Poll: Box Art Brawl

Welcome back, cherished readers, to yet another installment of Box Art Brawl!

Last week, we compared two covers for everyone’s beloved dinosaur, examining a pair of designs for Yoshi Touch & Go. There’s no gentle way to express this: it was a complete rout. The vibrant North American and European design secured a whopping 83% of the votes, leaving the plain Japanese version with a mere 17%. Yikes.

This time, following the news of The New World of Steam‘s postponement, we’re taking a glance at the last Layton adventure released: the creatively named Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition. It might not be the pinnacle of Layton mysteries, but if we had anticipated the extended wait for another series installment, perhaps we would have regarded it more favorably.

So, let’s do precisely that today, shall we? There are two covers to select from this time, in a traditional contest between East and West. Let’s dive in…

Europe / North America

The Western box art draws heavily from the DS/3DS Layton titles in terms of layout. Our main character stands at the forefront, appearing bemused, while several of the in-game brain teasers hover around her. The brown backdrop and quite chaotic title don’t do much to capture attention, but it’s admirable to appreciate some design unity—even if it’s not as striking as some of the previous entries in the series.

Japan

Now this is a turn in a different direction! Rather than adhering to the puzzle-centric focus of the West, the Japanese artwork places its main cast prominently. We appreciate the dynamic stances everyone appears to be taking, and having Sherl integrated with the logo is a delightful detail.

However, there aren’t nearly enough top hats displayed. What a pity…

Thank you for participating! We’ll catch you next time for another Box Art Brawl.