edition box was pretty snazzy, though in the wrong hands the cardboard will get damaged.

I always thought that LucasArts gave a good box cover, too.

[Rikimaru]

I had my own award ceremony this morning for The Game Packaging Awards and these were the winners and losers. Disagree? Have your own awards show. B ea A rthur said she was going to be there, but she flaked out. Skank. Bea Arthur showed up, though.

Depends on whether or not the all-important coolness factor is involved. Is it just durability? Or is it about having the coolest looking theme throughout your games. Are they all cool playstation-black with a plastic see through shinyness in between the double cases, or are they Japanese PS2 boring white with text on them.

I've always been partial to the 2nd/3rd-ish Generation PSX cases being the coolest looking,(CD sized black strip) People with complete PSX collections lined up just look awsome. N64 Complete collections...not so much. (Not to be taken seriously if you are a N64 box fan, if so then disregard this information)

Although the earlier PSX boxes were blah...