TF's Nintendo Fusion Covers for UGC

[TyrannicalFascist]

I really like them, the fact you have the original cover art with the extra artwork in the background, gives it a special touch than just 3 TV shaped boxes on the back. I can't wait to see what the rest of the Mario games look like, you're an amazing artist. And thanks alot for the template

Thanks, I appreciate it!

Here's a special pair of NES covers - Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (or Super Mario Bros. 2J if you prefer).



The art on that first one took a butt-load of work to clean it up, but I think it was worth the work. 10 points to anyone who knows where the art came from! If you look at the original source, you can see all the text and unnecessary things like UPC and the Nintendo Seal that needed to be removed, let alone extend and clean it up since the can I got had a lot of dings and marks.

Also thanks to AppleQueso for making that vectorized The Lost Levels logo for me! That is actually the official logo for The Lost Levels, you can even see it on the cover art for Super Mario All-Stars.

DOWNLOAD: http://www.box.com/s/e5928a871b467ce25878

[zakurowrath]

OMG that cover, isn't that from an old issue of Nintendo Power? That is so cool! You cleaned all that up, that's just wow, im speechless 

Oh the link goes to the template instead of your NES Fusion box folder, here's the correct one for ya to copy and paste: http://www.box.com/s/e5928a871b467ce25878

 

[AppleQueso]

Also thanks to AppleQueso for making that vectorized The Lost Levels logo for me! That is actually the official logo for The Lost Levels, you can even see it on the cover art for Super Mario All-Stars.

It really was nothing. Like an hour or two of work at most.

I take it you're experimenting with other N64 cover ideas too?

[Velmeran]

Also thanks to AppleQueso for making that vectorized The Lost Levels logo for me! That is actually the official logo for The Lost Levels, you can even see it on the cover art for Super Mario All-Stars.

It really was nothing. Like an hour or two of work at most.

I take it you're experimenting with other N64 cover ideas too?

He's got to be --- I've found once you start down a path of doing a custom template for 1 system... you start doing them for all other systems that could occupy the same shelf space.
Just makes them look nicer and more unified and once you start it's hard to stop.

[TyrannicalFascist]

@Zakurowrath - Yep, you got it - Nintendo Power #52. Even though it's supposed to be for Mario All-Stars, it shows basically The Lost Levels, and I came across that cover while searching and it looked perfect for what I wanted.

Here's the original: http://www.mariowiki.com/images/7/7f/Npissue52.jpg

Thanks for the catch on the download link. I've fixed it in my post. I must've been worn out enough from all that photoshopping that I copied the wrong link.  

@AppleQueso - That logo came in very handy on several of my covers now. I'm still a novice at redrawing logos. If you don't mind taking on another one, would you mind remaking the "Special" part of the Super Mario Bros. Special logo? It doesn't have to be perfectly the same, just look nice and fancy and similar to that, kind of reminiscent of "Deluxe" on Super Mario Bros. Deluxe. I can't find any kind of decent version of that SMB Special logo anywhere, probably because it's so obscure. I'll be putting it below the bottom right corner on the Super Mario Bros. logo I used on The Lost Levels cover. http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/smbs1.jpg

He's got to be --- I've found once you start down a path of doing a custom template for 1 system... you start doing them for all other systems that could occupy the same shelf space.
Just makes them look nicer and more unified and once you start it's hard to stop.

Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny...consume you it will! </Yoda>

As far as N64, early on in this thread I experimented a little with it, and came up with some very very early possibilities of what it would look like:



My original though (left) was to have red where the black on the SNES was, which would match the spine. Then like SNES, there would be a colored background on the front and back, using related art. In the case of Goldeneye, I thought black would look cool (incidentally giving that cover a PAL-ish feel), though on other games it would have been different, like maybe blue for Super Mario 64. It was suggested that maybe alternatively I should keep the colors used on N64 boxes, leading to having all of them have a yellow back and a blue front (right). I'm not sure which I prefer, since the yellow and blue definitely captures that N64 feel, but consequently all the covers would look much more identical to each other than the NES and SNES ones we're making here. I also thought the best place for the controller/memory card/rumble pak/etc icons was below the main art on the far right, since there wouldn't be room on the red. Maybe I should do a mockup of another game using the first option - maybe Super Mario 64 as I mentioned?

Thoughts?

[irvgotti452]

to keep the artistic creativity goin i'd steer clear of the yellow back. JMO

[AppleQueso]

PM'd you some ideas TF.

Also I can try and do the "Special" thing around Sunday/Mondayish when I'm off work.

[TyrannicalFascist]

Much appreciated!

AppleQueso has made a suggestion that the red areas on the back and front could be semi-transparent, much like the original N64 boxes. He also suggested that the back would be yellow and the front would have full color art, slightly desaturated. Some of that could work, especially the semi-transparent red, but in looking at some of the more bright and colorful art out for games like Mario and Kirby, I'm not sure if the full color art might be too distracting, even if desaturated some. I also have to lean towards irvgotti452 on the back colors, and trying to keep the colors more custom like with NES and SNES.

So many possibilities...

I'll have to experiment and throw together a mockup or two of what I'm thinking at the moment. I definitely want everyone's input though.

EDIT: By the way, here's how the spines are all looking together:

[wiggy]

I'm still diggin' it.  Keep 'em coming!

[zakurowrath]

Yea I agree irvgotti452, the yellow on the back looks horrible. The blue on the front is alright, but, I think the transparent grey/black fits the best with the red and as you said you can always do custom colours. And ask for the red being semi transparent, it's hard to say since there's alot of variety when it comes to N64 boxes. Can't wait to see what you come up with, this template already has my interest

[TyrannicalFascist]

I think it's the fact that those few NES games you may have look lonely on the shelf without your awesome template  

Actually.... I don't own any NES games... 

I am looking to rectify that soon, however.

I just need to determine the ideal NES system solution for my gaming setup (original, top loader or famiclone). Since the system was a little before my time, as I never had my own system until SNES, I will probably only collect a select number of NES games from series that I enjoy (Mario, Zelda, Kirby, other Nintendo franchises) and any others I can be swayed on getting. 

[wiggy]

The lost levels cover makes me want to start buying NES games again! (even though that wouldn't really be an NES game so much a Famicom game)

Love it!

I just need to determine the ideal NES system solution for my gaming setup (original, top loader or famiclone). Since the system was a little before my time, as I never had my own system until SNES, I will probably only collect a select number of NES games from series that I enjoy (Mario, Zelda, Kirby, other Nintendo franchises) and any others I can be swayed on getting. 

It's been a while since I was into NES collecting, but I recall the toaster oven being the unit that you want if optimal output is what you're after.  With some modding, it can produce significantly better audio output (as I recall).  I'll have to check into this again.  Like I said, it's been a while...

[TyrannicalFascist]

Well I'm certainly open to whatever. I remember hearing the top-loader is good if you get some things fixed, like the vertical lines. I had considered tracking down a Super 8 and playing them on my SNES, but I can't find one and I don't know how well it would get the job done. My other challenge is figuring out my AV setup for my TV.

Currently I have:

AV1 - Cable/DVR
AV2 - Wii (component)
AV3 - 4-to-1 Switcher (SNES, Genesis, N64, PS1)
HDMI - 2-to-1 HDMI Switch (360, Blu Ray player)

I'd like to hook up my Gamecube and an eventual NES, Saturn and Dreamcast, so I may need to get a second AV selector or something. For now the Gamecube can just share its AV connection with my N64, since it's the same hookup. And of course when WiiU comes out, I'll probably put my Wii in storage, since it would be unnecessary. I assume WiiU will support HDMI, so it wont affect my AV selector(s)

For The Lost Levels, I'll probably pick up one of the nice repro carts out there, same as VS Super Mario Bros and maybe Super Mario Bros Special (though I might wait on this one since no one has done a true hack of it, adding the new enemies and items from the game).

[Azarkhel]

Get yourself an AV Famicom an a 72 to 60 pin converter. Best composite signal of any NES model, everything looks amazing.

[TyrannicalFascist]

A couple more covers, for SNES - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island and the SNES Cleaning Kit.



I know the Cleaning Kit shouldn't have an ESRB rating, but it seemed so empty without in on the front and back. 

Added to the downloads in the first post. I also added links to the NES covers too.