How LE Versions change -Sonic 20th Anniversary Box

Today Sega announced that the 2 Music Cd included in the Japanese Sonic 20th Anniversary Box Limited Edition will be available from the 7th of december alone

http://www.eurogamer.it/articles/20...story-of-sonic-music-20th-anniversary-edition

What is really incredible is how Limited versions change from Japan and the rest of the world, not just as packaging, but also as items included.. (not to mentiion the price..)

check in the euro/ australian version we got just 1 music cd!

http://www.google.it/imgres?q=sonic...226&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:226&tx=80&ty=113



Mav

 

Not sure what you're getting at - the "rest of the world" is being flooded with amazing limited editions. You can't say that about anything before 2005 when limited editions usually just sucked and were far from being a common compliment of the regular game (highlights being a bonus disc or very, very scarce outbursts like the Metal Gear Solid or Final Fantasy limited boxes in Europe).

Nowadays every major game gets its own limited box with useless crap which makes them so attractive (the skyrim box is magnificent!). However, I have the feeling that Japanese limited editions are a bit in decline since the PS2 days. The PS2 received AMAZING limited boxes, but the PS3 is a bit humble in that respect. Same applies to Xbox 360 and Wii, nothing compared to the boxsets that were available for Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1 and PS2.

 

MGS3 got a pretty nice Limited Edition that was actually limited and I believe Bully did as well here in the states. Final Fantasy XII's "Collector's Edition" was one they sold to an unlimited number best I can tell.

Halo 3? Yep, Limited and Legendary were sold as fast as possible. I did purchase a Castlevania game some years ago that had a very nice pre-order bonus that was most definitely limited.

What I don't like, if it wasn't apparent, is selling me a Limited Edition of something but make it limited to the first 10 million purchases. If the bonus content is worth my time and the premium isn't too ungodly (Halo 2's Limited Edition release was a bonus DVD for $10) I might jump on it. I own the Viva Pinata "Special Edition" release which amounted to a different box design (not a DVD case) and a bonus DVD with an episode of the Viva Pinata anime. Beyond that, it was pointless.

For the premium some of these guys charge (Halo 3 Legendary was what, $90?) the extras best be damn well worth it.

 

Halo 3 copies for limited edition sold extremely quickly depending on where you live. I heard Australia had about 500 copies for some towns and all the pre-orders for them were taken up in about a day, on the first day they were available.

 

You couldn't fail to trip over Halo 3 LE and Legendary editions in the UK.

I'm surprised Japan didn't get a nice Bayonetta LE (to my knowledge). Sure, lots of different pre-order extras, but no Climax and Gun?

 

I agree because the console has not been successful as the previous one, and the crisis has made its way

Hmm I do not agree at all if we talk about the japanese market,

But I agree if you talk about the european versions

 

Oh, sure I'm talking about the European market. When Japan received limited editions beyond belief in terms of content and size between 1995 and 2005, we in Europe and America got a steelbook with a lame bonus DVD at best! But for some reason, ever since the release of the 360, the west gets the most crazy limited edition boxes that can perfectly compete with the old days of the Japanese market.

 

Quote 100%

 

The 360 definitely has gotten its fair share of Limited/Collectors/Special editions for sure. Microsoft likely helps push that idea knowing pretty damn well how the economics of having different editions of Windows XP/Vista/7 goes over. Granted its a different market but the concept is basically the same.

I would wager a guess that the Japanese powers that be (Sega, Nintendo and Sony FWIW) likely felt that Americans, for one reason or another, wouldn't buy special releases. Doesn't make a damn bit of sense but keep in mind the Japanese government limits the amount of American apples they will import into the country due to their claim that the Japanese palate isn't well adapted to non-Japanese grown apples. In reality it is the fact that growing produce on Honshu, Hokkaido, etc is extremely expensive and growing Granny Smith in the States isn't.

OTOH it was rather nice to walk into a store and not have to wonder if paying an extra cash is worth it for a MJOLNIR helmet. MGS3's limited release is still worth a pretty penny.

 

Japan's market has been in a decline since the PS2 so that's why you're seeing less and less lavish LEs. They're generally too expensive and aren't that limited or in demand. The only one in recent memory that is actually in demand is the PSP FF Type-O e-Store LE

 

Not sure how many people can read the article in question, but it is pretty badly written. For a start, the "10th Anniversary Memorail [sic] Box" was released on the Dreamcast, when Sega were not yet a multiplatform publisher, and not on the Gamecube (which hadn't even been launched in Japan) as stated (and was definitely not limited to 500 pieces).

In terms of the LE being any better, it really just comes down to whether you prefer the prism style figure or the one that comes with the European version and a 2nd very average soundtrack CD. There's no real difference in price between the two. I would be tempted to get it at the right price, purely because it's in keeping with the 10th Anniversary Dreamcast LE.

The 3DS Limited Edition mentioned may be of more interest, but no specific details are mentioned and my guess would be the author of the article is just talking crap.

 

Ugh, I'm old.

I remember waiting for my Sonic Adventure 2 10th Ann. box to arrive in the mail when I was in College.

Barf.

 

Most current Japanese limited editions seem to be with dating and RPG games of the like. The last one I really wanted to buy, but did not as it was too expensive was the Trigger Heart Excelia one on the PS2.

 

So, in other words, no difference to 10 years ago?

There is still a fair amount of non-dating/rpg LEs though, I notice that especially on the 360 lineup. The 360 has quite a lot of shoot'em up limited editions as well as stuff like Virtual On 4, Chromehounds etc.
Then there's quite some Konamistyle stuff coming out.

 

I do miss having Working Designs on the forefront of sweet releases.

I think I got my first tight-pants moment when I first saw my friend's copy of Lunar Silver Star Story Complete.

 

The Virtual On Force limited edition is fantastic! 6 Sound track CDs, a very good and thick book on the history of Virtual On, 2 bouncy balls with Virtual On "eyes" in them and a sleeve for the game. This all comes in a very nice white box.

 

I know how you like pairs of balls, Yakumo.

Really, though, I've never seen bouncy balls as a part of an LE.

I did, however, remember having a stupidly great time a couple years ago, as an adult, at a friend's house, throwing super balls in the bathroom and trying to dodge them.

How old am I again? Oh, right. 12.

 

I used to throw micro machines at the fan and trying to dodge them..

Many limited editions come is so many forms here and usually they're only for people who pre-order.

Then we have "Limited" version which are usually ones in big boxes with a poser or something, nothing really special.

Now we also have Collector's versions with loads of stuff. I guess you get what you pay for right?