Boxarts

[Tobbii]

We've had quite a few Sonic games now, and quite a few boxarts as well.

We've had the abstract covers from the early Japanese games, we've had the "ass-face" art on the Genesis titles, we've had Yuji Uekawa's redesigned art on a lot of covers and perhaps most common would be the CGI boxarts.

The classic 2D most often had Sonic in some enviroment, Uekawa most often had Sonic floating in the air, often behind a background that was very unlike the character art while the CGI shots tend to be Sonic posing in one stage of the game almost all the time. Sonic Heroes and SADX shared the weird backgrounds of the Uekawa art with good (Heroes) or bad (SADX) CGI models of characters.

I came to think of this myself while doing my SA3 boxart that I put up yesterday for lulz, working with 2D art was a lot of fun and made it harder to actually make the game look appealing, but when you sucessfully do it, it looks great. Looking at boxarts like SA2 or Sonic Advance 2 makes me miss the old style of boxarts a lot.

What do you guys think about this, which style of boxart fits Sonic games best best?

Edited May 30, 2011 by Tobbii

[Blue Blood]

The CG ones are definitely the most modern looking and fit with the series art style very well, but I can't help but say I prefer hand drawn covers with nice art. Things like Rush Adventure or Gems Collection are the best. The series could do with some variation on using CG art all the time, too.

[Tobbii]

I think it's interesting that all Collections use 2D art but almost all new games use CGI. :/

[Your Vest Friend]

I'm one of those people who really isn't fussed about boxart. To me, it's just there so you know which game is which. Whenever I get a new game, Sonic or not, I take a glance at the cover for three seconds before opening it up and taking out the instruction manual. In the future, the only purpose the box serves is to store said instruction manuals. I loves me my instruction manuals.

[Sami]

I'm one of those people who really isn't fussed about boxart. To me, it's just there so you know which game is which. Whenever I get a new game, Sonic or not, I take a glance at the cover for three seconds before opening it up and taking out the instruction manual. In the future, the only purpose the box serves is to store said instruction manuals. I loves me my instruction manuals.

None of us are fussed about it. It's just a matter of preference.

Anyhow, I like the Uekawa style a lot more than anything else, and I also like Sonic 3's JP art (ignoring Knuckles' derp face, of course).

[Your Vest Friend]

When I say fussed, I mean that I don't have any preference. I didn't mean to imply that it was a trivial matter, I know it's nice to those who like observing boxart.

[-Mark-]

None of us are fussed about it. It's just a matter of preference.

Anyhow, I like the Uekawa style a lot more than anything else, and I also like Sonic 3's JP art (ignoring Knuckles' derp face, of course).

I don't see any derp face here?

Sonic 3 JP Boxart

Personally, I'm not too fussed. The current 3D render covers are nice, although I'll admit sometimes I do miss the Uekawa Adventure style a bit.

Oh, and the old US Mega Drive boxart with 'buttface' Sonic is really, really ugly in my opinion.

[Eternal EX]

You missed black knight. =P

Anyways, I agree with blood. The CG art looks really good and does fit with the modern sonic. But I kinda miss the 2D style. Adventure-chronicles. I really liked how they made sonic+co look.

[Blue Blood]

None of us are fussed about it. It's just a matter of preference.

Like Dissident said, just means he doesn't have a preference. Not fussed = not bothered. Is that British slang then?

About the boxarts, one thing that bothers me with the CG stuff is how boring it usually looks. You know, GIANT CHARTACTER and plain background. This was also the case for SA1 and SA2, but then it was done in a 'less is more' kind of fashion. Sonic 06, Unleashed, Heroes (all variants), Zero Gravity, Sonic 3D (lol), SatSR, SatBK... they all look really samey. Only Colours and R really stand out.

[Tobbii]

You missed black knight. =P

Anyways, I agree with blood. The CG art looks really good and does fit with the modern sonic. But I kinda miss the 2D style. Adventure-chronicles. I really liked how they made sonic+co look.

I missed many.

Like Dissident said, just means he doesn't have a preference. Not fussed = not bothered. Is that British slang then?

About the boxarts, one thing that bothers me with the CG stuff is how boring it usually looks. You know, GIANT CHARTACTER and plain background. This was also the case for SA1 and SA2, but then it was done in a 'less is more' kind of fashion. Sonic 06, Unleashed, Heroes (all variants), Zero Gravity, Sonic 3D (lol), SatSR, SatBK... they all look really samey. Only Colours and R really stand out.

Zero Gravity had a lot of characters, one of my fav. CGI covers actually. Heroes PAL didn't have huge characters either.

[back2s0ul]

I like the character design of Sonic Jam but the layout of Sonic Spinball. Even if the style is not as pretty, the illustration is not bad. I like that they took some time to draw in scenery rather than just paste some character images together. I also like the running pose on the next gen Sonic the Hedgehog cover, but I wish it had some more color to it or took place in a more interesting location. Running is Sonic's thing so it makes sense that he should be running on the covers as opposed to standing around posed, that is unless there's hover boards or tennis rackets involved.

[Scar]

I want this style of boxart to return. Its much classier.

The Colours are bright and noticable, and you immediately know what the game is. Its subtle.

[Glenn]

With great respect, Scar, that style of boxart does a limited job of conveying what kind of videogame lies inside the box. While it was great back in the early 1990s and is undoubtedly rather cool, Sonic has branched out of late. No longer is a Sonic videogame a guarantee of a sidescrolling 2D platformer. He's been racing on hoverboards, visited the Knights of the Round Table, played second fiddle to a trigger-happy hedgehog and even played tennis alongside a graffiti artist and an alien-busting newscaster.

And while, to a certain degree, you might say "Well, that's what the back of the box is for!" and I'd agree, I think the cover needs to express something about the specific type of Sonic experience you're about to purchase. In that respect, I think the modern CGI boxart is the most successful, if not the most aesthetically pleasing.

[Blue Blood]

The S&K cover is wonderfully simple, stylish and eye catching (in the right place). But yeah, tells you nothing. At a glance you night not even realise that it's a Sonic game. That sort of exterior would be more suited to a special edition.

[Vertekins]

I don't like the western Mega Drive/Game Gear/Master System box arts if for the simple fact that it contains ass face Sonic and the horrible westernized design. Still, the scenes depicted in them are awesome, such as Sonic and Tails standing in front of the big 2 that dead eyes Robotnik is crushing with one hand.

The only exception to the Mega Drive box arts is the Sonic and Knuckles one.

This is absolutely wonderful. The blackness of the background both gives prescedence to the logo and doesn't detract from it and the logo itself is fantastic and eye-catching. The "SONIC & KNUCKLES wording is bold and it's bordering stands out at you. I know that if I saw this on the game stand at a game shop in 1994, it'd stand out immediately and I'd likely be highly enamoured with it. It's simply a very well put together box art and is a classic.

That said, the CGI modern box arts really stand out in terms of composition. SatSR's box art is the best at this IMO.

[MizukiMoon]

Classic 2D style, all the way! Ok admittedly one could say I prefer these over the others because I'm a retro game nut, however, I genurally do think these are the best. To me they stand out the most, full of nice bright colours, memorable, and I like how most have something going on in the background. And of course, they're full of nostalgia :]

I despise modern CGI style. They're as unappealing as they come, it honestly takes me a while to remember what half of them even look like =S Don't get me wrong some are ok, but the majority? Ugh, they're just ugly.. Let's just say I don't get them off the shelf to admire their attractive looks lol

[ChikaBoing]

Unleashed has probably the worst boxart of any (main) Sonic Game. Highlighting the Feet of Sonic and Arm and teeth of Werehog is just so cheese lol.

Could have been good if it were just like the Dashboard picture.

[Eternal EX]

Unleashed box art really wasn't that bad. It did basically show you how you'll be playing the game. On the left was Sonic in the day and on the right was night hog through out the night. Simple. I personally thought Sonic 06's boxart was by far the worst. Just look at it and you'll see what I mean.

[Glenn]

Unleashed box art really wasn't that bad. It did basically show you how you'll be playing the game. On the left was Sonic in the day and on the right was night hog through out the night. Simple. I personally thought Sonic 06's boxart was by far the worst. Just look at it and you'll see what I mean.

[Tatsumaki]

I'd have to say, 06 has the worst boxart. But it's not bad... Just... Mediocre.

Colors and Riders have amazing boxart. +_+

But Secret Rings needs some love too. Even though Sonic isn't running in that boxart, he still looks epic.

[Blue Blood]

I'd have to say, 06 has the worst boxart. But it's not bad... Just... Mediocre.

[Vertekins]

It's the mean look of the Sonic on the '06 box art that strikes me as unappealing. It's as if he's straining to run.

Whilst SatSR box art Sonic looks both badass and strangely adorable. And the inclusion of the wispy darkness, wind and fire is a cool allusion to the skill types whilst the door behind him with the pillars adds to the composition. Not to mention to gorgeous gold wording.

[Victory Defender]

I really like the Sonic Battle box art. Maybe because the art was very different than the usual ones. The colors aren't that bad, and it doesn't really clash with each other.

[Tatsumaki]

It's that grin. It doesn't look like he smiling, it's more like someone cut away some of his muzzle and you can see his teeth as a result.

Ugh... Yeah, I think that's it. It is creepy.

I really like the Sonic Battle box art. Maybe because the art was very different than the usual ones. The colors aren't that bad, and it doesn't really clash with each other.

Yes, I've always loved Sonic Battle. It's my most favorite Sonic GBA game. <3

[Sami]

I actually really like 06's boxart. It's my second favorite of the CG ones, with the first being Secret Rings. It has Sonic running, it's angled alightly, and there's a bit of a blur effect on the right, giving a good sense of speed. There's some nice scenery in the background to top it all off. Unleashed looks boring (though World Adventure looks quite a bit better), Black Knight looks boring, and Colors' is just a bit... "off" to me. I can't put my finger on it. I still like it though.