Yoinked from a recent post on the excellent Lovedelic Life blog, here are the three variations on the Archime-DS cover art:

Archime-DS (original Japanese)

Bakushow (UK)

L.O.L. (US)

Neither English-language version tickles my fancy, although I can appreciate what Agetec is trying to do with the US version – they’re emphasising the multiplayer-ness of the game. The UK cover, though, seems like just a messed-up version of the original. With, uh, sparkles.

I’m bothered by the differing titles. It seems to happen quite often with low-profile games – they’re released by different small publishers in each region, who of course aren’t working together to maintain a unified, global identity for the product. So, someone who has heard good things about Archime-DS mightn’t make the connection when they see Bakushow on the store shelf. (Remember Project Rub, aka Feel the Magic XY/XX, aka Kimi no Tame Nara Shineru? Same kind of thing.)

Bakushow, while I’m at it, seems an odd choice of title. I mean, does it make any more sense, to a British person, than Archime-DS? Maybe it’s catchier; I dunno.

Another thing: Agetec aren’t releasing LOL in stores – only over the internet. So why did they change the cover at all? No-one will be browsing.

I’m not complaining about any of this... well, maybe a tiny bit, but mostly I’m just curious as to how and why these packaging choices are made.

At long last, I am very, very happy to present the first half of my interview with Kenichi Nishi, the designer of LOL: Lack Of Love, Giftpia, Chibi-Robo, and most recently Archime-DS, soon to be released in Europe and Australia as LOL.

I also interviewed Fumihiro Kanaya, the programmer of Archime-DS, and Miki Tashiro of Skip, the game's publisher. This is because I am an interviewing machine that cannot be stopped.

Click the linky bit to read words -- words about Archime-DS, Skip and Nintendo's bit Generations games; words about Nishi's approach to game design; about his philosophies and dog. Meet a living treasure of the world of videogames.