American Kirby Is Hardcore: Difference between revisions

* ''[[Chameleon Twist]]'' was a charming, adorable game starring Davy, a chameleon transformed into a bubble-headed long-tongued chibi alien, and his friends. Its boxart is an interesting variation on this trope: ([https://web.archive.org/web/20121102145727/http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/6/196896_41871_front.jpg The American boxart] shows Davy gobbling up foes with a cheery grin, while the [https://web.archive.org/web/20121102145628/http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/6/196896_85015_front.jpg PAL version] shows him gobbling up foes with a look of death in his eyes. ''Chameleon Twist 2'', of course, played this trope straight for America and Europe—while Japanese buyers got the same [https://web.archive.org/web/20121102145702/http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/7/196897_14273_front.jpg adorable bubble-headed aliens] as before, the American and European versions swapped the colors of Davy and his friend Jack (I suppose the localizers thought green was a better "default color" for a lizard) and turned all four characters into grotesque anthropomorphized lizards with semi-realistic heads. Also compare the [https://web.archive.org/web/20121102145712/http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/7/196897_41872_front.jpg US] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20121102145618/http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/7/196897_101070_front.jpg EU] boxart to see yet another cheerful-wrathful dichotomy.

* [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/19/BoinicCommandoRearmed2_boxart.png The box art] for ''[[Bionic Commando]] Rearmed 2'' seems to be a deliberate aversion of this trope, as the image of Spencer (with goofy smile and [[Porn Stache]] looking like he's about to give the viewer a hug) on the game's front cover can only be described as jarringly happy-go-lucky. Especially funny ([[Cerebus Syndrome|until you beat the game]]) when you compare it to the [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/86/Bionic_Commando.jpg cover art] to the 2009 game which ''Rearmed 2'' is a direct prequel to, which featured a goth-ified Spencer [[Penny Arcade|smouldering with generic rage]].

* The [http://www.smspower.org/Scans/CaptainSilver-SMS-JP-Front Japanese] and [http://www.smspower.org/Scans/CaptainSilver-SMS-EU-NoR European cover art] of ''[[Captain Silver]]'' for the [[Master System]] shows rather cartoon-like renditions of the game's protagonist and a few of the villains fighting on a pirate ship. The [https://web.archive.org/web/20180623184826/http://www.smspower.org/Scans/CaptainSilver-SMS-US-Front American cover art] shows a similar scene, only the protagonist is drawn more realistically and he's fighting the final boss ([[Antagonist Title|the titular Captain Silver]]) one-on-one.

* Not even ''[[Disney]]'' games were immune to this. The Genesis/Megadrive title ''[[Quackshot]]'' features a dynamic shot of a scowling [[Donald Duck]] baring his gun with a evil looking Pete plotting in the background. The Japanese cover features Donald and his nephews smiling at you with Pete throwing a comical tantrum behind them. Granted [[Grumpy Bear|Donald]] [[Hair-Trigger Temper|being Donald]] the Western cover might be considered more in-character.