Support NeoGAF

jett · Jul 6, 2015

That way the games get what marketing thinks it needs to sell, and we actually get something that is pretty and nice to look at. This way we avoid monstrosities like the infamous Arkham City GOTY boxart.

A bunch of Sony's games come with artwork on the reverse side of the cover, but they're not really covers. The only game I have that applies is ICO/SoTc Collection.

eec579a0e3c76640d5e270623905f041014c2ecc4cdbf4a8bb94717575529f306g.jpg

It's actually pretty nice, maybe would prefer hand-drawn artwork for SotC like the ICO side. What other games come with reversible covers?

TheDanimal · Jul 6, 2015

Xenoblade chronicles still has my favorite

It's so good

amnesiac · Jul 6, 2015

I had no idea ICO/SOTC had a reversible cover. That's awesome.

brandonh83 · Jul 6, 2015

I think it would be neat if we got covers classy enough to be considered both great looking and marketable so we wouldn't need reversible ones.

Mr-Joker · Jul 6, 2015

Reversible covers cost money and truth be told video game is inching closer and closer to the digital medium.

Though on the other hand I do like having reversible covers as an option.

Nintenleo · Jul 6, 2015

Super Mario 3D Land and Zelda: A Link Between Worlds had double covers, even if the Zelda one was just the normal cover withouth the golden filter. Very cool anyway.

Doctor Decimate · Jul 6, 2015

I really wish all reversible covers still had the system logos on them. They look strange on the shelf otherwise. :/

Flandy · Jul 6, 2015

I don't really like reversible covers unless they're like Tearaway or Mass Effect 3

Original Left, Reversible Right

Original Top, Reversible Bottom

If they don't have all the usual information they just look too out of place on the shelf :\

NoblesseOblige · Jul 6, 2015

I print custom covers (or rather I pay a print company to print them). Almost always better than what games come with, plus I can get physical copies of the games at bargain bin prices if I find someone selling disc only.

DrArchon · Jul 6, 2015

I still really appreciate that Bioshock Infinite came with that nice optional cover to replace the godawful main cover with. I'd love to see more reversible covers for games, but I can totally see why they publishers don't do it more often. Covers really don't matter to them once the game is already sold so why bother putting in a second cover that can't even be used for marketing?

jelly · Jul 6, 2015

I'm not too bothered about boxed games but would love it if they included different covers for use on your dashboard, Steam custom view is sweet, something like that along with official covers from the devs would be excellent.

Rimon-hanit · Jul 6, 2015

Yes, they are almost always better then the default option.

This one is my favorite:

brandonh83 said:
Except when you put them on the shelf and they lack the same spines as everything else and it looks like shit. I never use the reversibles because they spend like 99.9% of the time on the shelf anyway and I'd rather all the spines match up than having a better cover I can't see unless it's out of its place. Despite that I would love to see better designs.

Well I don't think it's look like shit, and it's not like they are all mixed together, the ones with reversible covers go on one side the ones with out it go on the other.

Same with Steelbooks and different consoles.

Spierek · Jul 6, 2015

A Link Between Worlds had the artwork in golden-metallic and colorful-standard versions on both sides:

Shauni · Jul 6, 2015

Ground Zeroes and The Evil Within are good recent examples of these. I'm hoping TPP has one as well since I loved GZ's.

HawthorneKitty · Jul 6, 2015

Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus

lcap · Jul 6, 2015

The Evil Within had a quite neat one. That's my main cover now.

Miroku129 · Jul 6, 2015

Fragile dreams, Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus and early copies of Sin & Punishment 2 had reversible covers

brandonh83 · Jul 6, 2015

Rimon-hanit said:
Yes, they are almost always better then the default option.

Except when you put them on the shelf and they lack the same spines as everything else and it looks like shit. I never use the reversibles because they spend like 99.9% of the time on the shelf anyway and I'd rather all the spines match up than having a better cover I can't see unless it's out of its place. Despite that I would love to see better designs.

PMS341 · Jul 6, 2015

I have always enjoyed the minimalist covers as opposed to the standard ones. Really helps games look a bit more mature as opposed to being products on a shelf.

Wish I could make a living just designing these.

SatoAilDarko · Jul 6, 2015

I prefer them to be rare. It makes organizing my library easier if spines aren't different.

With that said two of my all-time favorite games got reversible covers last gen. Xenoblade Chronicles as seen above and Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon.

NotLiquid · Jul 6, 2015

I'm all for more striking or impressionistic cover art but it kind of annoys me that they forego the dedicated spines and console logos.

It looks good to look at it when you have the box in your hand. It looks like shit when you're organizing all the games on your shelf.

bomblord1 · Jul 6, 2015

It's good when the reversible cover is done right (ie includes the logo on the side still and isn't just a large piece of artwork)

It always drives me nuts when the covers reverse side completely ignores the box boundaries and gets rid of the logo on the side it just looks so bad.

brandonh83 · Jul 6, 2015

NotLiquid said:
I'm all for more striking or impressionistic cover art but it kind of annoys me that they forego the dedicated spines and console logos.

It looks good to look at it when you have the box in your hand. It looks like shit when you're organizing all the games on your shelf.

Even the referenced Ico reversible, when just in a small cheap plastic PS3 case looks god awful. If it had all the proper spines, even on the front it would look a lot better.

Looks like people are at least aware of how shitty it is when they leave out the spines and borders. Really thought I was alone.

Fudgepuppy · Jul 6, 2015

This local game store reversed all the Mass Effect 3 covers so it was only femshep. I asked a friend who worked there why, and it was because his manager refused to accept any other Shep than Femshep.

The guy had to reverse like 500 covers.

Voyevoda · Jul 6, 2015

Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes (except Europe)

Klappdrachen · Jul 6, 2015

At least every game released in Germany should have one. Was very happy when I found out that Tearaway had a reversible cover without that hideous USK logo which looks even more hideous on tiny Vita boxes.

brandonh83 · Jul 6, 2015

Fudgepuppy said:
This local game store reversed all the Mass Effect 3 covers so it was only femshep. I asked a friend who worked there why, and it was because his manager refused to accept any other Shep than Femshep.

The guy had to reverse like 500 covers.

He deserved his fate.

sjay1994 · Jul 6, 2015

I typically don't like reversible covers, because they don't mesh in with other games in my shelf.

Stencil · Jul 6, 2015

NoblesseOblige said:
I print custom covers (or rather I pay a print company to print them). Almost always better than what games come with, plus I can get physical copies of the games at bargain bin prices if I find someone selling disc only.

Not a bad idea. What site do you use for print-quality cover scans, if you don't mind me asking?

On-topic, it does raise production costs slightly, and since a lot of covers use the backside now for boring technical that would have normally gone in manuals that are also ever-diminishing, it seems like real-estate that's already been accounted for recently.

NoblesseOblige · Jul 6, 2015

Stencil said:
Not a bad idea. What site do you use for print-quality cover scans, if you don't mind me asking?

There's a thread here on GAF with some alt. covers. Otherwise I just find them through browsing image boards and other places. I just hand over the image file to a local print company, same ones who do some posters I have, and with the dimensions they print it.

Fudgepuppy · Jul 6, 2015

brandonh83 said:
He deserved his fate.

Well my friend had to reverse all the covers, the boss just stood there stroking her ego.

(She was somewhat of an asshole every time I was there)

ghibli99 · Jul 6, 2015

I like how some were fan-voted, which creates a nice link between dev/pub and community. They do cost more, but I think they're worth it, especially if a game requires significant information on the front for marketing purposes on the main cover. Best of both worlds.

Hydrus · Jul 6, 2015

Spierek said:
A Link Between Worlds had the artwork in golden-metallic and colorful-standard versions on both sides:

WTF! How did I not know this! Too late now, I traded it in

DonTedesco · Jul 6, 2015

InFamous Second Son has a nice one

Necron · Jul 6, 2015

helio.capella said:
The Evil Within had a quite neat one. That's my main cover now.

I love this one... a neat reference to Resident Evil 4's cover.

bobawesome · Jul 6, 2015

HawthorneKitty said:
Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus

This is the only reversible cover I'm rocking at the moment.

KC-Slater · Jul 6, 2015

Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 has reversible covers

Standard

Ultimate-Marvel-Vs-Capcom-3-2011-Ntsc-Front-Cover-60733.jpg

Alt

AgentLampshade · Jul 6, 2015

Bioshock Infinite had one. Actually, they had a competition to vote for your favourite.

(not my pic)

I love reversible covers, a great way of showing off artwork for a game without all that legal crap in the way. Pity games seem to put legal info on the inside of the cover instead now.

brandonh83 · Jul 6, 2015

Fudgepuppy said:
Well my friend had to reverse all the covers, the boss just stood there stroking her ego.

(She was somewhat of an asshole every time I was there)

Oh okay I misread. That's a dick move.

nded · Jul 6, 2015

Most Sony developed/published games will have artwork on the reverse side, though it's not always an alternate cover. Resistance 3 has a pretty nice alternate.

sixteen-bit · Jul 6, 2015

It would be neat if the retail edition of Shovel Knight had a cheezy-ass NES era megaman style cover on the reverse side.

TheMoon · Jul 6, 2015

nded said:
Most Sony developed/published games will have artwork on the reverse side, though it's not always an alternate cover. Resistance 3 has a pretty nice alternate.

Is that still the case though? I thought they stopped doing this since launching the PS4.

In Germany, they briefly started issuing all first party published games with reversible covers featuring the exact same artwork/text minus the big USK ratings log, starting with God of War 3. That was a pretty fantastic. They don't do that anymore though, afaik.

I wish every game for every platform came with a clean version of the artwork that doesn't have any ratings logos or review quotes or "3 million awards!!!" logos on them. Just the platform banner, the artwork and thee dev/publisher logos. If only.

btw, the New Play Control releases for Wii all did this. They had this fugly white frame thing as the main cover but then the reversible one was the original artwork (sometimes) without ratings logos.

Affeinvasion · Jul 6, 2015

It's not my favorite, but Borderlands 2 had one:

El Odio · Jul 6, 2015

3D Land's was pretty cool:

nded · Jul 6, 2015

TheMoon said:
Is that still the case though? I thought they stopped doing this since launching the PS4.

My copies of Bloodborne and Shadowfall have artwork on the reverse that could conceivably by used as an alternate cover, but I don't bother since they don't say anything on the spine. Things might be different in Europe.

NoFaceNico · Jul 6, 2015

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One

KarmaCow · Jul 6, 2015

Flandy said:
I don't really like reversible covers unless they're like Tearaway or Mass Effect 3

Original Left, Reversible Right

Original Top, Reversible Bottom

If they don't have all the usual information they just look too out of place on the shelf :\

This might be a dumb question but why don't publishers that do that have both covers on the front on shelves? Don't even market it, just have both in the same pile. I'm sure there are people rabid enough to get both and all that would be different is the cover, so it's not really two different copies. They're already spending the money on printing two covers.

TheMoon · Jul 6, 2015

El Odio said:
3D Land's was pretty cool:

That's more inlay artwork instead of a reversible cover. Big difference. Those aren't meant to be reversed and used as cover art.

TheMoon · Jul 6, 2015

KarmaCow said:
This might be a dumb question but why don't publishers that do that have both covers on the front on shelves? Don't even market it, just have both in the same pile. I'm sure there are people rabid enough to get both and all that would be different is the cover, so it's not really two different copies. They're already spending the money on printing two covers.

Because they (talking about EA and ME3 here) want to sell it based on the dude. The dudecover is what they think (rightfully?) sells the game to the casuals. See the BioShock Infinite cover whining back then.

Other pubs do it also because they focus tested one cover and put the other one in there for the fans while the main one is supposed to attract mass-market eyes.

The Broken Ska Record · Jul 6, 2015

I only like them if they look like a normal boxart. So stuff like the ME3 and Tearaway covers are great.

Support NeoGAF

Games With Reversible Covers / Shouldn't all games come with this?

D-Member

Junior Member

Member

Banned

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Banned

Banned

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Banned

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Similar threads