The 10 Best Collector's Edition Games of 2011

Almost every game release these days sees some sort of collector’s, signature, or special edition filled with statues, art books, and steel cases.

No matter where you buy these editions, they can come with anything from a set of playing cards featuring art assets from the game, to functional military hardware.

Here are ten of the best collector’s editions released this year, chosen based on number of items included in said edition, as well as functionality or novelty of the items.

The Love is Over Edition of Catherine may not contain anything that you can put up on your wall or lay on your coffee table, but if you ever need an extra shirt or pair of boxers, you’re covered.

In addition to the game with original unedited cover art, the Love is Over Edition comes with a one-and-a-half filled heart meter T-shirt, a pair of boxers similar to ones Vincent wears in the game, a pillowcase prominently showing Catherine in a sultry pose, an art book, and a soundtrack of classical music remixed by composer Shoji Meguro.

All of this is bundled up in a Stray Sheep pizza box, resembled after the restaurant where Vincent and his friends hang out in the game.

The Duke Nukem Forever Balls of Steel Edition has the only honor on this list of being better than the actual game.

The entire package includes a 5-inch bust of Duke Nukem himself, a Duke Nukem Forever sticker, playing cards, set of dice, two poker chips, Duke Nukem papercraft booklet, postcards of the Duke Nukem portraits from the game, comic book, and 100-page hardcover art book.

Besides the sheer amount items you get with the collector’s edition, the art book is interesting enough to see how the game’s art evolved over its 14-year development cycle. For the size of the box this edition comes in, it is jam-packed with items.

Forget the hubbub about pre-order costumes, fatalities, or exclusive characters and features for each platform; the real gem of the Kollector’s Edition of Mortal Kombat is the Scorpion and Sub-Zero bookends that came with the game.

If you aren’t the reading type, these bookends double as a great way to keep your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 games in a nice tidy row. The Tournament Edition comes with a Mortal Kombat-branded arcade stick that also opens up as a carrying case for games.

When was the last time a collector’s edition came with something that helped you play the game better?

One of the truly limited editions, the Crysis 2 Nano Edition was only available through pre-ordering the game. Don’t let the name fool you though, the box it comes in massive in size.

In addition to bonus XP and in-game items, the Nano Edition came with an 11-inch tall statue of Alcatraz on the hood of a New York taxi. The package also included a backpack modeled after the in-game Nanosuit.

The two-compartment backpack has a sturdy exterior and is able to fit up to a 17-inch laptop. Bonus points for not being a cheap JanSport knockoff.

If you’re a hardcore Lord of the Rings fan, War in the North Collector’s Edition is a must-buy.

A simple box couldn’t convey the scope of this collector’s edition, so instead the game comes in a leather-bound quiver over two feet long.

Inside you’ll find an art book with concepts of characters, enemies, and landscapes, as well as documentary looking at the music of War in the North from composer Inon Zur at the Abbey Road Studios and E3 2011 Concert.

The crown jewel of this arsenal, though, is a cloth map of Middle-Earth adorned with two arrows serving as the map’s end-rods. Sadly, no small Hobbit companions are found here.

If you’ve picked up previous Call of Duty collector’s editions, you know the kind of crazy stuff you’re in for.

Modern Warfare 2 included a real pair of working night-vision goggles, and Black Ops came with a radio-controlled car with video and audio transmission back to its controller.

Activision and Infinity Ward decided to keep it simple this year with the Hardened Edition, opting for a 100-page field journal detailing the entire Modern Warfare story with sketches and diary entries.

The Hardened Edition also includes a full-year subscription with founder status to Call of Duty Elite, Activision’s new way for Call of Duty players to track stats, form clans, and compete for prizes.

The Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception Collector’s Edition is a treasure trove of quality encased in a box resembling a 16th century traveling case.

In addition to the game, inside you’ll find Drake’s ring from the game on a leather string. Etched into the ring are the words Sic Parvis Magna, translated from 16th century Latin to mean “Greatness from small beginnings.”

You’ll also find an authentic belt buckle with a horseshoe, modeled after the one Drake wears in the game. Wear this every Sunday it’ll bring good luck to Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts.

The last thing you’ll find this traveling case is an over 8-inch tall Nathan Drake statue from Sideshow Collectibles, so you know it’s top quality.

The game may not be out yet, but Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector’s Edition is looking too sweet to pass up.

Bundled in an enormous box, the collector’s edition comes with a poster of The Old Republic galaxy map, a journal detailing the vents leading up the game, the soundtrack, security authenticator key, and en exclusive Darth Malgus statue from Gentle Giant, only available with the collector’s edition of the game.

You won’t have to wait too long for this, though, as the game releases in nearly a month on Dec. 20 for PC.

The Gears of War 3 Epic Edition is justifiably named, offering seven unique and special items for fans of the series.

The main attraction is the hand-painted Marcus Fenix statue by TriForce standing at over 11-inches tall. The actual game comes in a textured case containing the personal effects Dr. Adam Fenix. This includes his last will and testament, Hammer of Dawn schematics, Fenix family photos, a cloth COG flag, and a scaled to size and weight zinc-alloy COG medal resembling the one awarded to Adam Fenix.

Each medal is engraved with a unique Xbox Live code unlocking Adam Fenix as a playable character in multiplayer.

To top it all off, the Epic Edition comes with a hardcover book titled The Art and Design of Gears of War. Written by famed Tom Bissell, the 96-page book takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Gears of Wars franchise with interviews, photos, and concept art.

Other collector’s editions may have a lot of neat things but only The Witcher 2 Collector’s Edition offers the most amounts of functional and usable items.

In addition to the almost-standard inclusions of a making-of DVD and soundtrack, The Witcher 2 Collector’s Edition comes with a thick hardbound art book, world map, replica Temerian coin, set of dice, playing cards with a rulebook, pamphlet from the game containing a cursed coin, and two papercraft figures.

That’s 10 items already, but they couldn’t leave you without the cornerstone of this collector’s edition: a sculpture of the head of the white wolf himself, Geralt of Rivia.