Kirby's Adventure box Art Brawl
Image: Nintendo Life

Hello folks! We made it through April Fools' Day, so it's time to say: welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl!

First off, let's have a quick look back at last week's tussle. Super Mario Bros. 2 (or Super Mario USA) took to the stage, and while it was fairly close, Japan won this fight with 59% of the vote. We're fans off both, so we're not disappointed with the result at all.

This week, we're sticking with the NES and taking a look at Kirby's Adventure. This was only the second time the pink puffball had made his appearance, and it was his first on a home console. Most importantly, Kirby's Adventure is where our round friend could first use the Copy Ability, which is probably what makes Kirby so iconic today — particularly if you're a Smash Bros. fan.

This sequel celebrated its 30th anniversary just over a week ago, and you can play it on Nintendo Switch Online if you haven't tried it out yourself. The game would later get a GBA remake in 2002 in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.

But enough history on Kirby's sophomore outing — let's get to the box art. We're pitting Japan up against North America/Europe, as the west received the same box art regardless of location.

Be sure to cast your votes in the poll below; but first, let's check out the box art designs themselves.

North America / Europe

Kirby's Adventure NA EU
Image: Nintendo

...why is this so unsettling? Kirby is literally sucking up the entire world here, establishing his world-ending powers right from the beginning. We're kidding, just a bit, but it's a smart move to put the character's defining skill — his ability to suck in everything — on the box. The paper-like background is a really cool effect, too, uncovering what might be a nefarious world behind the curtain. It's bright, colourful, quintessentially Kirby, with the star dominating the box art as he should.

Japan

Kirby's Adventure JP
Image: Nintendo

...why is this so cute? You might say "well, duh!", but we've just talked about Kirby's awesome power. Here, we just want to give him a cuddle. The Copy Ability is on show here with all of the various different Kirby's on the box, with the standard pink puffball in the centre. You can see Sword, Hammer, Sleep, Fire, Parasol, Laser, Beam, and many, many others. Some of the minigames, like Quick Draw, also get a nod on the box. And the white background helps make the pink and the yellow stars really pop. It's an overload of cuteness.


Which region got the best Kirby's Adventure box art?

Thanks for voting! We'll see you next time for another round of the Box Art Brawl.