The 1st LE / SE

[DarkTone 847]

Over at [NAME REDACTED] there was a thread asking what the first special or limited edition game was. The earliest that came up was superman on the Atari 2600. It came packaged with a wallet. 

Can anyone confirm this? Does anyone own one? Can you think of an older limited or special edition? 

[darkchylde28 1,536]

I don't know that I would really count that, personally.  It had a sticker attached to the front advertising the promotion, and basically just had a white paper box with a wallet stuffed inside taped to the back.  I would think of this as more of a promotional variant than any sort of limited or special edition, as it wasn't deliberately manufactured that way, it was stuff that was thrown on after-the-fact to sell units.  I guess all those hats, lighters, AM/FM radios, etc., that my dad got when he bought cigarettes somehow made those "limited edition" if this Superman truly counts in that category, lol.

[DefaultGen 4,443]

IIRC there were other "special edition" Atari games that came out shortly before Superman (like Casino), although that special edition banner was meaningless and Superman had the bonus pack-in. I think Superman kind of gets it on a technicality, not actually intending to be for collectors.

The US mail order release of Power Strike was advertised in the Team Sega Newsletter as a Special Edition. That's kind of special.

In 1990, if you preordered Ultima VI, Wing Commander, and potentially other games (??) directly from Origin Systems they would come signed by the creators and with bonus items (an audio tape from Lord British, Wing Commander hat, letters congratulating you for being cool, etc.). The receipts and materials contained within these specially call them special edition and limited edition. These are the earliest "real" special editions actually intended for collectors that I've found released in America.

There's a bunch of weird limited release Famicom stuff, some of which could be considered special editions and some which predates the Origin games. I don't have super deep knowledge of it all. Charumera Zelda no Densetsu for example in 1986 was a contest giveaway that came with its own special edition Famicom and in a little lunchbox carrying case.

[Tulpa 2,849]

Atlantis II for Atari is a contender. It was part of Destination Atlantis, a contest by Imagic. People would play the regular Atlantis game and send in a picture of their score; Imagic then sent the top scores a copy of Atlantis II. The number of Atlantis II cartridges is somewhere under 100, and maybe as few as 25.

Atlantis II featured faster enemies and a different scoring system for a bigger challenge over the regular game, and copies of it go for thousands.

Edited March 19 by Tulpa

[darkchylde28 1,536]

1 hour ago, DefaultGen said:

In 1990, if you preordered Ultima VI, Wing Commander, and potentially other games (??) directly from Origin Systems they would come signed by the creators and with bonus items (an audio tape from Lord British, Wing Commander hat, letters congratulating you for being cool, etc.). The receipts and materials contained within these specially call them special edition and limited edition. These are the earliest "real" special editions actually intended for collectors that I've found released in America.

I'd say that early Infocom releases might be contenders for this as well, as those came with all sorts of "feelies" that later editions and reissues specifically didn't.  A lot of the second generation Ultima games were like that as well (still within the first 2-3 games, but past the point where they were just releasing floppies in a plastic baggie), with special coins, "gems," maps, etc. being issued for a certain release, then discontinued afterward.

[JeremiahJT 68]

On 3/18/2023 at 10:25 PM, darkchylde28 said:

I'd say that early Infocom releases might be contenders for this as well, as those came with all sorts of "feelies" that later editions and reissues specifically didn't.  A lot of the second generation Ultima games were like that as well (still within the first 2-3 games, but past the point where they were just releasing floppies in a plastic baggie), with special coins, "gems," maps, etc. being issued for a certain release, then discontinued afterward.

Going by that measure, then I would submit Indy 500 for the Video Computer System, released in 1977.  It (and the Tele-Games version, Race) came with the Driving Controllers, which were required to play.  Atari Corp. later rereleased Indy 500 without the Driving Controllers.

Star Raiders from 1982 also got an Atari Corp. rerelease missing the Video Touch Pad.

M*A*S*H from 1983 also came packaged with a tee shirt, like Superman's wallet, but a few years later.

Activision's Space Shuttle: A Journey Into Space for the 2600 came with two different switch overlays and a console overlay.  Later releases omitted all the overlays.

[DefaultGen 4,443]

The Magnavox Odyssey came with loads of little BS! I feel like it has to advertise itself as special for collectors to count personally. Although I think Atlantis II is an interesting one I never thought about.

Edited March 21 by DefaultGen

[RpgCollector 792]

For me Limited Edition/Special Edition means there is a normal version you can buy or for more money you can get a deluxe package with extras or different content or different packaging ect.

The first I can remember that meets this is the Magnavox Odyssey 200 released in 1975. You could buy the standard Odyssey 200 console or the limited “Baseball Vacation Special” set. It came with the console, am/fm portable radio/ super Sox 75 record, Hank Aaron 715 record and Babe Ruth life story record. What a set!

[Tulpa 2,849]

I like how it says "great summer fun, indoors or out" and the only thing that can be used outside is the portable radio.

 

[darkchylde28 1,536]

42 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

I like how it says "great summer fun, indoors or out" and the only thing that can be used outside is the portable radio.

No, no, there were battery powered TVs back then, and IIRC most of the Magnavox pong-clone consoles had both the option for battery power as well as being plugged into the wall, so that note very well could have been right on the money.

[Tulpa 2,849]

That is true. Maybe a proto-@docile tapeworm had his own shack in the back yard playing pong and listening to Super Sox '75.

[Tabonga 1,891]

2 hours ago, Tulpa said:

I like how it says "great summer fun, indoors or out" and the only thing that can be used outside is the portable radio.

 

You could use the albums as frisbees........

We had a little Singer tv that was battery operated when I was in high school - so somewhere in 1966-1970.  It had a rather large  battery pack that didn't last all that long - and the tv was black and white only.

[RH 4,073]

48 minutes ago, Tabonga said:

You could use the albums as frisbees........

We had a little Singer tv that was battery operated when I was in high school - so somewhere in 1966-1970.  It had a rather large  battery pack that didn't last all that long - and the tv was black and white only.

Lol, that looks like something you’d see in Fallout.  I mean, I know the game is vintage-inspired but that really looks like it belongs there.  I love it.

[Tabonga 1,891]

4 minutes ago, RH said:

Lol, that looks like something you’d see in Fallout.  I mean, I know the game is vintage-inspired but that really looks like it belongs there.  I love it.

 

[Tabonga 1,891]

18 minutes ago, RH said:

Lol, that looks like something you’d see in Fallout.  I mean, I know the game is vintage-inspired but that really looks like it belongs there.  I love it.

This should be right up your alley!

The band is "Roid Rogers and the Whirling Butt Cherries".

Edited March 22 by Tabonga