Final Fantasy Explorers Collector's Edition

Square Enix really said "let's give Western collectors something Japan doesn't have" and actually meant it. The Final Fantasy Explorers Collector's Edition on 3DS bundles the action RPG with a 32-page artbook showcasing work from Yoshitaka Amano, Gen Kobayashi, and Toshiyuki Itahana, three names that have shaped the visual identity of this franchise for decades. You also get "Songs for the Journey," a 20-track music sampler from composer Tsuyoshi Sekito, and a themed Final Fantasy Explorers Nintendo 3DS hard case that turns your handheld into a proper display piece.

But the real hook here is the set of Western-exclusive download codes. These unlock in-game quests that reward you with legendary weapons pulled from Final Fantasy lore: the Venus Gospel from Final Fantasy VII, the Death Penalty from Dirge of Cerberus, and the Crimson Blitz. Region-exclusive content tied to a physical release is the kind of thing that makes collectors lose sleep. Once these codes dry up, the only proof they existed lives in sealed copies.

The artbook alone justifies shelf space. Amano's ethereal brushwork next to Kobayashi's character designs next to Itahana's playful style gives you a compact survey of three distinct artistic voices within one franchise. The hard case adds that tactile, everyday-carry element that most collector's editions forget about. And the soundtrack sampler from Sekito, who brought that raw guitar energy to the series, is the kind of disc you'll actually spin.

This is one of those 3DS collector's editions that flew under the radar at launch. The handheld's library is only getting more respected with time, and Western-exclusive content on a Final Fantasy title is a combination that ages well on any shelf.