Seems as though I came across this:

http://www.snescentral.com/cart.php?id=0077&num=1

This was an EB Games flyer/ad featuring games that were in the works. Seems like EarthBound's early boxart lasted pretty long.

That box art looked pretty cool but I prefer the box art we actually got.

As do I, however it's interesting to see what the game could have looked like. Also, judging by the shape of the box, it originally didn't have a Player's Guide. Interesting to note, then, that EB may have had a standard Manual at one time.

It'd be cool if Jesse could get the slides professionally scanned so we can get clear pics of the box art. It's really interesting.

Well, I'm already working on an actual SNES box with this boxart using this logo:

http://starmen.net/mother2/images/official/oeblogo.gif

I was going to use Jonk's awesome, much more clear one, but the meteorite is under the B instead of below it like the early boxart.

It would be cool to find an actual boxed earthbound with that art O.O

^ Since that early box art was just a mock-up, it's very unlikely any actual boxes using that artwork were made.

you could always make your own if you really wanted to see it.

Yeah and fool a bunch of starmen.netters on ebay hurr hurr hurr. But honestly that doesn't sound like a bad idea.