One game, three covers

The same game rarely looked the same on shelves in Tokyo, New York and London. Compare the Japanese, American and European boxes side by side.

60 games

Why the boxes differ

Japanese GBA boxes are a different shape from Western ones, with the spine along the top. Ratings labels differ too — ESRB in North America, PEGI and national boards in Europe — and European boxes often carry several languages. Publishers also redrew art for each market: a cute Japanese cover might become an action pose in the US.

All 60 games in this exhibition