I…just…you know…sigh. Whatever. Stuff like this won’t stop anyone from buying Kid Icarus on 3DS. But stuff like this does make me wonder who the hell is getting paid to make pointless decisions like this.
On the left, the Japanese box art for the upcoming Kid Icarus: Uprising. Note the childish smile because this is a Nintendo game, and he’s a cute kid. On the right, the American box art. Same cover, mostly, but the smile has been removed, and replaced with a scowl.
Note there’s also less pink on the American cover.
So, for 2012 smiles and sunsets are out at Nintendo of America!
Kid Icarus [Tiny Cartridge]
Smurf'vi
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 4:27 PMThey’ve also made the enemies bigger. Personally, I think he looks angrier on the original Japanese cover.
Pancake
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:20 PMActually the picture is just zoomed in by comparison to the japanese cover, the enemies are the same size.
Simon
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:48 PMI think the American one is just poorly cropped, not zoomed in. Look at the enemy positions.
Matt
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:50 PMACTUALLY actually, both are blown up to an extent, but the enemies have been made bigger to scale with embiggened Pit as well. In the Japanese cover the nearest round baddie at lower left is slightly bigger than Pit’s eye, in the US cover he’s almost as big as Pit’s face.
NO PINKNESS AND MORE OBVIOUS ENEMIES, says America!
Mic
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 1:50 AM“But sir, what if the obvious enemies…are pink?”
Simon
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 4:28 PMI find the lack of pink more amusing. It’s a COLOUR!
Well, color I suppose, since they’re Arrrrmerican.
Ahtaps
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 7:08 PMYou mean minus green?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9dqJRyk0YM
Leigh
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 4:30 PMhttp://www.gamerevolution.com/manifesto/happy-japanese-kirby-angry-american-kirby-987
Kirby too….
MrTaco
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:07 PMHeh, was going to point out that basically ever Kirby cover ever got given angry eyes for the US release.
Darren
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:04 PM…I can not for the life of me understand why I checked this article out. Well I am here so I might as well say something.
It looks fine. It is a cover for a game. If he had boobs and there were Oompa Loompa strippers in the background then sure, I would say it deserves a mention. But this….this is just nit picking for nit picking sake.
Still love this site though :)
markd
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:34 PMIts not about it looking fine or not, the article is pointing out the differences between the two covers. I find the change in subtleties between the two far more interesting a topic to muse than if it was a ‘shock’ cover with boobs and oompa loompa strippers.
Darren
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:14 PMThe writer clearly gives the impresion in the first paragraph that they are not very happy with the change. Having said that, yep, it is kind of interesting to see the difference.
markd
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:51 PMThat’s true, ‘angrier than he should’ is implying that the Japanese cover is the true cover and the American cover is the altered cover designed to appeal to Americans – which I think is exactly how it is! Quite interesting :)
Mr Tairi
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:08 PMHe looks more concentrated then angry.
BR!4N
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 1:48 AMThat’s what I thought!
Sage
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:39 PMangrier than he should? I disagree.
I dunno about you guys but I wouldn’t smile with my mouth open while fighting monsters with a bow & arrow.
Alinos
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:43 PMHe looks more determined than angry
Tokyo Funk
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 5:53 PMReminds me of the Kirby Angry eyes stuff ->
http://kotaku.com/215776/kirby-gets-tough-in-north-america
mchaza
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:48 PMAmerican always have crappy box art, there are a few exceptions like the Resistance one which SONY ruined with all the log placements. All American box art is the main character in the middle staring into the camera with a angry look on their face.
TechaNinja
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 7:14 PMYou didn’t know the resistance one was reversible did you… Poor naive ignorant mchaza.
Stevorooni
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 8:32 PMAND they changed the text to English. Typical American boxart…
Digtrio
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 8:54 PMI lol’d. :P
Also, I think people are forgetting that these decisions are usually approved at head office in Japan. Japan seems to think all westerners are angry and like shooting each other so I guess this would work for us?
nick
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:05 PMlmao.
Seriously though, I hate how western covers always feel the need to fit in rather than stand out.
markd
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 10:02 PMI’m impressed by ANY game cover that isn’t a cool dude pointing a gun.
Lord_Of_The_Skys (aus)
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:26 PMWhat about the Australian box art? i want the :D version… :D
Stevorooni
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:56 PMJust imagine the US boxart with a giant G rating sticker covering up half of it.
Kid
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:37 PMI actually prefer the American box art and really like the lighter brighter feel they obtained from removing the pink sunset.
Can’t we just presume the American box art is just a revision which the studio made to improve sales and would of made if they were relaunching the game in Japan?
Why is this always a Japan vs America thing with America missing out? Nintendo is an international company, if they first launch a game in Japan. Then later launch it in the US where they obviously have to make some alterations to the title, why does it matter if they then decide it’d look better or be more appropriate for him to have his mouth closed and not to have a sunset.
I mean, it’s not like they prepare both and sit them side by side and pick out what they want for each region. They made the Japanese cover first, their done with it and it’s out in the public they start hearing feedback and opinions from people as well as start getting some sales statistics. Then when the times comes by for them to do the cover again they take all of that into account and make changes as they think appropriate…
markd
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:56 PMNo, cut the bullshit, it clearly a very smart, informed and carefully researched decision that they will sell less copies of the game in America if the cover is pink and has a smiling character, because Americans will think the game is ‘gay’ and ‘childish’.
It absolutely a matter of cultural differences “Can’t we just presume the American box art is just a revision which the studio made to improve sales and would of made if they were relaunching the game in Japan?” is ridiculous.
Davegibbon
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 10:04 PMI think the point of the article is spot on. There’s someone, somewhere whose job it was to make this decision. Someone getting a wage for this. “How was work today?”, “Flat out. I’m so exhausted. What’s for dinner?”
Jake
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 10:32 PMI like the new one better.
Sleeper
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 10:39 PMWhy is this an article?
markd
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 6:16 AMWhy would it not be?
Ninjadead
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 2:25 AM“But stuff like this does make me wonder who the hell is getting paid to make pointless decisions like this.”
Articles like this make me wonder WHY are you getting paid for such articles. And the person likely making such a decision is the Art director or one of the artists, who have numerous other jobs. It’s not like Nintendo just hired a person to make this one choice. Idiot.
I don’t know if I can seriously use Kotaku as my news source anymore, most of it’s pointless articles rather than news, and when it is news, it’s heavily baised, rather than professional.
4len
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 2:43 AMArticle seems like a pet peeve thing and obviously wanted people to comment and get some discussion, so be it… I’ll take this over the usual crap some post.
I vote cultural difference too though.. As stupid or pointless as it may seem to change it, it makes sense. In Japan, the smiley faced kid with the Arrow is more approachable given their culture and animated stylings.
In America, most people will gravitate to a stronger, focussed and in control looking character. If it weren’t the case COD and BF3 wouldn’t be a dude on a cover toting boss as weapons.
It’s definitely something that is considered and thought out. If it were anyone here selling a product to different cultures I have no doubt you’d begin to consider the aesthetics. Not everyone is a well informed gamer!