Speaking of which, here's the colorful piece of cover art that greeted gamers when they wandered into Japanese stores searching for copies of Wind Waker back in 2002:
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And here's the cover art that North American (and European ones, too, basically) gamers looked for when the cel-shaded title hit store shelves in their region three months later in early 2003:
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Thankfully, Nintendo's designers decided to stay far away from the latter version's minimalism while creating Wind Waker HD's cover art.
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In fact, I'd personally go so far as to say the Japanese--and European, in this case--box art (above) for this Wii U-based re-release is the best of the bunch.
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I can't say the same for the North American version's cover imagery (also above), though, due to the over-the-top and out-of-place filter that makes it look like Tingle emptied his bladder on it.
As always, that's just my opinion on the matter. What's yours?
Note: the Japanese and North American Wind Waker HD covers were nabbed from tinycartridge.com.
25 comments:
I think my favorite is the Japanese GC cover. I like the art on the new one a lot though, and it's a tough choice. But I love the simple design, the grainy textures, and the shifting color through the backgrounds really suggests something magical. As a cover the remake is undoubtedly a huge success, especially from a perspective of "hey, remember all your colorful friends?" but it doesn't have that mysterious quality the original had.
The impression over at Tiny Cartridge I think was that they used the "gold" or "Tingle's pee pee" color to match the tradition of gold Zelda boxes. I mentioned this over there but I think if that was their goal, they really should have changed the color of the box itself and ditched the WiiU blue. I like them colored boxes!
What do you think about the recurring gold theme for the US?I don't think it really brings anything to Zelda anymore. They were distinctive on the NES, but since then they've been so strict about the design elements on the boxes that the power of the gold is lost against all the other colors and huge logos (the SNES and GB games especially). The original NES covers are hella nostalgic but I don't feel like the gold on other covers really remind me of them anymore, and the audience that remembers those covers has to be getting smaller and smaller. Nintendo hasn't even been that consistent with it (many GB and DS titles don't have it) and it was never a theme with the Japanese boxes at all. I wouldn't be sad to see the trend go away at all, and the US GC cover here is far and away the worst of the lot.
I could be way off, maybe Zelda fans really like the gold? I have to say it looks nice on Skyward Sword's box, at least.
Oh, I'm with you, Michael--at least mostly. I mean, I like the Japanese GC box art A LOT. And you're right, there's a certain magical/mystical quality to it that's more appealing than the others here (and more appealing than what Nintendo normally puts out in general these days, I have to add). But for whatever reason I chose the Japanese HD cover. Maybe because it's so clean and cohesive--not to mention colorful? I'm always a sucker for those three things.
Also, I'm soooooo over the "golden box art" theme used on practically every Zelda game (console releases at least) sold in North America. Like you said, there was a point to it back in the 8-bit, 16-bit and 32/64-bit eras, when they could make the cartridges gold, too, but in this day and age I think it's lost a lot of its luster. Personally, I think that if they're going to continue to do this, change the color of the box itself, like you suggested, and leave the cover art alone. Regardless, in this case, the golden filter looks ridiculous--in my opinion, at least.
Japanese GC cases are so adorable that has to win by default, but I don't mind the new Jp/EU art at all. Shame about the US cover (again) - maybe they're going to give it a metallic sheen? That might improve the look a little.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the U.S. box looks like it was made with a Pee Filter. I like the more colorful JP/Euro version. Not that it matters too much to me, since I'll be buying it off the eShop.
Mmmm I think they should have continue the traditional minimalistic cover Zelda logo.
NOT GOLD ENOUGH!!! ADD MORE YELLOW!
Bleh.
Ah, yes, I agree with you about Japanese GC cases, Kimimi. They're so small and cute!
Also, yes, a metallic sheen could help the NA HD box art a BIT, but not much, IMO. And I doubt NOA's going to give us such an extravagance anyway :|
"Pee filter." Ha! Exactly.
Also, do you buy most of your Wii U games off the eShop these days, Terry? And how about 3DS games? Just curious...
I can see feeling that way, adeceku. I guess I'm just over it myself. I liked it back in the NES days, but I prefer more colorful box art these days.
You secretly work for NOA's design department, don't you, Justin?
I might. I LOVE that Japanese art. It's actually my current computer desktop image.
I guess we have similarly silly thoughts so I'll just repeat the snide comment I made on twitter - I like how the US cover being plastered in yellow echoes this HD remake pissing all over the art direction of the original game.
I do like the Japanese cover though; it's fun, colourful and the composition is beautiful. I hate the plastic sheen and rim lighting they added to all the characters compared to the original WW artwork though, but again, I guess that simply reflects how the new game actually looks.
Oh, that's a great idea! I can't get rid of my Katamari Damacy wallpaper, though :(
I hear ya, Josef. I mean, the look of this HD remake/re-release has grown on me since it was first shown, but I still wish they just would've up-rezzed the original GC version and made it widescreen--while fixing some of the game's gameplay issues as well, of course.
I'm really not sure why they decided to get rid of the cel-shaded look--unless they thought it *had* to look different in order to entice Wii U owners? I have no idea...
Yeah, I decided to experiment and go almost exclusively download for my Wii U games. Really, it's the worst of the three next-gen consoles to try that on since there's no external account system in case the machine breaks or is stolen, but I like to live dangerously while I wait for Nintendo to add it, ha-ha.
I've bought three retail 3DS games off the eShop so far: "New Super Mario Bros 2," "Paper Mario Sticker Star," and "Animal Crossing New Leaf." I'll probably buy "Pokemon Y" off the eShop and pick up a retail copy of "Pokemon X" later on.
The 3DS is the more likely of the two machines to be lost or stolen, so I'm more wary of going all-download for it until the account system is in place.
Good for you, Terry! I hear ya about the lack of an actual account system, by the way. It really is amazing that Nintendo has yet to introduce one for the 3DS or Wii U. Hopefully soon.
If they ever launch the accounts to safeguard my purchases, I'll go all-digital on the 3DS. Lots of people balked, but I'm a big fan of the PSP Go. Being able to carry 40 PSP/PS1 games in a pocket is lovely. lol
You're a more forward-thinking gamer than I am, Terry! I'll only go all-digital if I'm forced. Otherwise, I pretty much only buy digital titles if that's the only way to obtain them.
First thing that comes to mind when looking at that last golden-ed cover is "Link's Desert Adventure". The very opposite of what the game seems to be about!
(I never had a chance to play Wind Waker past the prologue. ;_;)
Ha! Yes, I can see why you'd think that. Why weren't you able to play Wind Waker past the prologue, by the way?
The only time I played the game was in a video rent house for a hour, years ago.
Sigh. What's with Nintendo of America and the gold theme? Talk about tacky! (and not in a good way) I'm not sure I even like how crowded the original design is, but at least the UK/JPN version has some color in it!
OK, that makes sense. I thought you were going to say the prologue so turned you off that you gave up on it or something :)
I don't know, Anne. I mean, I know us US gamers tend to equate Zelda games with gold, but either they should be more creative about it or they should give it a rest for a bit--in my opinion, of course. Personally, I think they should reserve gold covers/discs for rare/special occasions.
Woohoo! Go euro cover :p
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