8 Classic Video Game Covers That Look Nothing Like the Game

The purpose of a video game cover is fairly simple: to give players an idea of what the game is all about. And if players like what they see, they’ll scoop the game up and start playing right away.

Every now and then, though, the art department and the programmers don’t see eye to eye. This results in misleading game covers that look nothing like the actual game!

There have been plenty of offenders over the years, but these are the absolute worst.

Tetris

Every gamer has played their fair share of Tetris. But the cover to the original game has almost nothing to do with the actual gameplay!

Instead of featuring the iconic falling blocks, the cover simply features Moscow’s St. Basil’s Cathedral.

Sure, this hearkens back to the game’s Russian roots, but it makes about as much sense as a Super Mario Bros. cover that simply shows us Japan’s Mount Fuji!

Phalanx

Phalanx is a 1991 space shooting game, and a pretty fun one at that. But you might never know that by looking at this insane cover!

Instead of featuring outer space, cool spaceships, or epic interstellar fights, we have… an old man playing a banjo.

Sure, there is a tiny glimpse of a spaceship and a tagline that hints about the gameplay, but this old farmer is nowhere to be found in the actual game.