History Main / OldSaveBonus

* Placing a ''VideoGame/WarioWareTwisted'' cartridge in the GBA slot of your UsefulNotes/NintendoDS while playing ''VideoGame/WarioWareTouched'' will unlock the Mona Pizza music video. North American gamers probably didn't know about this EasterEgg at first, because ''Touched!'' was released before ''Twisted!'' in the States (in Japan, the reverse is true). This doesn't work in Europe, because ''Twisted!'' wasn't released there, and due to region lockout it's not possible to use a foreign copy. In Korea, where ''Twisted'' wasn't released either, the video is instead unlocked using ''VideoGame/WarioWareIncMegaMicrogames''.

** In ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'', you'll get Lightning's outfits from the previous two games for her to wear if you have save data from the games in question.

** Most American gamers are [[NoExportForYou unaware]] of the fact that ''VideoGame/Persona2'' is a duology. If you complete ''Innocent Sin'', you can transfer Tatsuya's stats to ''Eternal Punishment''.

** Importing a save from ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' to ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' will give the player an experience point bonus for ''2'' depending on what level they finished the first game at. It also preserves all the decisions made in the first game, the biggest of which being whether or not you saved/killed [[spoiler:the Rachni Queen, the Council and/or Wrex]], the [[spoiler:Virmire survivor]], etc. Notably, ''not'' doing this will give 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]]), and certain conversations will be different and assume the player is unfamiliar with the lore and world. ''Mass Effect 2'' also has a DLC interactive catchup comic that lets players make the six most important choices from the first game... and nothing else. As well, there are exactly three decisions a player can take in the first game that don't carry over properly into the second:

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' offers a similar import to ''Mass Effect 2'': your level is carried over, meaning you can start the game as high as Level 30, halfway to ''3'''s doubled level cap of 60. As before your decisions from the previous two games are carried over, including actions in ''1'' that were never referenced in ''2''. The DLC catchup comic also returns and is expanded to cover the events of ''2'', although as before this is rather limited and it's impossible to get anywhere close to the positive outcomes possible by just playing the first two games outright.

* In ''Videogame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'', you can choose a follower and a nemesis to carry over to ''Videogame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar''. When you play the sequel, you will casually rescue your follower in a story mission, but your nemesis will take the spotlight by becoming a WakeUpCallBoss hoping for a HeroicRematch in front of a coliseum full of orcs cheering for him.

** Ordinarily, ''Pokémon'' games that are part of the same "generation" can trade with each other no matter when they were released, but ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue FireRed and LeafGreen]]'' require you to complete a sidequest before trading with the Hoenn games is allowed. Trading with the Kanto remakes (or ''Emerald'') is also the only way for players of ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' to unlock the National Pokédex.

* One of the [=PS2=] ''VideoGame/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'' games unlocks a couple of bonus characters such as the two Qiaos if one has specific ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/DynastyTactics'' save data on your memory card.

** Ordinarily, ''Pokémon'' games that are part of the same "generation" can trade with each other no matter when they were released, but ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue FireRed and LeafGreen]]'' require you to complete a sidequest before trading with the Hoenn games is allowed.

* Placing a ''VideoGame/WarioWareTwisted'' cartridge in the GBA slot of your UsefulNotes/NintendoDS while playing ''VideoGame/WarioWareTouched'' will unlock the Mona Pizza music video. North American gamers probably didn't know about this EasterEgg at first, because ''Touched!'' was released before ''Twisted!'' in the States (in Japan, the reverse is true). This doesn't work in Europe, because ''Twisted!'' wasn't released there, and due to region lockout it's not possible to use a foreign copy. In Korea, where ''Twisted'' wasn't released either, the video is instead unlocked using ''VideoGame/WarioWareMegaMicrogames''.

* Done without a memory card with ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi 3'' through Disc Fusion on the [=PS2=], not present in the Wii version. Having the game discs of the first two games unlocks two modes in Ultimate Battle, and clearing them rewards you with a special item, one for each. The items aren't terribly powerful and the [[BraggingRightsReward one item you get from collecting all items]] excludes these two from its requirement.

* Placing a ''VideoGame/WarioWare: Twisted!'' cartridge in the GBA slot of your UsefulNotes/NintendoDS while playing ''VideoGame/WarioWare: Touched!'' will unlock the Mona Pizza music video. North American gamers probably didn't know about this EasterEgg at first, because ''Touched!'' was released before ''Twisted!'' in the States (in Japan, the reverse is true). This doesn't work in Europe, because ''Twisted!'' wasn't released there, and due to region lockout it's not possible to use a foreign copy. In Korea, where ''Twisted'' wasn't released either, the video is instead unlocked using ''Mega Microgame$''.

* In ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'', having a save game from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' and then playing 50 races is the easier method for unlocking Rosalina as a playable character. In comparison, the default unlocking method consists of earning a Star rank in all eight cups in [[HarderThanHard Mirror Mode]].

** The first game used the save data to mess with the player's head. Psycho Mantis can read your mind (actually, your memory card), and will not only comment on your playstyle, but also tell you what games you like to play. In the original PSX version, it looked for Konami titles (such as ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'', ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'', and even ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'' and ''VisualNovel/{{Policenauts}}'' in the Japanese version - having a save file for both unlocks a special message from Creator/HideoKojima); in the [=GameCube=] version (''The Twin Snakes''), it looks for Nintendo titles (including ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' and ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'', made by the same team behind the remake). This also appears in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'', [[spoiler:when Mantis returns and tries to read your memory card... then realizes [[TechnologyMarchesOn there is no memory card]], and [[VillainousBreakdown freaks the hell out]].]]

* ''VideoGame/SolastaCrownOfTheMagister'''s newest DLC, the ''Palace of Ice'', allows you to import your saved game from the main campaign or the ''Lost Valley'' DLC. Your wealth, equipment and skills will follow for your characters' newest adventure.

* Save data from ''Videogame/{{Yakuza}}'' will allow you to start ''Yakuza 2'' with a collection of goodies in your item storage box, none of which you can acquire in any other way. They're presumed to be gifts from Haruka, the little girl you spend most of the first game protecting, and they include some pretty nice equipment and powerful healing items. Similarly, the [=PlayStation=] 3 games (starting with Yakuza 3) all give bonuses if you have save data from any of the previous UsefulNotes/Playstation3 game, each game providing a different bonus. The [=PlayStation=] 4 titles also offer old save bonuses, starting with ''Kiwami''.

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': This benefits Kirito greatly during the Fairy Dance arc. Since SAO and ALO are built on the same source code, when Kirito starts ALO, all of his compatible stats from SAO are transferred over, granting him a massively overpowered avatar. However, he considers it cheating and once he saves Asuna and defeats Sugou/Oberon, he resets his stats so he can make a proper Spriggan build and have fun with it.

** If you have a save file for ''Breath of the Wild'' when playing its direct sequel, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'', you have the option to transfer over the horses you stabled from the previous game. Also, as you'd expect, all ''Breath of the Wild'' Toys/{{amiibo}} are compatible with ''Tears of the Kingdom'', and scanning the Champion amiibo will grant their respective Divine Helms with the same appearance that they had in the first game.[[note]]Wolf Link cannot be summoned by scanning its amiibo, however, like he was in ''Breath of the Wild''.[[/note]] Also, if you bought and completed ''The Champions' Ballad'' [=DLC=] for the previous game, the [[spoiler:framed picture of Link, Zelda, and the four old Champions]] will still be present in Link's House in Hateno Village.

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', after reaching Ecruteak City it's possible to use the Time Capsule to trade with ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'', as long as the player's party consists only of Pokémon that existed in the previous games and don't know any newly-introduced moves. This is the only way to obtain the Kanto starters, fossil Pokémon, and legendaries that are found in the older games. This is the only time the series has ever allowed two-way trades between generations; later entries in the series only allow one-way transfers to future generations. This allows some Pokémon in the first-generation games to have moves that they couldn't otherwise learn. All first-generation Pokémon also hold items when traded to the second generation games, despite held items not being implemented until Gen 2; this was the only way a few items could be obtained in ''Gold/Silver/Crystal'', like the [=TwistedSpoon=], Light Ball, and Lucky Punch.

** The successor to Pokémon Bank, introduced after ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', is Pokémon Home. As with Bank, it allows Pokémon from previous games to be transferred to the Switch titles- specifically, from Pokémon Bank, ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'', and ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee''.

* ''VideoGame/FableII'' has a little quirk which means that in order to achieve HundredPercentCompletion on it, you also have to buy the UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade game ''Fable II Pub Games'', which basically uss a relatively obscure gameplay mechanic of ''Fable II'' to give the player otherwise unobtainable items which are then transferable to the main game. They later released the DLC "See The Future" which allows players to obtain the items via an in-game store tacked on with the DLC.
** [[VideoGame/FableIII The third game]] refers to the second's protagonist as either King or Queen of Bowerstone based on your choice in ''Fable II''. Dialogue that would reference major story choices was planned, but ultimately not implemented.

* Several cases in ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch''. Owning a copy of the first game lets you have access to three exclusive Yo-kai in the sequel (Komasan, Noko, and Buchinyan)- though, this is done by reading a photo taken using the Yo-kai Cam feature in the first game, rather than reading a save file directly. It's also possible for ''Psychic Specters'' games to import save files from ''Bony Spirits'' or ''Fleshy Souls'', allowing players to access the new content without having to restart. Linking the second game with ''Yo-kai Watch Blasters'' and ''Yo-kai Watch 3'' gives you access to an S-Rank mascot (Jibanyan S, Komasan S, Komajiro S). Linking ''Blasters'' with the third game gives you the Blaster-variants of mascots (Jibanyan B, Komasan B, Usaypon B), as well as the Japan-only ''Sangokushi'' giving you six Commander Yo-kai (changed in localization to a pair of QR codes)

** Playing ''VideoGame/KirbyCanvasCurse'' with another ''Kirby'' game in the GBA slot allows you to play as a Waddle Doo before unlocking it regularly (which is extremely late post-game).

** You have any saved data from any ''Kirby'' game for Switch (e.g. ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'') when playing ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamBuffet'', you will get three music tracks from that game that can be heard during races.

** {{Superboss}} Red, being a PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo, [[WhatCouldHaveBeen was originally planned]] to use the player's party from their ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' save file. This was scrapped due to implementation difficulties (these being Game Boy games, the "best" solution probably would have been Link Cable connectivity, which would A: have required two consoles and B: [[InterfaceSpoiler probably spoiled the surprise of facing Red]]).

** If you have a save file for ''Breath of the Wild'' when playing its direct sequel, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'', you have the option to transfer over the horses you stabled from the previous game. Also, as you'd expect, all ''Breath of the Wild'' Toys/{{amiibo}} are compatible with ''Tears of the Kingdom'', and scanning the Champion amiibo will grant their respective Divine Helms with the same appearance that they had in the first game.[[note]]Wolf Link cannot be summoned by scanning its amiibo, however, like he was in ''Breath of the Wild''.[[/note]]

** If you have a save file for ''Breath of the Wild'' when playing its direct sequel, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'', you have the option to transfer over the horses you stabled from the previous game.

** In ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity'', having a savegame of ''Breath of the Wild'' on your Switch gives Link a wooden sword and shield.

* Save data for ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' can be transferred to ''VideoGame/Splatoon3''. Doing so will give the player three Gold Sheldon Licenses to unlock any main weapon irrespective of their level; immediate access to the ranked modes (starting at Rank B- instead of C- if they reached or surpassed that rank in ''2'') and matchmaking to players of similar skill level; give Captain (aka [[PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo the original Agent 3]]) their appearance from ''Octo Expansion'' if they'd played that campaign; and a truncated version of the [[PlayerVersusEnvironment Salmon Run]] tutorial if they'd played that mode, with Mr. Grizz acknowledging you as a returning employee. In addition, if the player has any Toys/{{amiibo}} that they used in ''Splatoon 2'', then using them in ''Splatoon 3'' automatically unlocks all of their related gear.

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', after reaching Ecruteak City it's possible to use the Time Capsule to trade with ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'', as long as the player's party consists only of Pokémon that existed in the previous games and don't know any newly-introduced moves. This is the only way to obtain the Kanto starters, fossil Pokémon, and legendaries that are found in the older games. This is the only time the series has ever allowed two-way trades between generations; later entries in the series only allow one-way transfers to future generations. This allows some Pokémon in the first-generation games to have moves that they couldn't otherwise learn. Some first-generation Pokémon also have held items when traded to the second generation games, despite held items not being implemented until Gen 2; this was the only way a few items could be obtained in ''Gold/Silver/Crystal'', like the [=TwistedSpoon=], Light Ball, and Lucky Punch.