There’s been a disturbing trend lately concerning the US boxart for the last few games in the Kirby series. Take a look at the Japanese boxart, first:
Now, check out the US boxart for the exact same games:
See the difference? Here in the States…Kirby’s not smiling! He’s angry! He’s fed up with the world! He’s been watching Fox News and 24 too much! He hates them liberals and foreign folk!
I’m not quite sure why the decision was made to show “angry Kirby” on the covers of all US boxart over the past few years; it does boggle the mind a bit. I’d assume that perhaps the choice was made to make Kirby seem like less of a “kiddie” game, but the games themselves haven’t been altered; there’s no blood, foul language, or sex. Meanwhile, some of the magazine ads still feature a smiling Kirby (like the recent “touching is good” ad for Kirby Canvas Curse).
Boxart aside, Kirby still seems to be keeping his happy-go-lucky nature. Let’s hope that never changes.