10 Ways Gaming Was Infinitely Better In The '90s
3. Pre-Order Bonuses Were For Everyone
Limited editions are funny: on one hand, you can pick up a bit of game-related merchandise to celebrate your favourite franchise and on the other you're simply paying for cheap trinkets and DLC codes.
In the the 1990s, anything packed in with a game wasn't locked off to a limited edition. A free CD with Donkey Kong Country? Included. The N64 rumble and expansion paks with Starfox 64 and Donkey Kong Country 64? In the boxes. Player's Guide? You get a HUGE box with Earthbound.
Nowadays, pre-order "bonuses" are often criticized and for good reasons. You might have content reserved for increasingly expensive tiers beyond $100 at first, only to be released 12 months later as DLC or GOTY. Then there's weapons for online multiplayer or exclusive Day One content that give other players an edge. Talk about pay-to-win
In the '90s there was no paying above and beyond nor having to scour particular shops to find the edition you're after. This also meant '90s limited edition consoles and games themselves were rather...sparse. If you were lucky you might get a coloured cartridge, map or poster
But at least you weren't tied into a purchase months in advance or given a "free" artbook that you'd look at once.