The video game industry on the console side has never had a real foothold on the concept. There have been similar and comparable releases, such as the Nintendo three-in-one cartridges, and the Sega Six-in-1 cartridges, but it just wasn’t the same. The 3DO even had a special set with several discs, not even in sleeves, stuck in a box. Rarely did you ever get to hold a package and feel like you were getting something special. Enter Sony’s marketing team.

     During the last few years of the PlayStation’s life, Sony realized that the green labeled “Greatest Hits” logo just wasn’t cutting it anymore. So, they came up with a new strategy; Collector’s Editions.

     Boxed in a cardboard sleeve, redone in special CE packaging, each set would contain 3 jewel cased games that all adhered to a theme. Some were sequel based, some were genre based, and some just stuck with a license. The idea was a valid success, and ended up generating 11 different sets along with two smaller Twin Sets. We’ll deal with the latter first.

     The two Twin Packs are actually rebels in the release list. First there’s Sesame Street Pack, which has both Elmo’s Number Journey and Letter Adventure. Both discs are printed in a Greatest Hits clear CD label, when normally the Collector’s Editions are white. Second, they read Twin Pack rather than Collector’s Editions. More intriguing is that the PSRM numbers are sequenced higher than the 3 Packs. Each CD in a two pack has a PSRM that ends in 6, rather than the CE ‘4’. 

     Then there’s the Driver Twin Pack. It has all the above ID descriptors of the Twin Pack, but now the CDs are printed in the CE white label…except…it’s a Greatest Hits classification. Even less, it was basically a vehicle (no pun intended) for Driver 3’s marketing strategy thanks to the included bumper sticker.

     If your mind hasn’t gone disc read error yet, congratulations, you’ve made it to the promise land.

     Here is where the 3 CD Collector’s Packs come into play. All sets adhere to the following criteria:

• 3 Complete Games per box set

• Either Genre, Series, or Sequel based

• All CDs are printed white with the words “Collector’s Edition” on them.

• Each CD’s PSRM digit ends in a 4 rather than 0

• The SLUS / SCUS digits all end in CE

• Each set has its own SCUS / SLUS digit, but no overall PSRM.

• Only the outer box is sealed; the inside jewel cases are opened

• The barcodes on each jewel case are replaced with “Part of a Set” warnings      

     A complete list of the Collector’s Sets follows below, separated by their genre type, and what’s included in each pack.

Sequential Series

• Tomb Raider
  Tomb Raider
  Tomb Raider 2: Starring Lara Croft
  Tomb Raider 3: Adventures of Lara Croft

• Spyro the Dragon
  Spyro the Dragon
  Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage
  Spyro: Year of the Dragon

• Grand Theft Auto
  Grand Theft Auto
  Grand Theft Auto: London
  Grand Theft Auto 2

Series…uh…Series

• Eidos
  Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
  Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
  Fighting Force

• Crash Bandicoot
  Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
  CTR: Crash Team Racing
  Crash Bash

• Army Men Gold
  Army Men 3D
  Army Men: Air Attack
  Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes

Genre Series

• EA Action
  O07 Racing
  007 Tomorrow Never Dies
  Medal of Honor

• EA Sports
  NBA Live 2002
  Madden 2002
  NASCAR 2002

• EA Racing
  Sled Storm
  Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit
  NASCAR Rumble

• Disney Collection
  Lion King: Simba’s Might Adventure
  Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
  Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour

• Disney Kid’s Collection
  Bug’s Life
  Tarzan
  Tigger’s Honey Hunt
   

     So far the PlayStation 2 hasn't caught on so far, with only 1 three pack coming out. That was a joint effort between three different companies. It remains to be seen if the 3-packs will ever take off like they did on the PlayStation 1.