If you knew the 8 bit generation, chances are you remember those trips by car or public transport coming back from the store where your parents bought you a Mario Bros. or a Batman. Admittedly, the booklet was read and reread with relish, but the box also contained within it a whole universe and a story through its main illustration. The Legend of Zelda for example, marked by its coat of arms on a golden background (in Europe), immediately recognizable. There were also the aptly named “black box” like the cover of Balloon Fight, namely an iconic element of the game in pixel art on a dark background. Well that’s the fate that had precisely been reserved for Zelda if we are to believe Martin Lindell, adviser in the Embracer group, who has in his possession a Nintendo communication kit, dedicated to a CES (Consumer Electronics Show) having took place in the mid-1980s.
Nice seeing these old early versions of packfronts for Zelda and Punch Out. pic.twitter.com/TUBWYHc0bi
— Martin Lindell (@martinlindell) October 8, 2022
In this nice binder, it is possible to see several preparatory or non-final versions of covers of great classics of Japanese society. If Slalom, Pro Wrestling and Volleyball remain interesting curiosities, it really is The Legend of Zelda (losing the “The” here) and Punch-Out!! which turn out to be the most surprising. Especially this smiling Link who eliminates ghosts, suggesting a horrific game. Even if Glass Joe and his bewildered face also give a unique character to Nintendo’s boxing game. Finally, a little treat, it is mentioned in the text accompanying these visuals that Zelda already seems to be perceived as a license over several episodes.