Another year, another countdown, another birthday.  And I’m boxing it all up, tying a nice little bow around it, and turning the ripe old age of 32 with a celebration of 32 BRILLIANT examples of FANTASTIC video game box art.  Join me, won’t you?

Final Fantasy: the 4 Heroes of Light (2010) – Oh to be angst-y again.  I was at that perfect age where the Final Fantasy series almost grew up with me.  When I was listening to hardcore punk and hating the world, there was Squall to mirror my feelings in the television.  When I was a pining for lost love, there was Tidus to pine with me.  But then when I grew up, and my edges softened, Final Fantasy didn’t take that step with me.  It matured with Final Fantasy XII, and became (far too) academic in Final Fantasy XIII, but by that point I was settled down and looking for enjoyable escapism not War and Peace.

Then something magical and wonderful happened, and Final Fantasy took a turn for the adorable.  With Takashi Tokita at the helm, that admittedly lovely fairy-tale style from what many consider the heyday of the genre returned, and finally Final Fantasy was back on the same life trajectory I was.  All it took was one look at the beautifully sketched and water-coloured box art, in all its fantastical glory, and I was back on the series train.  Call me a wimp, but for me, adorable is the new angst.

Space Ace (1983) – Transylvania (1984) – Impossible Mission (1985)–Defender of the Crown (1986) – Faery Tale Adventure (1987) – F/A – 18 Interceptor (1988) – Blood Money (1989) – King of the Zoo (1990) –Lemmings (1991) –Pinball Fantasies (1992) – The Ren & Stimpy Show: Veediots! (1993) – Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land (1994) – Primal Rage (1995) – Wipeout 2097 (1996) –  Theme Hospital (1997) – Resident Evil 2 (1998) – Formula One ’99 (1999)– Gran Turismo 2 (2000) – Soul Reaver 2 (2001) – Gitaroo Man (2002) – Project Zero 2: Crimson Butterfly (2003) – Warioware, Inc.: Mega Microgames! (2004) – DK King of Swing (2005) – We Love Katamari (2006) – Digital Devil Saga 2 (2007) – Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 (2008) – Magna Carta 2 (2009)