The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by Tassadar5000
No, I want things to look REALISTIC and BEAUTIFUL, not cartoony.

In that case I bet you've hated every other Zelda game. They're all very cartoony.

[Drake Tungsten]

Zelda Tops 250,000 Preorders

Nintendo of America today announced that more than 250,000 gamers in the US have already pre-ordered its anticipated action-adventure Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. That figure is made all the more impressive, according to the publisher, because it's official pre-sell program for the game has yet to start.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/386/386075p1.html

Wow. I'll be pre-ordering my copy next week, after the official start of the program on the 16th. I can't wait to get my free copy of Ocarina of Time/Master Quest!

[Asher]

$5 says it will take a year for Zelda to sell 1M copies in the USA.

[Sandman]

Nintendo simply doesn't understand the modern games market. They are slowly crumbling, helped by a sycophantic games media which continues to insist that Nintendo makes the best games. Making the 'best games' is a useless title to hold, what they need to do is make the best selling games.

Their games are pretty sophiscated, but if the games have an infantile presentation, they'll not appeal to new gamers, and make veteran gamers uncomfortable. I don't think it's asking much to have a more neutral look to their games.

They need to ruthlessly reevaluate their catalogue of franchises. Pointless characters like Kirby, Yoshi and Donkey Kong should definitely be purged. All they do is steal Mario's thunder.

Mature Nintendo franchises like Metroid, Zelda and F-Zero should have more time devoted to them. Make them into actual, rather than potential, franchises by making more sequels, rather than each new installment appearing every half-decade. This will lead to better brand awareness, since gamers don't have to be re-educated about what the frachise is. Frankly, I would have loved to have a few sequels to Mario 64. The games media may complain about constant 'recycling', but the fact is that gamers love sequels, as long as the quality remains constant. A sequel adds value to it's prequel as well.

There's such a thing as too much innovation. If Nintendo overdoes the quest for originality, then it's games will get a reputation as 'weird', maybe justified, maybe not. Spread the innovations over more sequels. This applies to their joypads as well.

[Drake Tungsten]

$5 says it will take a year for Zelda to sell 1M copies in the USA.

Canadian or American dollars? I'll take the bet if we're talking about real money here...

[Drake Tungsten]

Mature Nintendo franchises like Metroid, Zelda and F-Zero should have more time devoted to them. Make them into actual, rather than potential, franchises by making more sequels, rather than each new installment appearing every half-decade. This will lead to better brand awareness, since gamers don't have to be re-educated about what the frachise is. Frankly, I would have loved to have a few sequels to Mario 64. The games media may complain about constant 'recycling', but the fact is that gamers love sequels, as long as the quality remains constant. A sequel adds value to it's prequel as well.

Nintendo is doing exactly this. They already released a Metroid game and a sequel is in production. A new Zelda is coming out in March and it sounds like Nintendo is set on making another for the GC. F-Zero is coming out this year. And another Mario game is being made as well.

Nintendo's doing its best to use its franchises, but they haven't been able to push systems so far. I really don't know why, but it worries me. If games like Metroid Prime and Zelda: The Wind Waker don't push systems, nothing will, and I don't want to see the best game maker in the world go the way of Sega...

[Asher]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Canadian or American dollars? I'll take the bet if we're talking about real money here...

You honestly think Zelda will sell more than 1M in the USA, considering the look of the game and the average American buying video games?

I really wish we could do a real bet.

Zelda in its current incarnation will largely appeal to the hardcore Nintendo fans. I can guarantee that after the preorders are sold, sales will drop drastically. Even worse than they did for Metroid Prime.

[Drake Tungsten]

You honestly think Zelda will sell more than 1M in the USA, considering the look of the game and the average American buying video games?

Think about it. It's one of the biggest franchises in gaming and it's already 1/4 of the way to a million before the game has even officially gone on sale. I don't see how it cannot reach a million by the end of the year.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Think about it. It's one of the biggest franchises in gaming and it's already 1/4 of the way to a million before the game has even officially gone on sale. I don't see how it cannot reach a million by the end of the year.

I have thought about it.

It may be one of the biggest franchises in gaming past, but that doesn't mean much in the era of Grand Theft Auto 3.

The market has changed a lot, and Nintendo doesn't care.

The new Zelda is certainly not mass market. It's likely to appeal to rabid fans of the series (who will also preorder it due to the OOT bundle), which explains the massive preorder.

Metroid Prime made over 60% of its US sales in preorders, and I think Zelda will be around that level or higher...

The fact is, the casual gamers who see games on stores in Best Buy and pick them up likely won't be interested in games like Zelda. By far the largest fanbase for the Zelda games are the older gamers, and these are the same type of people who would preorder it for OOT...

[Drake Tungsten]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, as usual.

[Asher]

How do you explain the fact that Metroid Prime hasn't cracked 1M copies sold in the US, even though it was for sale in (by far) the two highest volume months in gaming history?

If MP had problems with keeping sales up (they fell drastically in december, the strongest month in gaming history), why do you think a cell-shaded Zelda game is going to do any better?

[Drake Tungsten]

I guess you don't agree to disagree...

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet


In that case I bet you've hated every other Zelda game. They're all very cartoony.

Search up screenshots for OoT and compare them to "Wind Waker". There is a LARGE graphical realism difference, TRUST ME

Great troll, FP.

[CapitanGarlic]

The graphics in the Wind Waker are much better when you actually play the game(demo). I was awed by just how cool it was, despite using a crap controller.

[Drake Tungsten]

I was awed by just how cool it was

So was I. The graphics are better than I could have hoped.