Disc Art

Mortal Kombat has undergone many significant changes over the years. The roster has expanded, the gameplay has evolved, and the entire series was even given a soft reboot. The logo has remained largely unchanged, however, and is pretty much the most consistent thing in the entire franchise. The round logo is a perfect fit for a disc, but it took nine entries in the series before a publisher realized it. Mortal Kombat may have been ranked even higher on this list if the artwork wasn’t obscured. The standard PlayStation 3 banner blends in well and isn’t too distracting, but various logos and walls of text take away from the simplicity of the design.

The Wind Waker was unfairly maligned when it was announced at the 2001 Space World show, but most gamers were able to take a step back and acknowledge how breathtakingly beautiful the game was after the dust had settled. The high definition WiiU remake marked the game’s 10th anniversary and spoke to the timelessness of its cel-shaded graphics and exaggerated animation. The cover of the disc reflects the whimsical nature of the game and also highlights its central theme. Even someone who is unfamiliar with the game could look at the disc and figure out that the adventure involved sailing around the globe and visiting various islands along the way.

A lot of words that can be used to describe Pikmin 3 as a game can also be used to describe its disc artwork. It’s peaceful, calm, and downright beautiful. It almost makes me want to go outside and establish a connection with the world around me. The colorful artwork is gorgeous, and I really appreciate how the Pikmin themselves blend in with their surroundings. Pikmin have strong bonds with their world to the point that they can be considered part of the environment rather than simply being in the environment. The artwork is nice enough to hang on a wall and it also serves as a perfect reflection of the game and its characters. It succeeds on all levels.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl features one of the most diverse rosters ever assembled in a video game. It would have been easy to fill the entire disc with as many character portraits as possible, but Nintendo showed restraint. Nobody would have complained if the artwork on the disc was busy, but I’m a big fan of the clean and classy design they went with. Many iconic characters are represented, but most of the disc is covered by blank space. The design is defined by the Smash logo even though the likes of Mario, Link, and Pikachu are featured. Rather than focusing entirely on star power, the design makes it clear that Smash Bros. has its own identity.

Games have different box art from one region to the next, and this is true of disc art as well. In the case of Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube, the Japanese version featured character art, the North American release only featured the game’s logo, and the PAL version showcased the silhouette of a chainsaw-wielding freak against the backdrop of a forest. This design was carried over to the Wii and PC versions and the art was even used for the game’s cover in some markets. The minimalist style is much more enduring that most design trends. A CG render from 2004 will always look like a CG render from 2004, but the simplicity of silhouettes are timeless.

The Mona Lisa wouldn’t be nearly as beloved if there had been a giant hole in the middle of the painting. When the center of your canvas is reserved for nothingness, it’s difficult to create art that feels complete. Cropping the middle out of an image without hurting its aesthetic appeal is not an easy task. The solution employed by Xenoblade Chronicles is both ingenious and obvious. Since the hole in the disc was lined up with the hole in the sword, it doesn’t look like anything was removed from the image at all. It might not seem like there’s a lot going on in the image to begin with, but open skies, grassy fields, and giant swords are three of my favorite things about the game.

Graphic artists should look to Kirby and the Rainbow Curse as a textbook example of disc art done right. It’s creative, it’s mindful of shape and the space limitations it’s working with, and it captures the overall feeling of the game. The artwork perfectly matches the game’s art style to the point that looking at the disc tells you almost as much about the game as a screenshot would. Rather than using generic character profiles or promotional artwork, someone designed a piece of art specifically for the disc. Kirby looks as though he’s personally inviting the player to join him, and it almost seems like he’s bursting out of the game itself.

It’s nice when the artwork on a game looks inviting, and you’re simply not going to find a more open invitation than the one conveyed on Onechanbara Z2: Chaos. Optical discs are a less-than-ideal canvas for artists to work with since there’s no available real estate in the center. OneChanbara draws attention to the hole in the disc rather than ignoring it. (It was also a nice touch to repurpose the unsightly PlayStation banner as a perch.) Some might be offended by the lewd design, but it fits the theme of the game to a tee. It might be concerning if Disney’s Frozen had a nasty picture of Elsa spreading her legs, but I’d expect nothing else of OneChanbara.

It’s common in the video game industry for publishers to release multiple versions of their games. Special editions often include added content or physical goods to encourage customers to shell out more cash. The special edition of Resistance 3 included a Steelbook case and DLC voucher codes, but the most unique bonus was that its Blu-ray disc was made to look like a vinyl record. (It even had a ribbed vinyl effect!) The logos and copyright text were crammed into the center “label” portion of the disc, and this only reinforced the vinyl record motif. Resistance is set in an alternate 1950s reality, so vinyl records are era-appropriate for the franchise in addition to looking cool.

Like Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, the disc art for Yoshi’s Wooly World gives insight into what the game looks like and what kind of feelings it conveys. The yarn theme and croquet characters are so vibrant that you’d almost expect the disc to be soft to the touch. I’d be tempted to Scotchguard it if the art was any more vivid! The disc communicates a feeling of pure unadulterated happiness. Yoshi and his pal Poochy look so excited to greet the player, and this provides ample encouragement to throw the disc in and join them in their adventure. Most publishers treat disc art like an afterthought, so it’s always nice when a company puts some thought into their design.