Nice Package! (Tabemon, Wii)

Last week, the Cool Box Art Twitter account wisely highlighted the European cover of Namco's colorful, Pac-Man-esque Wii game, The Munchables.

I say wisely because, in my humble opinion, The Munchables' Euro (as well as North American) box art is top notch.

As much as I like that cover imagery, though, I like its Japanese counterpart--showcased in the photo that follows--even more.

If you can't quite make out all of the wonderful details of the Tabemon (that's what The Munchables was called in Japan) box art in the snapshot above, take a gander at the one below. Or check out this scan.

Seriously, Tabemon's cover illustration and logo are among my favorites produced for a Nintendo Wii game.

Sadly, I can't say I love its gameplay as much as its packaging. Tabemon (or The Munchables, if that's how you prefer to refer to this title) looks great, no question. Its Pac-Man-esque gameplay, though, is just a little too superficial for my liking.

Speaking of which, I can't help but wonder if Tabemon or The Munchables would've benefited from a bit more structure. Think about Pac-Man--or Ms. Pac-Man or even Pac-Man Championship Edition. To me, part of what makes all three of those games so great is that they place limits on what players can do and where they can go.

Anyway, don't take that to mean I think you should avoid Tabemon or The Munchables like the plague. While its gameplay isn't quite as enjoyable as I expected it to be, it's still fun enough to own.

Plus, as you hopefully can see here, its packaging--which includes its box and disc art as well as its instruction manual--is worth the price of admission.

I don't know if you can see it the photo that kicks off this post, but Tabemon's instruction manual is billed as being as recipe book. Cute, right?

The cute continues throughout, too. Seriously, the Tabemon manual is stuffed full of adorable, food-themed art. Sadly, I wasn't able to scan this booklet before I put the bulk of my games collection into storage and left Seattle, so I it won't star in one of my "Manual Stimulation" posts until the end of this year at the earliest.

In the meantime, have any of you played either The Munchables or Tabemon? If so, what did you think of the experience?

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts

The best box art of 2016

This past year was a great one for games. It also was great for game cover art--as the following examples hopefully prove.

Culdcept Revolt (3DS)--To be totally honest, I originally chose to include this piece of box art in this post because it's awash in red. I've since come around to appreciating that the game's cast of characters aren't huddled around the middle point of the illustration, which seems to the case for most Japanese cover images these days. Add in Culdcept Revolt's slick logo, and you've got yourself an obvious winner.

Dragon Quest Builders (PS4/Vita)--What's not to love about Dragon Quest Builders' Japanese cover art? After all, it sports a top-notch logo, a charmingly stylized main image and is so sweetly colorful it could give you a toothache. Sadly, Square Enix's designers gave it an extreme makeover when prepping the game for release outside its home country.

Final Fantasy XV Deluxe Edition (PS4)--I've drooled over Yoshitaka Amano's work since I learned he was responsible for the key art for one of my all-time favorite games, Final Fantasy VI. What he conjured up for Final Fantasy XV's Deluxe Edition may not be quite as mind-blowing as those aforementioned creations, but it's still completely gorgeous and very much worthy of being mentioned in a write-up such as this.

Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna (PS4/Vita)--This may be my favorite of all the box arts mentioned in this post. I love that it's subtle. I love that its designers weren't afraid of white space. I love the pop of color provided by the lone tree in the upper-right corner. I love the logo, which straddles the line of looking handwritten and looking like a computer-enabled font. And, oddly enough, I love the feeling of loneliness it evokes.



The Last Guardian (PS4)--Please note that I'm talking about the Japanese "First-Press Limited Edition" here. As in, the chartreuse-tinged label affixed to the cardboard outer box shown in the photo above. That's the only cover image associated with this long-awaited release I find at all appealing, by the way.

Five favorites: North American GameBoy box art

A couple of years ago, I published a post that highlighted five of my favorite pieces of Japanese GameBoy box art.

This post, of course, focuses on five of my favorite pieces of North American GameBoy box art.

Balloon Kid--I know some of you will look at Balloon Kid's cover art and declare it to be an abomination. And I can understand that--to an extent. Its depiction of the game's pigtailed protagonist is a bit odd, to say the least. The illustration of the giant, bug-eyed fish that's attempting to eat Alice (the aforementioned heroine) is even worse. Still, I like the overall image, thanks in large part to its liberal and adept use of color. I'm also a big fan of the game's bold and subtly creative logo. (Bonus: the entirety of Balloon Kid's instruction manual can be seen here.)

BurgerTime Deluxe--This is one of the few instances where I prefer a GameBoy title's North American box art to its Japanese counterpart. (You can see the Japanese BurgerTime Deluxe's cover in this old post.) Not only that, but I think this particular example of packaging design may be my favorite of all the ones included in this post. I want to say the logo is the star here, but the illustrations of Peter Pepper (he's the guy in the funny-looking white hat) and BurgerTime Deluxe's angry, anthropomorphic ingredients are pretty stellar, too. I even like the purple backdrop that supports the whole she-bang.

Dig Dug--This selection will raise a few eyebrows, I'm sure. It's quite a bit darker than and nowhere near as cute as what most people would expect to see splashed across the cover of a GameBoy port of this Namco arcade classic. That's probably a big part of why I like it so much, to be honest. There's more to it than that, though. I also appreciate the skewed perspective that puts one of the game's iconic Pooka enemies front and center. Admittedly, the protagonist's mouth-tongue-whatever-it-is freaks me out a tad, but I'm willing to overlook it for the rest of what's on offer here.

Mole Mania--This piece of box art really looks like something the designers at Nintendo would cook up, doesn't it? It's stuffed to the gills with cute characters, it's positively doused with pastels and it's got an adorable logo plastered across its top half. Could the artists who created it have removed the main mole's unibrow? No doubt. Still, Mole Mania's cover is a keeper even with the little guy's questionable grooming habits on display. By the way, if you'd like to see how this game's North American packaging stacks up to its Japanese packaging, check out this post.

Wario Land--Full disclosure: I've barely played any of the first four Wario Land games. I can't even tell you why that's the case. I guess I've just always gotten my fill from Nintendo's Mario-centric platformers. Anyway, the Wario Land series' covers certainly aren't responsible for me ignoring its games. The one made for this first entry is a knockout, wouldn't you agree? Some may say it's busy, and I can't (completely) argue against that, but I personally think such a bombastic design works in this particular context.

So, what do you think of these examples of North American GameBoy box art? Do you like them, too--or do you hate them?

If it's the latter and if you can think of pieces of North American GameBoy box art you prefer, let me know about them in the comments section of this post.

Let's ogle six lovely examples of Japanese PS4 and Vita cover art

To know me is to know I love a good piece of game box art.

Sure, most of the cover art I shine a light on here is of the "retro" variety, but that doesn't mean I turn my nose up at more modern offerings. Consider the following, all of which make me feel warm and tingly inside:

Birthdays the Beginning (PS4)--Although this game is still a bit of a mystery to me, that isn't keeping me from wanting it with all my might. Sadly, I'm unlikely to buy Birthdays the Beginning--even the North American release, which will hit the streets here early next year--because I don't currently own a PS4 and because I doubt that'll change in 2017. Oh, well, staring at its Japanese cover art (above) brings me so much joy that it (almost) makes up for the fact I'll likely never experience its gameplay.

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6 Gentou Rondo (Vita)--This one's a Japanese otome game, which means there's no way a copy of it is going to find its way into my collection anytime soon. (Not because I hate otome games, mind you; rather, it's because I can't even imagine attempting to play through an otome game in Japanese at this point in time.) If some brave company were to release an English version of this title, though, I'd buy it in a second--as long as the company in question retained its brilliant Japanese box art, of course.

Nier: Automata (PS4)--I may not be as hot to trot about Nier: Automata as your average "gamer," but I'm certainly hot to trot about its beautifully stark Japanese cover art. Granted, I'm a huge Akihiko Yoshida fanboy, so I guess my interest should've been expected?

Princess wa Kane no Mouja (Vita)--This piece of box art, for the upcoming title Western gamers often refer to as The Princess is Money-Hungry, is as bright and colorful as Nier: Automata's is dreary. I especially love its funky logo, which--appropriately enough--seems to be bathing in gold and silver coins.

SaGa: Scarlet Grace (Vita)--OK, so I'm no longer so sure I'm going to pick up this latest entry in Square Enix's odd SaGa series. (This despite the fact that I've got a huge crush on earlier entries that were released for the GameBoy, Super Famicom and PlayStation.) I am sure I like SaGa: Scarlet Grace's Japanese box art, though. Is it on the simple side in terms of design? Definitely. Still, it seems fitting for a title that'll hopefully end up being a compellingly strange RPG.

Touhou Shinpiroku ~ Urban Legend in Limbo (PS4)--This box art is for an upcoming PS4 brawler, if you can believe it. Fighting games usually prompt me to yawn, but this one has my attention thanks to its eye-popping cover illustration. Does this mean I'd probably buy Touhou Shinpiroku if I had a PS4 console? I doubt it. I'd definitely buy a poster-sized version of the above, though.

See also: 'Eight Vita games I'm planning to buy (and play) later in 2016 or as soon as possible in 2017' and 'Six Vita games I may buy (and play) later in 2016 or as soon as possible in 2017'

Nice Package! (Pikmin, GameCube)

I'm sorry if I've mentioned this before, but I think it's pretty relevant to this post, my last post and a handful of posts that will follow in the coming weeks.

How so? Well, the thing is, I have a rather spotty history with Nintendo's GameCube. I only bought one after it had basically failed in the US, for starters. (I waited until the system could be picked up for a measly $99.) Also, between then and now, I've acquired just a handful of GameCube titles--nearly all of which are of the North American variety.

All of that changed a few months ago when I purchased Mr. Driller: Drill Land, which serves as the focus of this recent write-up. The floodgates opened shortly afterward.

In the weeks that followed, I added the copy of Pikmin that can be seen below. I also added a good number of other Japanese GameCube discs I'll shine a light on shortly.

Today, though, let's focus on the absolutely lovely packaging of Pikmin's Japanese release. It all starts with the cover of the game's outer sleeve, of course.

Don't get me wrong, I also like its North American counterpart a great deal. Still, I'd be lying if I said I preferred it to the comparatively simple--not to mention colorful--piece of art that's stretched across the piece of cardboard seen above.

The instruction manual and game disc that are packed inside Pikmin's colorful Japanese wrapper are similarly eye-popping.

I especially like the disc label, and not just for the image of Olimar offering encouraging words to the faithful Pikmin who follow in his footsteps.

OK, so the back of the game's outer sleeve isn't as brilliant as the rest of its packaging. It certainly does the trick, though. Also the line of rainbow-hued Pikmin that traipse across its top edge are cute as buttons, so it's hard to say it's without merit at all.

All apologies to my pal Zach for failing to include a snapshot of the tiny plastic case that houses the Japanese Pikmin's disc and booklet. I'll be sure to do so in one of my upcoming GameCube-centric posts.

In the meantime, I'm sure some of you are big Pikmin fans. Why is that the case? What do you like about this game--or either of its sequels--so much? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Or just share your thoughts and opinions on the Japanese release's outer sleeve, instruction manual and game disc. I'm open to any and all such banter, as always.

I know almost nothing about Thomas the Tank Engine, so why am I strangely attracted to this upcoming Japanese 3DS game?

The game in question: Tetsudou Nippon! Rosen Tabi: Kikansha Thomas-hen Oigawa Tetsudou!

I have no idea what that means in English, but I that's OK--all you really need to know is this is yet another 3DS train simulation game from the masters of the genre, Sonic Powered.

Or maybe I should say it would be yet another 3DS train simulation game if it didn't throw a wrench into the works by featuring the world-famous Thomas the Tank Engine character.

Although I've never played any of Sonic Powered's million (give or take a few hundred thousand) 3DS choo-choo sims, I've long wanted to do so.



As for why the one starring Thomas the Tank Engine has me thinking of biting the bullet, so to speak, well, I'm not sure. OK, so that's not entirely true. After reading about the game on both japanesenintendo.com and tinycartridge.com yesterday, and in the process discovering that this title's Thomas mode switches out the Japanese Rail Sim series' realistic trappings for ones far more colorful and toylike, I was smitten.

That doesn't mean I've already pre-ordered Tetsudou Nippon! Rosen Tabi: Kikansha Thomas-hen Oigawa Tetsudou! Nor does it guarantee I'll do so between now and when the game is released in late July (carrying a price tag of 6,264 yen, or about $57).

I am seriously considering it, though. Should I go through with it, I'll of course do my best to share some impressions in a future post.

Are any of you similarly attracted to this curious import? If so, please tell me (and others) why in the comments section below.

Shots fired: Zero Time Dilemma's Japanese box art massacres its North American counterpart

While talking about Zero Time Dilemma's North American box art last week, I mentioned that I wouldn’t have minded if its designers had used another of artist Rui Tomono’s fascinatingly dark illustrations rather than the clichéd group shot seen here.

I also said "I would’ve even preferred if the folks at Aksys had gone with the gun-to-the-head art that helped introduce [the game] to the masses instead."

Fast forward to this morning, and what do I see while perusing one of my favorite Nintendo-focused sites (that would be japanesenintendo.com)? The following:



That imagery is going to greet folks who buy retail copies of the Japanese 3DS version of Zero Time Dilemma this summer, of course. (You can check out the very similar Vita iteration here, if you're curious.)

I don't know about you, but I much prefer the above to the North American cover. Do you feel the same way, or do you like the Western art better?

By the way, those of you who can't wait to start playing this third (and final) entry in the Zero Escape series of games may want to watch its second Japanese trailer.

See also: all of my posts about 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors

Let's chat about Zero Time Dilemma's cover art

Once I finally got around to playing it, I fell head over heels in love with 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors.

I can't say the same for its sequel, Virtue's Last Reward, because, well, I haven't played it yet. I do own a copy of it (the Vita version), though, and my current plan is to find a way to play it before the series’ third and final entry, Zero Time Dilemma, hits store shelves in late June.

For now, fans of the Zero Escape series can do little more than chat about Zero Time Dilemma’s first screenshots and trailer or ogle its just-released box art.

Speaking of which, here’s the cover imagery that was created for North American copies of this highly anticipated visual novel.

As I’m sure you can guess, the 3DS version’s packaging will look very similar to its Vita counterpart. (Check it out here, if you’re curious.)

Will Zero Time Dilemma’s Japanese covers sport completely different art? I obviously don’t know, but I kind of hope they will.

Although I can’t say I dislike what Aksys Games’ designers conjured up for North American copies of this game, I wouldn’t have minded if they’d used another of artist Rui Tomono’s fascinatingly dark illustrations rather than the clichéd group shot seen above.

(I’m probably in the minority here, but I would’ve even preferred if the folks at Aksys had gone with the gun-to-the-head art that helped introduce Zero Time Dilemma to the masses instead.)

What do all of you think? Do you like Zero Time Dilemma’s North American 3DS and Vita box art?

Also, how does it compare in your minds to what was concocted for 999 (for a refresher, here are that DS game’s Japanese and North American covers) and Virtue’s Last Reward (3DS version here, Vita version here)?

See also: my #ADecadeofDS post about 999

Let's ogle some Japanese PS4 and Vita box art

OK, so not all of the PS4 and Vita box covers that can be seen below are all that recent. In fact, two of them are kind of old. Still, I'm including them in this post because I didn't want it to include just three or four pieces of art.

Caligula (Vita)--This may be my favorite of the bunch. Why? The color scheme--black, purple, pink, red and white--is the main reason for that, although I'm also pretty fond of the illustration, the layout and even the rather simple logo.

I can't say I know a ton about the game itself, although I believe it's supposed to be some sort of Persona spinoff. Which sounds cool to me--as long as it's a high-quality (or at least medium-quality) spinoff.

Cladun Sengoku (Vita)--When this game was revealed, I was surprisingly uninterested. I say surprisingly because I'm a big fan of the two Cladun titles that were made and released for the PSP a few years ago. A third entry set in Japan's Sengoku period, though, doesn't really appeal to me.

Or so I thought. I mean, I can't say I'm all hot and bothered about this Cladun sequel's setting now, but I'm intrigued enough by it that I'm seriously considering picking up a copy of this game in the coming months. (The only reason I haven't already pre-ordered it is that I'm waiting to see if someone localizes it for a North American release.)

Coven and the Labyrinth of Refrain (Vita)--I've got to be honest here: I don't completely love this particular piece of cover art. Oh, it's nice enough overall, and I like the soft, cool colors it showcases. The layout's kind of awkward, though, don't you think?

Still, I decided to include it here because: a) I like its flowery, Etrian Odyssey-esque logo and b) I like the little I've seen of its gameplay.

Final Fantasy XV (PS4)--Am I itching to play Square Enix's next mainline Final Fantasy title? Not really, to be completely honest. Granted, I haven't been all that interested in the company's main moneymaker for years, and although I think Final Fantasy XV looks grand--literally and figuratively--I don't see myself running out and buying a PS4 later this year just so I can experience it. Stranger things have happened, though, so who knows? Maybe I'll have a change of heart between now and then.

In the meantime, I'll gladly ogle the game's Japanese box art, which adeptly conveys the "epic road trip" that seems serve as the backbone of this particular Final Fantasy adventure. I'm also enamored with Final Fantasy XV's "Deluxe Edition" box art. How about you?

Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator (PS4)--No one's ever going to accuse me of bring a fighting-game nut. In fact, I haven't been into fighters since Street Fighter II's glory days. Still, I know--and like--a good cover illustration when I see one, and I'd definitely call Revelator's cover illustration "good" (if not "great").

I especially like the inventive use of color on display in this piece of box art, by the way. In fact, I'd say that's its main selling point.

Republique (PS4)--I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I know nothing about this game aside from its name. I'm going to do my best to educate myself about it in the next few days, though, as I like its cover imagery enough that I'd buy it if its gameplay is compelling and it won't cost me an arm and a leg to add to my collection.

Rose to Tasogare Kojo (Vita)--I'm already rubbing my hands together in anticipation of this upcoming Vita title arriving on my doorstep. That's mostly due to its htoL#NiQ-ish gameplay, of course, but owning a game box that looks as slick as this one's does is more than a minor factor.

You know what kills me, though? In the past, a game like this would come with a similarly stellar instruction manual. Today, we'll be luck to get a single piece of paper that explains its controls. Oh, well.

Nice Package! (Mappy, Game Gear)

I don't know if you're aware, but I'll play pretty much any version of Namcot's--or, you know, Namco's--Mappy that comes my way.

If given a choice, though, I usually go with the 1991 Game Gear port that serves as the focus of this write-up.

Why? Well, it's portable, for starters--and these days, especially, I prefer on-the-go gaming experiences to those that require me to spend time in our basement. (That's where my consoles and our TV are situated.)

I also simply like how the wizards at Namcot/Namco were able to shrink this 1983 arcade classic so it could be played on Sega's GameBoy competitor. 

And then there's the extra mode that, as far as I'm aware, only can be found in this particular version of Mappy. If you want to know more about it, read through the handful of comments shared at the end of this old post.

The gist, though, is that it features stages that are quite a bit more sprawling than those found in the original quarter-muncher. They also look kind of grimy compared to the ones most Mappy fans are used to seeing.

As exciting as Game Gear-specific offering may seem, I almost always ignore it in favor of the traditional arcade mode.



Anyway, enough about that. How about this iteration's packaging? I especially love the illustration that appears on the front of its box and cartridge, of course.

Its instruction manual includes a bunch of great illustrations, too--as should be evident while taking in the pair of snapshots above.

Don't worry, I'll publish scans of the entire booklet as part of my "Manual Stimulation" series in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts on this or any other version of Mappy in the comments section that follows.

See also: my 'Great Gaymathon' review of Mappy's Famicom port

Nice Package! (Rainbow Islands, Famicom)

I haven't always been a fan of the Famicom version of Taito's Rainbow Islands.

For the longest time, in fact, I turned up my nose at it because few of its many components--graphics, soundtrack, gameplay--hold a candle to those found in the arcade original.

The one aspect of this 1988 Rainbow Islands port, if you can call it that, I've loved since I first came across it is its Japanese box art. (See this "Which Box Art is Better?" post from 2011 for proof.)



It should be pretty easy to understand why that is once you take in the photo above. Not only is it brilliantly colorful, but everything but the striped backdrop appears to be made out of clay.



Other parts of Rainbow Islands' Famicom packaging it are well worth ogling, too. Hell, even the sides of its cardboard box is quite a looker, if you ask me. (What can I say? I'm a sucker Japanese words spelled out in attractively crafted bubble letters.)



This game's instruction manual is similarly striking. Well, not so much its cover--although I do appreciate how the pink texts pops against all of the white and gray and black beneath it--but definitely its interior.

Nice Package! (City Connection, Famicom)

Until a few months ago, City Connection was nowhere to be found on the extensive gaming "wish list" that resides on my trusty laptop.

Although I have fond memories of playing some version or other of this odd Jaleco-made action game as a teen, it was a Famicom title I could do without.

Or so I thought. Just before the holidays, I fired up this 1985 release's ROM and had such a blast with it that I decided then and there to track down a complete-in-box (CIB) copy of it.



To be fair, I go through that very same process all the time in regard to other games, and the majority of them are still taking up space on my precious "buy ASAP" list.

What pushed me to pick up City Connection so quickly? There's no question its plucky Japanese box art (above) played a pretty vital role.



I don't know that I'd say the back of City Connection's box is as fabulous as its front, but that doesn't mean the latter is a big old turd.

For instance, I rather like how the reverse side of the package showcases a handful of semi-wonky screenshots like only a retro game can do.



The absolute best part of the CIB City Connection experience, though, is its cartridge. I mean, just look at the beautiful, banana-yellow plastic in the photo above.

Adding to the effect is the focused version of the game's logo and box art.



Now here (or, rather, above) is something you don't see every day--a label on the back of a Famicom cart that features more than a couple of lines of boring text.

Sadly, I'm clueless as to the point of this label. Does it simply reiterate or summarize the information shared on the backside of City Connection's box? Or does it share some kind of unique info with the player? Whatever the case may be, consider me a fan of the general execution.

Have any of you played any iteration of City Connection? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

Square Enix's beautiful throwback of an RPG, Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna, will be mine (and yours, too?) sometime on or around Feb. 18

If you're anything like me, you slobbered all over Project Setsuna's first trailer, which made its debut during a Sony Japan event held in September.

What's happened in the two months since? Not a whole lot--again, if you're like me. Although maker Square Enix promised this breathtaking PS4 and Vita RPG would hit the streets of Japan "early next year," that was too far away for my puny little brain so I pushed its released onto the proverbial back burner until the date was a bit closer.

Admittedly, it's still three months away as I type this post, but at least now those of us who are interested in the game have a solid release date--Feb. 18--to focus on moving forward.

We also have a final name--Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna, which I've been told translates to something like The Sorrow of Sacrifice and Snow--a retail price (4,800 yen, or about $39) and a cover illustration.

The only thing we're missing at the moment: a handy pre-order link. OK, so Play-Asia has a pair up on its site--here's the one for the PS4 version and here's the one for the Vita version--but I prefer to buy upcoming and current Japanese games via AmiAmi, so I'm waiting for it to allow pre-orders before finally biting the bullet (on the Vita iteration, naturally).

Are any of you planning to buy one or more copies of Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna? Or are any of you hoping it'll cross the pond and find its way onto the store shelves in your neck of the woods?

If so, please let me and others who visit this blog know all about it in the comments section below when you have a free second or two.

Let's talk about RPG Maker MV's awesome Japanese cover art

Did any version of the Enterbrain-made, Degica-published RPG Maker MV actually earn a physical release somewhere in the world?

I ask because although I'm assuming this latest entry in the decades-old make-your-own-RPG series is available in boxed form in Japan based on the following image, I can't find any evidence to support that assumption.

Regardless, the concoction on the right, which was noted in this NeoGAF thread as being the Japanese PC version's official box art, is pretty spectacular, if my opinion.

Granted, it's from the same, boring "cram a bunch of the game's characters into an amorphous blob" mold that produces too many of Japan's cover images these days, if you ask me, but its colors are so nice and it's so pretty overall that I'm willing to give this example a pass.

Have any of you played any iteration of RPG Maker since the first debuted 22 years ago? I'm sad to say I haven't, but I'd love to hear from someone who has--especially if that person can help me figure out which version (if any) would be worth picking up in 2015 or 2016.

Oh, and if you're curious to learn more about RPG Maker MV, which was released on Oct. 23 carrying an $80 price tag, check out its official site at rpgmakerweb.com.

You've ogled The Legend of Legacy's lovely Japanese packaging, now ogle that 3DS game's North American packaging

Don't remember the fabulousness of The Legend of Legacy's Japanese packaging? Check out my blog post about it, which features photos of that release's case (interior and exterior), cartridge and folded-up "manual," as well as its soundtrack sleeve and CD.

As for the North American version's packaging, continue reading (or scrolling) to see how it compares to that of the Japanese original.

Admittedly, beyond its size, the North American iteration's outer box--above and below--isn't all that amazing.

That said, I quite like the illustration of the little cat-like character (do any of you know if he or she has a name?) that can be seen in the lower-right corner.

I'm also pretty fond of the random pieces of art that can be spotted on this box's sides and flaps, such the following example.



If you ask me, though, all of the above pales in comparison to the beauty that's showcased on the front and back sides of The Legend of Legacy's North American soundtrack sleeve.





Can anything top that bit of design work? I'd personally suggest--perhaps only meekly, though--that the game's main cover art achieves that goal, although I'd also understand anyone who opposes that line of thinking.



Some of those folks surely prefer the illustrations that grace the front and back covers of the art book that's packaged along with launch-window copies of the North American iteration of The Legend of Legacy.

That book's front cover can be ogled in the photo above, while the back cover can be ogled in the photo below.

Did any of you pick up the North American release of this SaGa-esque 3DS RPG? If so, what do you think about it so far--assuming you've played at least a smidge of it?

I've put about 18 hours into my copy of The Legend of Legacy so far, and I have to imagine I'll put in at least 18 more before I'm done with it.

Don't worry, I'll share some additional impressions of the game long before I reach that point, but in the meantime, I hope these snapshots will serve as a suitable stand-in.