Variant Cover Art Thread (cataloging all cover variations and exclusives)

JAMMR

JAMMR

Banned
I am working on a catalog of variant covers as well as cover art in general. There are obviously the Player's Choice variations, but the ones that interest me the most are store exclusives. I know there are tons of Wal-Mart and K-Mart ones... Even with having Wal-Marts nearby, I haven't seen maybe more than half of them, but I don't even have K-Mart nearby so I'm in the dark about all those.

Please post here what different covers there are (pics would be nice too - head on pics preferred). Games that I really want pics for are highlighted.

The organization is pretty self-explanatory with descriptions in italics.

Player's Choice Variations:
See "Player's Choice Games" Thread for comprehensive list. All Player's Choice Covers have at most slight variations, such as different placement of production logos or addition of other icons (such as GBA connectivity). The most fundamental Player's Choice cover change is with WWE: Wrestlemania X8 with The Rock replacing Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Best Seller Logo Variations:
Beginning Fall 04, these are for First Party games and are introduced in subsequent shipments right at launch. First Party titles released before this variation may be rereleased with this logo as well as on Player's Choice covers.
Kirby Air Ride (BS logo on PC cover)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (BS logo on PC cover)
Mario Party 6
Mario Power Tennis
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Pokemon Colosseum (BS logo on PC Cover AND BS logo without PC band)
Star Fox: Assault
Super Smash Bros Melee

Rerelease variations:
These include games that in subsequent printings had changes in cover art.
Darkened Skye / Outlaw Golf 2-Pack (Split cover)
Freestyle Street Soccer (Originally a Blockbuster exclusive with BB logo, rereleased without logo)
Mario Kart: Double Dash (Bonus Disc was the first run, without the red band in the lower right corner is the 2nd run, copies included in the Holiday 04 Bundle are marked "Not for Resale" on the back)
Mega Man: Anniversary Collection (Originally with Dr. Wily on cover, immediate subsequent printings replaced him with a logo showing that it was "10 games in 1")
Metroid Prime / MP2:Echoes 2-Pack (Split cover)
Midway Arcade Treasures 1 (Rerelease cover to fit format of 2 and 3)
Resident Evil 0 & REMake "Pure Evil" 2-Pack (Packaged in cardboard box with individual copies of the PC versions, later re-rereleased with the characters on the cover and without the RE4 Demo Disc offer on the front)
Sonic Mega Collection & Adventure DX 2-Pack (Packaged in cardboard box with individual copies of the PC versions)
Spyro: A Hero's Tale (EGM Year Subscription Logo)
Super Monkey Baall 1 & 2 2-Pack (Packaged in cardboard box with individual copies of the PC versions)
Timesplitters (Rerelease cover-"Nintendo Power" Quote)
Top Gun: Combat Zones ("Mastiff" Rerelease)
The Urbz: Sims in the City (Originally with Free Music Download as noted in a bar on cover and spine, immediate subsequent printings are without this)

Store Exclusives:
These titles had variant covers for store specific exclusives and usually noted some sort of bundled merchandise and/or the store name.
1080 Avalanche (Walmart Bonus DVD)
Animal Crossing (K-Mart Logo and Strategy Guide Bundle Logo)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (Wal-Mart Bundle with GBA-GC cable included logo)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (K-Mart Logo and Strategy Guide Bundle Logo; Wal-Mart Bundle 2-pack split with Master Quest Disc)
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Target Course; Hollywood Video)
Mario Party 4 (K-Mart Logo and Wavebird Bundle Logo)
Metroid Prime (K-Mart Logo and Wavebird Bundle Logo; Target Coupons)
Shrek Extra Large (Wal-Mart exclusive watch pack-in logo)
Super Mario Sunshine (K-Mart Logo and Guide Bundle Logo)
Starfox Adventures (K-Mart Logo and Guide Bundle Logo)
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (Best Buy "Limited Edition")

Miscellaneous:
This includes variations that are very minor, usually variations on the back of the case. I would like to catalog them but getting pictures etc would just exponentially increase the playing field.
"Rental Use Only" copies (same covert art except the back notes that it is a rental copy somewhere around the barcode, ex: LoZ:WW)
"Made In..." variations (same cover art except back notes a different country of production - may be impossible to tell which copies came first, ex: MK:DD)

Titles I've heard about but don't recall if the cover was actually changed/added to (pics would help to verify whether they are or aren't variant covers):

Megaman Network Transmission w/ Anime Disc
 
K-mart also had:
LOZ: Windwaker w/ strategy guide
Animal Crossing w/ guide
Mario Party 4 w/ wavebird

I have 1st 2 (only place left w/ pre-order disc in 10 mile radius for windwaker) I was hoping it was a sticker but nooo.
 
[quote name='Doylerulez']K-mart also had:
LOZ: Windwaker w/ strategy guide
Animal Crossing w/ guide
Mario Party 4 w/ wavebird

I have 1st 2 (only place left w/ pre-order disc in 10 mile radius for windwaker) I was hoping it was a sticker but nooo.[/quote]
Any chance you can get pics of the ones you have?

And Masha - thanks for the pic!
 
Hmmm...

Don't forget the Metroid Prime/MP:2 Demo Disc Bundle.

I saw it at EBgames....

Here:


mpwithmo2demo5fm.jpg
 
Some of the Nintendo games have a "Best Seller" logo on them I know Paper Mario has this, but not all of the copies will have this. Also some of the Player Choice ones will have both the yellow bar on top and the best seller logo on the bottom.
 
KMart had Super Mario Sunshine with the guide bundle logo. Also, I know I've seen some copies of Metroid Prime advertising $50 in Target coupons packaged with the game.
 
Metroid Prime with Target coupons... sad

Anyways, any pics would be great! I need a camera phone because I see so many of these every so often... but these store exclusives drive me batty! It's like I have to know (it is half the battle...).
 
Cool topic. Another one to add is Freestyle Street Soccer. One version is the Blockbuster exclusive, has a little BB logo on the cover, and there is another version without the logo.
 
I've heard of that, elprincipe, but never seen it. Then I heard that this was true only on like the Xbox version or something.

I've looked for pics on the internet but never found any.
 
[quote name='JAMMR']I've heard of that, elprincipe, but never seen it. Then I heard that this was true only on like the Xbox version or something.

I've looked for pics on the internet but never found any.[/quote]

It's true, I have a copy of each. One has the BB logo on the cover and BB legal info on the back, while the other lacks these. Same everything else though, as far as I know (the non-BB is still sealed since I don't really need two open ones).
 
[quote name='video_gamer324']Also, I know I've seen some copies of Metroid Prime advertising $50 in Target coupons packaged with the game.[/quote]

I have the Target version of Metroid Prime. Unfortunately, I can't provide any pics, but I'll describe it.

It looks like the regular Metroid Prime cover, but there's a Target logo above Samus' right shoulder, and on the right side of her torso there's a big purple Samus "S" logo with the words "Coupons Inside! $50 In Savings!" in white font over it and "Only At Target" in smaller red font.

Also, the first run (I believe it was the first run, anyway) of Mario Kart: Double Dash had a bonus demo disc bundled with it. Again, I can't provide a pic of my copy but here's a picture I found on Google:

 
[quote name='pinatamonkey']What about the Wind Waker/Bonus Disc combo?

IMG_4766%20(Small).jpg


From the Wal-Mart Gamecube/WW bundle[/quote]

Wow I never seen that one very neat. :applause:
 
I absolutely love the Wal-mart Zelda cover. I traded in my plain Metroid for the double-pack one 'cause I preferred that one...looks like I'll have to find the Zelda one.
 
[quote name='pinatamonkey']What about the Wind Waker/Bonus Disc combo?

IMG_4766%20(Small).jpg


From the Wal-Mart Gamecube/WW bundle[/quote]

Dang, as a Cube collector I want stuff like that!
 
[quote name='elprincipe'][quote name='JAMMR']I've heard of that, elprincipe, but never seen it. Then I heard that this was true only on like the Xbox version or something.

I've looked for pics on the internet but never found any.[/quote]

It's true, I have a copy of each. One has the BB logo on the cover and BB legal info on the back, while the other lacks these. Same everything else though, as far as I know (the non-BB is still sealed since I don't really need two open ones).[/quote]
Where did you get the non-BB one?
 
Updated the list... could really use pics on some of these, especially the Target Metroid Prime as I have never actually seen it.

Also saw a new variation today, Midway Arcade Treasures.
 
[quote name='JAMMR'][quote name='elprincipe'][quote name='JAMMR']I've heard of that, elprincipe, but never seen it. Then I heard that this was true only on like the Xbox version or something.

I've looked for pics on the internet but never found any.[/quote]

It's true, I have a copy of each. One has the BB logo on the cover and BB legal info on the back, while the other lacks these. Same everything else though, as far as I know (the non-BB is still sealed since I don't really need two open ones).[/quote]
Where did you get the non-BB one?[/quote]

GameCrazy. I was kind of surprised they had it as I thought it was a BB-exclusive game, but upon further inspection of the packaging I noticed the difference.
 
Doesn't MegaMan Anniversary Collection have two different cover variations? The one I got at launch had a standard cover. A few weeks later I noticed one at the store that had the same cover, but with the words "Includes 10 MegaMan games" or something like that.
 
Add the Hollywood Video Mario Golf to the list.

I also have the Target Metroid Prime. Will get a pic when I have time.
 
[quote name='Josef']Doesn't MegaMan Anniversary Collection have two different cover variations? The one I got at launch had a standard cover. A few weeks later I noticed one at the store that had the same cover, but with the words "Includes 10 MegaMan games" or something like that.[/quote]
Indeed, it does :wink:
 
Haven't seen this one yet.
1080 Avalanche was sold at Wal-Mart with a bonus DVD of snowboarding footage. Their is a splash on the cover of the game indicating the bonus DVD. I can't find any pictures online right now. I will check this thread when I get home from work and if it hasn't been posted yet, I'll scan my cover and post it.
 
Wait a second!

Can someone explain this "Best Seller" crap to me.

I pre-orderd Paper Mario and it came with this bloody ugly gold stamp on the cover that says, "Best Seller".

Then, I pre-ordered Star Fox Assault and it came without a best seller logo.

I was just at my local shops and all the new Nintendo games have this flippin ugly logo on the front cover. These include Mario Power Tennis, Mario Party 6, Star Fox Assault, Paper Mario, and some others have this logo.

What gives? Why?


Chris
 
Well besides what my first post says about it, essentially it's another way for Nintendo to say "this is a popular title".

Again, it's only first party titles and they get shipped right at launch. The criteria to meet BS requirements is something low (I've heard 10,000 copies) essentially making it an arbitrary label to just say "this is a name brand first party game and you will like it".

Part of the SSBM controversy is that it was originally Player's Choice, then when Nintendo said all PC games will be $19.99, they realized that SSBM was still selling at $29.99, so they took it off Player's Choice and shipped subsequent copies with just the Best Seller logo.

And now, when a first party title (that's already been released prior to Sept 04) hits Player's Choice, it gets the yellow bar plus the BS logo.
 
[quote name='JAMMR']Well besides what my first post says about it, essentially it's another way for Nintendo to say "this is a popular title".

Again, it's only first party titles and they get shipped right at launch. The criteria to meet BS requirements is something low (I've heard 10,000 copies) essentially making it an arbitrary label to just say "this is a name brand first party game and you will like it".

Part of the SSBM controversy is that it was originally Player's Choice, then when Nintendo said all PC games will be $19.99, they realized that SSBM was still selling at $29.99, so they took it off Player's Choice and shipped subsequent copies with just the Best Seller logo.

And now, when a first party title (that's already been released prior to Sept 04) hits Player's Choice, it gets the yellow bar plus the BS logo.[/quote]

So am I right to assume that the non "Best Seller" covers of titles such as Paper Mario and Mario Power Tennis are very rare, much more so than a typical non-PC cover? They seem to be essentially the very first printing of that title. Speaking of which, has anyone seen any StarFox Assault "Best Seller" covers yet?

Did I mention how much I hate that Nintendo is doing this?
 
Finally got around to scanning the 1080 Avalanche cover. This is the version that was sold at Wal-Mart and included a bonus DVD of footage from snowboard videos.

 
jbroush - thanks for the great scan!

[quote name='Josef']
So am I right to assume that the non "Best Seller" covers of titles such as Paper Mario and Mario Power Tennis are very rare, much more so than a typical non-PC cover? They seem to be essentially the very first printing of that title. Speaking of which, has anyone seen any StarFox Assault "Best Seller" covers yet?

Did I mention how much I hate that Nintendo is doing this?[/quote]
Actually, you would probably be very much incorrect. Assuming the number is 10,000 units, the reason why launch comes with both shipments is because presales have pushed it pass the 10,000 mark, meaning all subsequent printings have the Best Seller logo until a Player's Choice version comes out.

I do know that once a game has BS status, all shipments after launch have the logo.

Now, if you are in it for the "rare" thing, I would imagine Super Smash Bros. Melee will have a lot of depth in it's rarity, considering there are multiple versions of the game as well as 4, with the possibility of a 5th (PC with BS) covers. And even that is total speculation by me. Essentially, due to the nature of Best Seller being a first party thing, it will never be hard to find copies of any version.

And I did see Starfox Assault with and without Best Seller at launch.
 
You say you've updated the original post, yet it still says 'need pic' next to the Bounty Hunter LE.. I posted a picture of it.. not sure if it's from Best Buy, but it's a LE of Bounty Hunter.
 
What about all the games that came with extra-big cardboard box covers or some other sort of extra case or box? I can think of

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu
Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Mario Party 6
Pure Evil 2-Pack
Splinter Cell: CT CE

Others?
 
pokemon box also came in a larger cardboard box... but i'm not so sure those are "variants" since the regular cover is on the case inside the cardboard box.
 
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