Shenmue Dojo

Bluecast wrote: Spokes Japan is also NTSC.

Yeah, didn't know. But they sometimes still have diff covers so you got what I meant.

^ Reminds me of the Shenmue 2x cover

I don't dislike the US boxart of Lost Odyssey I just freakin love the Japanese one. Kaim looks tired fits the theme, makes you wonder what kind of game would have such a pissed off protagonist.

JP

US

Takehiko Inoue is a fantastic artist. I never even realized he did design work for Lost Odyssey, until now.

LAMEWAD wrote: Takehiko Inoue is a fantastic artist. I never even realized he did design work for Lost Odyssey, until now.

gotta love that slam dunk. To be honest as much as i loved that game i wish it had done something alittle more interesting with its visuals, though i have to say, it using the unreal engine showed how not only that RPGs could be more easily developed using established engines but also lead to changes in engines like Unity and Gamebryo, as well as square-enix's own attempts at building in house long term solutions.

...sorry i just really respect lost odyssey. (and I also love slam Dunk)

Why are you saying sorry? I see no reason to say sorry.

Spokane wrote: Why are you saying sorry? I see no reason to say sorry.

Its just one of those technical things i could go on about forever and most people think that kind of thing is boring.

Another thing people don't like is when you hide what you want to say from them.

Well if someone asks me in the RPG thread then I'll explain it.

Back on topic.
This one has always been a no brainer to me, its another one of those things where the US version became super generic.

JP:

US:

A couple latter-day N64 classics which I have, in all their guises. These two were both released in 2000, I believe.

Perfect Dark
PAL

NTSC-U

NTSC-J


One of my all-time favourites. I have it in PAL and NTSC-U, but not the Japanese one. I'm gonna say that I like the Japanese cover art best with this one. Even though it wasn't a Japanese game (MADE IN BLIGHTY, FUCKERS!), NOJ gave it an awesome cover art in that region. As I understand it, the Japanese never really took to FPS games. So I guess that was Nintendo's way of tricking people over there into buying it? Whatever - awesome cover for a game that probably nobody in Japan bought.

The difference between the PAL and US box arts is weird. At a glance, they seem very similar. Then you realise that they are, in fact, totally different, made from totally different assets/what have you. Not sure which I prefer. There's cool things about both. If I had to choose, I would say the US box art just nabs it. The two Joannas are in a similar pose, and the intent is similar. While PAL Jo looks more like she does in the game (design-wise), and it's nice how the system info isn't taking up a border on the right, but transparently laid unto the art.. there's just something badass about the US box art. Just the laser and her gleaming eyes in the dark, which better suits the game. Slightly.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
PAL

NTSC-U

NTSC-J


Another one of my all-time favourites. Again, the Japanese box art is wildly-different to the others, which also again are fairly similar to each other. I don't know if it's just because, in my part of the world at least, they have some 'exotic' vibe, but I love the art on my Japanese games. They're just wacky, and fantastic to look at. I'm sure there's a big falsehood on my part, there. For as much as I think my Japanese Banjo-Kazooie has awesome art, the western releases had art which was much more in-line with the content of the game.

Back to MM. Love this game to pieces. Between the Collector's Edition US box (of which I could not find a 'regular' flavour), and the standard green PAL box, I have to say I much prefer the PAL box art. Same title with a different background, essentially. Whilst I can totally see where they were going with the US one (madness/power exuding from the Mask of Majora), it just looks kind of shit. Like a filter sloppily-applied in Photoshop. Conversely, the PAL box contains some beautiful art hidden in shades of green. This looks like it could have been as equally a quick effort in Photoshop, but the difference (to my eye) is that the latter looks good. Also, we again see the transparent system info overlaid onto otherwise uninterrupted art on the PAL box. NOE were doing this around this time, wonder why the other regions weren't?

Gonna give this one to PAL in the west, and I can't decide between PAL or Japanese overall.

P.S. However, the hologram on my US cart blows away my shitty PAL one