collector's editions of retro games

[raptor94k]

Nowadays its rare to see a game released that doesn't have some stupid collector's edition with a metal case, a mouse pad and six cloth maps of levels that are only in the DLC that is exclusive to the store you pre-ordered the $100 version of the game from. But what I'm wondering about is when collector's editions of games still meant something.

I didn't really pay attention to new games coming out until about 7 or 8 years ago when I finally got a PS2 and then a PS3 and a 360. I usually had the previous generation's systems and a bunch of new-to-me games to play. So I don't really remember very much about people pre-ordering games and there being collector's editions.

Did they have collector's editions and pre-order bonuses as far back as the NES? What about before that? When did these ideas really start to take off? Was there a lot of fanfare when they released new arcade games? Oh...and pics and stories are a must

[wingzrow]

Well there's always the famous collector's editions of many of working designs games.

[PapaStu]

There were some pre-order bonus type items for stuff going back to the N64/PSOne days. There really wasn't anything else like that before hand. Games weren't marketed like that in stores. Limited Editions didn't start to show up until the XBox/PS2 days.

[PapaStu]

Well there's always the famous collector's editions of many of working designs games.

Those weren't collectors editions. Thats how those games were sold. There was no lesser version of Lunar SSSC, Lunar 2: EB or Arc The Lad.

Lunar SSSC did have a fan edition that came as a jewelcase only, but it was an EB Games exclusive and was pretty limited, especially compared to the standard release (that sold like gang busters).

[Nz17]

Japan's always been a haven for limited editions for decades.

[Rev. Link]

The first ones I remember going out of my way for were the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask collector's editions. That was the only way to get the gold cartridges when they first came out. You had to pre-order.

[Gameguy]

There were some pre-order bonus type items for stuff going back to the N64/PSOne days. There really wasn't anything else like that before hand. Games weren't marketed like that in stores. Limited Editions didn't start to show up until the XBox/PS2 days.

Sonic 3 had a preorder bonus, it was the Sonic Boom CD. That was earlier than the PSOne or N64.

There were a couple of Limited/Collector's Editions before the Xbox or PS2 came out, one was the Maximum Carnage Box Set that was sold on the shopping channel, there were also a few PC games like the Ultima IX: Ascension Dragon Edition or the X-COM: Terror from the Deep Collector's Edition. Full Throttle had a Bandana Edition available directly from LucasArts if that would count. I know of a few others that aren't North American released but I'm not sure if those would count for this thread.

The N64 Zelda Collector's Editions have already been mentioned.

[Koa Zo]

Landstalker came with pack of Fruit Roll-ups

[drmay]

Well there's always the famous collector's editions of many of working designs games.

ALL of their games are "collector's editions"

[RPG_Fanatic]

Sonic 3 had a preorder bonus, it was the Sonic Boom CD.

Software Ect. gave me a free Sonic 2 shirt when I preordered it in 1992.

[Cornelius]

There was a CE of Star Trek TNG: A Final Unity released in '95. I only know cause I found a new/sealed one a while ago that I ended up selling because I didn't need it. The differences for it were it came in a double wide (yeah, double big box wide, so freaking huge) box with half being a hard plastic case for the game instead of the cardboard box the regular version had, and the other half had a collector's pin displayed. It has a little LCD screed with an image of the enterprise on it.

[calistarwind]

Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 for PC also had a collectors edition. Really nice packaging.

Most of the collectors edition boxes were not around due to shelf allocation. I can remember (and I know it is not collectors edition) when Earthbound came out at Best Buy when I worked there, they were complaining about how they would not fit in the security boxes and they had to find a special place for them. For a company trying to sell their game that could mean the game itself would go unnoticed by not being placed in a prime location.

[FxMercenary]

SNES Maximum Carnage CE



Also there was a NES Classics CE for GBA

[calistarwind]

That is one nice looking Collectors Edition.

[portnoyd]

Pre-N64/PSX, it was mostly like the Working Designs situation - the collector's edition was the only edition, aside from Maximum Carnage. Titles like Robocop v. Terminator and Earthbound would fall under this heading somewhat.

[theichibun]

I wish I had a GBA just so I could have a good reason to buy that.

[tom]

[Mayhem]

Out of interest, where could you have gotten the case for the GBA classics? I have the three that were released for the Japanese sets mind you...

[tom]

There were some pre-order bonus type items for stuff going back to the N64/PSOne days. There really wasn't anything else like that before hand. Games weren't marketed like that in stores. Limited Editions didn't start to show up until the XBox/PS2 days.

See post above of mine :-(

[Arcade Antics]

But what I'm wondering about is when collector's editions of games still meant something.

They never meant something. See also "Everything in Entire World Now Collectible."