[Tuesday's Trope is a weekly department highlighting an amusing video game trope from TVTropes. Aggrogate is not affiliated with TVTropes.org in any way. All trope examples come from TVTropes and are shared via the Creative Commons license.]

Sometimes the game isn’t enough for real fans of a series. Sometimes you want something more, something tangible, something you’re willing to spend even more cash on to get closer to the franchise you love. Fortunately, publishers are often eager to oblige you, offering collector’s editions, limited editions, special editions, and other editions that can tack anything from $10 to $100 onto the price of the game. These are the Limited Special Collector’s Ultimate Editions.

These editions can be either amazingly awesome or heart-breakingly disappointing. At their best, they’ll include replicas of items from the game, additional content in the game, a soundtrack, and a handful of other knick-knacks. At their worst, they’ll include an art book and a making-of DVD and call it a day.

Examples of the Limited Special Collector’s Ultimate Edition include:

  • Halo 3 came in three editions: the normal edition for $60, the limited edition for $70, and the “legendary” edition for $130, complete with a Master Chief helmet.
  • The console version of Street Fighter IV has a Collector’s Edition that comes with the game, an art book, an OVA and a figurine (C. Viper for Xbox 360 and Ryu for PS 3)
  • Working Designs used to make a living doing this. Their deluxe version of Lunar II: Eternal Blue Story Complete came with a soundtrack, little character stands, a cloth map of the game’s world, and even a wearable replica of the game’s endgame MacGuffin.
  • The Tom Clancy franchise games (Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell) have been released in collector’s editions. They contain the original games and their expansions, clothing (a hat, shirt and belt), a messenger bag, and an “exclusive” extra (SC mousepad, RS book, GR making-of DVD).
  • When Mother 3 was first released, it came in both the standard game-only edition, as well as a Deluxe Box: it contained the game, a limited edition Game Boy Micro, and a replica of the Franklin Badge. Unfortunately, since this is Mother 3 we’re talking about, guess who doesn’t get to release it!
  • Fallout 3 has the special edition with a lunchbox and a Vault Tech Bobblehead.
  • Record of Agarest War had, for the North American 360 release, the standard version, and the “Really Naughty Limited Edition“, which added in the OST, a pillowcase, and (this is likely the ‘Really Naughty’ part) a oppai mousepad (it’s only ‘naughty’ instead of ‘perverted’ due to the fact that the character on the pad is wearing clothes).
  • The Beatles Rock Band initially had a $250 “Limited Edition Premium Bundle,” which in addition to the game, had playable replicas of Paul McCartney’s Hofner bass and Ringo Starr’s Ludwig drums, a microphone with a stand, and eight postcards
  • Modern Warfare 2 has the Hardened Edition, which has an art book and a redemption code for a downloadable Xbox 360/Playstation 3 version of the first Call Of Duty game, and the Prestige Edition, which retails for 150$ and includes functional Night Vision Goggles and a head stand along with the above..