He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Dragon Pearl of Destruction is a Bitmap Bureau-developed (in collaboration with Mattel) game that brings the iconic 80s cartoon to life as a Streets of Rage-style brawler. With its collector’s edition being handled by Limited Run Games, there was no denying that the game would be bundled with a feast of physical merch, but I wasn’t expecting a throwback quite like a lunchbox.

The $99.99 (via Limited Run Games) Collector’s Edition, no matter if it’s the Switch, PS5, or Xbox version, includes the plastic lunchbox, which feels just as equivalently ’80s as the original series. Growing up, I often received my cousin’s lunchboxes as hand-me-downs, and a metal He-Man lunchbox was a staple of their childhood, and later mine. All it’s missing is a matching Thermos flask and the faint smell of old fruit and salt and shake crisps to be one of the most truly nostalgic collector edition releases.

Saturday Mornings in my ’90s childhood were often spent having to use my cousin’s hand-me-downs, and He-Man (and She-Ra) were a big part of that. Often it was the toys and old videotapes that made their way into my possession, but lunchboxes were also commonplace, which is why I’m pretty privy to this Limited Run Games release.

Often the brand’s fancy collector’s editions include statues of varying quality, and this one is not exempt. There is a 4.9-inch Mini Power Sword and an acrylic standee showing He-Man riding Battle Cat included, but the lunchbox feels the most authentic. In fact, despite it not being included as a numbered release, this lunchbox puts this version up there as one of the better editions I’ve seen from the retailer. I’d much sooner have it in my collection than the falling-apart statuette included with my Limited Run Games ClockTower Rewind release.

It’s nice to see that despite all the physical tat that’s bundled within its $99.99 MSRP, which also includes a pin set and a mini comic book, there’s a physical copy of the game too. If you pre-order this collector’s edition, you also get a physical copy of the game on the platform of your choice, and an alternative steel case to keep it in. Rockstar should maybe be taking notes if they choose to give the GTA 6 Collector’s Edition another shot.

If you are thinking of grabbing this collector’s edition, I recommend pre-ordering sooner rather than later. While the pre-order window remains open until November 22, these Limited Run Games releases can be perfect fodder for eBay resellers.

• View all Collector’s Editions at Amazon

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