Those guys always get the best box art...

[OB1]

From ign:

Japanese Metroid Boxed
Check out Samus overseas!

January 30, 2003 - It's now been over two months since U.S. Metroid Prime fans first realized their dreams of controlling Samus on the GameCube. Nintendo's release schedule for the awesome adventure called for a North American debut last November, while the rest of the world was forced to simply wait and endure repeated anxiety attacks. The Japanese version of the game is set to ship in the homeland on February 28, 2003, and it almost doesn't seem fair, does it?

Well, perhaps the tables have turned. American gamers must now look upon the following image and invite feelings of envy into their Metroid-obsessed hearts. Below is the box art that Japanese gamers will find packed neatly onto store shelves next month.

This alternate Samus pose is one of our favorites, and we think you'd be crazy not to love it yourself. The orange and blue shades blend nicely to represent both the magma-hot and winter-frozen motifs in the game, as well as simply look pretty damn sweet and force us to lust after the game even more.

Thank you, Nintendo.

If you feel the need to import the Japanese version of the game simply for its cover, we'll understand. Stay tuned to IGNcube as we update this story in the future with photos of site Editor-in-Chief Matt Casamassina snuggling on the couch with his copy wrapped tenderly in his arms.


Metroid Prime Japanese box art.

Very nice. Much better than the U.S. cover, as per usual.