Red Steel 2 (Pre-Order Edition)

A samurai cowboy walks into a collector's edition, and somehow it all makes sense. The Red Steel 2 Pre-Order Edition on Wii didn't bother with fancy packaging. It was the standard game wrapped in plastic alongside its bonus items: a 20-page art book and four exclusive in-game weapons.

357 AMP, Kuro No Ken katana, and Nihonto Hana, the Blossom Sword, each added a distinct combat option unavailable in the standard release. Red Steel 2 was a genuine hidden gem on the Wii, a cel-shaded fusion of swordplay and gunfighting that made MotionPlus feel essential rather than gimmicky. The art book, though slim at 20 pages, showcased the game's striking visual style, a blend of Wild West grit and Japanese aesthetics that looked like nothing else on the console.

In the UK, this Pre-Order Edition was only available through select stores, limiting its distribution from day one. The lack of special packaging is actually a double-edged sword for collectors. It makes sealed copies harder to distinguish from standard editions at a glance, but it also means fewer people recognized what they had, and even fewer preserved them intentionally.

The bonus weapons added genuine gameplay value, and the art book serves as a compact portfolio of one of the Wii's most underappreciated visual achievements. For collectors who appreciate substance over flash, this quiet Pre-Order Edition delivers.