American Kirby Is Hardcore: Difference between revisions

** An important thing to note is that the boxart for the first Mega Man was commissioned on very short notice, and the only direction the artist had was a brief description of the game's premise over the phone, which led to the image that looks like it belongs on a 80s sci-fi novel cover. For comparison purposes, [http://media.strategywiki.org/images/thumb/3/30/Rockman_FC_box.jpg/250px-Rockman_FC_box.jpg here] is the cover of the Japanese release. [http://www.blogcdn.com/www.nintendowiifanboy.com/media/2008/09/boxart-mm1-eu.jpg The European edition] does a bit better, though it's still a drastic departure from the actual game. The second game's box, while still bad, [http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563442-mega-man-2/images/box-29031 at least has Mega Man correctly colored, and a few recognizable characters, more or less on par with the European version.]

** [http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563443-mega-man-3/images/box-59155 European] ''Mega Man 3'' is an odd one: the robots are illustrated accurately, but Wily is beyond hardcore.

** ''[[Mega Man (Video Game)|Mega Man]] 7's'' ending, where Mega Man contemplates [[Just Shoot Him|ending Dr. Wily's schemes once and for all.]] When Dr. Wily points out [[Three Laws Compliant|robot law prevents him from taking a human life]], Mega Man simply stands there while Wily escapes. Unless we're in America, in which case he blurts the infamous "I am more than just a robot! Die Wily!!!" line...[[Villain Exit Stage Left|and hesitates anyway.]]

** On a similar note, the promotional artwork for [[Mega Man (Animation)|the cartoon]] depicts Mega Man as ready to tear someone's spine out (or at least punch their lights out), and made him far more ripped than he was in the series proper.

== Simulation Games ==

* There isn't much you can do to make peaceful series like ''[[Harvest Moon]]'' "hardcore" however many of the early western covers are more normal then the [[Tastes Like Diabetes]] Japanese ones. A noticeable exception is the European boxart for the first game: Compare the Japanese art, [http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/3/562623_4976_front.jpg with its cute animals and bright colors] to the [http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/3/562623_59784_front.jpg darker] and more realistic looking PAL cover. Notice how [[Covers Always Lie|Pete isn't wearing the right hat]] and the game [http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/11/harvestmoonsnes.jpg looks like this].

** Aksys learned their lesson afterward and released ''Rockin' Pretty'', which uses the same characters, [http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/image/954317.html with the artwork untouched.]