Games where IGDB ruined the box art

Look what they did to my boy.

This is a collection of games that have "better" box art with different regional releases (often the original Japanese release, for instance) but since IGDB is very focused on using Western Box Art, there's a very noticeable change when the box art is replaced. I'm not actually certain if all of these games originally had the Japanese Box Art over the Western Box Art for the record (or sometimes even PAL Box Art), so this is more or less a list of the fad in general.

Obviously this is a very subjective list, so suggestions will happily be taken. Looking for some great discourse here. Bonus points if you include a link to the original (better) box art, I'll link to it via notes. See here for some broader examples.

UPDATE: Thanks to Pangburn, we now have a better understanding of the games in this list that were actually a victim of IGDB's more controversial box art changing edits. They have been moved and sorted to the front of this list. Everything after Metal Gear Solid does not appear to have been a direct victim, but have been included as an example of this trope and are here for your viewing pleasure.

Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve
Less egregious than the others on this list though the color sat is strange, also slightly different placing of Aya

https://imgur.com/a/PD1Vyg5
Mega Man Legends
Mega Man Legends
https://imgur.com/GHomdRq
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Why did they change the Super Famicom page to the 2015 iOS release lol
Dragon Quest V: Tenkuu no Hanayome
Dragon Quest V: Tenkuu no Hanayome
A new page for Dragon Quest V specifically for the Super Famicom and only for the Super Famicom
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies
https://imgur.com/a/djasUqI
Breath of Fire III
Breath of Fire III
https://imgur.com/a/r6UhNNg
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Back on the list for another round because IGDB's done it again!

Originally looked like this (PAL): https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Castlevania_SOTN_PAL.jpg
Pilotwings
Pilotwings
Low quality scan from IGDB, here's the original: https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/24153-pilotwings-snes-front-cover.jpg
Star Fox
Star Fox
Degraded the US box art with borders, here's the JPN box art for a different comparison: https://images.nintendolife.com/a1e655ebf6688/jp.large.jpg
SpookWare
SpookWare
The old page was supposed to be for the original itch.io version, which has now been changed to the Steam logo, an entirely different game.

Old itch.io box art: https://images.igdb.com/igdb/image/upload/t_original/co2jrc.png
The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero
The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero
https://images.igdb.com/igdb/image/upload/t_original/co3bb5.png

Note that igdb also split the page into its previous original release on PSP/PC and into the "remaster" being released this September.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
This has the box art for PC/console versions, not the GBA version, which is basically a separate game. See here
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OnMAAOSwKqJgRUpW/s-l500.jpg
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
https://i.imgur.com/9sN1oun.jpeg
Ikaruga
Ikaruga
Who made a separate page for the ports...
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
They also split Rayman 2 into a bunch of different pages for all the ports/versions so here's a standin
The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki
The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki
Got split up from the original page, now labeled as a remaster titled Trails From Zero released in 2020
Soukyuu Guren-tai
Soukyuu Guren-tai
I'm told there are three different pages of Soukyuu Gurentai, though I was only able to find two separate pages; here's the main page.
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
The actual art on Steam looks like this
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby: Squeak Squad
ANGERY EYEBROWS

(not going to list every Kirby release since this is more or less the trope within a series)

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kirby/images/9/9b/KSqSq_Boxart_J.jpg
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/518ZWQPP0ZL.SY445.jpg
Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition
Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition
Couldn't find a perfect Japanese counterpart to this horrific masterpiece but here's the closest I could find: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/bubblebobble/images/7/7d/BAM2EX.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/450?cb=20140710215930
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
https://mysterydungeonwiki.com/w/images/thumb/a/a6/Mystery_Dungeon_-Shiren_the_Wanderer_DS_Japanese_cover_art.jpg/250px-Mystery_Dungeon-_Shiren_the_Wanderer_DS_Japanese_cover_art.jpg

128 Comments


1 year ago

Symphony of the Night and Capcom vs SNK 2

1 year ago

Megaman X (1993) as well

1 year ago

US megaman box art washes the lame ass japanese stuff sorry bro

1 year ago

All good man, you're not the first one to bring that up to me haha

It's more or less there for the discourse, glad it's doing the job

1 year ago

Einhander.
Still cool but not the same.

1 year ago

Also the link for the kirby one is not working properly, this one should do it:
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/kirby/images/9/9b/KSqSq_Boxart_J.jpg

1 year ago

symphony of the night is an obvious one.

i wish we had an alternative to igdb. they're so annoying to deal with. https://i.imgur.com/WKC04p0.png

1 year ago

List has been updated with the suggested additions so far!

1 year ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

sorry for the spam parasite eve weird colours and positioning https://imgur.com/a/PD1Vyg5

1 year ago

Good list. Add Rondo of Blood, IGDB box art is literally a fan edit https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/castlevania/images/8/88/Castlevania_-Rondo_of_Blood-_01.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20220503000925

1 year ago

Shame because the original logo is cool as fuck

1 year ago

Your link to Rondo of Blood is turning up a blank image for me, do you have another link?

1 year ago

Oh my b, try this https://imgur.com/a/9MPozA1

1 year ago

That works, added it in. Thanks!

1 year ago

It's not even that they are Western, the Ico cover in Europe is gorgeous but this site uses that hideous US version.

I'm surprised you have FFXII here though, I love that cover it's gorgeous. The UK version is bland in comparison.

1 year ago

I did a bit of scouting on the internet before making this list and FF XII actually showed up a few times as one of the main contenders here. Personally I think it's definitely one of the less egregious examples here (if not even a downgrade to begin with), but I did want to include a bigger berth of examples for the list.

1 year ago

TBH given Karnaaj is largely known FOR the terrible box art of that version I feel like it should be the one used anyway. The worst box art change is Symphony of the Night. I prefer the original FF12 over the one they used too.

Your link to the other Silent Hill Homecoming box art just links a super tiny thumbnail.

1 year ago

Fixed Silent Hill Homecoming's link, thanks!

Yeah, I can definitely see where you're coming from with Karnaaj. It's sort of a similar situation with the Phalanx box art (and if you really wanted to stir the pot, possibly the Mega Man 1 and 2 box art) where they've become so well known for the unexpected box art that we tend to not view them in any way outside of what they have now for US box art. They've been included anyways since I know this list is very subjective and opinions will widely vary; I tried to include a broader scale here to get more perspectives.

1 year ago

Added Ace Combat 3 and MGS3!

1 year ago

Added all those suggestions, thanks!

1 year ago

I think MML1 also has pretty bad box art on IGDB. they also recently Swapped the Tron-Bonne games boxart to something significantly more ugly.

Also, compare the Chulip art on here to the JP box art: https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/262353-chulip-playstation-2-front-cover.jpg

1 year ago

List has been updated again. Poor Mega Man just can't catch a break it seems lmao

1 year ago

and they're still refusing to update the ff6 pixel remaster box art to the game's actual box art on steam. these people are ridiculous.


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