And we're back with another Box Art Brawl, the series where regional box art versions of the same video game go head-to-head in a public vote to find out which is superior.
Last week we had a real scrap on our hands when Super Smash Bros. for the N64 brawled with itself. Democracy prevailed to decree the North American version the winner with Japan coming in just behind it and Europe just behind that. You can't argue with democracy!
This week we're taking a look at a Wii game from 2011. Known as Kirby's Adventure Wii in PAL territories, Kirby's Return To Dream Land was an entry in the pink one's platforming catalogue which featured a rather different cover in North America. This isn't a new thing for Kirby - the puffball is routinely made to look more angry on US covers to reassure western gamers that their pastime is a worthy and serious one. Apparently angry eyes achieve this.
Here he gets a totally different costume, though. But who will win in this epic brawl? You decide...
Japan
We begin in the east this week and get a colourful bit of art with Kirby and the gang floating mid-air (hey - we know he can do that, right?) over Dream Land below. Not a single colour on the palette was left untouched and even if you've never played through one of Kirby's adventures before, you know exactly what you're going to get with this one.
North America
The North American version has the puffball brandishing a sword with Dedede, a Waddle Dee and Meta Knight in the background to the right. Stars shoot out from the tip of the blade, and we know Kirby means business because he's donned his angry eyes for this cover.
This one is similarly colourful, but even with those serious eyes, it's hardly screaming HARDCORE, is it?
Europe
Finally, the European version essentially takes the Japanese art, shifts it up a notch or two and jams in a starry strip along the bottom telling us it’s a 4-player game which includes four super cute icons in the bottom right corner. The game was also renamed for PAL regions, removing the Dream Land reference in favour of echoing Kirby's Adventure on NES.
We see a little more of the land below the protagonists, but it's pretty much the same as the Japanese version. We are quite partial to those insignificant little icons, though. But are you?
Which is the best of the three, then? Click the one you like the most and hit the 'Vote' button below:
And this weekend's Box Art Brawl is over. We hope you enjoyed the colourful displays - join us again when we return next week with yet more contenders.
Comments 50
Japan, if only for the artwork being cuter than the US one and not having an ugly bar at the bottom obscuring some of the artwork like the EU one.
I actually don’t mind the bar, mainly because of the icons inside it that look suspiciously similar to stock counters from Smash Bros. I totally agree about the artwork though
I love descriptive text on the front of game boxes, so Europe to me.
also, NA is proof people only vote for what they're familiar with and not the box.
NA for more action.
Europe’s icons are too cute to vote against. I’m not a fan of the ‘angry’ NA box arts many games get, it’s a bit naff.
Swayed by the Japanese text.
@Noid Not true at all. I voted for it partly because it was different and partly because it has more action. I vote for whatever I feel is the best looking box regardless of region.
Sorry folks, but anything so
cuteawesome brandishing a sword gets insta points in my book.I've always liked the angry american Kirby meme, so that one.
Europe is ruled out because of the bar at the bottom. Toss up between Japan and USA, I think I prefer the Japanese background but not a lot in it really.
Europe's cover art is just a crappier version of the Japanese one that marketing people got ahold of. I'm voting for the NA version just because it's the more visually interesting to me, in terms of composition.
Definitely not the European one with its big ugly "Up to 4 players at any time!" banner at the bottom (which is also such a Wii thing to do, to be almost like scared or embarrassed to be seen as a single player experience. You have to tell Wii owners that there is some sort of multiplayer/party element).
North America this time, simply because the Ultra Sword is unique to this entry of the series. The other cover(s) could arguably work for just about any game in the series.
@Noid European one is the same as what we got in Australia so that's the one I'm familiar with but that didn't stop me from voting from NA.
Sword Kirby slashes the competition.
In this case at least they're all good, imo.
You've always got to go with a giant sword, North America it is.
Love how cute the Japanese cover is. Also that purple and blue energy grid looks nice
They are all good but Europe is the one I have
I definitely don't prefer NA as the sword takes up about as much space as Kirby himself.
Then it's EU vs JP. They look alike, but JP doesn't have that purple bar and the Japanese logo looks more clean to me.
So JP it is!
North America
Both JP & US are good (EU isn't bad either, but it's just a slightly worse version of the JP box), but I went with US because it has a bit more of an actiony feel.
I prefer happy Kirby to angry Kirby but other than that I like the NA cover the most.
Kirby is cute when he's angry
Why did they make KIRBY, of all characters, angry? Otherwise, I prefer the American box art.
NA looks slightly better with an actual sense of action going on, even if the angry eyes are ridiculous
I think it’s so stupid that they always give Kirby angry eyes on the NA box art. I voted Europe.
I voted Japan. It has cool writing that I totally can't read. The sword on the US cover is cool, but it's a bit overpowering the way it's positioned.
@Noid
Familiarity and nostalgia
Don't forget the nostalgia.
Voted the pal version, cause it has a title I can read.
@Yosher It said North America not U.S why are you assuming bro?
I wish JP had Ultra Sword and didn't have Wii in the title, but the spacing and lack of Angry Kirby make the JP one superior.
Angry Kirby doesn't fit in with his aesthetic, so either of the others since they're the same in every way exept the alphabet used.
Kirby promoting knife crime. I say ban the box!
*Note that this is sarcasm. It is actually promoting the wearing of Link style caps which I am all for.
The North American one is just better composition, by quite a large margin. Not voting for it because it’s fashionable to hate the angry eyes is a dumber reason than voting based on regional loyalty, like someone here actually suggested.
@Shiiva I love how people always say that the angry eyes “don’t fit” with the character, but like... he’s holding a sword that he uses in the game to commit mass murder lol.
I would prefer not to give to a child the box that has a sword as the largest piece in the artwork.
Chose the American boxart mainly because I’d take the name “Kirby’s Return to Dreamland” over “Kirby’s Adventure Wii” any day
I really like the North American one, as I think it looks great, however, I had to vote for the Japanese cover, as it's just slightly better IMO.
Box Art Brawls Current Total:
Europe: 4
Japan: 8
North America: 9
King Dedede looks weird in all of them.
Voted for North America because it looks adventurous.
Honestly....they’re all bad
I prefer optimistic Kirby, and the Japanese one has less text clutter. I also like that it had a shorter title in Japan.
Wow, Europe gets the best box for once! Actually, it's a bit of a toss-up between Europe and Japan. Anything but those angry eyebrows.
I'm gonna go with NA on this one, because of the prominent sword.
Side note, man I loved this game, I need to replay it again. Epic Yarn was great too, but KRTD was probably my overall favorite Nintendo platformer on the Wii (between KRTD, KEY, NSMBW, WL:SI!, and DKCR).
I prefer the exhuberant color palette on the American cover. If you're going to sell some Kirby stuff you've got to go all the way.
One of those odd N/A victories.
That spaceship screams adventure to me, and I think the mention of 4p is pretty essential! So I'm going for Europe!
I think this is the third week in a row where the North American cover is the easy choice for me. It has more action going on and it's just more exciting to look at.
Also, I never knew it was called Kirby's Adventure Wii in the PAL regions. Strange.
Japan. I never liked the "angry" Kirby that is used in the US releases. I'd voted for the EU cover if it wasn't for that ugly bar in the bottom.
They all look good to me. Considering the immense sword was a new feature I would go with the NA one. I liked the others having the other characters next to and around Kirby though tbf. Not much in it for me with all 3.
(A solid, enjoyable game this)
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