This is gonna sound weird...

[Dann Woolf]

Alright, a week or so ago I purchased Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (which is a damn fine game by the way), but once I got home, I noticed something weird about the box.

It seems to be flatter than my other DS game boxes, and it's made of opaque black plastic instead of slightly translucent white plastic like the rest.

I think it's because it's an American game, am I right?

[AtmaWeapon]

I have never seen a DS game box made out of translucent white plastic. I'm going to go with the "American game" theory here, because all of my DS boxes are black plastic.

[MANDRAG GANON]

Yes that is why, I have Tingle's Rupee Land and it is in a clear thicker case. I live in Canada and all our cases are thin and dark grey so.

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, I picked up Sonic Rush and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow in Germany, and they came in thicker, transluscent white casings. American ones are thinner and solid black, you are correct.

[Dann Woolf]

Why do they change the boxes for different countries? And now that I think about it, why do certain games get different boxart in different countries?

Is there a reason, or are they just doing it for the lulz?

[Cloral]

They make changes that they think are going to appeal more in different areas. As an example, here are the three covers to a PS1 game called 'Courier Crisis':

Japan:
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2003/all/boxshots2/196985_11001.jpg
US:
http://www.gamershell.com/static/boxart/small/6258.jpg
Europe:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/55/135854875_19ce463a75.jpg?v=0

Never mind the fact that the game sucked and all three covers look stupid, it gives the general idea of what I'm talking about.

[MottZilla]

Capcom did some famous terrible artwork for North America on NES games like Mega Man. Compared to the japanese artwork, you really wonder wtf they were smoking.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Why is it that the American version is the one with a guy wearing safety gear? The PAL version looks like he's having so much more fun without a helmet. :(

[ZTC]

Everybody talks about the US version of the Mega Man boxart, but I remember seeing on G4 a few years back the Euro art and that's worse (and that's saying something lol). To go even further, take Castlevania Bloodlines for example. The game title varied: Vampire Killer (Japan), Bloodlines (US), New Generation (E). The title screen and name were changed a bit because of morality laws against the use of blood in any form. The manuals were a bit different on the backstory. I could go on, but you get the idea ;)

[Daarkseid]

Why is it that the American version is the one with a guy wearing safety gear? The PAL version looks like he's having so much more fun without a helmet. :(

Yeah but notice that our American courier is punching some random guy and clearly enjoying it. The element of danger in the American sense is somewhat self-inflicted because he's being an asshole, attacking unprovoked, while fitted down in protective gear to ensure his reckless behavior has minimal repercussions.

The European on the other hand isn't asking for trouble, it just happens to be he's running whatever he's running while some vehicle appears to running him down. He's taken minimal precautions, but looks more stylish, and looks to be in danger but dealing with it totally by virtue of his biking skills. Europeans probably enjoy biking more, I dunno.

[Dann Woolf]

So now we know why they change the boxart...

But why do they change the actual boxes?

[Cloral]

Actually, my theory as to why the US guy is wearing a helmet has to do with a perceived potential for public backlash from safety advocacy groups. In other words, maybe they thought that if they didn't give him a helmet, they'd get hell in the media for promoting unsafe biking practices. That kind of shit seems to happen a lot more here than in other countries.

Never mind the fact that he's up on the sidewalk, punching some guy in the face. That kind of stuff is apparently ok, but don't you dare get on a bike without a helmet!


So now we know why they change the boxart...

But why do they change the actual boxes?

A reason for this is probably region locking. Games from one region don't work in another, so they make the cases different to help distinguish them.

[The_Amaster]

Actually, the DS is region free. Well, I can't say for Japanese games, but the Sonic and Castlevania ones I got in Germany work fine, and when I lent my host-brother Wario-Ware it was all good.

EDIT:For those totally confused by what we're talking about. I give you photos:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/amaster42/IMG_0437.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/amaster42/IMG_0439.jpg

[MottZilla]

I'm sure the case color is the result of research in the territory. In the North American area, plain black cases were probably liked best. Perhaps in Europe the white clear was liked better?

I agree with Cloral on the Bike game. I'd bet money that they put a helmet on him so they wouldn't be bitched at for him not having one.

[AtmaWeapon]

I'm going to agree on market research, and it could also have to do with how manufacturing works.

NTSC region games might be made in a factory where whatever it takes to make black plastic is cheaper. Others might be made where different materials are available.

Really it's just grasping at straws; I am certain they made the decision in order to maximize profits but they haven't published the reasoning behind the decision.

[Dann Woolf]

I'm sure the case color is the result of research in the territory. In the North American area, plain black cases were probably liked best. Perhaps in Europe the white clear was liked better?

I agree with Cloral on the Bike game. I'd bet money that they put a helmet on him so they wouldn't be bitched at for him not having one.

Jesus motherfucking Christ, who gives two tugs of a dead dog's cock what color the plastic is?

[MottZilla]

Is there some reason you quoted me before your vulgar remark? I mean it doesn't make any sense. I do agree in that I don't really care about the color of the case. But marketing does.

[Dechipher]

Is there some reason you quoted me before your vulgar remark? I mean it doesn't make any sense. I do agree in that I don't really care about the color of the case. But marketing does.

So does the original poster, it would seem...

[Dann Woolf]

Is there some reason you quoted me before your vulgar remark? I mean it doesn't make any sense. I do agree in that I don't really care about the color of the case. But marketing does.

"In the North American area, plain black cases were probably liked best. Perhaps in Europe the white clear was liked better?"

Seriously, does anyone CARE what color plastic they use? Do developers actually say something like "Oh no, this game's box uses black plastic! Now it surely won't sell as well than if it had white plastic, woe is me!"

[Masamune]

I do agree in that I don't really care about the color of the case. But marketing does.


Do developers actually say something like "Oh no, this game's box uses black plastic! Now it surely won't sell as well than if it had white plastic, woe is me!"

Shut up.

[Dann Woolf]

Capcom did some famous terrible artwork for North America on NES games like Mega Man. Compared to the japanese artwork, you really wonder wtf they were smoking.

Well, in Capcom's defense, Mega Man didn't have a concrete art style yet, and if memory serves correct quite a few NES games with cutsey/cartoony graphics had realistically-styled box art.

Plus, the Mega Man boxart was so bad it went all the way back 'round to being good.

[AtmaWeapon]

"In the North American area, plain black cases were probably liked best. Perhaps in Europe the white clear was liked better?"

Seriously, does anyone CARE what color plastic they use? Do developers actually say something like "Oh no, this game's box uses black plastic! Now it surely won't sell as well than if it had white plastic, woe is me!"You may not consciously make a judgement of a game based on the packaging, but it has an undeniable subconscious effect on the buyer.

As a simple example, let's say you hear that two games in your favorite genre come out, and you want to buy one or the other. You get to the store and notice that one has a really cool cover with lots of artwork, and the other just has its name written on a piece of tape that's stuck to the front. You haven't had a chance to read reviews, and the game store employee's useless; which do you think you'd buy?

Actually it's amazing the impact that packaging can have. Abour 5 years ago I read a Readers' Digest article about it. As a test, a marketing firm packaged a brand of deodorant in three different packages: one with circles, one with triangles, and one with squares. They sent the set to a test group, and asked them to try each deodorant for a week and report any itchiness or irritation. The deodorant with triangles on the packaging reported more irritation than the other packages.

Marketing people will do anything to increase profits by even the tiniest bit. When you are selling 100,000 copies, even 0.1% is 100 extra copies of the game sold. At 1,000,000 copies, that's 1,000 sold.

[Russ]

"In the North American area, plain black cases were probably liked best. Perhaps in Europe the white clear was liked better?"

Seriously, does anyone CARE what color plastic they use? Do developers actually say something like "Oh no, this game's box uses black plastic! Now it surely won't sell as well than if it had white plastic, woe is me!"
Actually, the North American box appeals to me more. It's just a marketing strategy. :)

[MottZilla]

Well, in Capcom's defense, Mega Man didn't have a concrete art style yet, and if memory serves correct quite a few NES games with cutsey/cartoony graphics had realistically-styled box art.

Plus, the Mega Man boxart was so bad it went all the way back 'round to being good.

True true. But you have to realize, it is someone in marketing's job to think about all kinds of things like packaging in order to maximize sales. And while it seems silly to alot of people, it is proven that these sorts of things do have an effect and sales can change based on these slight things. Afterall, for the uninformed buyer for example will judge games solely by their name and packaging. Thus one little detail could get you or lose you that possible sale.

To more experienced gamers, they have their preferences but tend to be less discriminating about it.

[AlexMax]

Yes that is why, I have Tingle's Rupee Land and...

Why in the world do you own this?

[Dann Woolf]

Why in the world do you own this?

It's a good game! Tingle is better as a protagonist than he EVER was as an NPC!

[MasterSwordUltima]

Most likely because it is overflowing with awesome.