The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess delayed

GCN News | The GameCube's swansong gets pushed well into 2006.

Nintendo announced this morning that The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, arguably the biggest title of the year for the GameCube, has been pushed back into 2006. The reason for the delay? To make it a better game.

"After much discussion, the Zelda development team has requested extra time to add new levels, more depth and even higher quality to Zelda: Twilight Princess," said Nintendo of America's vice president of corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan. "Consequently, we're announcing a new global launch in 2006, after the conclusion of this fiscal year. We'll provide a specific date at a later point in time. While this may come as a disappointment to many eager fans, it will absolutely enrich the game and make it a multi-million seller."

With Nintendo's fiscal year ending on March 31st, the earliest we could possibly see Zelda is April 1, 2006. Sad news for Nintendo fans. To make the delay seem that much painful, we've added some rather lovely looking screenshots that were also released today. Check them out in the Media Panel.

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35 Comments

David

6 years ago

Well, in my opinion that leaves Resident Evil 4 as the only Game of the Year contender.

Much better they finish it then release it incomplete though.

James

6 years ago

I'd be thinking about what this means for the rev release date.

ObsoletE

6 years ago

did anyone actually NOT expect this?

David

6 years ago

James wrote

I'd be thinking about what this means for the rev release date.

Good point. Although if Sony is delayed until 2006, it would maybe be wise to delay the rev anyway.

Damn, need a new name for it. The obvious abbreviation 'rev'' sounds stupid!

Back on topic - I'm not mega excited about 'princess right now anyway. I'd rather more Wind waker. I loved Wind Waker. Still my game of the gen - tied with Prime 1 and RE4.

Andronicus

6 years ago

I hate to wait for stuff, but if it makes the game better, then it's the best thing to do.
I am really looking forward to this game.

As for the new pics - cool stuff there!
I like the pics of the town - I love roaming around the towns in Zelda games and getting info and wasting time - looks like this town will be good for that sort of thing.

April 2006 (at the earliest) - can't wait!

Mark

6 years ago

James wrote

I'd be thinking about what this means for the rev release date.

I doubt the game will ruin Nintendo's ideal plan for the consoles release at all. It was shown through the release of key titles in Pokemon Stadium and Paper Mario 64, both of which were released close to the Gamecubes release. Early 2006 (no doubt March for PAL gamers, I think publishers love that time of the year), while the console will hit late 2006 (November). That's my prediction.

Capoeira

6 years ago

Those screens have broadened my view of this game considerably. I'm still in Wind Waker mode, where the overall theme was caribbean islands with lots of water. This looks so varied! Back to it's OoT roots seems true to the word. And those town scenes look amazing.

I really don't care about that delay. I say take as long as you need Nintendo, so long as the game you release will be the greatest Zelda title possible on the Gamecube. I'd be willing to wait for that.

Big Pete

6 years ago

That was one bad thing about Wind Waker...it seemed too rushed.

onggie

6 years ago

No surprises there! I was thinking they were going to do that in the back of my mind!

Spanca

6 years ago

I can't help but think this will have a HUGE impact upon sales for this game.

armageddon12

6 years ago

I can't believe I didn't see this coming. I'm not to excited by the prospect of Zelda now. I just want to play it and see what its like. That town scene with all the people looks good. I just hope the town folk are as interesting as in Majora's Mask.

Why do so many people like WW? It was rushed, bland and felt devoid of any real substance. The graphics were cute, but puzzles, bosses, everything were all for kids. It was rediculously easy, it just became a trial in patience toward the end.

Cerebral

6 years ago

Ah yes, I read this earlier.

Well bloody infuriating, since release was so close. I suppose you can;t complain if all they're going to do is add more to the game - which already looks gorgeous in some places and rough in others. Good to know that the Nintendo Devs know when to release something and when not to. WW needed less redundant, time-filler quests, as evidenced at a rushed job.

Chris

6 years ago

As much as I hate to wait, if we're getting a better game at the end of it then it'll be more than worth it. We all know Wind Waker was rushed, and while it was still a good game, it was nowhere near the greatness of OOT, LttP, Majora's Mask or even Minish Cap.

If we end up getting a much better game in March, the delay will be a blessing really as it would have only been overshadowed by the Xbox 360 launch in November. Now it's got a pretty much free fun as this generation's software will dry up after this Xmas.

David

6 years ago

I've been playing Zelda's since the original in 1988, and I personally believe Wind Waker was the best one ever. It's the most complete world and story since LttP, and fits into the gap between LttP and OoT perfectly - and it has many, many subtle references from every Zelda game (espescially LttP, LA, AoL and LoZ), it's a work of art. It was obviously designed for longtime fans of the series, with all these refernces, and perfectly matching the graphical style of a 10 year old SNES game.

As such, I'm not looking forward to TP anywhere near as much as I would another Wind Waker. I like the idea of a new Zelda appealing to the 'I Luvz teh realistik graffixxx!' casual, but I'd rather keep a treasure for myself then dilute it for chimps.

Just my $0.02.

Gtpod

6 years ago

David wrote

As such, I'm not looking forward to TP anywhere near as much as I would another Wind Waker. I like the idea of a new Zelda appealing to the 'I Luvz teh realistik graffixxx!' casual, but I'd rather keep a treasure for myself then dilute it for chimps.

I'd prolly go further to say this news has had no impact on me whatsoever, but essensially I agree. I'd much rather a Wind Waker 2...

Jeremy

6 years ago

Everyone is right, WW was too rushed. Since when do Nintendo cut essentially one-third out of a title just to release it on time. It's not the way to go.

I'm not surprised at all at this delay. I've been expecting a delay for a while because I was very worried that we'd be getting a rushed game. This is a good thing because Nintendo have accepted that the quality to come first. It's a bad thing because it won't help the GC scenario and we don't know whether Nintendo will still exist in our fair land in 2006.

realitybites

6 years ago

I agree it is typical Nintendo.

Makes it hard on Ninty owners expecting a big game before Chrissy.

Oh well for diehards there is still a big game coming on the mini console!!

Qbert

6 years ago

I don't know how you are all taking this so well! Just yesterday I watched the half hour video of it from E3 and was setting a countdown to November/December, but now...

.

At least we'll get a better game in the end, but the sad thing is that this won't boost the gamecubes sales at all. Hopefully they at least release it before the PS3.

Andronicus

6 years ago

Well, I liked WW a lot, as it looked and played well.
Sure it was lacking in substance, but it was still very entertaining while it lasted - I much preferred the combat system in it, especially with the music morphing to match your sword attacks.

David...
WW takes place after OoT, not before it... you said WW filled the gap between LttP and OoT - have I misinterpreted your statement?

And now, we wait...

Jeremy

6 years ago

Qbert wrote

the sad thing is that this won't boost the gamecubes sales at all

Nothing can help GC sales, the system is dead (especially in this fair land). This Zelda is being aimed at people who already own a GC, Nintendo fans and hopefully will last until the beginning of the Revolution.

David

6 years ago

Andronicus wrote

David...
WW takes place after OoT, not before it... you said WW filled the gap between LttP and OoT - have I misinterpreted your statement?

The order is:

OoT, WW, LttP

It fits the gap, but the other way around!

The order of the whole series is:

OoT, WW, LttP, FSA, MC, LA, LoZ, AoL

Although I'm not incredibly sure about FSA and Minish Cap - But it doesn't really matter since they're considered side stories.

Chris

6 years ago

OoT, MM, WW, FSA, MC, LA, LoZ, AoL, LttP

I believe LttP is considered the 'last' one, there's references from the original LoZ in it, and that took place after OOT and WW. I think Link's Awakening was later on too, there's a website somewhere on the net with about 9 pages of text explaining the timeline. It's all hypothetical of course, Nintendo have said many times that they don't technically have an order.

Andronicus

6 years ago

First of all, let's not get into a Zelda timeline theory pointless argument... they never get anywhere.

Secondly, how is LttP possibly after WW?
WW seems to end on a note that Hyrule was gone.

Finally - THERE IS NO TIMELINE!
OK sure, OoT, MM and WW link together, as will TP.
And the Four Swords games seem to link, but other than that there is nothing to suggest that there is a cohesive timeline, or that Nintendo intend there to be one that encapsulates the entier series.
Each person's theory is their own, and is not necessarily correct... at all.
It's about as founded as me saying that Gumby is the sequel to Star Wars... it's all personal opinion based on speculation, and is therefore subjective.

If you want a cohesive timeline (and a great Alien-inspired one at that), Metroid is your answer.

Fin.

David

6 years ago

LttP is sooo after WW. the ending of WW gives a direct link to LttP's intro. Wind Waker starts with the 'hero of time' intro, and ends with the LttP intro (flying triforce pieces). That's one thing I'm 100% on.

Almost all timelines have these games in this order

OoT, MM, WW, LttP, OOS, OOA, LA

Most people put LoZ and AoL at the end - but they could be slotted in after Wind Waker, based on a comment of Miyamoto during OOT's development. But it is called 'Link to the PAST'.

I'm not sure where the latest two fit in.

Here's a developed theory:

http://www.zeldauniverse.net/content/view/383/421/

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