Japanese GC version of Zelda to be sold online only
by Jason Wishnov 
{ Oct 11th 2006 at 6:00PM }
First, it was to be the pinnacle of all Gamecube games. Then, it would be released on both the GC and the Wii simultaneously. Then Nintendo went ahead and added a new control scheme to the Wii version. Then they had the gall to release the Gamecube version almost a month after the Wii version. Finally, in this final heinous act of treason, Nintendo of Japan has announced that the Gamecube version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be sold exclusively from their online store, for around $57 USD.We're all for the Wii version, folks, but this is a little ridiculous. Gamecube owners are getting the short end the stick in an attempt to push the Wii hardware as far as humanly possible. We do not approve, Nintendo. It should be noted that no specific announcements have been made for the US release plans of Twilight Princess, but a similar treatment would hardly be surprising.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jhall @ Oct 11th 2006 6:11PM
Max, sometimes I don't think I know you.
beatmeister @ Oct 11th 2006 6:24PM
Aww, come on, who really cares anymore? Everyone who owned a Gamecube will buy a Wii anyway.
I certainly will, and I'd rather have Nintendo focus all of their time to make the new Zelda as good as possible on the Wii, e.g. by integrating the new controller scheme as smoothly as they can in the remaining time.
JacKal @ Oct 11th 2006 6:49PM
in one way, I feel really bad for the GC who weren't getting a Wii (all 20 of them) because once again, nintendo is pushing Zelda:TP even farther for them (these guys are, after all, the ones who pre-ordered it when it was still a GC game a couple years ago... still clutching their receipts so much later... cut them some slack)... in another way, however...
HOLY CRAP!! NINTENDO MUST BE REALLY GEARING UP FOR SOME KIND OF AWESOME ONLINE NETWORK... IF WE CAN DOWNLOAD ENTIRE GC GAMES FROM IT?!?!?!!!!!!
I mean seriously... does this not boggle anyone's head? I mean, the Nintendo Wii doesn't have a hard drive, I figured the shop was only for DS downloads and VC games... guess we're going to be using lots of SD flash memory? or maybe there are more storage options down the road? all in all, the idea of downloading a whole mini-dvd zelda game is way more news to me than whether or not GC users are getting screwed again
djfp @ Oct 11th 2006 7:02PM
JacKal:
I think when they say "available online," they mean the GC game is available for purchase online to be mailed to the consumer (as opposed to being available at retail Brick and Morter stores).
:P @ Oct 11th 2006 7:06PM
first off, way to suck nintendo. I will be getting a Wii but thats still uncalled for. That picture made me lol.
@ jackal
"Nintendo of Japan has announced that the Gamecube version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be sold exclusively from their online store, for around $57 USD."
Readings skills man. No where in there does it say anything about downloading. They will have the game Shipped to peoples homes. Heres to the hope that the 57 will include shipping
oh and FYI one disk GC games are 2.4 GB's
Mr. Khan @ Oct 11th 2006 7:42PM
Wait, FLASH memory SD Cards? I thought it would support ALL SD Cards
I must research SD Cards, because if it gets too complicated to ask for as a gift, i'll just ask for the money and buy it in an After Christmas Sale....
What about Thumb Drives? Any news about those?
SpeZek @ Oct 11th 2006 7:50PM
Lol JaCkal.
Just LoL.
In japan, you won't dl TP from the Wii's online store.
But from the Nintendo Online Store...like the one on the interweb. And the game will be shipped to you...
Zomg
Josh @ Oct 11th 2006 7:53PM
"Wait, FLASH memory SD Cards? I thought it would support ALL SD Cards
I must research SD Cards, because if it gets too complicated to ask for as a gift, i'll just ask for the money and buy it in an After Christmas Sale....
What about Thumb Drives? Any news about those?"
All SD cards are flash memory...And we don't know about USB thumb drives.
Anyway, I just really hope Nintendo makes that stupid right-handed Link mirror mode an OPTION in the Wii version, so that I can play it as it was meant to be played. Otherwise, I'll forgo the new Wii controls, and the Wii itself for a while, and just get the GameCube version.
Toadsworth @ Oct 11th 2006 8:38PM
Oh for goodness sake. Twilight Princess is a Wii game now and all the better for it! The Gamecube version should be canned in all honesty. Next you'll be saying that you wish it was just on the Cube so that it can be completely and utterly ignored by 99.9% of the population.
"Gamecube owners are getting the short end of the stick." Gamecube owners? What, the same Gamecube owners who will pretty much all be Wii owners come November?!
Of course the Gamecube version will only be sold online. No shops sell Gamecube games anymore!
Sorry fot the rant, but, gggrrrrr....
Dan @ Oct 11th 2006 8:43PM
I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. Everyone knows that the Cube will be even more of an afterthought to retailers after Nov 17-19 than it already is now, so this online thing makes it an easy one-stop find for those who still want it for GC. And yes, I think JacKal gets play of the month.
Jason Wishnov @ Oct 11th 2006 9:12PM
Saying that every one of 20 million Gamecube owners is going to be buying a Wii, at launch, is utterly ridiculous. Perhaps even a majority of people who are interesting in Twilight Princess will be picking up a Wii, but I'd hazard to say that it's not about 70% of so, and that's still a hell of a lot of people who are having to go through quite a bit of trouble for a game that was promised to them a long, long time ago. I disagree with Nintendo's decision here, and believe it or not, video game stores still stock Gamecube games.
dubdub @ Oct 11th 2006 9:09PM
1. jhall
I shall miss all of the money I could have made.
thebigL @ Oct 11th 2006 9:48PM
Game Cube is dead it died the year it came out. I don't mean to sound harsh, well yeah actaully I do. It had some amazing games, but it could have been much better if nintendo had allowed for better third party support. People have to move on buy a Wii if you want to play Zelda. It makes no sense for Nintendo to deter would be Wii consumers by letting them continue using their obsolete system. In the end it hurts us buyers of the Wii too, it would affect the potential of the online Wii comunity. Less people who buy the Wii = less people to interact and compete with online. It may also cause less third party developers to see potential in the system. At first I looked at this headline to this post and I was disgusted with Nintendo but as I thought about it i realized that Nintendo probably knows what they are doing.
SuperDave @ Oct 11th 2006 9:49PM
Whoa, whoa guys. Slow it down. Give credit where it's due. Nintendo could very easily say "Ok, it's on Wii now, sorry" and not release a GCN version at ALL. I think the fact that they are actually releasing it on both systems is amazing. They could easy make people buy a Wii to ensure more Wii console sales but they AREN'T. Plus, everyone is getting bent out of shape over news for Japan only. See here:
http://cube.ign.com/articles/738/738359p1.html
Do any of you actually live in Japan? How does it affect you then anyway? It doesn't. Who cares where you get it from anyway? The game can be bought for GCN just like it can for Wii. That's what matters. What's so ridiculous about this? It would be ridiculous if they canned the GCN version now altogether. Don't get me wrong though - I DO think it's wrong that it comes out AFTER the Wii version though, but still, who cares? Really?
Fuzzy @ Oct 11th 2006 10:19PM
Some people may choose to hold off on the Wii simply because Zelda TP is becomming the first big blotch on Nintendo's customer service record.
I have a friend that pre-ordered this game a year and a half ago. She does not have the money to buy a Wii. She has already paid for the game. She deserves the game.
Frankly, the amount of support that the Game Cube has gotten in the last year has been pathetic. Usually console companies wait until AFTER the new console comes out to start not caring about their old tech.
I still want a Wii, but Nintendo has lost a large amount of my respect.
Freddy @ Oct 11th 2006 9:57PM
Wait... will any flash drive work?
Cause i was thinking of just connecting my iPod with the USB drive.
Erich @ Oct 11th 2006 10:01PM
Also Japanese people are generally more technologically inclined than the average North American / European...
What does that mean???
A) There's less shelf space for old technology.
B) Most of their population will be able to figure out how to purchace the wii version if they want it, whereas you can argue North Americans need it in stores for the same reason we need "CAUTION: HOT" labels on our styrofoam coffee cups.
xaque @ Oct 12th 2006 12:08AM
I have never seen so much whining on a blog that wasn't hosted on Myspace.
Foppe @ Oct 12th 2006 12:11AM
So instead of waiting in a line in a store with limited copies, you just press a button on your mouse on the interweb and the disc will be in the mail the next day.
Can it be any easier?
jhall @ Oct 12th 2006 1:40AM
dubdub-
nice. i was hoping someone would get that.
JacKal @ Oct 12th 2006 3:36PM
guess that's what I get for not reading the article linked... I deserved that, heh
Marc @ Oct 12th 2006 5:00PM
"What about Thumb Drives? Any news about those?"
It was confirmed MONTHS AGO that Wii (revolution) would use USB Flash Drives along with SD cards. Why else would they put USB ports on it and not have SOME kind of save function with it.
I can guess that the Photo Channel would use USB Drives along with SD cards too.
(You ask) Why would they do that?
(I say) Why not? You can put pictures and video on USB Drives too.