Nintendo Power #21: February 1991 - Star Tropics

After nearly three hundred issues, Nintendo Power is finally coming to an end. To send this long-running periodical off in style, the Cover Critic has decided to review every single issue. Join him as he experiences every aspect of Nintendo's journey through their magazine covers.

B
Between the December 1989 Track & Field II cover and this month's Star Tropics design, I'm starting to think that Nintendo is sending us a message. Every time the temperature dips below freezing, Nintendo's artists warm themselves up by creating these wildly out of season covers. They are in denial; overdosing on bright colors instead of the reality of short days and cold nights. I suppose that's better than actually playing Star Tropics.

There's nothing simple about this month's Nintendo Power cover. Much like the busy Tetris artwork from a few months ago, you'll find a lot of small details scattered around the tropical locale. There's a submarine in shallow water, birds playing piano, a comet in the distance, seashells on the beach and one very excited dolphin.

Just as my body started adjusting to the warmer climate, I noticed something even more disturbing than piano keys lining the beach. One of those birds has a skeleton for a head! Forget the submarine invading my privacy; I'm now officially freaked out by this bird that is looking right at me. If only I had something more powerful than a Yo-Yo!

Despite my misgivings about Star Tropics, I am largely impressed with this cover design. The skeletal bird, submarine and comet are intriguing enough to warrant a closer look, and the tropical island is tempting in the dead of winter. Best of all, Nintendo's artists moved away from clay models, opting instead for paper cut-outs and origami. This is definitely one of Nintendo Power's brightest covers.