PS1 era was the only time where covers like these were reasonable, since 3d games were a new thing. It's insane that to this day companies still think slapping a bunch of 3d models on the cover is a good idea...
I mean I don't think the Crash series is Japanese IP, so this is very much another stock example of the phenomenon the thread is about.
More like "CRAPCOM" lolol.
One has to wonder how a genuinely terrible painting was considered a better alternative to some polished Japanese art in those times. Bad Box Art Mega Man, for all the insult and project cancellations he has come to represent, looks better and more polished than the actual bad box art.
Could be why they brought him back for Megaman 9
I believe they actually explained this in an interview at one point, I vaguely remember reading it. If my memory serves me right bringing the game over to the US was a fight and once they finally got the green light Capcom of America's marketing lead got hold of a friend of his and they basically gave him one evening to get the cover art done. As to how it was that tragically mismanaged I do not know, but he belted that piece of work out in a couple hours.
Do they also explain why they don't just use the Japanese version of the cover? Why do they change covers? Just use the shit you have SMH lolol.
I can only think of regional differences.
Like a Dragon being the original Japanese name for the franchise, while Yakuza was the western one? So Yakuza 1 here would've been Like A Dragon 1 in Japan and so on.
The Yakuza spin-off, Judgment, was also called "Judge Eyes" in Japan.
And the Persona 3 & 5 rhythm games were called Dancing Moon Night & Dancing Star Light respectively in Japan, while they were called Dancing in Moonlight & Dancing in Starlight here.
Do those count?
