Old Save Bonus: Difference between revisions
Updated wikilink
(quote cleanup) |
(Updated wikilink) |
||
| (10 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{trope}}
{{Video Game Examples Need Sorting}}
{{quote|'''Psycho Mantis''': [[No Fourth Wall|So... you like to play]] ''[[Castlevania]]''?
'''Ego Raptor''': Woah, ''(stammers)'', [[Mind Screw|WHAT]]?!
|''[[Metal Gear]] [[Awesome Series|Awesome]] 2''}}
The ability to [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|use old save data]] (or in rare cases, use of the physical game) from an old game in a new game (often a direct sequel, though unrelated examples aren't unheard of) [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|for a bonus]]. Mostly, this means a tiny change (such as an acknowledgment of your accomplishments in the first game), or an item that may or may not be useful, but in some RPGs (the main originators of this trope) it is possible to import the character from the last game, levels intact, to start the new one. (The monsters would sometime be scaled up, of course.)
Line 9 ⟶ 11:
Related is the specific bonuses achieved from linking a handheld with a specific game to a console with another. This began with the N64 title ''Pokemon Stadium'', which has a special adapter for importing Game Boy save data. The Game Boy Advance system has a link cable for connecting to the Nintendo [[Game Cube]], the Nintendo DS uses its Slot-2 to connect to GBA games and can connect wirelessly to the Wii, and the Sony PSP uses a USB cable to connect to the [[PlayStation 2]]. However, this can quickly enter [[One Game for the Price of Two]] territory.
Compare to [[New Game+]] and [[Another Side, Another Story]], which reward you for playing the ''same'' game again after completing it once.
{{examples|suf=es}}
* Unlocking Japanese as an audio option for Theater Mode instead of the default English in ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]: [[No Export for You|Final Mix+]]'' requires having a finished ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories|Re: Chain of Memories]]'' save file on the memory card. Notably, ''Final Mix+'' added a few cutscenes not in the original edition of the game, which means that there is no English voiceover available for them. ''This'', in turn, means that these cutscenes ''are essentially muted'' until you get around to finishing the other game. Which, naturally, is [[Guide Dang It|entirely in Japanese]]. At least ''Re: Chain of Memories'' [[Embedded Precursor|comes with]] ''Final Mix +''...
* Though this trope was dead for many years, it's not really all that new on computers: in early installments of ''[[Ultima]]'', ''[[The Bard's Tale Trilogy|Bards Tale]]'' or ''[[Wizardry]]'', it's possible to import a player from each game in the same series into the next game - although this ended at least a decade before the release of Ultima 9.
Line 17 ⟶ 20:
** Likewise, early ''[[Ultima]]'' games, ''[[Might and Magic]]'', ''[[The Bard's Tale Trilogy]]'', ''[[Quest for Glory]]'', and just about every other RPG series on personal computers. Even weirder, certain Ultima games allow you to import characters from the competitor's game ''Wizardry''.
** ''Wizardry VIII'', the last game of the series, pushed the envelope by having you not only keep your character, but some of the allies and affiliations they had made in the previous game. This changed your starting location to your ally's base, and severely altered the way in which you could resolve the plot... assuming, that is, you were one of the few who still had their ''Wizardry VII'' saves from '''ten years ago!'''
* Many, ''many'' [[
* The somewhat obscure [[Roguelike]] for Windows 3.x, ''[[Castle of the Winds]]'', came in two parts. The Shareware first part allowed you to save your game after beating the [[Big Bad]] of the game, where you could then continue it in the commercial second part exactly as left. This created a bit of a problem for characters created anew in the second part, since it was tuned for an already-leveled and geared character. It got around this by giving new characters some instant levels and gear, although characters brought forward from the first part were typically significantly better off.
* Both ''[[Neverwinter Nights]]'' games allow you to save your characters and load them into the expansion packs and free content modules so that you can continue their adventures over multiple stories.
Line 47 ⟶ 50:
* ''[[F-Zero]] GX'' actually allows the sharing of data between itself and the [[Arcade Game]] ''F-Zero AX''. As AX machines are hard to find in the US (at the height of their popularity there were a grand total of 20 of them available to the English-speaking world) and few people read the back of the box, hardly anyone ever noticed. The AX version did contain a semi-exclusive cup, which could be unlocked in GX if you beat the courses in AX with a GC memory card inserted to the machine; but because of the rarity of the AX machines, the only way to unlock this AX cup that most players have access to is to beat every cup on [[Nintendo Hard|Master difficulty]].
* Unlocking the Captain Olimar trophy (required for [[100% Completion]]) in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]] Melee'' requires having a ''[[Pikmin]]'' save file on your memory card.
* The original ''[[.hack]]'' [[.hack
** ''.hack//G.U.'' also names one character after your main character in the original games, if it finds a save file for one of them.
* ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed]]: Bloodlines'' can connect to each other, so that in AC II, you get the weapons from each of the bosses that you defeated in Bloodlines as well as some extra money, and in Bloodlines you can now [[Eleventh-Hour Superpower|block with the hidden blade]], [[Improbable Weapon User|fire knives from your hidden blade]] and get a health extension.
Line 100 ⟶ 103:
** There's also the fact that getting into the final [[Bonus Dungeon]] requires you to find all the games [[Mons]] - in both games.
* The core element of the ''[[Mass Effect]]'' series is the ability to transfer saves from one game to the next (and drastically impact the plot and background events as a result). Importing a save from ''[[Mass Effect (video game)|Mass Effect 1]]'' to ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'' preserves all the decisions made in the first game: whether or not you saved/killed {{spoiler|the Rachni Queen, the Council and Wrex}}, the {{spoiler|Virmire survivor}}, etc. In fact, the sequel takes a decidedly different tone if you've imported a game (some conversations and dialogue actions will be different). Playing without importing a save gives you the worst possible start (a Shepard that is assumed to have taken all Renegade options and {{spoiler|killed the Council/Wrex/the Rachni Queen}}).
** ''[[Mass Effect 3]]'' will have another Old Save Bonus that carries over your choices from both games (including the DLC Weapon Packs, the ''Mass Effect: Genesis'' interactive comic for the [[
** In particular, Mass Effect 3 features a massive number of characters and choices from both of the earlier games. If someone died (or you failed to complete certain quests, like the Conrad Verner sidequest), you can lose access to entire quests (or at least interesting conversations!).
* The various ''[[Arc the Lad]]'' sequels have bonus content and characters that can only be unlocked by save files from the previous games.
* In ''[[Xenosaga]]'', possessing Game Clear data from Episode I when starting Episode II gave your entire party the ability "Swimsuit", which dressed them up in swimsuits of various appeal, but more importantly boosted your Speed (And was one of the only ways to) and couldn't be obtained any other way. Game Clear data from Episode II to Episode III also unlocked a couple new costumes as well (Such as Shion's Vector uniform from I/II), which were again otherwise unobtainable. Both game's save data also allowed for a bonus in starting XP and skill points for characters in the next game, though the benefits were severely curtailed; maxed-out levels in the first game would add perhaps 4-5 levels to your starting total in the second.
* There was a series of [[Dungeons
** SSI also made a Mini Game and [[Sidequest]] compilation, ''Hillsfar'', in which you could import your [[Gold Box]] characters and play through a series of events which would give the characters increased experience, skill and valuables before you exported them to another adventure.
** Though, if I remember correctly, none of the sequels actually let you keep your loot from the prior games - instead, each started with something happening to take away any equipment you might already have, such as being teleported thousands of miles away or being captured by the enemy.
Line 125 ⟶ 128:
** If it counts, Resetti will also thank you for buying both games during the first encounter, if you do transfer your character from Wild World to City Folk.
* Unlocking three achievements in the first ''[[Gears of War]]'' game would unlock three multiplayer characters in ''Gears of War 2''.
* ''[[Ace Combat Zero:
* A saved game of ''[[Castlevania: Lament of Innocence]]'' would net you a special item near the start of ''[[Castlevania: Curse of Darkness|Curse of Darkness]]'' that could either be sold for a good amount of cash or be used once to completely fill up your life bar.
* A completed ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' save file nets you a reward in [[Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World|its sequel]] if you plug the Gamecube's memory card into your Wii. Said reward is random, ranging from small/cheap healing items that end up saving you some cash to experience boost items for monsters.
* ''[[Wild
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Seasons]]'' were meant to be played one after the other (in either order.) Data was transferred between the games by a generated password allowing you to fight Twinrova and rescue Zelda in the second game. There were also dozens of passwords you could get from NPCs to perform multi-game sidequests, unlocking bombchus, special rings, the Master Sword, Biggoron's Sword, and arrow/bomb capacity upgrades.
** You could also get a new code to port it all BACK to your old game letting you play through the ending AGAIN with few if any additions. ''[[One Game for the Price of Two]]'' indeed.
*** Little known fact: If you played either game on a [[Game Boy Advance]], there is a door that would be open in the same building as the normal shop that would be just a closed door if you played it on a [[Game Boy Color]]. If you entered the door, you would be greeted by a man telling you that you are in something called an "Advance shop". One of the things for sale is a ring. If you get it appraised, the guy appraising it will tell you that it's a ring proving that you have a [[Game Boy Advance]]. Might as well call this a [[Mind Screw|Future Save Bonus.]]
* On the PC, the ''[[
** ''SimCity 2000'' allowed you to load ''SimCity'' games
** ''SimCity 3000'' let you import ''SimCity 2000'' and ''SimCity'' games
Line 143 ⟶ 146:
* A game-clear save from ''[[Phantasy Star]] Generation:1'' is required in order to even attempt the [[Guide Dang It|long, arduous road]] to reviving Nei after her [[Plotline Death]] in ''Phantasy Star Generation:2''.
* ''[[Armored Core]]'' games within the same generation tend to allow you to transfer your pilot data between them—the reward being starting with your mech and cash from the other game.
* Let's not forget, if you own a copy of ''[[Rock Band]]'' and its sequel on the [[Xbox 360]] or [[
** This trend has continued for the numerous spin-off games in the series, such as ''[[Lego Adaptation Game|Lego Rock Band]]'' (where you can export the tracklist to ''[[Rock Band]]'' and ''[[Rock Band]] 2'', and play child-friendly import and DLC songs) and ''[[Green Day]]: [[Rock Band]]'' (which is also compatible with pre-bought [[Green Day]] DLC). ''[[The Beatles]]: [[Rock Band]]'' does not include this feature, however. Harmonix are also working on not only securing the rights to import the songs from ''[[Rock Band]] 2'' to ''[[Rock Band]] 3'', but also [[No One Gets Left Behind|bring back the songs they couldn't relicense at first]] from ''[[Rock Band]]''.
** Implemented similarly to ''Rock Band''{{'}}s Track Packs in ''[[Guitar Hero]] 5'' and ''Band Hero'' with respect to ''Guitar Hero World Tour'' and ''Smash Hits'' - you only need the manual, whose code on the back is unused, and enough money to cover the cost of relicensing. The reason is that instead of '''exporting''' the data, you actually '''download''' revised data (same charts, only with new features like band moments and [[Harder Than Hard|Expert+]] for Drummers where applicable). The disc is not needed at all.
* ''[[DJMAX]] Portable 2'' has the Link Disc feature, which, with a copy of ''DJMAX Portable'', allows you to play all of ''DJMAX Portable''{{'}}s songs on ''Portable 2''{{'}}s interface. With UMDs, this is easy enough, but with ISOs, which most players are using, the process is more complicated. ''DJMAX Portable Clazziquai Edition''{{'}}s Link Disc is limited to unlocking songs in ''Clazziquai'', and ''DJMAX Portable Black Square'' enables ''Portable 2''-style linking with ''Clazziquai''.
* The ''[[Might and Magic]]'' series did this amazingly well, and was a rare two-way example. Characters could travel back and forth freely between games IV and V, ''Clouds of Xeen'' and ''Darkside of Xeen.'' Having both games installed at the same time also opened up a new high-level endgame called ''World of Xeen.''
* A save for ''[[Backyard Sports|Backyard Basketball]]'' unlocks Barry Dejay in ''Backyard Baseball''.
* ''[[Etrian Odyssey]] II: Heroes of Lagaard'' had some minor bonuses if you entered a password obtained by beating the original game. While no characters transferred over, people recognized the name of your Guild and that you were "experienced adventurers", and several password-exclusive secrets were unlocked.<ref>However, this also had some ''disadvantages'', such as the tutorial guard not giving your group free Medicas because he assumed your "experienced" Level 1 heroes were strong enough to make it back without any help...</ref>
Line 193 ⟶ 196:
* In ''[[Unlimited Adventures]]'' designs, every time you save the game, the characters from your party are also saved as .cch files which can be transferred to another design (try dropping a powerful party into a low-level design and wipe the floor with all enemies). Every design should offer the player a chance to save at the end, after all the battles are fought and all the treasure and experience is gotten; designers who forget that incur the players' wrath.
* ''[[The Suffering]]'' lets you do this. The sequel not only has multiple ending but multiple beginnings. Normally you start with the neutral beginning, but having a savegame from the first game let's you chose the appropriate start.
* Your Pod, outfit, and unlocked stuff in ''[[
* ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy|Dissidia 012 Duodecim]]'' allows the player to transfer the levels of characters, many things unlocked from the PP Catalouge (Such as the villains and bonus chacters, costumes and player icons) as well as a few other things, from their saved data of the previous game. The player is also give the choice of importing everything, or everything but the levels (or as they call it, [[Bag of Spilling|Restarting from Level 1]].) The player can also import data from the demo bringing all the items they won in it.
* Having ''[[Street Fighter IV]]'' data in your memory would unlock two additional color schemes in ''[[Updated Rerelease|Super Street Fighter IV]]''. In addition, any DLC costumes you bought for the original will be unlocked in ''Super''.
Line 209 ⟶ 212:
** ''[[Valkyria Chronicles II]]'' will allow you to unlock several bonus characters, including Isara Gunther {{spoiler|who died in the original game}} if you have save data from ''[[Valkyria Chronicles]]'' moved over from your save there. She's an Armored Tech, and a good one too.
** Having save data from ''II'' will get you Anisette as a playable character in ''''[[Valkyria Chronicles III]]''.
* In the four-part ''[[Sorcery!]]'' [[Gamebook]] series, you can carry over all your equipment and stat modifications from one book to another. The benefits range from minor shortcuts to vital hints to allowing you to skip particularly annoying [[Luck-Based Mission|Luck Based Missions]].
* The Flash RPG series ''[[MARDEK]]'' allows the player to carry over stats and items from chapter to chapter (all chapters are separate games), along with several other variables that are carried over (conversations with NPC's, prior events being referenced in later installments, etc.)
* Starting with the first ''[[Crusader Kings]]'' game, Paradox Interactive began including features in its games that allowed you to port a save to the next game in the chronology, allowing the player to play a single game all the way from [[Crusader Kings|the High Middle Ages]] [[Europa Universalis|through the Renaissance, Enlightenment]], [[Victoria: An Empire Under The Sun|the Pax Britannica, World War One]], [[Hearts of Iron|World War Two, and the Cold War and on up to (almost) the present day]].
* In the ''Game And Watch Gallery'' games for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, you can eventually unlock the ability to link with previous games in the series to unlock more Museum pictures of classic Game & Watch games. To do this between 2 and 1, you have to get over 1000 points in every game in 2; between 3 and 1, you have to get over 1000 points in every game in 1.
* In ''[[Final Fantasy XIII-2]]'', if you have a ''[[Final Fantasy XIII]]'' file, you unlock a [[
* In ''[[Dead Space 2]]'', starting a new game with a save file from ''[[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space]]'' will give you access to a "refurbished" plasma cutter - which is really just the weapon from the first game (that can't be obtained any other way). Starting a new game with a save file from ''Dead Space: Ignition'' will net you a Hacker RIG (which can be very useful in later parts of the game).
* Unlocking the hidden character [[Jake Roberts|Jake "The Snake" Roberts]] in ''[[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] Smackdown vs. Raw 2006'' requires connecting with the PSP version of the same game. Yes, that's right, you need to own the exact same game on two different platforms for this one.
** Same goes for the Gamecube version of ''[[Prince of Persia]]: The Sands of Time'', where you can unlock [[Embedded Precursor|the original]] ''Prince of Persia'' game by linking the GCN and GBA versions—but at least this isn't the only way to do it.
** Ditto with ''[[Crash Bandicoot|Crash Tag Team Racing]]''.
* Completing both ''[[Metal Gear Acid]]'' and ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 3'' allowed you to hook your PSP up to the [[PlayStation 2]] via a USB cable and automatically unlock three bonus items which could only be obtained otherwise by [[Pacifist Run|long]], [[No Damage Run|difficult]] and [[Stealth Run|arduous]] means.
** Also on the PSP, ''[[Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops]]'' would unlock characters based on completion of each of the ''[[Metal Gear Acid]]'' games (Snake's female partner from each of the two games became fully playable), and there was also a bonus for importing a save from the ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' Digital Graphic Novel.
* There is a system in ''[[Geometry Wars]] Galaxies'' for both the Wii and DS which is unlocked by linking them via wireless connection. As these are among the highest-scoring levels in the game, it is nearly impossible to ascend the scoreboard without linking.
* In ''[[Mega Man X|Mega Man X8]]'', having a ''[[Mega Man X Command Mission]]'' save on your memory card will let you fight Cut Man from the original ''[[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]]'' as a bonus boss in Optic Sunflower's stage, right before the boss proper.
Line 225 ⟶ 228:
* In ''[[Harvest Moon]]: Friends Of Mineral Town'' (GBA) connecting to a Gamecube with HM: A Wonderful Life unlocked Van and Ruby, from whom you could buy certain bonus items. On the flip side: playing AWL with FoMT connnected would unlock the hot springs (Where your character could recover lost health and stamina without the use of foodstuffs).
* If, for some strange reason, you still have a ''Madden NFL 06'' save game on your memory card, a special Madden van will be unlocked when you start up ''[[Burnout]] Revenge'' on [[PlayStation 2]].
* Having ''[[Resistance]] 2'' for the [[
* The 2009 ''[[Bionic Commando]]'' game has an unlockable "retro" skin for players who own both ''[[Bionic Commando]]'' and ''Rearmed'' on the same system, in addition to [[Developer's Room|a secret room]] in ''[[Bionic Commando]]'' for players who have beaten ''Rearmed'' [[100% Completion|100%]].
* ''[[Monster Rancher]] 2'' would generate certain special monsters by reading other [[Tecmo]] game discs, such as ''[[Dead or Alive]]''.
* ''[[Fossil Fighters]] Champions'' allows you to send over fossils from the first game. This makes certain vivosaurs much easier to obtain, as some 'saurs that are only available late-game can be gotten from the start in the original FF. There are also some fossils that can ''only'' be obtained in FF, as some vivosaurs only have head fossils in ''Champions.''<ref>Though fossil-set completion is far less important in ''Champions'' because it's no longer tied to skill learning, it's still the fastest way to level your 'saurs.</ref>
* An unused and unfinished card titled "Terror from the Deep" can be found in the data for the Microprose ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' game with text that indicated you could only use it if you owned the second [[X-COM (Video Game)|X-COM]] game ''Terror from the Deep''. It has 24 power, 24 toughness and costs 7 blue mana, which is better in raw power and power per cost than creatures printed 2 decades of power creep later. How this was supposed to have worked is a mystery.
* Owning a copy of ''[[Mafia II|Mafia II: Definitive Edition]]'' and/or ''[[Mafia III|Mafia III: Definitive Edition]]'' unlocks the default outfits for Vito and Lincoln in ''[[Mafia: Definitive Edition]]'' along with their respective vehicles.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Older Than the NES]]
[[Category:Video Game Rewards]]
▲[[Category:Old Save Bonus]]
| |||