March of the Minis - BAB
Image: Nintendo Life

Welcome one and all, to another episode of Box Art Brawl!

Right then... Before we get cracking with this week's brawl, let's see how we got on last time, shall we?

We looked at the lovely Inazuma Eleven Strikers for the Wii, pitting Japan against Europe in a classic duel. It was a relatively close contest, but the European cover managed to take the crown with 60% of the vote. Well done!

This time, to acknowledge the launch of Mario vs. Donkey Kong for the Switch, we're going to check out the original game's direct sequel on Nintendo DS: Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. Interestingly, the game launched in the US first in September 2006 before making its way to other regions in 2007, starting with Australia in January.

It's another duel this week, with North America and Europe teaming up to take on Japan. So, everybody ready? Let's go then!

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

North America / Europe

March of the Minis - NA
Image: Nintendo

The Western box art is a great example of utilising both foreground and background. You've got one of the Minis right up in your face on the right-hand side, with two more in the immediate background. Meanwhile, all the way to the back, you can see Mario chasing after Donkey Kong and Pauline. There's a lot going on, but it doesn't feel busy. All in all, a great piece of artwork.

Japan

March of the Minis
Image: Nintendo

Japan's design, meanwhile, takes a few cues from the first game, presenting a more abstract piece of art that focuses solely on the Minis (with Donkey Kong poking his head out in the corner). It definitely captures the whole 'Marching' theme of the title and is incredibly eye-catching. Can it beat the Western design though..? Let's see.


Which region got the best Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis box art? (1,817 votes)

  1. North America / Europe
    North America / Europe87%
  2. Japan
    Japan13%

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