There's something deeply unlikable about the faces on Mortimer... almost a nightmarish version of children's faces... so it's Day of the Tentacle for me.
I'll give my vote to Day of the Tentacle! Just too much nostalgia (and a really cool looking design).
It looks like the Mortimer box has a kind of fold-out layer? The European or at least Nordic box did not have that.
Anyway, this is an easy one. The first time I saw the DOTT cover it felt like something really radical. After the beautiful hand-painted boxes of MI1, MI2 and Fate of Atlantis, suddenly I see the DOTT box in 1993 and my feeling was like: «…That’s it?» The *very* thick black outlines, solid colours and totally minimalist style was shocking.
And yes, I agree that the full picture (which I only saw much later) is really cool too, but the way it turned out - the composition for the DOTT cover just feels perfect. That it is just Purple and Bernard, and that Bernard is running towards you, placed exactly where he is on the right side of the cover, I wouldn’t change it for anything. The logo is also perfect.
It has to be DOTT!
Anyway, this is an easy one. The first time I saw the DOTT cover it felt like something really radical. After the beautiful hand-painted boxes of MI1, MI2 and Fate of Atlantis, suddenly I see the DOTT box in 1993 and my feeling was like: «…That’s it?» The *very* thick black outlines, solid colours and totally minimalist style was shocking.
And yes, I agree that the full picture (which I only saw much later) is really cool too, but the way it turned out - the composition for the DOTT cover just feels perfect. That it is just Purple and Bernard, and that Bernard is running towards you, placed exactly where he is on the right side of the cover, I wouldn’t change it for anything. The logo is also perfect.
It has to be DOTT!
This post was last modified: 02-01-2026, 01:43 PM by EirikMyhr.
The Mortimer box really captured my imagination as a kid. To this day I've never played it, but for years I would peruse every magazine ad and article about the game. So it's got a lot of nostalgia for me.
But Day of the Tentacle, simple as it is, has an unbeatable 'what the heck is going on?' atmosphere (I refuse to use the word "vibe"!). That tiny little mansion in the upper right corner is genius. And as much as I usually try to judge these box arts based on the art and not the game, just knowing that Laverne might be somewhere in that mansion makes this a no brainer for me (sorry Laverne, I'd make a boring craniotomy subject but I promise I have lots of redeeming viscera qualities).
DoTT it is.
But Day of the Tentacle, simple as it is, has an unbeatable 'what the heck is going on?' atmosphere (I refuse to use the word "vibe"!). That tiny little mansion in the upper right corner is genius. And as much as I usually try to judge these box arts based on the art and not the game, just knowing that Laverne might be somewhere in that mansion makes this a no brainer for me (sorry Laverne, I'd make a boring craniotomy subject but I promise I have lots of redeeming viscera qualities).
DoTT it is.
I have the Mortimer game but have never played it. The cover flap opens to reveal a synopsis of the story and all the fun you can have while playing it. It's cute, but I really prefer the art style, crazy font, and colors of Day of the Tentacle.
“Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.” -Vesta M. Kelly