Nintendo GameCube News | Zelda: Twilight Princess Dated in Europe

By James Temperton 26.10.2006 116

ONM, the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, have today revealed that the GameCube version of The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess will hit shelves across Europe on December 15th, one week after its Wii counterpart. Of course this version will also work on the Wii, so if you are after Zelda with traditional controls just like God intended, then you only have to wait a week and then you can play GameCube Zelda on your Wii. Isn't that lovely?

Nintendo's reasoning for the week-long gap is to meet demand for both the GameCube and the Wii versions. An alternative view might be to say that it is a great way for them to make money, but that would just be us being sceptical...

Box art for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Developer

Nintendo

Publisher

Nintendo

Genre

Action Adventure

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  n/a

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  8/10 (66 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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Guest 26.10.2006#51

Well, certain parts will be different of course. Can't imagine they would keep everything exactly the same, so that's why I would want to try out both versions.

IS it really THAT bad releasing it on both? Jeez, Nintendo's catering for us all and we should just be happy playing a Zelda game

As blade said I've got a rough idea. Heck if I have a particularly fruitful end to the year I might buy both and return my least-favourite control-method version Smilie

Barry Lewis [ nin10do :: General Writer :: Feature Writer :: Fountain of Industry Statistics ]
"We're mentalist psychic Scots, which means we can read your mind. If you're lying, your head explodes and we laugh."

Well, certain parts will be different of course. Can't imagine they would keep everything exactly the same, so that's why I would want to try out both versions.

The only really fundamental thing that really changed between OoT and TWW is being able to controle the camera with the c stick Smilie.

XBL Gamertag: James2t3

Smilie Aren't America only getting it on GC next year? WE GET A GAME BEFORE THE AMERICANS!?!? ONE PEOPLE ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT!?!!?!?

Still a proud member of the 'omfg amazing water in games' society

About the Rare game scores for the 360 launch, Oni was pretty right about that, another site I use with a similar function gives both titles an average of 81

I think what people mean when they're disappointed by the games, is that they are games that are far above average, but they hugely disappoint compared with Rare's earlier games reputation, & compared with the huge hype. Many woudl also argue they seem overrated, but they may also have been fans of Rare in the N64 days, nowadays it seems Rare have a lower standard, so while it's a good game, it's bad for Rare.

Anyway, enough of that. Back to TP.

About the business thing, why do Nintendo make games for us? To make us happy? You'd sure like to think that way, I know you would, I know I would, but no, they make games for OUR MONEY, they make fun-ness for our money, it's cruel I know, but it's basically solid truth.

So, why release the GC version on the same week? It would take emphasis off the Wii & the Wii version, confuse the consumer with 2 versions of the game, & if we make an assumption here, it would damage the launch sales. If you were a mainstreamer & you walked into a shop/internet on launch day, you'd possibly see 2 versions of TP.

Double-you. Tee. Eff.

It still confuses me, & I'm a "hardcore gamer" which versino would I get? Personally the GC version, for reasons previously stated, but what if you were the mainstreamer who hadn't been thinking on the choice for the past year, then it might be a bit hard to decide, you might decide to "drop it" or buy another game for now, you might completely forget you wanted to get it, sure you might pick it up 2nd hand in a while, but Nintendo WANT to sell it first hand. They know they'll get a freakin' fortune out of the game, so why not? Sure you could think they're being twats, idiots, cunts, whatever, but they're doing it because they decided it would help them out the most, besides, they NEED help if you think about it, that last gen was bloody torture for them. Smilie

I can understand how everyone posting here feels, I don't disagree with ANYONE's points, which may be confusing, but it's true, being a huge Zelda fan, I've been through all these stages, when it was first announced there would be 2 versions I acted like a blind fanboy, & stayed that way for a little while, when I started to be more negative about it, when the Australian date was revealed, I didin't react too differently to how Oni is now, but I've decided that getting pissed off about it won't help me out, or anyone else, for now anyway. I calmed down about it, I'm still angry at Nintendo for it, but I can understand it perfectly too.

& Blade, I love your new sig. Smilie

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Guest 26.10.2006#57

Blade2t3 said:
Well, certain parts will be different of course. Cant imagine they would keep everything exactly the same, so thats why I would want to try out both versions.
The only really fundamental thing that really changed between OoT and TWW is being able to controle the camera with the c stick Smilie.

And we could finally use the L-button together with the Z-button!
Nah, I see your point. Still, they're screwing us for not releasing one version with both control methods.

So, why release the GC version on the same week? It would take emphasis off the Wii & the Wii version, confuse the consumer with 2 versions of the game, & if we make an assumption here, it would damage the launch sales. If you were a mainstreamer & you walked into a shop/internet on launch day, you'd possibly see 2 versions of TP.

Well, give me a reason then not to make it a gamecube game with "Wii/GC" on the box. Wii can play Gamecube discs after all, it's no technical issue.

( Edited on 26.10.2006 20:14 by )

Because Nintendo are whores.

-Bart- said:
Well, give me a reason then not to make it a gamecube game with Wii/GC on the box. Wii can play Gamecube discs after all, its no technical issue.
Yeah, I've been meaning to comment on that too. I have no idea why they didn't do that, would have made much more sense, & I would have loved it a lot more.

These are the only reasons I can see being true...

#1 the GC disc might not have enough space for all the extras without going onto a 2nd disc

#2 People might not be willing to buy it if it says GC on it, or if it's a GC disc. It's weird, but I think it's true Smilie Tons of people don't want to have a "babyish" GC game on a "crappy" GC disc, even if it does work on their Wii Smilie

Stupid reasons I know. I really think they should have done that... Oh yeah, there's a good 3rd reason too

#3 Nintendo got lazy/greedy. Smilie

Twitter | C3 Writer/Moderator | Backloggery

I'll be honest in saying that I didn't bother reading all ~58 comments above me but I sure am happy this is out before Christmas. Its good to see Nintendo bucking up their ideas. Smilie

While we're on the subject of release dates (Since I can't be bothered to make a new thread about this one game) NTOM has absolutely no nothing on Excite Truck coming at launch... Brilliant...

Still a proud member of the 'omfg amazing water in games' society

Megadanxzero said:
While were on the subject of release dates (Since I cant be bothered to make a new thread about this one game) NTOM has absolutely no nothing on Excite Truck coming at launch... Brilliant...
I think it was only delayed a few weeks, I think it'll definitely be worth the wait, looks like only Red Steel, Monkey Ball & Wii Play for me on launch day then.

Twitter | C3 Writer/Moderator | Backloggery

Oh come on guys. Imagine the situation was reversed and it was released on the GC without being on the wii at all. I bet that people would be asking why the hell they didnt move it over to the wii. Because people will see it as a GC game, and with the GC practiacally dead and the wii coming out the sales would not be anywhere near as succesfull.

The ideal situation would have been both controll mechanics on one disc. So if you put the disc in the GC it would play as a GC game. If you put it in the Wii it would play as a wii game, however if you plugged in GC controlls it would play as a GC game. BUT for this to happen it would have to be on the very limited capacity sized GC discs. Which arent that small.. But no where near large enough to hold enough data for both controll mechanics. SO really it makes sense to release two Smilie keeps both crowds happy.

Obviously having such an anticipated game as a launch title is too good an oppertunity to miss, and yes nintendo will want to exploit that a little bit. With only 1 week inbetween though... whats all the fuss about??? The game will come out just how you want it to!

I am really lookin forward to playing Zelda in a different way. And yes I will probably pick up the GC version after a while when/if I ever see it in a bargin bin lol.

So please.. stop moaning at each other, arguing which version is better Smilie Its the same game but with different controls so that people who want to play the game in a new way can, and those that dont... dont have to!

[/rant]Smilie

Oni-Ninja said:
Because Nintendo are whores.

You call me a fanboy..... seriously there is no one else on this site that is pro MS and anti-Nintendo, fucking hell Nintendo are making probably the best game ever on two consoles like Thundercats said what the fuck is wrong with that.

Crazylurch is entitled to his opinions we hasn't attacking you on why you want the GCN version but you keep on proclaiming how much better it is than the Wii version, have played either version ? No you haven't.

You can't call Nintendo whores who introduced gaming, thought of the dpad, rumble pack, 3d games , analogue and a revolutionary new controller you have any idea how much of a risk these where and how much money nintendo pumped into innovating. Whereas MS give an Xbox with HD grpahics and charge us


Mike Gee of iZINE said, "...The Verve, as he [Richard Ashcroft] promised, had become the greatest band in the world. Most of the critics agreed with him. Most paid due homage. The Verve were no longer the question mark or the clich�. They were the statement and the definition."

I think weve all learned........Oni is VERY stubborn.

But yeah, at the moment im prefering Wii, forget any stupid *how it was meant to be played*, its meant to be played however they make it, if they make it for wii, then thats how it was meant to be played also, its not like shigeru is some troubled artist sitting there getting all emo because satoru 'the bastard' iwata is cutting his artistic vision to threads because hes a money whore and wants to release it on wii.

I prefer wii, because its something new to the series (entirely new) and all previews ive read from this site and ign and other sites have been positive, and the fact its going to be used for many other things, remember the boxing match with the goron? the flying dragon-like creature? how about midna using some sort of stun whip type thing from her head? perhaps using it to move/swing the lantern (ambitious i know), or gesturing to pick up animals (again, perhaps ambitious), the rowing, the fishing........

It just doesnt sound anywhere near tacked on to me, and all previews have convinced me so far. that is all.

I think everyone is geting far too worked up about this, it's really no big deal at all. It's not gonna prove anyone wrong or right, it's not gonna change anything, it's just a clash of opinion.... enough bashing Oni, infact enough bashing anyone, I don't think anyone has the right to offend anyone else on their VIEWS about Twilight Princess. Not that ay serious offending is going on, it's just a bit much from clashing opinions....

Anyway, gotta put a few things across too.

Mr.Ashcroft said:
You cant call Nintendo whores who introduced gaming, thought of the dpad, rumble pack, 3d games , analogue and a revolutionary new controller

First of all, Nintendo didn't introduce gaming, they brought it back to life after the Video game crash of 1983 alongside SEGA & Atari. Also, they didn't invent 3D games, I'm sure there were few 3D games before that on PC. Same with analogue... Joypads? Smilie Also, the new controller isn't exactly revolutionary, sure it's revolutionary for a controller like that to be used as a default controller for a system, but light guns have been done before, & that's all it is, except for a lot more advanced with a few extra gadgets... I guess Smilie
by the way Perfect Dark and Kameo were bollocks. gamecentral give it 6 and 5 respectively.
That was ONE reviewer, as I posted before...

PDZ - 81%
Kameo - 81%

& that website uses averages of many magazines & websites, not to mention it's part of CNET. So it's pretty reliable Smilie

Now I'm a Nintendo fanboy myself, but you can't go blurting out random figures without more back up. Smilie

Twitter | C3 Writer/Moderator | Backloggery
Guest 27.10.2006#67

Prometheus said:If you put it in the Wii it would play as a wii game, however if you plugged in GC controlls it would play as a GC game. BUT for this to happen it would have to be on the very limited capacity sized GC discs. Which arent that small.. But no where near large enough to hold enough data for both controll mechanics.

Smilie

Mr.Ashcroft said:
Oni-Ninja said:Because Nintendo are whores.

You call me a fanboy..... seriously there is no one else on this site that is pro MS and anti-Nintendo

I'm not anti-Nintendo. I wouldn't have nearly every Nintendo console ever made, nor would I post here if I was. Nor am I 'pro-MS'. I have an Xbox. That's it. If having an Xbox makes one 'pro-MS', then there's quite a few 'pro-MS' people who post here Smilie

Mr.Ashcroft said:
fucking hell Nintendo are making probably the best game ever on two consoles like Thundercats said what the fuck is wrong with that.

Firstly, I highly doubt it's the 'best game ever'. Secondly, nothing. I just detest the way the original version is getting trampled in the process, mmkay?

Mr.Ashcroft said:
Crazylurch is entitled to his opinions we hasnt attacking you on why you want the GCN version

Never said he was.

Mr.Ashcroft said:
but you keep on proclaiming how much better it is than the Wii version, have played either version ? No you havent.

'Twighlight Princess was being designed as a GC game for many years, long before anyone even thought of the Wii. Therefore, it will play better on it's original console, because that's what it was designed to do. It's just common-sense, mate.

Mr.Ashcroft said:
You cant call Nintendo whores who introduced gaming, thought of the dpad, rumble pack, 3d games , analogue and a revolutionary new controller you have any idea how much of a risk these where and how much money nintendo pumped into innovating.

Nintendo didn't introduce gaming. They started in the 80's. The first ever videogame (called Spacewar) was made in 1961. Eleven years later in 1972, Magnavox release the first ever videogame console; The Magnavox Odyssey. That's a whole thirteen years before the NES. On top of that, in the period between the Odyssey and the NES, people like Atari where making their own consoles. Nintendo did not 'introduce gaming' at all.

Nintendo didn't invent the D-pad. That honour goes to 1981's Microvision, which was inspired be earlier pre-D-pad designs. Nintendo didn't invent the analogue stick, either. Either Atari or GCE invented it in 1982! Saying they invented 3D gaming is just silly. Purely off the top of my head, I can tell you the games like Wolfenstein3D and Doom came out long before Nintendo ever did any 3D games. There were 3D games before Wolfenstein, aswell.

The Wiimote is about the only thing Nintendo have invented, and even that is based on some pretty old existing technology, just never used in gaming before. If I had a penny for every time someone said "Nintendo invented this/that" when they actually didn't, I'd be pretty well off.

Mr.Ashcroft said:
Whereas MS give an Xbox with HD grpahics and charge us

Oni,

I think the reason people are getting so annoyed with your rants (and they are rants) is that you're taking your opinion, based on a few screenshots of the new twilight realm, and making gross assumptions about what Nintendo have actually been doing for the last year.

You're also talking as if "the console for which it was originally designed" actually means anything. Twilight Princess isn't some piece of art that was meant to be a book or a play that's been bastardised into a 90 minute hollywood film. It isn't a piece of great music covered by a shit boyband. It's a game that's been developed over a long period of time, with mucho play testing of a variety of control schemes. Everything about the game is being, or has been, honed and tweaked and if you don't think that's exactly what they've been doing for the last year to make sure the Wii version is great then you're a fool.

Now I might be making some assumptions here, but I think it's safer to say that Nintendo is working hard to make Twilight Princess a great game, and a great experience on Wii than it is to say that Nintendo are going to risk the reputation of one of their biggest franchises on a control scheme they dreamt up one night so they could chuck it onto their new console.

Yes, it would have been business suicide to release TP only on GC to little sales. It would also be business suicide to release a highly anticipated game on a new console with new controls without making sure those controls, and the game experience, were at least as good as the GC control scheme. Imagine the negative impact on impressions of the Wii.

I think you're being excessively pessimistic about the Wii version of this game for several reasons:

1. You believe the GC version was finished last year and are annoyed you've been denied playing it then.
2. You're not that enamoured with the Wii controller and don't really see its potential. Fine, but I can and I'm really looking forward to it.
3. You don't like the idea of large changes in one of your favourite game franchises.
4. You're angry that Nintendo have put business decisions (not releasing TP solely on an obsolete platform) before your gaming needs.

Basically, if that's what you think, then there's nothing anyone here can do to change your mind. Perhaps you're right about all 3 and Wii TP will destroy the Zelda franchise. Perhaps you're wrong and Nintendo have spent the last year turning TP into a great Wii game. I'd imagine it's somewhere in between. I reckon TP will be a great game on the Wii, but we won't really see it fully exploit the possibilities of the controller. That's for the next one!

"This man has advanced communist views ... He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours."

Dr_R said:
Oni,I think the reason people are getting so annoyed with your rants (and they are rants) is that youre taking your opinion, based on a few screenshots of the new twilight realm, and making gross assumptions about what Nintendo have actually been doing for the last year.

I've already said that I know they haven't only been adding Wii controls in the last year. That's a given. But do you really think they've put a year's worth of work into the actual game itself, or do you think they've put most of it into getting the Wii port up-and-running?

You don't find it odd that the game was 'nearly finished' a year ago, and here we are, still waiting for it? The delay came not long after the Wii was announced, and Nintendo furiously denied all the rumours that there was going to be a Wii version. Then, they announced it, and had a whole year to work on it, because they'd already delayed it. Highly convenient, don't you think? And what do you think that extra year has mostly been spent on? Wii controls. I'm not putting two and two together and getting five, am I? I've made no 'gross assumptions', certainly haven't assumed any more than you, and I'm entitled to rant.

Dr_R said:
Youre also talking as if the console for which it was originally designed actually means anything. Twilight Princess isnt some piece of art that was meant to be a book or a play thats been bastardised into a 90 minute hollywood film. It isnt a piece of great music covered by a shit boyband. Its a game thats been developed over a long period of time, with mucho play testing of a variety of control schemes. Everything about the game is being, or has been, honed and tweaked and if you dont think thats exactly what theyve been doing for the last year to make sure the Wii version is great then youre a fool.

But those rather dramatic analogies don't really apply to what I've been saying. After all those years of work put into it, designing it as a GameCube game, you think they can undo all of that and redesign it for another console in just one small year? No. No matter how much they try, it's a GameCube game, and therefore, will feel more at home on the GC. It's very simple, and I don't see why you find it such a hard thing to comprehend. And was there really any need for the 'fool' comment at the end? Trying to make an impact?

Dr_R said:
Now I might be making some assumptions here, but I think its safer to say that Nintendo is working hard to make Twilight Princess a great game, and a great experience on Wii than it is to say that Nintendo are going to risk the reputation of one of their biggest franchises on a control scheme they dreamt up one night so they could chuck it onto their new console.

Oh, please. You're exaggerating to the nth degree just to try and argue with me. Of course Nintendo are doing their best to make the Wii port as good as humanly possible. They're arent trying to make it crap, are they? The Wii port will be great, and I've already said I'm all for it. Do pay attention.

Dr_R said:
Yes, it would have been business suicide to release TP only on GC to little sales.

I know that, and you know that. We all know that. I've not said anything to the contrary (no-one has). It doesn't bear repeating, and you're only saying it just to say it. The problem I and some others have, is that some of us have already waited a very long time for the GC version. Is it right for Nintendo to then release the GC version after the Wii port..? And not only that, but to lie about why, aswell!

There's absolutely no practical reason why they'd release the GC version after. Then to lie about it, well, it's just Nintendo cannibalizing the GC version, and some of us resent that.

Dr_R said:
It would also be business suicide to release a highly anticipated game on a new console with new controls without making sure those controls, and the game experience, were at least as good as the GC control scheme. Imagine the negative impact on impressions of the Wii.

Of course they wouldn't do that. But then, having the good grace to give us the GC version at the same time as the Wii port wouldn't exactly harm the Wii version at all, would it?

Dr_R said:
I think youre being excessively pessimistic about the Wii version of this game for several reasons:1. You believe the GC version was finished last year and are annoyed youve been denied playing it then.

I'm annoyed at being made to wait primarily for the Wii version, that is all.

Dr_R said:
2. Youre not that enamoured with the Wii controller and dont really see its potential. Fine, but I can and Im really looking forward to it.

Not at all, and I don't know where you've got this from. I think the Wii has lots of potential, with software designed for it, not ported GameCube games.

Dr_R said:
3. You dont like the idea of large changes in one of your favourite game franchises.

You're just making stuff up, now. I've never said that. Never.

Dr_R said:
4. Youre angry that Nintendo have put business decisions (not releasing TP solely on an obsolete platform) before your gaming needs.

I'm angry that they'd completely trample on the GC version in favour of the Wii port, that is all. As I've said multiple times now, I accept Nintendo's need to improve the Wii's crap line-up with a good game, I just resent that I'm being punished for it. I don't expect them to release it soley for the GC at all, but they could easily release both version at the same time. Easily. They're lying when they say they can't.

Dr_R said:
Basically, if thats what you think, then theres nothing anyone here can do to change your mind.

That's not what I think though, you've misinterpreted me, and made stuff up at every point.

Dr_R said:
Perhaps youre right about all 3 and Wii TP will destroy the Zelda franchise.

You're making this up. I've never said that, at all. I'm all for the Wii port. I just want my GC version at the same time, is that too much to ask?

Dr_R said:
Perhaps youre wrong and Nintendo have spent the last year turning TP into a great Wii game.

Well, I can't exactly be wrong about all the stuff I've never even said.

Dr_R said:
Id imagine its somewhere in between. I reckon TP will be a great game on the Wii, but we wont really see it fully exploit the possibilities of the controller. Thats for the next one!

Indeed.

( Edited on 27.10.2006 11:32 by Oni )

i wonder why they are such moneyleeches? why couldn't they just include the gamecube control scheme in the wii version too? it's definatly not lack of space Smilie

Who thinks the GC version might span two discs?

Oni-Ninja said:
Who thinks the GC version might span two discs?

Quite possibly.

btw Oni, I may be exaggerating your opinions, but you are being stubborn and consistently negative about the Wii version for no supportable (by evidence of the game) reasons. You constantly write about "tacked on controls". If that isn't claiming the Wii version will be substandard, I don't know what is.

As for your repeated claims that it is a "gamecube game", I think you're over stating the importance of the intended system. With this last generation of identi-kit controllers a game is merely a game. The system specific nature of it is only related to the technical limitations of the hardware. The GC build of TP could very easily work on the Xbox, or the 360, or even the PS2 or PS3. It could also very easily be configured to work with the N64 controller. All of this could be accomplished with little or no loss of quality in the gameplay.

For Wii things are slightly different. Games made for it will be difficult to port to other systems, if they make essential use of the controller functions. However, other games can still be ported to it with negligible loss in functionality, and probably some gains (Okami, I'm looking at you). A game designed, initially, for GC will still work on Wii.

I believe that Twilight Princess will be this and more. The Wii controls will work, and will have been refined and developed, and other aspects of the game subtly changed, to make the controls feel like a natural part of the game, not at all tacked on.

As far as the business stuff goes, be thankful they're releasing the GC version you crave at all. Releasing TP on Wii before the GC version will maximise Wii sales. If they'd released the GC build the previous year that wouldn't have been true. TP would have sold poorly on 'cube due to the small user base, would have sold poorly on Wii, if it had even been released, due to it being an old game, and fewer Wii consoles would have been sold. It's not difficult to work out the sensible thing to do given those options. Yes we all wanted to play TP last xmas but Nintendo didn't release it because they like making money. Get over it!

Oh and, as far as I can work out, TP has been in production for about 4 years (since work on Wind Waker finished at the end of 2002). I think a quarter of the development time (the minimum time we know has been spent on the Wii build) is hardly, given all the work that goes into producing a game, hardly any time spent on working out the Wii controls.

"This man has advanced communist views ... He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours."

Oni,

Nintendo brought gaming to the masses and i am pretty sure Nintendo brought the first 3d game fully accessible with an analogue and GameCentral aren't a site.Smilie


Mike Gee of iZINE said, "...The Verve, as he [Richard Ashcroft] promised, had become the greatest band in the world. Most of the critics agreed with him. Most paid due homage. The Verve were no longer the question mark or the clich�. They were the statement and the definition."

Dr_R said:
As far as the business stuff goes, be thankful theyre releasing the GC version you crave at all.
o/\o Dude, took the words right out of my mouth.

Seriously, if it were any other company, they'd have delayed it to next gen without a 2nd thoguh about the poor current gen version. We all love Rare do we? Rare make good games. *ahem*

I don't know why they didn't create the GC version with Wii controls implemented, or vice versa, but it might be confusing for a few consumers. Also the GC version might span 2 discs afterall, I mean there's FMV in the game, & 100+ hours of gameplay. Jesus, I think we'd be really lucky if it DIDN'T span 2 discs, do we know yet?

Have NINTENDO EVER let us down with Zelda before? Smilie

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