1. I'll take the two weeks and the crappy box :)

Posted at 11:05AM on Aug 28th 2007 by txa1265

2. Obviously the reason that the NA one is different is because of gaming marketers false belief that Americans need "darker" and "grittier" themes to intrest us. I swear that's the reason why Ico bombed commercially, because of some marketing tool changing the awsome box art into suck.

Posted at 11:06AM on Aug 28th 2007 by L

3. The NA cover is more "artsy" and less childish. I prefer it. The Europe/Japan cover makes the game look like a gay sailing simulator.

Posted at 11:18AM on Aug 28th 2007 by exolstice

4. i diagree, i like the american one more

Posted at 11:25AM on Aug 28th 2007 by Michael K.

5. I'm sick of the dark themes we get too... after playing some games, I have to play Super Mario Sunshine or The Wind Waker to cheer myself up.

I might play SMS now.

Posted at 11:32AM on Aug 28th 2007 by Eric

6. Design-wise, I'd say the American version looks a lot better. The EU version is just....more colourful.

Posted at 11:36AM on Aug 28th 2007 by elsng

7. It's really just a matter of brand identity. In the US at least, almost every Zelda release has come in a brownish-golden-looking package.

Posted at 11:40AM on Aug 28th 2007 by Graham

8. I find the Japan/Europe cover art far superior. The fact that the subject is off to one corner of the image is leading my eye to take in more details. The color certainly helps, and the fact that the image actually follows grade-school artistic conventions like having a foreground and a background (as opposed to having a goofy-looking pirate ship and...would you call those "curls of menace?" slapped dead center behind the characters) puts it leagues (no pun intended) ahead of the NA box graphically.

Sadly, I'm not even all that interested in Phantom Hourglass at present. I continue to be skeptical of the control scheme in spite of its overwhelmingly positive reception by the gaming press.

Posted at 12:53PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Orville the Unfathomable Time Walrus

9. As much as I do like the artwork used for the US boxart, I think the European art is far superior - more colourful, better art, and even the logo looks a little nicer.

Thanks to Eric for using my site as the source, btw, it's very much appreciated. :-) Very surprised and pleased when I logged on to see so many hits from here!

Posted at 12:58PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Cipher

10. uhh, i wouldnt even say that the EU one is more colourful. it's like bluer?

in any case, i'll be importing a copy of this. it looks exciting to me.

Posted at 1:01PM on Aug 28th 2007 by German S.

11. Yawn.

Still nothing different enough to make me put my Phat to rest until something along the lines of the Venusaur Green GBA SP is announced.

Posted at 1:03PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Orville the Unfathomable Time Walrus

12. Yes. This is certainly reward enough for waiting much longer than the rest of the world to play decent games.

*cough*

Posted at 2:03PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Saphion

13. Allow me to shamelessly point out that I just posted in the wrong thread. Yes, that's post 11. All mine. Sweet, sweet eleven. The big one one. It belongs to me. And you can't have it. Just try and steal it, envious little punks. I dare you.

Posted at 3:15PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Orville the Unfathomable Time Walrus

14. The real question is...what box art will Australia get?

Posted at 5:47PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Simon

15. Well Simon, since we always seem to get lumped into the European region, I'd say we Australians will get the colourful box art.

It may be better box art, but that still doesn't make up for the absolutely crap release dates they always lump on us.

Posted at 8:29PM on Aug 28th 2007 by Kree

16. I like the Japanese/Euro boxart, but the NA is not bad whatsoever!

Posted at 6:25PM on Aug 29th 2007 by flameofdoom666

17. The Australian boxart will be almost identical to North America's as it typically is.

I have to agree, I find the European boxart alot more compelling, it's colourful, attractive and utilizes the 'rule of thirds' this then magically through perception bring the point of interest to the whole area of the box, instead of just the middle as seen in the North American/Australian boxart.

Posted at 4:19AM on Sep 1st 2007 by niik