Huge Eyes? Big Head? Lara Croft Almost Looked Very Different For Her Japanese Debut

Time Extension • January 19, 2026 • technology

Key Points:

Early video game graphics were abstract enough to allow multiple interpretations of characters, a flexibility lost with the advent of more detailed in-game models in the 6th console generation.
The Japanese release of the Western-developed game Kid Chameleon, renamed Chameleon Kid, featured manga-style cover art that more accurately reflected the in-game sprite colors, such as Cyclone's red and pink hues instead of gold.
Localization differences included stylistic changes like giving Crash Bandicoot larger eyebrows in the Japanese version, sparking a humorous suggestion that Lara Croft should have received similarly exaggerated eyebrow designs.