Designing the Lunar Remastered Collection: The Story Behind Its Stellar Logo and Packaging

Now available for the Xbox One, and ready for action on the Xbox Series X|S, the Lunar Remastered Collection has officially launched. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Amy Nguyen, our talented Senior Graphic Designer at GungHo America, to chat about the creative journey behind the collection’s new logo. Curious about her inspirations and the meticulous process involved? Read on!

Hi Amy! Thanks for meeting with me. Could you share a bit about your artistic background and your tenure at GungHo?

Hello! I’ve been fortunate to immerse myself in an array of projects here, from crafting assets for a national tournament to working hand-in-hand with world-famous IPs. One of the milestones in my career was steering the creative direction for the 2024 console port of Grandia.

How did you feel when tasked with designing the new logo?

It was both thrilling and a little nerve-wracking. The Lunar logo is a vital component of the game’s brand identity. I started with several ideas, gradually refining them through a feedback loop until we nailed down the final design.

Did you take a look at the original logos when creating the new one?

Absolutely! Research is my starting point. With a remaster, I aimed to capture the brand image cherished by longtime fans. I sketched out countless ideas, experimenting with subtle changes and bold, new concepts. Ultimately, we decided on a design that retains Lunar’s iconic red with a fresh gold accent to highlight the remastered nature of the games.

Can you share what inspired the various iterations of the logo?

Staying true to the nostalgic essence of the original "Lunar" text was key, but I also wanted to nod to the remastering. Testing different design paths helped clarify what resonated. We delved into color palettes, mixing elements like the red from Lunar: Silver Star Story with the blue from Lunar 2. We also tried different accents, drawing from the dragon sword and ribbon in Lunar 2’s Sega CD logo, and explored various font shapes before settling on the final blend from versions one and five.

Anything special about the final logo design that stands out to you?

I particularly love how the ‘R’ in “Remastered” echoes the original logo’s ‘R’. By tweaking serifs on letters like R, E, and N, I infused a bit of flair into the text’s shape language.

Toshiyuki Kubooka contributed new visuals for the remaster. How did his work influence your design for the packaging?

Mr. Kubooka’s intricate compositions blew me away! The darker backdrop and collaged style provided a fresh take on Lunar’s art. The front package design came together seamlessly as the key visual perfectly fit. Minor tweaks ensured everything stayed within safe zones, though.

I heard you had more creative license with the back cover. What guided your decisions there?

The nostalgic appeal of pixel sprites drew me in. They add personality despite their small size. Paired with game screenshots, they provide a sneak peek into the content. To stay on-brand, I incorporated the remastered logo’s gold accents and font. A gradient added to the back cover ensured differentiation between the two games while maintaining a unified collection feel.

Which aspect of the package design is your favorite?

It was a joy collaborating under Mr. Kubooka’s guidance alongside the Marketing and Production teams at GungHo, and with Game Arts. The package design is truly a collective effort. It’s a piece we’re all excited to share with the world!

Lunar: Remastered Collection is ready for you on Xbox!

Join us on a nostalgic journey through the mesmerizing worlds of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete. These timeless JRPG classics have captivated gamers for generations.

In Lunar: Silver Star Story, follow Alex and his friends as they rise against the self-proclaimed Magic Emperor. Meanwhile, in Lunar 2, set a millennium later, Hiro embarks on a perilous odyssey with Lucia to avert a looming threat.

The definitive remastered edition promises enhanced graphics, improved audio, and quality-of-life updates, breathing new life into this 90s favorite. Experience it all with new language support, including English, Japanese, French, and German.