Developer explains why Kirby always looks so angry in Western pack art

Kirby is an adorable little tyke isn't he? Well, you may have noticed that he's been getting angrier on Western box art over the years, while his Japanese appearance remains cute and full of happiness. Developer HAL Laboratories has explained why he always looks so p**sed on these shores.

It follows yesterday's Kirby Triple Deluxe review round-up, which should give the pink blob something to smile about as the scores were mostly big.

The question of Kirby's angered appearance was inspired by this TV Tropes feed that has compared his appearance in Japan and the West. The image above comes from their page.

Speaking with Gamespot, Kirby: Triple Deluxe director Shinya Kumazaki said, "For the Japanese versions we are, at [Kirby series developer] HAL, involved in everything throughout development, including the package design. The most powerful image of Kirby is that cute image, we think that's the one that appeals to the widest audience.

"While it does start cute, we know there is a serious side to Kirby as well, and throughout the gameplay we see more and more of that, and the games themselves have quite a bit of depth. That being said, we recognise that Kirby's cuteness is his biggest draw in [the Japanese] market."

Does that explain it? Can we sleep easy now?

Via NeoGAF.