ZD Top 5 – Box Art Images

In this age of the internet, gamers are bombarded with images of and information about a game months, if not years, prior to release. As such, the box art of a game is often forgotten about. However, before the time of sites like ZeldaDungeon, the box art offered one of the only looks that players would get at a game before they actually popped it into their console. In this weeks ZD Top 5, our staff counts down their five favorite images to ever adorn the boxes of the Zelda series.

Jon Lett – View Profile

5. The Legend of Zelda – NA Boxart
4. The Wind Waker/OoT Master Quest Bundle Boxart
3. Four Swords Adventures – Japanese Boxart
2. Ocarina of Time – European Boxart
1. Twilight Princess – NA Boxart

While Twilight Princess is not my absolute favorite game in the series, it is one that I think captures a level of atmosphere better than most others. The brooding, gritty nature, though a bit overdone these days, is something Zelda had to do at least once, and the moment you see the game on the shelf at a store, you know just the kind of atmosphere you can expect. The similar look Link has in his eyes between both his human and Wolf forms also says something about his character, and the ferocity he must have to survive at all points of the game. I always thought this cover was simple and artistic, and it remains my favorite.

Alexis Anderson – View Profile

5. Link’s Awakening – Japanese Boxart
4. A Link to the Past – European Re-Release Boxart
3. Four Swords Adventures – NA Boxart
2. Twilight Princess – NA Boxart
1. Twilight Princess HD – NA Boxart

I didn’t really know what boxart for other countries looked like, but while looking through the ones I knew I saw some international covers. There’s something special about the Twilight Princess covers, the original captures the tone of the game and the second gloriously showcases its colorful cast. The other covers I’ve chosen either showcase Link in a fancy way, give a sneak peak of the action that awaits the player, or also showcases the game’s memorable characters!

Thomas Jacobs – View Profile

5. The Minish Cap – Japanese Boxart
4. Ocarina of Time 3D – European Boxart
3. The Wind Waker HD – Japanese Boxart
2. Spirit Tracks – Japanese Boxart
1. A Link Between Worlds – Japanese Boxart

Way too many covers of Zelda games are either too abstract (just the shield of the first game), samey (ALttP, LA and OoT more or less had the same cover) or have a yellow filter over the image straight out of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. I prefer the games that either set a scene or show off the cast. Not all covers that do that though do it right: I still think that it was a very bad idea of Twilight Princess HD to put Ganondorf on the cover, given that his whole presence in the game is quite the spoiler. Of all the games that I feel do it right however I think that the Japanese cover of A Link Between Worlds does it the best. A beautiful scene with a focus on the Master Sword, with to the right Link as a painting to hint at what he becomes able to do later on in the game. Spirit Tracks’ Japanese/European cover comes close with the Spirit Train with Link driving it and Zelda sitting on the roof, enjoying their ride. It’s a fun cover that sets the tone perfectly for the game, but it just matches the serenity of the cover of A Link Between Worlds.

Mark Olson – View Profile

5. Majora’s Mask 3D – All Markets
4. Twilight Princess – North American
3. The Wind Waker HD – All Markets
2. Skyward Sword – Japanese
1. Ocarina of Time 3D – All Markets EXCEPT North America (Mrgrgr)

More recent titles absolutely dominate my list, with remakes alone taking three of my five slots. I find that the older titles, with their perpetual sword-backed shield, blend into one another, while modern covers have a much brighter, lively, and unique feel. It was close between Skyward Sword’s Japanese cover, which is filled with light blues and very easy on the eyes, or Ocarina of Time 3D’s cover in most markets, a simple but striking image of Link astride Epona with a few of Hyrule’s landmarks fading into the distance. In the end, Ocarina of Time 3D’s beautiful simplicity won out. This piece has an almost fan-art-esque quality to it, but in all the best ways. Even though it’s not nearly as busy as the covers of The Wind Waker HD or Majora’s Mask 3D, it perfectly captures the feeling of all of Ocarina of Time’s very best moments.