It’s 2023, and you know what that means — another AAA release, another collector’s edition to ponder over. The latest Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, features a robust colelctor’s edition package that offers quite a few extras over the standard edition case and game card. On its release, Tears of the Kingdom made some waves for being the first Nintendo Switch game with an MSRP of $69.99, marking the official entry of Nintendo into “next-gen” software pricing. Though the collector’s edition of TotK has an MSRP of $129.99, the limited stock and current shortages now place it at anywhere from $179.99-$199.99 on the secondary market.
So, just what does anywhere from $130-200 get you when opting for the collector’s edition over the standard version of TotK? Well, the answer is: quite a bit. That said, the extras fans have to look forward to from purchasing the collector’s edition are all physical items that they can’t acquire anywhere else. Anyone looking for more in-game content or bonus items to use when playing Tears of the Kingdom may walk away a little disappointed from purchasing the collector’s edition, as this premium version of the game contains no additional digital content over the standard edition.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Regular vs Collector’s Edition – Side-by-Side Comparison
It’s practically a guarantee that marquis AAA releases will have both a standard and collector’s editions for players to choose from, and Zelda is no different. Both Breath of the Wild and its sequel feature collector’s editions that were quickly sold out and still fetch large amounts on the secondary market as collector’s items (as the name would imply). Whereas most collector’s editions come with some kind of pre-order bonus or extra items for in-game use, the content that the TotK collector’s edition includes is strictly real-world bonuses, similar to the Breath of the Wild collector’s edition. In terms of the differences between the collector’s and standard editions of Tears of the Kingdom, let’s examine them side-by-side:
| Characteristic | Standard Edition | Collector’s Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69.99 | $129.99 (MSRP) |
| Available at Retail | ✅ | |
| Increasing Value on Secondary Market | ✅ | |
| Includes Base Game | ✅ | ✅ |
| Art Book | ✅ | |
| Steelbook Case | ✅ | |
| Special Collector’s Packaging | ✅ | |
| Steel Poster | ✅ | |
| Limited Pin Set | ✅ | |
| Access to DLC/In-Game Bonuses | ❌ | ❌ |
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Regular vs Collector’s Edition – 4 Must-Know Facts
- The collector’s edition of Tears of the Kingdom includes everything in the standard edition and then some. Both editions of the game include the same core experience though, meaning that there’s no actual playable bonus or different experience in purchasing the collector’s edition over the standard one.
- Series producer Eiji Aonuma recently made the reveal that TotK will not have DLC like Breath of the Wild has, with the team instead focusing on making the next entry in the Zelda series that takes place in a new timeline. As a result, the value of the collector’s edition may continue to increase.
- Any major Zelda series fans may want to opt for the collector’s edition over the standard considering what it includes. In addition to special cases for the game card that enhance the displaying of the game on a shelf, there are several collectable pieces of art and regalia it includes.
- The collector’s edition of TotK almost immediately sold out once it was available for pre-order, meaning it is now hard to come by for MSRP. The best bets players have to acquire a copy of the collector’s edition is through third-party retailers, local game shops, or the secondary market (e.g., eBay, etc.)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Regular vs Collector’s Edition – No Additional Features or DLC Access
After two excellent DLC expansions for Breath of the Wild, it’s safe to say that a large contingent of the Zelda fanbase were hoping for some kind of DLC expansion to Tears of the Kingdom. Unfortunately, just weeks ago Eiji Aonuma made the announcement that fans should not expect any DLC or additional content for the game as the team moves on to its next project. Tears of the Kingdom had a long development time given that it borrows the engine and several assets from Breath of the Wild, so while it’s understandable that the team is ready for its next project it’s still no less disappointing to not receive DLC for one of the best Zelda games in the history of the series.
Normally, the collector’s or deluxe edition of a game will include a season pass or some type of DLC voucher players can use at a later date. Neither Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom include this kind of bonus in their collector’s editions, so anyone who’s simply looking forward to playing the game and experiencing everything it has to offer can save themselves a considerable amount of money by opting for the standard edition. There are no gameplay differences between the two that would justify the collector’s edition’s higher asking price.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Regular vs Collector’s Edition – Collector’s Edition Content
Although the items that the collector’s edition includes are merely physical, they are of high quality and contain some nifty trinkets that fans cannot acquire anywhere else. The standard edition of Tears of the Kingdom includes the case and the game card, but nothing else. In contrast, the collector’s edition starts things off by coming in an exclusive collector’s packaging box. Inside the box are the standard game case and a bonus steelbook case for displaying on a shelf. Additionally, there’s an included steel plate poster featuring artwork from the game and a collectible hardcover art book with exclusive character portraits and profiles.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Regular vs Collector’s Edition – Differences in Price and Availability
In terms of which edition of Tears of the Kingdom players will want to focus on being able to obtain easily and for a reasonable price, that honor undoubtedly goes to the standard edition. The standard edition retails for $69.99 and anyone can easily purchase it either physically or digitally. Conversely, the collector’s edition is essentially sold out and unavailable at retail. It’s also not possible to obtain a “digital”collector’s edition as the items it includes are all physical tokens for Zelda fans to display. Some third-party retailers have non-US region copies of the collector’s edition available (which are playable on US-region Switch hardware since the system is not region-locked) but these are typically around $200.
Another option players have for acquiring the collector’s edition is to use the secondary market — sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and other unofficial seller marketplaces. One thing to note about these purchases is that the price will be somewhat inflated over the MSRP and there’s no guaranteeing the condition that the collector’s edition will arrive in. Still, if you’re a diehard Zelda fan and feel like having the items the collector’s edition includes are necessary, then it’s worth keeping an eye on eBay listings to see if one shows up for a reasonable price.
Bottom Line
Considering that both versions of the game are the same incredible version of the latest Zelda (a surefire Game of the Year contender for 2023) and that the collector’s edition is twice the price with no additional gameplay content, it’s hard to recommend the collector’s edition to anyone other than the most steadfast Zelda fans. Most players will find themselves completely satisfied by purchasing the standard edition of Tears of the Kingdom, and for half the price of the collector’s edition at that.