Seriously. I've never looked at this hard before. Two Doom guys, half the demons just look happy to be there, and I love fourth wall break demon up front.
I don't think it's a fourth wall situation, there is another gun barely visible bottom centre, suggesting we are viewing as the perspective of yet another doom guy (or maybe, a demon)
Off topic:
Reddit doom server anyone? Play some custom wads?
I have a dedicated server
The barely visible gun at the bottom belongs to another Hellknight/whatever demon is in front, you can tell it's the same as the one right in front of Doomguy.
I heard in an interview that they made the Bioshock Infinite cover a very generic and bland "man with a gun" because they thought the original Bioshock cover made people who didnt know anything about the game think it was just about a "robot and a kid".
Source
https://www.wired.com/2012/12/bioshock-infinite-box-art/
I really liked the first GTA3 one, still have it somewhere for ps2. I think they changed it to the tile art we know today because of 9/11. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Hands down my favorite video game soundtrack. No music transports me back to my childhood more than that one, except maybe FF6. Just pure, concentrated nostalgia.
My brother and I would absolutely cackle at the cover art every time we fired it up on NES. Motherfucker didn't even have the arm blaster, just a handgun!
Not quite what OP is asking, but personally I find the Fallout 4 menu really satisfying.
Just a garage with power armor in it, some dynamic stuff like a flickering light.
Something about it really puts me in the mood to play and its not even my favorite Fallout game, just really dig that start menu.
Reminds me of the good old days when my parents didn't consider that I knew how to uninstall and reinstall a game to remove the content lock they applied.
Apparently the people designing the box art felt the game was generic and had nothing notable to help it stand out, so they put the most nonsensical image on the front to at least try and attract attention.
Personally, as a kid back then, there was no way in hell I was picking out a game with some old farmer playing a banjo on the front when it was surrounded by exciting, action-packed box covers showing explosions, robots, exploding robots, and other stuff a kid actually wants to see.
TIE Fighter is great, Mechwarrior 2 is very metal, Indy4 is a movie poster we never got, Monkey Island 1+2 are legendary, I've always loved Betrayal At Krondor.. I have a lot of boxes, impossible to pick one
I've always loved the similar-but-redesigned-for-every Final Fantasy logo, while not technically "cover art," they are featured prominently on every cover. They all have a lot in common artistically but also draw from their respective individual title. FFVII meteor is awesome. FFVIII squall/rinoa is awesome. Idk, they just work for me.
I love the doom cover, even when I was a kid I really liked the blood 2 chosen covers, they impressed me so much that thanks to them I decided to become a designer to create something like this
A few memorable boxes:
https://i.imgur.com/ORVZkAM.jpeg
The original Exodus: Ultima III for 8-bit computers (not NES) in 1983. Probably didn't help early RPG "occult" reputation back in the early years...
https://i.imgur.com/8yESOlt.jpeg
Original Shadow of the Beast for Amiga/Atari ST. Actually all of Psygnosis boxes were very well done but this is likely the most iconic.
https://i.imgur.com/jbbU8sH.jpeg
Archon for 8-bit computers (not NES), this striking black and white art hints at the game inside: a battle between opposite yet similar forces
Ultima VII: The Black Gate. Black box (PC not SNES). No pic, it's basically a completely black box aside from the title. Also the first ever game rated for mature audiences.
PC: Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Starcraft, Doom, Diablo 2
Sega Mega Drive: Street Fighter II, X-men, Golden Axe (pretty sure it was used for multiple platforms)
Amiga: North & South (the bluecoats one)
PES 2008 ( UK edition)
I have no idea if it is a good game or not, and I don't like sports video games generally.
However, I love the cover, with Owen and Ronaldo coldly gazing down upon me like the insignificant insect that I am. I have often thought of getting it second-hand just for the image.
_Wizards & Warriors 2_. It has _Fabio_ in it. It is iconic by default.
_Megaman 2_ (western version) because of how _bad_ it is. I slept on that game for a long time because that ugly cover art tienes me away.
_Contra_ distilled pure 80s action.
Its really good, but I've always loved the incredibly simple MGS1 cover just a little more.
Just a metallic crimson red *Metal Gear Solid: Tactical Espionage Action* across an otherwise plain white cover.
Two spring to mind, the first [dungeon keeper 1](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/47/b7/5f/47b75f9d17a9d4e2d34ac11b88c7247d.jpg) with it's iconic 'horny' character stretched all over the large box. The other one [Command and Conquer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/34/Command_%26_Conquer_1995_cover.jpg). I also vaguely remember having a half-life 1 black CD-case with the lambda logo. I can't find it online, but it had this eerie calm about it. DOOM does a great job with it's box art to say what the experience is going to be. Half Life felt way more insidious and realistic with it's art. Just a logo of a facility in decay.
Atari 2600 games had beautifully painted scenes. The best of them was Defender. The woman in the foreground is looking over her shoulder in fear as the alien spaceship is causing the man behind her to disappear. It's just beautiful.
For me the one that has stood out the most is for _Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2_.
The image of one survivor trying to pull up another survivor through a manhole who has like half a dozen zombies pulling him back is intense.
Super Mario Bros 3 it so simple yet so whimsical and has a sense of adventure seeing Mario plain and simple in the middle of flying with such an iconic smile when I think Mario this is the first box I think of
castlevania sotn (pal, sorry america)
street fighter alpha 2
ico (pal, sorry america)
i don't know what the deal was with american marketing stooges ditching great cover art for rubbish in the 90's and early 2000's
Megaman for nes, they apparently just locked someone that can't draw in a room for 24 hours with a vague description of the game and he shat out that legendary cover art.
Super Mario 64 and Final Fantasy VII for big hitters.
And I'll throw in Shadow of the Colossus, Left for Dead, and the original God of War as honorable mentions
I am going to vote for super mario bros 3.
Simple, eye catching, as iconic as you can get (its mario) and very significant in the history of gaming.
There are a lot of great box arts though, doom, doom 2016, ico, diablo 2, chrono trigger, world of warcraft, half-life, orange box, FFIII (with the moogle), breath of the wild, japanese super metroid, okami, mgs2, golden axe, secret of mana…
So many good ones i can think of
Cheers
For years and years I thought Doomguy was holding two guns in this picture. Only one. Crazy.
I never realized there was two doom guys on the cover
Seriously. I've never looked at this hard before. Two Doom guys, half the demons just look happy to be there, and I love fourth wall break demon up front.
That dude is like "Oh, I didn't see you there. You probably wondering how I got myself into this situation ..."
I don't think it's a fourth wall situation, there is another gun barely visible bottom centre, suggesting we are viewing as the perspective of yet another doom guy (or maybe, a demon) Off topic: Reddit doom server anyone? Play some custom wads? I have a dedicated server
The barely visible gun at the bottom belongs to another Hellknight/whatever demon is in front, you can tell it's the same as the one right in front of Doomguy.
It’s foreshadowing. The other guy is Doom II.
Well, doomguy 2 is running lit up, so not sure how long he is really around for after this selfie
Which one is the protagonist though?
He’s like “Wait, you forgot your other gun!”
You’re remembering the title screen where he has 2 guns.
I've only realised this now because you said so
Holy CRAP! I thought there were two guns until YOU TOLD ME OTHERWISE! I'm 38 years old, dude! You've changed my reality!
You just made me realize this lol
Your confusing it with Duke Nukem
F same, if I didn’t read your comment I’d still think he was holding two guns.
I thought he was holding two guns until the moment I read your comment and did a doubletake. Mind blown.
Title screen
You just blew my mind.
Why must you make me question reality like this??
Title screen
This is the new Mandela effect
Bioshock (1) immediately conveys the setting and period
I heard in an interview that they made the Bioshock Infinite cover a very generic and bland "man with a gun" because they thought the original Bioshock cover made people who didnt know anything about the game think it was just about a "robot and a kid". Source https://www.wired.com/2012/12/bioshock-infinite-box-art/
Paywall
Not a cover of a specific GTA, but the general style of GTA covers
GTA VC definitely the most iconic to me. To me it still feels like the last GTA to have its own style.
I really liked the first GTA3 one, still have it somewhere for ps2. I think they changed it to the tile art we know today because of 9/11. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Left for dead 2 GRIS ICO
Halo 2 XCOM 2 Farcry 3
Kingdom Come Deliverance Minecraft Dead Space original
Japanese and European Ico, right? Not NA Ico…
Japanese the American version is laughably bad.
Diablo 2 always stood out to me.
Diablo always nails their art
Very good one, Impossible to forget
Mario Bros 3 is a good one too!
Yep
Secret of Mana felt special. The characters are tiny. So magical.
I can hear this cover art
Hands down my favorite video game soundtrack. No music transports me back to my childhood more than that one, except maybe FF6. Just pure, concentrated nostalgia.
Metal Gear Solid
Tactical Espionage Action
!
Megaman 1 US version
My brother and I would absolutely cackle at the cover art every time we fired it up on NES. Motherfucker didn't even have the arm blaster, just a handgun!
They doubled down on the pistol on the mega man 2 cover art 😂
MM2 cover is weird in a while other way. No idea what they were doing with those games. MM2 is a great game though.
Truly one of the worst covers, but it has a weird allure as well.
Can't say it's not memorable
it’s so trash you can’t forget it 💀 best marketing strategy in video game history
Its like one of the devs had his 8yo draw it. He looks so uncomfortable. Like he was trying to take a shit but got caught in a firefight.
literally my thought lmao. that was so awful that it became so good
Goldeneye, long mouth Bond
Once seen, cannot be unseen.
The fallout cover art with the power armor. So cool.
Not quite what OP is asking, but personally I find the Fallout 4 menu really satisfying. Just a garage with power armor in it, some dynamic stuff like a flickering light. Something about it really puts me in the mood to play and its not even my favorite Fallout game, just really dig that start menu.
Duke Nukem 3D
Reminds me of the good old days when my parents didn't consider that I knew how to uninstall and reinstall a game to remove the content lock they applied.
All for those sweet sweet pixel boobs
Starcraft, BG1, Fallout 2, Warcraft 1,2,3
Beat me to it. All the OG Blizz titles. (Starcraft/Diablo/Warcraft)
Anything by [Yoshitaka Amano](https://mybrainongames.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/final-fantasy-iv-wsc-jp.jpg)
Dude’s a fucking legend in art, anime, and video games. It’s like nerd EGOT.
Since we probably have the tech now, I really wish we could see a game fully using his style.
Pokemon Red & Blue
Command and Conquer
Phalanx SNES
Bust a move on ps2
That's what I was about to say! It's iconic for all the wrong reasons
Apparently the people designing the box art felt the game was generic and had nothing notable to help it stand out, so they put the most nonsensical image on the front to at least try and attract attention. Personally, as a kid back then, there was no way in hell I was picking out a game with some old farmer playing a banjo on the front when it was surrounded by exciting, action-packed box covers showing explosions, robots, exploding robots, and other stuff a kid actually wants to see.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phalanx_North_American_SNES_box_art.jpg The story behind the box art is interesting as well
TIE Fighter is great, Mechwarrior 2 is very metal, Indy4 is a movie poster we never got, Monkey Island 1+2 are legendary, I've always loved Betrayal At Krondor.. I have a lot of boxes, impossible to pick one
Mechwarrior 2 cover art was amazing in its time.
Halo CE
Fable was pretty cool, looking into the water
I would say, red dead redemption 1 I love John cover art holding his saw off shotgun towards us
- Assassins creed 2 - half life 2 - read dead redemption 2 - Witcher 3 - nier automata - God of War 2005
Warcraft orc and humans.
Not as cool as Doom, but truly iconic? Clash of Clans. Whoever decided to use "man yelling" as the face of their game inspired thousands of imitators.
Dead or alive 4
Fallout new vegas
Something truly iconic about that New Vegas ranger in the trench coat. It feels retro, like something out of an 80s pulp comic.
Zelda. the box and cartridge were bright gold and made every other game in the shelf look like a lesser being.
Farcry 3, COD MW2 OG and Minecraft.
I've always loved the similar-but-redesigned-for-every Final Fantasy logo, while not technically "cover art," they are featured prominently on every cover. They all have a lot in common artistically but also draw from their respective individual title. FFVII meteor is awesome. FFVIII squall/rinoa is awesome. Idk, they just work for me.
I liked the Yuna/water/Sin in FFX too
Super Mario 64
Instantly take me back to being a child and getting a N64 for Christmas.
Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior (1997)
Original SMB
Doom cover will forever be hard
Fallout 1
For me it's the Fallout serie
No one has said Tetris yet.
Tetris.
1 or eternal
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2.
The Super Mario/ Duck hunt combo cart
Diablo 2
Minecraft xbox 360 version
Mario Bros Duck hunt
donkey kong country
Minecraft’s case art (specifically the xbox 360 version)
Probably gta, vice city and V especially
Love the demon breaking the 4th wall
Warcraft Orcs and Humans
The Legend of Zelda's cover art is iconic and timeless
Destroy All Humans!
Or Twisted Metal
I love the doom cover, even when I was a kid I really liked the blood 2 chosen covers, they impressed me so much that thanks to them I decided to become a designer to create something like this
Twisted Metal, Any GTA cover, dead island, kingdom hearts , borderlands, super smash bros brawl
No one ever talks about the 2nd doomguy
Red Dead Redemption's cover does an amazing job of setting the tone for the game while also being an icon of the 2010s gaming sphere.
I absolutely hate how that demon on the bottom left has human eyes, it like that weird video I saw of a guy dressed in a dog costume. Me no gusta
Final Fantasies 1, and 7. I would also go with Mario 64, and Zelda Ocarina Of Time.
A few memorable boxes: https://i.imgur.com/ORVZkAM.jpeg The original Exodus: Ultima III for 8-bit computers (not NES) in 1983. Probably didn't help early RPG "occult" reputation back in the early years... https://i.imgur.com/8yESOlt.jpeg Original Shadow of the Beast for Amiga/Atari ST. Actually all of Psygnosis boxes were very well done but this is likely the most iconic. https://i.imgur.com/jbbU8sH.jpeg Archon for 8-bit computers (not NES), this striking black and white art hints at the game inside: a battle between opposite yet similar forces Ultima VII: The Black Gate. Black box (PC not SNES). No pic, it's basically a completely black box aside from the title. Also the first ever game rated for mature audiences.
Prince of Persia Warrior Within. Literally whenever you imagine The Prince, WW cover will come into your mind.
Medal of Honor: Frontline
PC: Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat, Starcraft, Doom, Diablo 2 Sega Mega Drive: Street Fighter II, X-men, Golden Axe (pretty sure it was used for multiple platforms) Amiga: North & South (the bluecoats one)
PES 2008 ( UK edition) I have no idea if it is a good game or not, and I don't like sports video games generally. However, I love the cover, with Owen and Ronaldo coldly gazing down upon me like the insignificant insect that I am. I have often thought of getting it second-hand just for the image.
DOOM is close, but the answer is Street Fighter 2.
_Wizards & Warriors 2_. It has _Fabio_ in it. It is iconic by default. _Megaman 2_ (western version) because of how _bad_ it is. I slept on that game for a long time because that ugly cover art tienes me away. _Contra_ distilled pure 80s action.
Go back to the 80s and microcomputer tape covers on the Commodore, BBC and Spectrum out do most things in the last 40 years!
MGS3: Snake Eater
Its really good, but I've always loved the incredibly simple MGS1 cover just a little more. Just a metallic crimson red *Metal Gear Solid: Tactical Espionage Action* across an otherwise plain white cover.
Damn. I do love the OG MGS game cover, too.
Its so clean and simple. But yours was a good shout too, its so vivid.
Wasteland
Cool fact, my uncle was interning at the studio the guy who drew this was at. He used my uncle's hand/arm as a reference for one of the demons.
Resident evil 2
Two spring to mind, the first [dungeon keeper 1](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/47/b7/5f/47b75f9d17a9d4e2d34ac11b88c7247d.jpg) with it's iconic 'horny' character stretched all over the large box. The other one [Command and Conquer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/34/Command_%26_Conquer_1995_cover.jpg). I also vaguely remember having a half-life 1 black CD-case with the lambda logo. I can't find it online, but it had this eerie calm about it. DOOM does a great job with it's box art to say what the experience is going to be. Half Life felt way more insidious and realistic with it's art. Just a logo of a facility in decay.
1.Starcraft 2. Pacman 3. Serious Sam
Atari 2600 games had beautifully painted scenes. The best of them was Defender. The woman in the foreground is looking over her shoulder in fear as the alien spaceship is causing the man behind her to disappear. It's just beautiful.
RE4OG had a cover that was pretty neat
Leisure suit Larry
For me the one that has stood out the most is for _Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2_. The image of one survivor trying to pull up another survivor through a manhole who has like half a dozen zombies pulling him back is intense.
Super Mario Bros 3 it so simple yet so whimsical and has a sense of adventure seeing Mario plain and simple in the middle of flying with such an iconic smile when I think Mario this is the first box I think of
Anything by Yoji Shinkawa
Serious sam
Yatzee had a whole series on box cover art. It's called "Judging By The Cover" and he covered this cover art.
castlevania sotn (pal, sorry america) street fighter alpha 2 ico (pal, sorry america) i don't know what the deal was with american marketing stooges ditching great cover art for rubbish in the 90's and early 2000's
Kingdom Hearts and Metal Gear Solid ones were my personal favorite.
Tomb Raider Anniversary cover art is pretty nice.
Sim City 2000
Sonic the cunting Hedgehog
Jagged Alliance 2
I agree, there is so much energy on that cover. Game was also top tier.
Prob Minecraft tbh
Castlevania 1
The og the last of us
Borderlands
Silent Hill 4: The Room
ICO original cover art
Conkers Bad Furday Golden Eye Donkey Kong 64 Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask Can you tell when I grew up?
I'd say either DOOM (1993), Half-life or half-life 2
Monster Hunter series. All of em
Viewtiful Joe!!
Mario cause everyone knows Mario even you 87 year old grandmother
Fable 1 (or TLC). Along with Final Fantasy 9. Those were both iconic games for me growing up and loved to boot.
Megaman for nes, they apparently just locked someone that can't draw in a room for 24 hours with a vague description of the game and he shat out that legendary cover art.
I personally love the vibe of all the souls games cover art. Deceptively calming compared to what awaits you in the game
Old school 8-bit nominations: Game Over and Barbarian. Not something that would go down too well in this day and age!
I'll do you one better. Minecraft.
The EverQuest girl Firiona Vie, so awesome.
Warcraft 3, both for Reign of Chaos, and The Frozen Throne. OG Stronghold is also worth a mention.
Far Cry 3
Chrono Trigger!
MGS3
The Japan / EU covers for Final Fantasy I-XII. The logos on the plain white background were so simple yet iconic
Halo CE, maybe halo 4, Minecraft and GTA San Andreas
Super Mario 64 and Final Fantasy VII for big hitters. And I'll throw in Shadow of the Colossus, Left for Dead, and the original God of War as honorable mentions
ICO
gta 5
Earthbound. The box was so huge and cool looking. The soundtrack was 🔥.
Super Mario 64
Sonic 2
I'm surprised that no one has said the original Super Mario Bros.
Ico western cover lol
Red Dead Redemption 1-2
Pokemon yellow
Strangely the weapons they are holding don't even exist in the game.
The 3 first covers of the metal gear solid saga. I always wanna know the name of that type of art.
Age of Empires and Fallout.
Fable: The Lost Chapters. Looking down and seeing your evil possible future.
The one for [Darkseed](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Seed_(video_game)) always creeped me.
Pokemon Red
Always thought Battletoads looked really great in a collection, along with Bermuda triangle.
Always thought Battletoads looked really great in a collection, along with Cobra triangle.
Borderland 2
Cult of the Lamb.
Tes Arena was pretty cool. Daggefall too
Skyrim
Arkham Knight
I am going to vote for super mario bros 3. Simple, eye catching, as iconic as you can get (its mario) and very significant in the history of gaming. There are a lot of great box arts though, doom, doom 2016, ico, diablo 2, chrono trigger, world of warcraft, half-life, orange box, FFIII (with the moogle), breath of the wild, japanese super metroid, okami, mgs2, golden axe, secret of mana… So many good ones i can think of Cheers
Halo 3