Some of the best video game box art convinces us to pick up a game and try it. It could show a stunning vista, a cool shot of the main character, or a tease of the gameplay yet to come. There’s also an element of nostalgia that builds over time. Here’s the coolest video game box art in history.
Batman Arkham Asylum
When you think of Batman, this video game box art would come to your head. Batman’s standing in the middle of the night in front of a massive moon. The dark city of Gotham hangs in the background as he stands on top of the Gothic-inspired Arkham Asylum. The detail on his suit is also spectacular. The orange Batman logo also stands out among a slew of titles in a franchise that’s existed for many decades.
It may just be a hero standing in front of a logo, but the background art perfectly encapsulates what you’re getting yourself in for: a dark, cold thriller-like superhero game. As a DC fan, sometimes you want to get into this twisted universe and beat up some bad guys.
Castlevania
Back in the NES days, it was vital to have incredible cover art. You couldn’t check gameplay trailers online or watch a live stream. The box art had to grab your attention when you walked through a store. Castlevania certainly did that. You see a grand castle in front of the muscular Simon Belmont brandishing a cool whip. You can also see Dracula smiling with glints in his eyes. I also love the hand-painted style of the cover. I wish we had more of those these days.
When NES players decided to buy this game, they knew they were in for a grand adventure. Heck, if they remade Castlevania and used the same art, I’d be down to purchase the game quickly.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
The Final Fantasy 7 Remake has a simple but nostalgic flashback to the PS1 era with its cover art. You get the immense detail of the iconic Buster Sword as Cloud’s looking up at the Shinra building. It’s in the same pose as the PS1 cover art, bringing back memories of the old game, but the new visuals make it pop further. It’s one of the best video game covers because of how pristine it looks and the importance of Shinra in the story. It also references a cutscene that landmarks the beginning of Cloud’s adventures.
Kingdom Hearts
The first Kingdom Hearts cover art for the PS2 is still stunning to this day. You see a huge heart-shaped moon in the background. The color tone gives the game a mysterious vibe. The architecture is intriguing in the background. Riku looks edgy on the side. Lastly, the Disney characters Donald and Goofy are shown in a different darker light than they’d usually be. The piece truly draws you in, and it’s the reason why I’m a fan of the series now and forever.
The metal-like appearance of the cover shines within the sunlight too, making this game unique to the eye.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild cover art is simply majestic. With a gorgeous watercolor art style, the land of Hyrule has never looked better. It illustrates the series’ new open world gameplay style perfectly. You can see Death Mountain in the background, and Hyrule Castle in chaos as Link looks upon the distance.
Another neat aspect of this art is that the sequel’s artwork connects to Breath of the Wild‘s. I hope to put this on my wall someday.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Yoji Shinkawa is one of the best video game box artists out there, especially with the Metal Gear Solid series. My personal favorite is from the second title Sons of Liberty. Snake grits his teeth, and the smoke-like style of the paint is noteworthy. I also love the shadows the artist casts on Snake’s face and hair; it makes him look brooding. His eyes are doused in red as he clasps his well-interpreted pistol in the cover art. The simple white and red coloring of the background matches with the grey and black to create a striking image. I may not be a fan of Hideo Kojima’s series, but damn, the art is striking.
Pokémon Red
It could be my nostalgia talking, but Pokemon Red has some awesome cover art. It shows the impressive dragon-type Charizard with his claws out and a sharp glare. The cool thing is that the flame on its tail seeps into the Game Boy logo on the left. It’s simple but effective. You also have the catchphrase “Gotta catch ’em all!” enticing us to play this wonderful series for the first time.
Secret of Mana
Square Enix (or in this case Square Soft) has a grand history of engrossing cover art. One of the company’s best is Secret of Mana. You see the main characters staring at a stunning forested setting. I personally don’t have a history with the series, but the art itself seems like a Studio Ghibli piece. The colors truly pop like the red birds flying within the environment and the pretty trees blossoming in the art piece.
Shadow of the Colossus
Video games can establish enormity and a great struggle to be had. That’s reflected in the Shadow of the Colossus video game cover art. The protagonist and his horse look so tiny in comparison to the massive beast standing before them. The art looks like an aged piece; it’s browning on the top and has a faded look to it. The lighting also looks incredible as he phases through the colossi’s legs and on the protagonist Wander. You know what you’re going to get when you pick up this game too, and during the age of the PS2, it was incredible to face giant enemies like this on your screen.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the convergence of iconic video game characters brawling it out in one massive fighting game. It’s incredible, and the box art matches that. Every character’s personality is shown in the cover art, and seeing characters like Cloud Strife, Yoshi, and Pac-Man coming together is incredible.
It also makes sense to see Pit soaring from the absolute top as he’s from Skyworld. It shouldn’t work to have all of these characters together in one piece but somehow it does. It’s a shame my favorite gaming character Sora didn’t make the cover art due to him being post-launch DLC.
