Friday, November 18, 2011

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Crush 3D edition)

Normally, the games that serve as the centerpieces of these posts are ones in which I'm genuinely interested. Not this time.

That's not a rip on the game, mind you. I've heard good things about the original Crush, developed by Zoe Mode and published by Sega (for the PSP) in 2007, so this one's probably going to be worth owning, too. (Here's an official trailer for Crush 3D, by the way.)

The question is: Am I more interested in Crush 3D's box art than I am in the rest of it? Well, when it comes to the game's North American box art, below, the answer is a solid, "Hell no!"


My main problem with said cover image: Those eyes! Honestly, I'm worried I'll have nightmares tonight after seeing them.

The box art for the Japanese version of the game (called Nightmare Puzzle Crush 3D, according to tinycartridge.com), on the other hand, is on a different plane of weirdness. I mean, how else would you describe this:


If I were forced to choose a favorite, though, I'd go with the latter, and mainly because it looks like one of those instruction-manual illustrations that are supposed to show people how not to treat their systems or games.

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

10 comments:

Mark Ayala said...

It looks like another of the numerous brain training games that flooded the Japanese market two or three years ago.

I'd still pick that up over the terrible American cover.

Bryan Ochalla said...

Ah, yes, the Japanese cover does look a lot like the brain-training games that flooded the market a few years ago. How odd. Still, I kind of like it. Sounds like you do, too -- or at least you prefer it to the icky American cover :)

Marcus said...

Even if the US one has more "personality" it doesn't look all that great.

However, the Japanese cover amuses me with the English text "Oops..." and "YES!!".

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Marcus! Yes, the Japanese cover definitely is amusing. I like the "Oops" especially :)

As for the NA art: I like the idea of it, to an extent, but definitely not the execution.

Viewtiful_Justin said...

Definitely the Japanese one is better for the sheer fact that it's different than anything else out there.

Adam said...

Those 3D graphics are way too creepy. Japanese version is better

Bryan Ochalla said...

Justin: I agree! Although, surprisingly, it's not that different from some Japanese DS box art. Like Mark said earlier, a bunch of Japanese DS 'brain-training' games had box art kind of like this. Who knows, maybe that's the point?

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Adam! Thanks for chiming in :) Anyway, yes, the graphics on the North American box are pretty creepy, aren't they?

RetroKingSimon said...

I don't like either cover to be honest but the Japanese one would also be my choice just for its weirdness! The guy on the US one just looks plain sinister!

Bryan Ochalla said...

Hey there, Simon! Yeah, I can't say either option is all that great. The Japanese one gets a few points from me because it's just plain weird, though.