Video game companies have been capitalizing on their franchises’ special collector’s edition packages for years. But with the economy in shambles, it would make sense for consumers to ignore these flashy, superfluous bundles, right?

Wrong.

Within the world of video games, it seems the state of the economy is basically irrelevant — even now. Hardcore gamers are still going nuts for special edition video game packages.

People have very different reasons for hopping on the consumer bandwagon. Some want the limited items in hopes that they’ll increase in value with time, whereas others just want to brag to their friends about the rare sets they purchased back in the day. No matter what the reason, people clearly enjoy owning these often-superior versions, if they can afford to.

But special edition sets don’t usually come cheap. In fact, they’re often sold at far heftier prices than their bare-bone counterparts — a logical ploy considering the addition of several features.

The most popular splurging is, without a doubt, on some of the biggest franchises. Nintendo’s upcoming addition to its universally acclaimed Legend of Zelda franchise is just a single example of how limited edition packaging and a few songs can drive fans into a gaming heat.

Skyward Sword, set to be released Nov. 20 for the Wii, is on the market at a benchmark price of $50. But its special edition counterpart, which includes a Link-inspired gold Wii remote-plus and a CD celebrating the saga’s 25-year lifespan, is priced at $70. The gold Wii remote-bundle version of Skyward Sword has become GameStop’s top-ranked preordered product in its online branch, surpassing the regular game itself.

Do people really need another Wii remote? Probably not.

Considering the Wii has been out for almost five years now, it’s safe to assume most people who own a console probably have enough functioning Wii remotes to keep them satisfied. But throw in a magical gold controller alongside what is certain to be one of the most impressive Wii games and you’ve got yourself a marketing bullseye.

Even more recently, Sega announced an enormous collector’s edition set for its soon-to-be-released Sonic Generations. The video game, much like Skyward Sword, is an unofficial capstone to the franchise’s legacy and will be available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS consoles.

But a European- and Australian-only collector’s edition, featuring a figurine, golden ring, art book and soundtrack, has left North American fans outraged. Blog posts by American gamers have revealed that some fans are even considering ordering the British version online just so they can stake a claim on the special bundle package.

Evidently, big-name franchises and their collectible editions can lure gamers as quickly and easily as they can disappoint them.

Think Super Mario All-Stars: 25th Anniversary Edition for the Wii. The extremely limited 2010 release drove holiday shoppers crazy as they searched for copies at an alarmingly intense rate. At the time, a Wii game featuring all four original Mario games in a shiny red box selling for $30 sounded like a steal. But once the Christmas spirit dwindled, so did buyers’ interests.

Though the games were flawless, many felt the edition was not worth its price. The extras, namely a disc of music and a collectible booklet, didn’t impress customers. Furthermore, the game was no more than just that — a simple compilation identical to its 1993 Super Nintendo counterpart. The edition didn’t even contain Super Mario World, a quintessential Mario game.

Special edition packages might not always give customers the quality they deserve, but there’s little denying these types of video game packages have a persistent allure and will continue to for quite some time. Despite the criticism of Super Mario All-Stars, the game continued to sell at impressive rates when Nintendo re-released it in March 2011.

Obviously, the bigger the franchise, the more collector’s editions are made and the better those editions sell.

But even if these special editions seem like a way for companies to simply earn more money, one thing is certain: Bragging rights will never get old.

Hannah Muniz is a junior majoring in East Asian languages and cultures and English. Her column “Game Over” runs Wednesdays.