Some people are collectors. They buy a game, like it, and then must own everything that goes along with it. I’m not one of those people, but if I find a good game I do like to explore the others in the series to see if it has anything else to offer. That in mind, I hope to use this special edition of the Bargain Bin to highlight some cost-effective ways to play your way through the entirety of a few classic series, and point you in the direction of some not-so-classic series that can be played without bankrupting your gaming fund.
Final Fantasy
There are a lot of Final Fantasy games. Moreover, there are a lot of Final Fantasy spin-offs. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll be ignoring those today, which sadly excludes some good titles (forgive me, FF Tactics), but will also make it easier for you to buy everything you need to make it through the numbered series. You might notice a few abnormalities here. I make you buy an NES, for instance, to play the original Final Fantasy, even though I include the Dawn of Souls collection for GBA. Additionally, I include the DS version of Final Fantasy IV, even though the GBA port is far cheaper. I do this because I do value quality, and even though cost is the ultimate issue here, I’d rather show you how to play the best versions of each game rather than sticking you with a crappier, but cheaper version.
Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls – $12.95 (GBA)
Final Fantasy III – $9.99 (DS)
Final Fantasy IV – $18.00 (DS)
Final Fantasy V – $17.41 (GBA)
Final Fantasy VI – $23.99 (GBA)
Final Fantasy VII – $66.88 (PS)
Final Fantasy VIII – $11.50 (PS)
Final Fantasy XI – $39.99 (PS2)
Final Fantasy XII – $6.99 (PS2)
Total Cost: $415.95 (Note: Used Amazon.com Prices are Subject to Change)
The Legend of Zelda
Oh, Zelda. Zelda Zelda Zelda. Zelda is just great. From top to bottom it’s a fantastic series that generally tends to earn praise from all directions. That said, there are some people out there, perhaps from the younger generation of gamers, who haven’t had the chance to play some of the earlier and arguably best games in the series. This list is for you. Pulling the Zelda series together is not as hard as you might think. Many of the games are still readily available in your local GameStop via ports, and thanks to the wonderful internet, tracking down those harder-to-find titles is incredibly easy. Make sure to at least check out the nifty collection on Gamecube which features the original Zelda, Zelda II, Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. That there is one hell of a deal.
Gameboy Advance – $25.50
The Legend of Zelda Collection – $34.95 (GC)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – $10.98 (GBA)
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – $4.95 (GB)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages – $15.99 (GBC)
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons – $18.50 (GBC)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker – $14.95 (GC)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – $29.95 (GC)
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass – $18.95 (DS)
Total Cost: $299.52 (Note: Used Amazon.com Prices are Subject to Change)
A growing trend with the end of the last generation as well has been the release of collectors packs that essentially offer an entire series of games for what one of them might have cost you when they were new. The following all come from the PS2 era, which was easily one of the strongest in recent memory. If you have a PS2 or a backwards-compatible PS3, you’d have to be a fool to pass up on these gems.
Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection
Giving you all the Metal Gear Solid games, this collection comprises some of the best games ever made and can still be found relatively easily in many video game stores. My only qualm with it is the fact that it contains the original versions of Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 rather than the vastly superior Substance and Subsistence versions. Those two can be found pretty cheaply, but if you’re looking for one tight, conveniently packaged digest of the MGS games, this is an easy option.
Amazon (Note: Used Amazon.com prices are subject change)
New – $27.99
Used – $24.99
The Hitman Trilogy
Easily one of my favorite series from the last generation, and one that has been woefully missing from the current generation of games, The Hitman Trilogy starts with Hitman 2 and ends with Blood Money. This is, of course, because the original game was PC exclusive (and available online for around a dollar last time I checked), but it’s a bit amusing, nonetheless. These games are all high quality, but they are best played in order. There’s a lot of fun to be had, but Hitman 2 and Hitman: Contracts do feel a bit dated in comparison to Hitman: Blood Money. That said, each game is worth the price of admission and if you haven’t played this series, you might be surprised to find how smoothly the games all play, even compared to today’s titles.
Amazon (Note: Used Amazon.com prices are subject change)
New – $19.99
Used – $13.79
Devil May Cry 5th Anniversery Collection
I’ve never played the Devil May Cry games, but I know enough about them to know that I’m a fool every time I walk past this collection in GameStop and don’t lay down the cash for it. If you’re like me and haven’t yet saddled up with Dante for some demon slaying, over-the-top action, and gothic melodrama, then this is your ticket to town. Be wary of the second game though, I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that thing.
Amazon (Note: Used Amazon.com prices are subject to change)
New – $29.97
Used – $18.84
