Memorable Music in Gaming #63

Today’s theme is rather unique. We’ll be looking at five famous tracks that sample “Is That the Door?” by Zero-G Ltd, from their album “Cuckooland - Ghost in the Machine”.

(Note: I’ve already talked about “Radio” (one of the two most well-known examples) from Half-Life 2 in MM #57. Be sure to read that, too.)

Sampling is when a musician lifts a segment from another song and works it into their own composition, either untouched or heavily altered. Companies like Zero-G Ltd specialize in sound libraries—pre-recorded sound effects and music loops that anyone can use.

Max Payne | PC | Max’s Nightmare

The original two Max Payne games were something else, weren’t they? Easily the best IP to emerge in The Matrix's immediate aftermath, the first Max Payne is unmatched in its gritty realism, heavy cynicism, and top-tier production.

The nightmare section? Just that—an absolute nightmare. It’s one of the most cerebrally depressing and nerve-wracking sequences ever put into a video game. The repetitive, thumping notes in the background do nothing to ease the discomfort of this sequence.

Max Payne - Max's Nightmare

Lands of Lore III | PC | Die Unterwelt

I’ve played quite a few Westwood Studios games—Blade Runner and C&C: Tiberian Sun immediately come to mind. I’m not too familiar with their Lands of Lore series, but one thing’s for sure: their soundtrack is fire.

Die Unterwelt (German: "The Underworld") is a fantastic fusion of sci-fi and high-fantasy soundscapes. Think DOOM meets Lord of the Rings, and you’re on the right track.

Lands of Lore 3 Soundtrack - Die Unterwelt

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories | PSP | Ice

What happens when an already foreboding piece of music lands in the majestic hands of Akira Yamaoka? You get an absolute masterpiece, that’s what.

You know the phrase, "If you’re going through hell, keep going"? I imagine this is what plays at the end of that ordeal.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories [Music] - Ice

Vanishing Point | PS1 | Peregone

Oh, I’m no stranger to racing games surprising you with their music. I learned it a long time ago when I heard Joyrider by Jug, which I’ve talked about all the way back in MM #27.

Frankly, this one’s a personal favorite. I love how it shifts from a haunting melody to a full-blown club rave beat. Whoever thought this transition was fitting for a racing game must’ve been in… an interesting state of mind, to say the least.

Vanishing Point (2001) Soundtrack #4 - Peregone

Postal | PC | Central Park

I have no plans to ever play any of the Postal games. There are some pieces of media I can live without, thank you very much.

That said, Central Park is perhaps the most well-known example of this sample in gaming circles, so it would’ve been remiss of me not to include it here.

POSTAL Redux OST - Central Park

Article by: Hamza

 

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Path of Fury Episode 1: Tetsuo's Tower Implements bHaptics Support to the Game!

March 26, 2025 | Independent developer Leonard Menchiari, Director of Trek to Yomi, and publisher Abonico Game Works are happy to announce that their on-rails VR Kung-fu arcade thriller Path of Fury: Episode I - Tetsuo’s Tower is implementing full bHaptics support for their Vest, Arms and Visor devices. These haptic devices enhance VR experiences by giving users a physical feeling of their surroundings. The suit is equipped with vibro-tactile motors, which deliver tactile feedback, allowing users to engage with the virtual world on a deeper level.

"The implementation of the bHaptics feature really does add a lot, we collaborated directly with the bHaptics team to ensure that the effects were a perfect blend between realistic and satisfyingly responsive, and I think it turned out great." - Leonard Menchiari (Game Director)

Additionally there are 2 new competitive challenges that the Path of Fury community can join. The first one is based on who gets the highest kill count in any of the the arena endless stages of the game, it offers 350 USD in prizes and ends on April 20 (registration form), and also another competition called Project Zenith in partnership with the VR short video sharing platform Rival, with 2500 USD in prizes and ends on April 27.

Path of Fury: Episode I - Tetsuo's Tower is available at a price of 8.99 EUR | 9.99 USD on the Meta Quest Store and it is supported by Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro devices.

Step into the fight of your life.   

Immerse yourself in a gritty VR experience where your fists are your only weapons, and your will to survive is your greatest ally. Inspired by the legendary Kowloon Walled City and 90s Kung Fu action movies, this towering dystopia is packed with fast-paced martial arts combat, environmental storytelling, and the relentless challenge of ascending Tetsuo’s fortress-like tower.

David vs. Goliath

You’re the underdog with nothing left to lose, taking on a corrupt system built to crush the weak. Every level you climb brings new enemies, faster moves, and a chance to master the martial arts principles of precision, speed, and resilience. Path of Fury is more than a game—it's a training ground for courage and determination.

Why Play Path of Fury?

Wing Chun-Inspired Combat: Fight like a true martial artist, honing skills that can even apply to the real world.

Intense VR Immersion: Feel every hit, block, and dodge in a world that pulls you in and won’t let go.

A Tower to Conquer: Each level tells a story, packed with challenges that push your mind and reflexes to the edge.

GAME FEATURES

• Experience the essence of Kung Fu. The goal is to deliver the most powerful strikes and achieve quicker knockouts with the least effort possible, players will feel the progression after playing more and more sessions.
• Linear experience but feels different each time. With a strong backstory, the game is designed to be very straightforward and to still surprise the player with new details and progression elements each time they play.
• Essential training tool component. Patience pays off. Every enemy has a weakness that can be exploited, so the more you practice, the faster you’ll beat them.
• The combat is in the sweet spot between authenticity and accessibility, designed with everyone in mind, with a focus on striking, while rewarding resistance precision and speed instead, just like in Kung-Fu.

The Lore Behind Path of Fury - Meet Tetsuo

Tetsuo is the man governing this quarter. Here, the outskirts are where he gets the money, mainly from the nightclubs, where he sells the products he bakes to feed the city. The streets outside the tower are pure chaos: gangs fighting for territory, thugs scraping by, and a police force too corrupt or powerless to restore order. Under the tower is where people live, underground, where Yakuza members keep peace and order among the addicts and gang members. Inside the tower is where the products are made, so that the higher floors can enjoy their parties and have fun while at the very top Tetsuo's men train all day and night to become the most powerful martial artists in the world, placed there to protect him from anyone who wants to tear his empire down. Here is where Tetsuo resides, watching over the world he's built, safe from anything that could get in his way. Until now, perhaps.

Useful Links:

• Meta Quest Store page
• Official website
• Twitter
• Bluesky
• Tiktok
• Instagram
• Official Discord Server

About Leonard Menchiari

Leonard Menchiari, is a game developer who started his career in 2010 in the audiovisual production field with short films like Half Life’s Singularity Collapse, he worked with Valve in 2011-2012. He directed the real world events based crowd-control tactical game RIOT Civil Unrest in 2016, then the platformer adventure The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED] in 2019, and the cinematic Samurai combat-centered adventure Trek to Yomi in 2022.

About Abonico Game Works 

ABONICO GAME WORKS is a new independent game publisher founded by the marketing and business consultant Jesús Fabre in 2024, with a particular focus in small to medium-sized, arcade and retro-inspired games. We are committed to delivering the old good fun experiences to PC, consoles, and VR platforms. We have a team of experienced senior professionals that really care about the games we publish.

Article by: Susan N.

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50 Great Videogame Covers / Box Art - Gaming Thoughts

Long ago, in the distant pre-Covid age of 2016, I wrote an article on my Top 10 Beautiful Video Game Covers. In it, I rambled about how beauty is in the eye of the beholder—one person’s masterpiece might be another’s head-scratcher.

This time around I increased the number to 50 and set a few ground rules for myself. I deliberately excluded the usual suspects—WipeOut, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Okami—as well as some heavy-hitting franchises like Final Fantasy & Metal Gear Solid. As stunning as their covers are, they’ve been discussed to death. I have nothing original to add, nor do I wish to churn out yet another list identical to a dozen others on the Internet.

Instead, I want to highlight some lesser-known gems—often regional variants that, for whatever reason, didn’t get much attention. This is an unranked list based on personal taste, so let’s keep it civil in the comments.

All images courtesy of MobyGames.com

Resident Evil / Biohazard

Platform: PS1 // Region: NTSC

Resident Evil cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

If Resident Evil sounds better, Biohazard looks better. Any cover using the latter name instantly becomes my favorite.

This cover works because it’s deceptively simple yet deeply intriguing. The way the drop of blood actually interacts with the eye is a subtle but effective touch—making it very clear that this game is not a safe space.

Resident Evil 4

Platform: PC // Region: PAL

https://www.mobygames.com/game/16373/resident-evil-4/cover/group-31702/cover-85381/ 

https://www.mobygames.com/game/52872/resident-evil-4/cover/group-20236/cover-49347/ 

The Resident Evil series has a long history of varied covers—I’m still finding alternate versions of older titles even in 2025.

The NTSC covers of RE4? They’re… fine. Leon S. Kennedy in a mid-action pose. Nothing original.

But the PAL covers? That’s where it gets interesting. I call these the “forest” and “woods” variants.

The Woods cover is starkly violent—the infamous Chainsaw Man is front and center, ominous and unrelenting. The Forest cover is more subdued, but the ominous red/black combo still oozes tension.

Both are perfect for a series inspired by B-movies and 50s/60s zombie flicks. They capture a vintage horror aesthetic that I love.

Ultima: Blackgate

Platform: DOS // Region: NTSC

Ultima VII: The Black Gate cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

This may look like a joke entry, but I assure you—it’s not.

Most Ultima games have solid covers (The False Prophet, Serpent Isle, Labyrinth of Worlds), but Black Gate? It’s next-level.

Why? Raw, unapologetic confidence. By this point, Ultima was already one of the biggest names in gaming. They didn’t need flashy art.

If Metallica and The Beatles could pull off a minimalist album cover, why couldn’t a video game?

Another World

Platform: // Region: PAL

https://www.mobygames.com/game/564/out-of-this-world/cover/group-15249/cover-136753/ 

Almost every variant of this cover features a different logo typography, but this particular one feels much more complete to me. Its logo is as alien-esque as the wonderful painting itself.

One thing I've observed—but never received any confirmation for—is that Lester’s open-armed stance and the light in the distance seem to mirror each other. Is there any significance to that?

Gran Turismo

Platform: PS1 // Region: NTSC & PAL

Gran Turismo cover or packaging material - MobyGames

https://www.mobygames.com/game/3909/gran-turismo/cover/group-25405/cover-65056/ 

One of the rare instances where I prefer the NTSC cover over the PAL one.

The NTSC cover is confident, mysterious, and subtly hints at the unconventional direction the series takes. Remember, this is a racing franchise that chooses jazz and lounge music when others go for electronic and rock.

The PAL cover is equally fantastic—a close-up of a tire with the logo embedded into it. A simple but powerful way of saying: This game does one thing better than anyone else—and we take pride in it.

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Platform: PS2 // Region: PAL

Gran Turismo 3: A-spec cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Gran Turismo 3: A-spec cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

I’m torn on this one.

The NTSC cover is stunning—the cool blue tint and the way they turn the logo into a car badge is such a clean touch. It gives off a calm, inviting vibe.

The PAL cover, though? Entirely different story. It’s sharp, high-contrast, and features a car’s headlight bathed in sporty red. This one doesn’t say Sunday driving simulator.

Both are great, but if I had to pick one? The red version takes it.

Gran Turismo 4

Platform: PS2 // Region: Worldwide

Gran Turismo 4 cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

There are two types of people in this world:

1. Those who immediately recognize the beauty of a Ford GT40 and smile at this cover.

2. Those who learned to appreciate the beauty of the Ford GT40 because of this cover.

Either way, this is a sleek, perfect composition. I wish more racing games had this level of confidence in their cover art.

Madworld

Platform: Wii // Region: Worldwide

MadWorld cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Do you know why I love PlatinumGames? Because they unapologetically prioritize style over substance, and I adore them for it.

Honestly, they might be the only game company I’d seriously love to work for.

I was going to write about No More Heroes, but that game already gets plenty of attention. So I swapped it out for MadWorld—which, if you’re into highly stylized aesthetics like Sin City or Hellboy, is an absolute banger of a cover.

Cannon Fodder

Platform: Amiga // Region: PAL

Cannon Fodder cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

This one is iconic, so I won’t elaborate much.

However, I do remember reading a comment—years ago—about how the cover contains a series of cleverly hidden middle fingers. Maybe it was just self-imposed pareidolia, but a friend swore he spotted a few. I, too, vaguely made out at least one.

But looking at it now? I was grossly mistaken. Either the comment was about another game, or my brain was playing tricks on me.

Ecco the Dolphin

Platform: Genesis & Mega Drive // Region: PAL & NTSC

https://www.mobygames.com/game/6677/ecco-the-dolphin/cover/group-12449/cover-30671/ 

Ecco the Dolphin cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Movies aren’t the only medium where every frame can be a painting—video games qualify too. The original Ecco the Dolphin certainly does. Its audio-visual fidelity is quintessential seapunk.

The Sega Genesis cover is the closest I’ve come to experiencing the Mandela effect. Thanks to its airbrush style and grid paper pattern, I was convinced I had seen this artwork on a coil notebook as a kid.

It wasn’t until my early 20s, when I got into vaporwave, that I learned Ecco was a video game series—and that maybe, just maybe, I had never actually seen this art on a notebook at all.

The Mega Drive cover? Just as picturesque.

God Hand

Platform: PS2 // Region: NTSC

God Hand cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

For the longest time, I only knew about the NA cover, which features a heavily tattooed arm punching another tattooed person. I assumed this was the definitive cover for the game.

Then I saw the Japanese cover. Stylish, aggressive, and bursting with kinetic energy. Are we seeing the punch being charged up? Or is it already mid-air? No matter how you interpret it, this visual perfectly matches the game’s equally absurd title.

Grand Theft Auto

Platform: PC // Region: PAL

Grand Theft Auto cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Show of hands—how many of you knew about this? Long before Grand Theft Auto adopted its iconic disjointed panel design, the original game did something quite similar.

The NTSC cover, featuring a fisheye photograph of Trump Tower, is serviceable, but the PAL cover just nails the tone. The use of real photos combined with a vintage two-tone treatment makes it feel almost like a documentary. Even the title—written in full with ellipses and quotation marks—adds to the effect.

If you hear John Larroquette's Texas Chainsaw Massacre narration in your head while reading it, the cover has done its job.

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Platform: NES // Region: NTSC

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Before Zelda covers became gorgeous, somewhere around the mid-’90s, Nintendo had a habit of giving its older titles the beige treatment.

I think this color is underrated. When used right, it’s warm, inviting—have you ever wondered why your favorite mocha café feels so cozy?

Here, the ruby-adorned Magical Sword set against a beige background gives it an aura of quiet dignity.

Perfect Dark

Platform: N64 // Region: NTSC

https://ia802804.us.archive.org/21/items/PerfectDark.cover/Perfect%20Dark.cover.jpg 

The North American box art is iconic—a close-up of Joanna Dark, her face shrouded in dramatic lighting, setting the perfect action-espionage tone. It does its job well.

For years, I had no idea a Japan-exclusive version existed. This one is completely different—moody, subdued, with Joanna Dark reclining on a sofa. The cool composition and red color palette give it an entirely different, neo-noir energy. Love it.

Test Drive

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

Test Drive cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Ask any gearhead—seeing a lineup of legendary supercars is always a beautiful sight. Stack them vertically, bathe them in a striking red negative, and suddenly, you have something worthy of framing on your wall.

From top to bottom:

1987 Lamborghini Countach

1987 Lotus Esprit Turbo

1987 Chevrolet Corvette C4

1987 Porsche 911 Turbo

1987 Ferrari Testarossa

The Duel: Test Drive II

Platform: DOS // Region: NTSC

The Duel: Test Drive II cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

By its very nature, racing is a duel between opponents. So it only makes sense that racing games should depict two or more cars in aggressive competition—usually from a low angle or head-on perspective.

The Duel takes a different approach, showing an aerial view of a blazing Ferrari F40 and a Porsche 959. Instant classic.

Test Drive III: The Passion

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

Test Drive III: The Passion cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

The third and final of the truly great Test Drive covers.

Anyone who understands marketing knows that the best way to convey the passion for driving isn’t through the machine—it’s through the human element.

This cover gets it. The sunset color grading. The effortless swagger of the driver. The sense of speed.

Even the light script typography convinces you it’s finally time to get a convertible and let ‘er rip.

Daikatana

Platform: PC // Region: Worldwide

https://www.mobygames.com/game/1678/john-romeros-daikatana/cover/group-19313/cover-46975/ 

When Marvin Gaye sang about “death, taxes, and trouble” being life’s only certainties, he clearly forgot to consult a graphic designer. There are actually two more: red/black and yellow/black color combos. Even the most basic designer can use these to turn something ordinary into something striking.

I love how this cover neatly arranges its text in a bento-box layout. It’s structured, clean, and visually engaging.

SSX On Tour

Platform: PS2 // Region: Worldwide

SSX on Tour cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Unlike the other entries, this one goes for a doodle-heavy, hand-drawn aesthetic.

Honestly? Smart move. Slam books and personalized Hi5 / MySpace pages were still a thing back then, so this fit right in.

Out of all the covers in this list, this one brings the most nostalgia. You were good, EA Sports Big. You will be missed.

Driver

Platform: PS1 // Region: PAL

Driver cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Driver was too ahead of its time. It was also too difficult—both for its time and any time.

The art direction still holds up today. It carries a distinct flavor of ‘90s edginess and soul of ‘60s and ‘70s car movies. If you’ve seen the likes of Bullitt and French Connection, you know what I’m talking about.

This cover is minimal and timeless—the kind of design that only works for something generically titled.

The Dig

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

The Dig cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

The Dig often gets overshadowed when discussing LucasArts adventure games, which is unfair. It’s a visually stunning experience with a heavy emphasis on exploration and mystery—three elements the cover art captures perfectly.

Future Wars: Adventures in Time

Platform: DOS // Region: PAL

Future Wars: Adventures in Time cover or packaging material - MobyGames

Instantly striking. The dripping paint acting as a portal to outer space is peak aesthetic. This cover satisfies me to no end. The uncommon low-angle perspective and beautiful airbrush style really make it a lovely piece of art.

Myst

Platform: PC // Region: Worldwide

Myst cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

At once nostalgic and worthy of framing on your wall. The cover depicts an isometric bird’s-eye view of the Myst island—including a full look at the infuriating Channelwood Age tree.

I swear, if I’d properly examined the cover before my first playthrough, I wouldn’t have wasted 30 minutes trying to find it.

Heiankyo Alien

Platform: Game Boy // Region: NTSC

Heiankyo Alien cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

As far as Game Boy covers go, this one stands out—once you get past the initial confusion of realizing it’s a negative image of some alien-thing with arms sprouting from its forehead.

I just like it, okay?

American McGee’s Alice

Platform: PC // Region: Worldwide

American McGee's Alice cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Both Alice and its sequel, Madness Returns, are some of the most stylish and artistically chef’s kiss PC games ever made.

Game covers featuring in-game models tend to age poorly due to evolving technology. Yet, despite releasing in 2000, this cover still holds up. Why? Because brilliant art direction is timeless.

Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2

Platform: PS2 // Region: NTSC

https://www.mobygames.com/game/5594/dave-mirra-freestyle-bmx-2/cover/group-1299/cover-174173/ 

Understated and clean. Unlike most extreme sports covers, which tend to be loud and aggressive, this one is refined. The ramp-style line art and list of tricks suggest an actual design philosophy rather than just throwing in a chaotic collage of “cool” things.

Limbo

Platform: PC // Region: Worldwide

Limbo cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Limbo’s art style—both in-game and on the cover—is deeply rooted in German Expressionism.

Even the jagged typography is a nod to the movement, bringing to mind Fritz Lang’s films—specifically M and Metropolis.

Ikaruga

Platform: Dreamcast // Region: NTSC

Ikaruga cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Ikaruga was developed as a spiritual successor to Radiant Silvergun—by then, a giant in the shmup genre. Naturally, it had a lot to live up to.

Like many titles on this list, Ikaruga has several regional cover variants, each adorned with distinct artwork by the incredibly talented Yasushi Suzuki.

Out of all of them, the NTSC Dreamcast cover is my personal favorite. Its dramatic, desaturated composition and warm color palette give it a feel of power.

Karous

Platform: Dreamcast // Region: NTSC

Karous cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Why do falling feathers - or wings for that matter - make for dreamlike, pretty imagery? SimAnt did it. Sine Mora does it, too. What gives?

Sine Mora

Platform: PC // Region: Worldwide

https://www.mobygames.com/game/94106/sine-mora-ex/cover/group-302188/cover-748312/ 

This one’s got it all: a serious-sounding Latin phrase, blood brush splatter, and falling feathers. One look at it, and you just know you’re in for a no-nonsense, stiff-upper-lip experience.

R-Type Final

Platform: PS2 // Region: PAL

R-Type Final cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Vehicle line-ups will never not be cool.

Not the biggest fan of the logo, but seeing some of the major R-Type ships lined up on a reflective floor against a stark white background? That does something nice to the good ol’ monkey brain.

Beneath a Steel Sky

Platform: DOS // Region: PAL

Beneath a Steel Sky cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Another example of stark confidence in design.

It’s simply the game’s logo set against a black background—but when the logo is this good, that’s all you need.

I gave it an equally minimalist animation, which was actually praised by Mr. Cecil himself.

Quarantine

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

Quarantine cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

A perfect marriage of copywriting and design. This cover is a case study in why, when discussing video games as an art form, the cover art should be included in that discussion.

I even had a go at animating the cover.

Jet Grind Radio

Platform: Dreamcast // Region: NTSC

https://www.mobygames.com/game/4126/jet-grind-radio/cover/group-2652/cover-7146/ 

A good part of me wishes the Dreamcast had won the early-2000s console wars—because then, we’d see more covers like this.

Endearing. Pleasing. Full of life. A perfect encapsulation of Jet Grind Radio’s attitude, energy, and rebellion.

Hired Guns

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

Hired Guns cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

How many game covers do you know that feature a first-person perspective?

This composition immediately pulls you in. Despite featuring four characters in-frame, it never feels cluttered—and the art style? Fantastic.

Silent Hill

Platform: PS1 // Region: NTSC

https://www.mobygames.com/game/3564/silent-hill/cover/group-299926/cover-743695/ 

The best Silent Hill cover ever.

It’s clearly a close-up of a bathroom tile wall—a supposedly safe and sterile space. But the smeared blood suggests that not even that is safe anymore.

Silent Hill 2

Platform: PS2 // Region: NTSC

Silent Hill 2 cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

This cover gives me the same sinister energy as The Red Ceiling, a famous William Eggleston photograph.

There’s something inexplicably terrifying about it—like some horror lurks just beyond the frame.

Patapon

Platform: PSP // Region: Worldwide

https://www.mobygames.com/game/33072/patapon/cover/group-49689/cover-133889/ 

Patapon 2 cover or packaging material - MobyGames

Patapon 3 cover or packaging material - MobyGames  

We’ve all collectively forgotten about Patapon, haven’t we?

It’s been ages since I’ve heard anyone gush about this series, so maybe showcasing all three excellent covers in this article can help make up for that.

Scurge: Hive

Platform: GBA // Region: NTSC

Scurge: Hive cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

The Game Boy Advance library never disappoints. This game is among the best on the handheld. The yellow/black color scheme is used to great effect here—it’s a fantastic cover.

Tactics Ogre

Platform: SNES // Region: NTSC

https://www.mobygames.com/game/8367/tactics-ogre/cover/group-22052/cover-54873/ 

Everything about this cover is majestic—the art style, the characters’ battle-ready composure, their costumes, the giant flag in the background, and that gold-plated logo at the bottom.

It’s no secret that Japanese cover art can be stunning, but this one takes the cake.

The Guardian Legend

Platform: SNES // Region: NTSC

The Guardian Legend cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

If Sarah Kerrigan from StarCraft got the Hajime Sorayama treatment, I imagine the result would look something like this.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Platform: PC // Region: NTSC

Need for Speed: Most Wanted cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

I’ve already written my thoughts on this cover in a previous article - Top 10 Beautiful Video Game Covers.

BioForge

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

BioForge cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

I’ve already written my thoughts on this cover in a previous article - Top 10 Beautiful Video Game Covers.

Wasteland

Platform: DOS // Region: Worldwide

Wasteland cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

I’ve already written my thoughts on this cover in a previous article - Top 10 Beautiful Video Game Covers.

Unrest

Platform: PC // Region: Worldwide

https://www.mobygames.com/game/74307/unrest/cover/group-116957/cover-309637/ 

I’ve already written about this game - more specifically the logo - on my Top Video Game Logos Part 2.

Dune II: Battle for Arrakis

Platform: Amiga // Region: PAL

Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Foreboding. Very few covers grab your attention and curiosity as quickly as this one.

Elemental Gimmick Gear

Platform: Dreamcast // Region: NTSC

https://s.pacn.ws/1/p/u/elemental-gimmick-gear-e-g-g-15165.4.jpg?v=rt1iqh 

If you told me this was a panel from Berserk, I’d believe you.

Resistance 3

Platform: PS3 // Region: Worldwide

Resistance 3 cover or packaging material - MobyGames 

Instantly iconic. Nothing more to be said.

Snatcher

Platform: SP1 & MSX & Sega CD // Region: NTSC

Snatcher cover or packaging material - MobyGames

Snatcher cover or packaging material - MobyGames

Snatcher cover or packaging material - MobyGames

Even though this list is unranked, I saved my favorite two for last. These six covers are, to me, where flawless art direction and composition peaked. If anyone were to ask me now about my favorite cover of all time, I’d collectively rank these at the top spot.

Long before Kojima-san reinvented gaming with Metal Gear Solid, he made the equally cinematic and superb Snatcher. Basically a playable adult anime, Snatcher wears its inspirations on its trench-coat sleeves—namely Blade Runner.

MSX Cover: Pure neo-noir perfection. The golden glow on the lightly embossed logo looks like it was photographed inside Tyrell’s building during Blade Runner’s iconic sunset sequence.

PS1 Cover: A stunning watercolor-esque illustration. I love the blend of hard outlines and soft colors, not to mention the cinematic allusion to the poster of The Driver (1978, Walter Hill). Stylish and timeless.

Mega CD Cover: A bold cyberpunk statement. The artwork feels like a 007 gun barrel sequence, reimagined with a futuristic, neon-drenched aesthetic.

NiGHTS into Dreams...

Platform: Saturn // Region: Worldwide

NiGHTS into Dreams... cover or packaging material - MobyGames

https://www.mobygames.com/game/7437/nights-into-dreams/cover/group-7454/cover-169236/

https://www.mobygames.com/game/7437/nights-into-dreams/cover/group-35450/cover-96557/

Here we are—the final entry. These three NiGHTS into Dreams... covers are simply unmatched in their dreamlike quality.

For a game with such a surreal title, the artwork had to match its energy. Fortunately, the long-box covers deliver:

PAL Cover: NiGHTS strikes a Pied Piper-like pose against a starry, celestial backdrop.

NTSC Cover: A more futuristic take, with NiGHTS gliding through a sleek, airbrushed cityscape.

This is where the concept of dreamwave—a microgenre that embraces nostalgic, floaty subconscious imagery—comes into play. A joint album by vaporwave artists Luxury Elite and Saint Pepsi perfectly embodies this aesthetic, blending hazy synths with visuals reminiscent of Mac Tonight, McDonald’s surreal 80s/90s mascot.

Whenever I see these covers, my brain immediately starts playing Saint Pepsi’s Private Caller. Had it been up to me, NiGHTS—not Mac Tonight—would be the official mascot of dreamwave.

Then there’s the square jewel case cover, which takes a completely different approach. Instead of dreamy surrealism, it leans into pure 90s graphic design: bright colors, meticulously arranged elements, a clean layout—even the text aligns perfectly with the perspective of the key visual.

These covers hit all the right notes.

 

Article by: Hamza

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