King of Fighters 98 Neo Geo cart. It's litterally the cast of the game, many of them mortal enemies, hanging out at a party.
This is a spoof, that is done in many series, as you mentioned. In the DVD release of Project A-ko the director explains how they did all kinds of things in the background. Many prodigies and fan-artist also does this. You can find various images, inside legit comic books
creating many spoofs. People call this fan-service, for which there is no such thing. In order for this to be done, the series had to exsist for a very long time. This is just how the artist feels, or the entire audience feels about the series.
You are right it occurs alot in series. In Popful Mail, an image of what Blacky really thinks about Mail is shown. In a much more desperate and later series of Popful Mail, all the female characters are in a bathhouse with the reactions of the male characters. This occurs in Burn-up W, and of course Tenchi ( alot ). In "Nadia Secret Of Blue Water" an image of what everybody thinks about the climax/apex of the entire series. However such things occurs in prodigys mostly.
About KOF98. The 1990's was the golden age of 1970's crowd. They were around 25-35 during this time. Most 70's peoples like wearing suits. This was before Jeans, and Tee-shirts were popular. Most of these videogames were made by people who grew up, lived, and still consider B&W televisions, normal. Most 1970's folks considered being in a suit the apex of outer wear. It is like the Berlington coat factor commercial. "The suit is what makes the man", or "allways wear a suit to impress people". That is kinda true for 1970's people. Before Hollywood Hulk, Mr T., Jackie Chan, Rocky and all these other imagary characters came along.
Reunions, most people and their enemies and freinds would reunit.
Imagine being in a room with all your enemies and freinds from grades preK-12 in one spot? You could image how they would get along. Would they start fighting? No? Because they already did that. Again the 1970's people wented to Vietnam. I could imagine a fighter pilot laughing with an enemy pilot after years of war.
Then there was the price factor. Neo-Geo was the most expensive system. Only a drug dealer could afford the system. I could imagine some dinner parties with Neo-geos setup, while people in a one room
apartment is playing with a Famicom.
Cosmic Fantasy 2
Cyber Core
Drop Rock Hora Hora / Drop Off
YS III
Cosmic Fantasy. The JAP version is using a type of presentation that is common. While the US version is showing off characters, and things in the game.
After viewing a close up of the US version, I have to go into more detail. I am going to assume that nobody on this board never took up American art. Their is a very important painting called "Apollo and the servant", which depicts the events of the story of the same name. The American version is very detailed in the story, while the French version was detailed in the events of the actual
story ( remember the begining of the film "Face off" where the son was shot, instead of the father? ).
In terms of the American version of AATS, that is exactly what the US cover art is doing. It is also considered very proffessional. It is giving a really good idea of the events of the videogame you will be playing.
An older person could see the events as a story, while a younger person would just admire the characters, and colors.
In fact many artist in the world ( including myself if I still had access to an air brush ) use airbrush, even today. Like Adventure island for example. Believe it or not most works can be very detailed, and small at the same time.
In terms of AATS, to the US cover art. It makes sense, the shading is great, along with the
Cyber Core. Well Cyber Core is about a cyborg who can
take advantage of enemies DNA, and thus transform.
Both covers looks like the gameplay feild itself, while the JAP cover looks more mysterous. You do not even notice the cover art on the PCE game. Cyber Core should look like something like Shape Shifter cover.
Drop Rock. The JAP cover is more story motivated, and looks more serious, like if the events are actually occuring. The US cover looks like hinting at tetris, which is common for a puzzle game. However most people
who are tired of puzzle games, would play the game just for the story. Like that racer, or golf game with actual cut-scenes. People want a reason to play another puzzle game as well.
YS III. People have to understand that Falcom pretty much founded JRPG types, asides for the horror known as Hydlide. The JAP game is basically a typical cover for a DAD game.
During this time in the USA, Conan was popular among the jock types ( the cowboys, and non-cowboys ),
and was cool. So all the way from the conan and non-conan days, into Ch11 Hercules ( the non-disney/Eddie Murphy one ), those kind of series was popular. It also merged into the DAD fandom.
The US background cover was a redub of the Ys3 cover. I think at one point when it was explaining the story about a legendary hero who sealed the demon,
a simular person was displayed on screen. That is why the artist probably choose that image. They saw that in game image and decided that would set-peoples hearts a fire. To me, the image looks grand, in terms of the in game story.
As a Ys fan, it looks like the artist did not like Adol, and felt he looked wimpy like a green footclan gang member starting a fight in a Cobra Commando bar. Because againw ith AATS, you see that American culture way of thinking.
Looking at the JAP cover you could do a zoom and get lost in the image, the same for Xanandu II cover. Imagine the intro the Never Ending Story II where you get lost in the child like empresses crown.
