Hyperdimension Neptunia (Premium Edition)

Before Neptunia became a sprawling franchise with sequels, spin-offs, and more remakes than anyone can track, there was this. The Hyperdimension Neptunia Premium Edition for Playstation 3 is the collector's entry point for one of the most self-aware JRPG series ever made, packaged in a large cardboard box with a hardcover full-color artbook that showcases the game's vibrant character designs.

The artbook is the star here. Hyperdimension Neptunia's entire identity is built on its visual style, anthropomorphized game consoles rendered as anime heroines battling through a world that's basically one long industry in-joke. Seeing that artwork in a hardcover format gives it the presentation it deserves. Pre-order copies from the NIS America online store also came with a set of Official Neptunia CPU Playing Cards, a bonus item that's become its own collectible separate from the main package.

This is early NIS America territory, when their limited editions had genuinely limited print runs and the Neptunia series was still an unknown quantity in the West. The franchise has since exploded, building a dedicated fanbase that looks back at this first entry with real reverence. That trajectory makes the Premium Edition of the original game particularly desirable. It's the foundation of everything that followed, and finding one complete with the artbook in good condition takes patience. For Neptunia fans building a comprehensive collection, this is where it all started, and it belongs at the front of the shelf.