twilight-princess
Latest
Okami creator 'disappointed' by Twilight Princess
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Okami_creator_disappointed_by_Twilight_Princess'; Okami is deeply beautiful to our eyes, and it's a superb game. Twilight Princess, we feel, is a deeply brilliant game. But is Link's most recent adventure also beautiful? Okami's Director, Hideki Kamiya, was in Tokyo last week to pick up an Entertainment Award (for his work on Okami, natch) at the 10th Media Arts Festival, which is an event held annually by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs. (And that must have felt good, after Capcom's no-show at the AIAS awards.)Kamiya was asked how he felt about Nintendo's Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and he explained: "To be frank, I was disappointed when I saw [Twilight Princess'] visuals. I'm a Zelda freak -- it's no overstatement to say that I created Okami because of Zelda. I really wanted [Twilight Princess] to have that regal aura, because Zelda was what we were aspiring to. I wanted it to show me things that were surprising, but..."So, which game do you find to be more beautiful?[Thanks, pokemogu]
President's Day surprise: Jefferson (?) in Twilight Princess
Even after the day, the spirit of President's Day (sure, why not) continues in Videoland. Zelda Dimension posted this picture of a painting found on a wall in Zelda: Twilight Princess, and it looks an awful lot like Thomas Jefferson ... or maybe George Washington? Or maybe dust? Apparently, one of the NPCs is a student of American history. We love finding secrets in Zelda, but we don't like being confronted with a blurry texture in a Wii game. Maybe the Zelda Dimension blogger was using composite cables, and that's why the picture is blurry? Yeah, that's the ticket!We look forward to seeing the Zelda timeline theorists chew on this one.[Via digg]
Nintendo's Koji Kondo joins Video Games Live lineup
If one plans to append adjectives to Nintendo's music composer, Koji Kondo, the word "legendary" makes for an obvious start. The Legend of Zelda, along with Star Fox and Mario, are just some of the properties Kondo has contributed to since joining Nintendo in 1984. Attendees of this year's Video Games Live concert will be pleased to learn that the man himself will be making an appearance and performing "one of his favorite melodies" on stage. Can't say we've heard that one -- could someone hum a few bars?The event, which brings GDC to a symphonic end, is being held at Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco on March 9 at 8PM. Other highlights in this year's show include Martin Leung with a new piano arrangement, an acoustic medley by original LucasArts composers (Monkey Island!), a Chris Kline Contra presentation and a performance by voice-over artist, Dee Baker. Get your tickets here, if you please.[Via Press Release]
Wii Warm Up: So how 'bout the games?
Many of you are just getting your hands on a Wii (at last!) and others are just settling in for more in depth play on your games, so we figured it was a good time to ask: what have you played? What have you skipped? Which games have you liked most so far?This particular blogger has only been a little disappointed with Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, due to the controls. Everything else has been pretty engaging. Twilight Princess, Wii Sports, and Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (skateboarding games are a longtime habit a girl just can't shake) have gotten the most play on this Wii, though we're always happy to throw down on a variety of other games. More recently, it's been extensive sessions of Wario Ware: Smooth Moves. But hey, we figure everyone's got different tastes ... so how about you? Don't be shy -- tell us what you've liked so far!
Twilight Princess script ready for your perusal
GameFaqs user Mgoblue201 is a more hardcore Zelda fan than you. There's just no way around it. Oh, you want to argue? Well, did you transcribe the entire script for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and reveal it for the world? No? Guess that's settled, then. Get back to us when you undertake your own labor of love.The link takes you directly to the Twilight Princess page, but you'll have to scroll for the script. Check for it under "In-Depth FAQs." We're not sure what questions are being answered here, but it's certainly in depth. Though after reading through some of it, we're inclined to think that we're maybe talking about the depth of the thesaurus here ....In his courage Link finds the strength to topple Snowpeak, even as the thunderous wind threatens to tear him from the cliff and throw him down the mountain path and the packed snow clutches at his fur and solders his skin like a hot iron ....Take a breath, man. Love of Link is no excuse for asphyxiation.[Via Joystiq]
And the GDC Award nominees are ...
We expect The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess to get nominated for awards. It's a beautiful entry in a long-running series known for racking up the awards. What is surprising today is that while Twilight Princess received its due attention, it wasn't Nintendo's star when the Game Developers Choice Award nominees were announced -- Wii Sports was. Just a few months ago, people were calling it a "trumped-up demo" and decrying the fact that this "minigame" was going to be marketed as a full game. Then, as a pack-in, some wanted to take a pass on it in favor of a cheaper price. Who'd have thought that months later, Wii Sports would emerge as a powerhouse and continue to dominate the spotlight? Now that everyone's had some time to be sporty in the living room -- and realize the depth of Wii Sports -- we wonder if that attitude's changed. Certainly someone thinks it's worthy of attention.Twilight Princess is nominated in the Best Game and Writing categories; Wii Sports is up for three awards: Best Game, Technology, and Game Design.
Twilight Princess Easter eggs & tin-foil hat conspiracies
Green chus? Bottomless pits of water? Warp birds named after hexadecimal color codes? Maaaybe...IGN forum poster yoshi117's list of Twilight Princess "Easter eggs" isn't entirely useless; in fact, it highlights many of the inconspicuous details that were sprinkled into Nintendo's heralded masterpiece. The importance of these minute elements is often overlooked in game development, but Nintendo EAD proves once again how a little touch of wonder, or harmless act of mischief, can provide a lasting memory.[Thanks, KozWiz; via Wii Fanboy]
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Obsession
There's a fine line between being a fan and downright obsession, and taking 620 screenshots of a game as a you play it probably puts you in the latter category. GCTonyHawk7 from N-Europe can be best described as someone who takes his Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess gameplay seriously. Very seriously. He's documented his way through the entire Wii version of the game with photos galore.Check out his two web albums full of pictures that come direct from a capture card, and are 854x480. A word of warning that there are tons of spoilers in these images, since they detail encounters with everything in the game, up to the end. If you don't have a Wii yet, this is the perfect way for you to simulate playing the game.
Interactive Achievement Awards nominees announced, Gears in the lead
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has announced the nominations for the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. Though Gears of War has yet to make an acquaintance with that irrelevant temptress, Emmy, it stands a very good chance of winning a statuette that actually matters -- it's been nominated in ten different categories, including Console Game of the Year, Action / Adventure Game of the Year, and Overall Game of the Year. The AIAS (probably not pronounced "Ahyeehuss") also fancies The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, each garnering six nominations. These, along with Guitar Hero II and Wii Sports complete the list of classy nominees in the Overall Game of the Year category. The full list of nominees is available on the official Ahyeehuss website.[Via GameDaily BIZ]See also: Joystiq's Game of the Year
Japan not in love with Twilight Princess?
Since the release of the Wii in Japan, sales have been high on several games, such as Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, Wii Play, and Wii Sports. But Twilight Princess has been less popular than many would have guessed. While it's not exactly tanked (Link's bringing home the yen, as ever), it has consistently lingered nearer the bottom of the top 20 charts. What's really surprising is that, when it comes to the Zelda franchise, it looks like this trend has been developing for years. Sales of Zelda titles continue to go down. Many factors could be at work here, and we're hesitant to say that it's the decline of the franchise. When The Legend of Zelda first hit, it was an unparalleled phenomenon, so much better than most other games of any type that it's no surprise that gamers gobbled it up. But in the twenty years that have passed, both games and gamers have diversified, and lower sales numbers could be a result of that rather than a lack of love for the Link. Regardless of the reason, the sales charts do make for interesting reading. Let the speculation begin! [Thanks, Andres!]
Today's most progressive game video: Wii Component Cables 480i VS. 480p
Okay folks, it's laid out right here for you. If you got your grubby little hands on Wii, then maybe you've been wondering if the component cables really make a difference. Maybe you even blew off buying them, scoffing at the Wii and its low graphics capabilities when compared to the behemoth graphics on-board both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Well, look no further. This video after the jump clearly shows a pretty fair-sized gap between component and composite, so you might want to reconsider picking some up if you can find 'em. If you were wise and invested in a set of cable, then you can gloat silently in your wisdom. Now I just wish someone would design a website with photos and video of everything I want to buy, laid out comparison-wise. It sure would make the whole decision process a lot easier.
How far did you get? [update 1]
Sure, one could plow through Twiiight Princess in perhaps a mere 35 hours or so, eschewing all side-quests, collectables, and exploration. But we here at the Fanboy believe that those facets are crucial to the overall Zelda experience, just as important as those silly temples. But how about you? How many golden bugs did you collect; how many heart pieces have you yet to find?The convenient "Complete Calculator" for Twilight Princess will track your vital stats, brave warriors, and return to you a percentage of how much of the game you've completed. Did any of you guys pick up a true 100%? Has your social life been destroyed as a consequence?[via Digg][Update 1: Old link appeared to contain an IE 8.0 page-spoof. Link altered to a happy page of naught but HTML.]
Massive Link to the Past hack released
Those of you lucky enough to get a Wii on launch day have probably already blazed through Twilight Princess and are clamoring for more Zelda goodness. Well, if you don't mind going through back to two dimensions and undertaking some light ROM hacking, Parallel Worlds means more Zelda, less waiting. This massive hack to the SNES' Link to the Past, released on Dec. 30, was the product of four years work by dozens of contributors, and the results are pretty astounding. A completely new story, new overworld and dungeon maps, new items, new characters and a new interface make this more like a full-on sequel than a simple sprite hack. Download it now before the Nintendo lawyers inevitably swoop in and ruin the fun. [Thanks CLShortFuse]
Joystiq's Game of the Year
Gears of War (Xbox 360)What the hell just happened? Did we honestly pick Gears of War as the best game of 2006? No, that can't be. The plan was to throw juvenile tantrums and to violently thrash against the machine! To blind the world with an elitist badge and proclaim an innate resistance against games that are both popular and heavily marketed! It's a shooter, for Allard's sake. You shoot things. With guns.The senseless violence is but one reason to look away from the screen in disgust. The other, as you may have concluded already, is the appalling state of the game's graphics. They make Pong look like an M.C. Escher painting being displayed in a room pumped full of hallucinogenic gas. If you can even discern your pixelated soldier from the flat environment, you'll note how you get repeatedly punished for running blindly into a hail of bullets and neglecting to take "cover." Not only is this completely unrealistic and contrary to modern warfare, it's a needless refinement to a bizarre, self-preservation concept in the genre. See, it's not even a very good shooter. The complete lack of immersion and excitement carries over into the game's terrible online cooperative mode. Some idiot on your friends list can rudely jump into your game at any point and then proceed to get in your way at every available turn. Multiplayer deathmatch isn't any better, forcing you to work with 3 other buffoons (who can't even circle-strafe or jump) if you hope to succeed. Add a forgettable MIDI soundtrack, poor pacing and a complete failure to emulate an action film to your considerations, and you become perfectly equipped to answer the pertinent question. Game of the year? Obviously not.The runners-up are presented (in order) after the break.
Pets get confused by video games
Over the holiday there is a cute little dachshund staying at my place. He's pretty old now, but dog-sitting when he was younger caused me to change gaming habits to accommodate. For example, any games with dogs or cats in them (or similar animal sounds e.g. Final Fantasy) would cause him to flip out. The same holds true for a cairn terrier I dog-sit. While playing Zelda: Twilight Princess the dachshund didn't go all out like the dog in the video above, but he did perk his head up and looked around feverishly to see what was going on. Any humorous animal stories out there? Have a cat that flips out with the Wii pointer on the screen? Do you also have a dog who howls along like he's wolf Link? After the break see how not to treat your pets -- nobody likes to get yelled at, not even Nintendogs.
Metareview - Zelda: Twilight Princess (GameCube)
For Wii-less GameCube owners it's a no-brainer; you pro'ly been had your copy of Twilight Princess. But for those few Wii owners who are considering the GameCube edition, still unable to take decisive action, here are several takes on how the two versions match up:
Sony ignored among 2006 Spike TV major awards winners
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Sony_ignored_among_2006_Spike_TV_major_awards_winners'; Spike TV has released the list of its 2006 Video Game Awards winners, expunging all temptation to tune into the televised presentation this coming Wednesday. While the results hold little standing in the industry, it's interesting to note that Sony has seemingly fallen out of popularity with Spike TV's award ceremony, perhaps implying a shift in popular brand.Last year, Sony enjoyed (at least shares in) Game of the Year, Best Action Game, Best Original Score, Best Graphics, Best Handheld Game, and Best Technology; this year, Xbox 360 is tied to all of those awards (except 'Best Technology' & 'Handheld Game'), along with Studio of the Year, Best Shooter, Best Multiplayer Game, Best RPG, Best Racing Game, and Most Addictive. Sony currently has stake in none*.Sure, PlayStation 3 hasn't even been on the market for a month, but Wii managed to earn the 'Breakthrough Technology' award, and Twilight Princess nabbed Critic's Choice; plus, with New Super Mario Bros., DS won out over PSP. Is 'Comeback Company of the Year' in the cards for Sony in 2007?*Oblivion will end up on PlayStation 3 next year.
Readers pick best webcomic: Zelda get!
Joystiq readers congratulated Press Start to Play's creators for picking up Twilight Princess by awarding their recount with the dubious nod as webcomic of the week. "[It] wins this one for me," explains commenter CJC, "having done that same thing before." Indeed, many other comments admit to having the same experience when purchasing their copy.Second place goes to VG Cats' G-Four'd and third place Penny Arcade. We love Tycho and Gabe's work, but this comment by reader Tim may make true fans of this wrapup sick, as he notes that he votes for PA weekly without even looking at the other choices, but at least he's honest.Our pick of the week? Digital Unrests' nerdtacular Vectorman strip. Thanks for everyone who (legitimately) voted; be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!
Master Sword forged for Zelda fan
What do you get when you take a bloke obsessed with Zelda and too much money? A real-life Master Sword, straight from Scotland. The blacksmiths over at Castle Keep took several designs and artwork of the Master Sword from fanatic Paul Hantschel and prepared to forge. Almost a year and $3,300 later, Paul received one of the most famous weapons in gaming history. Now it is time for him to don the traditional green tunic and take on the greatest task gamers have faced for nearly 20 years. Following the break is a ginormous image of the real-life Master Sword in all its Tektite slashing glory. You are allowed to drool for a moment before remembering how much he paid for an item that it will probably do no more than sit on a mantle or be sold on eBay after its glitter has vanished. [Via 1P Start]
Nintendo sells 600K Wiis at launch, 454K Zeldas
Nintendo's numbers are finally in and business is looking good. Nintendo has reported they sold 600,000 units at launch and are on track to hit the full million goal in the US by the end of the year. The Wii wasn't flying off the shelves alone. Twilight Princess accompanied 454,000 of them. That number is actually quite surprising given how large a franchise it is; we'd have expected every Wii to be paired up with its very own Zelda game, a 1:1 attach rate. In any case, Twilight Princess is looking to be the first million seller on the Wii if Nintendo can (presumably) reach those 2 million in the US by the end of January. Nintendo's positive news is nice for those who still want a Wii but can't yet find it; you may have a relatively easy time finding one before the next big holiday hits. This is, of course, a far cry better than the other guy. Can Nintendo capitalize on their production capabilities and storm the market?
