Questionable Box Cover Art




Posted by ZEN

Ever wondered how game publishers came up with the images that illustrated the game's box cover?
Ever noticed how certain images on cover art look suspiciously familiar?

Apparently Konami had an effective technique to creating the artwork on their games' box covers.

Behold the following [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/terminator-metalgear1.jpg]image[/url]...



That is a side-by-side comparison of a scene taken from the 1984 movie 'The Terminator' and the Ultra/Konami NES hit 'Metal Gear'. There is no denying the likeness between The Terminator's Kyle Reese to Metal Gear's art rendering of Solid Snake. An interesting comparison, seeing as how the two characters are quite different.

However, Konami's next movie-rip-cover-art is much more fitting...



That's the 'Contra' image from the box and cartridge of the U.S. released game. Compare it with the next two following images...



Those scenes were taken from the action film 'The Predator' starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It seems "Arnie" was the perfect choice for the main hero(s) of 'Contra'. Running rampantly through hordes of enemies and dispatching alien fiends with high-powered weaponry was just the right match for the character Konami wanted portrayed on the front cover.
Another inspiration for the 'Contra' look (and possibly even "design" of the game) came from yet another 1980's hit movie 'Aliens'. The aliens themselves in the final stage of 'Contra' look exactly like the movie creations, therefore so does the background image on the cover.

So put them all together and what do we get...



This [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/contra_boxart.jpg]picture[/url]* shows us the truth. 'Contra' is the video game version of 'Predator' meets 'Aliens'!
There might be more movie-cover-rip-art out there. 'Metal Gear' and 'Contra' were just the two most obvious.
That's all for now.

Anyone else have any box cover gems they would like to share (extremely horrible ones included) then do so (with images too).


*Appreciate the precise GIMPwork.




Posted by Klarth



lol




Posted by ZEN


Quoting Klarth:


[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/mega-toy.jpg]*Could not resist urge to make a semi-offensive (and possibly failed) joke out of the European Mega Man 2 box cover art*[/url]

Of course when it comes to the original 'Mega Man', it was North America that got the crap.
Observe...

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/megaman1-eu.jpg[/IMG]
^^^ Europe

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/megaman1-us.jpg[/IMG]
^^^ America?

:eek:



Posted by Proto Man

Yeah, the first to MM games in the US, the box art makes him look like a futuristic police man or something.... at least the first UK one looks decent. The second UK one though... makes me kind of wonder. They got it right the first time, what made them change it?




Posted by Stalolin

[quote=ZEN]

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/megaman1-eu.jpg[/IMG]



einstein has been captured by wily. Only Japanese Yelling Blue Fire Energy From Hand Youngster can save us and help the US bomb Japan!




Posted by neofreak91

I love to see a contra movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger




Posted by bazariah

there was also an alternate mega man 2 cover namely this one:

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/modul_megaman2.jpg[/IMG]

arch rivals... notice there is a guy on the bottom, and see how he is presenting himself... hmmmmmm

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/modul_archrivals.jpg[/IMG]

and tecmo world wrestling, it's homoerotic i tells ya

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/modul_tecmoworldwrestling.jpg[/IMG]




Posted by andrewg

These similarities are ammusing. :)




Posted by PWND_U_IN_MK

Yeah, I like it :)




Posted by ZEN

The box...
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/ironsword.jpg[/IMG]

In the game...
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/kuros_ironsword.png[/IMG]

...?




Posted by Proto Man


Quoting ZEN: [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/ironsword.jpg[/IMG]

...


..... why the heck does he look like Fabio?

As for the Arch Rivals... well, that's Akklaim for you.

I think baz's Mega Man 2 picture is the best!



Posted by ZEN


Quoting Protoman: ..... why the heck does he look like Fabio?

Because he IS Fabio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironsword:_Wizards_&_Warriors_II
Read under "Trivia".

And while we're on the subject...
http://fabiogame.ytmnd.com

Shudder in horror...



Posted by Proto Man


Quoting ZEN: Because he IS Fabio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironsword:_Wizards_&_Warriors_II
Read under "Trivia".

And while we're on the subject...
http://fabiogame.ytmnd.com

Shudder in horror...



I figured as much.



Posted by VirtualRealityZone


Quoting ZEN: The box...
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/ironsword.jpg[/IMG]

In the game...
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/zen3/rehosted/kuros_ironsword.png[/IMG]

...?


Wow...lol :D