TwilightPrincess
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Arts and crafts at its finest: Wolf Link
The above piece of papercraft (which is Link in his wolf form from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) was lovingly sculpted by webshots user ninjatoes and leaves us with an immense feeling of desire for one of our own. Oh, what are we to do? Wait, we could just use the included instructions and make one ourselves, but of course that would mean we'd need: to be unchained left in a room with sunlight for more than 30 seconds Now, of course such things are impossible (damn our warden), but we can dream ...
GameStop reaching out for your Twilight Princess
Ring, ring ... ring, ring. Have you recently been disturbed by Aeris' dinnertime calls? GameStop's automated insider dialed up Opposable Thumbs to drop a hot tip: Twilight Princess now has a $35 trade-in value -- "if you're finished with it, why don't you bring it to the store and trade it in?"Apparently GameStop, which controls most of the US's used-games market, is squirreling away as many of those one million Zelda copies in circulation as it can, just in time for ... spring? GameStop's spam-calls might indicate that the retailer is not reaching its double-sale quota. GameStop is probably having trouble buying back copies of Twilight Princess (so it can sell them again for a solid profit); likely because consumers are holding on to the game. And so the calls go out.Inside the store is one thing -- but pestering your loyal customers on their phones? That's just squirrelly business practice.[Thanks, 32_Footsteps]
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]
Wii Zelda reaches one million in US sales
1.1 million Wii units were sold through December. Sales data for January (and a week or so of February) has yet to be released. Still, we can assume that a few-hundred-thousand more units have been sold. The point is there are literally hundreds of thousands of Wii owners who have yet to pick up a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. What's wrong with these people?!We only hope that these so-called "gamers" either (A) went purist, and copped the GameCube version or (B) spent every last penny in their piggy banks acquiring the hardware. If you answered "B," then you best be digging through some couches and amassing the needed funds. What's a Wii owner without Twilight Princess?
WRUP: still stuck in Zelda edition
Yes, we know, it's a crime that we have yet to finish this epic game. But, that's the thing, the game is epic. Huge, grand in scale, we find ourselves just finishing up Snowpeak at the moment. Also, we are rarely let out of our cage by The Man, so that has something to do with it as well. We won't comment more, in the interest of anyone else out there who is still playing like us or, even worse, has yet to acquire a Wii so that they may play it. Instead, we'll quietly step aside and ask what you will be playing? Going to rock some WarioWare: Smooth Moves this weekend? Or will you be gathering with some friends for Wii Sports?Previous posts: what were you playing?
Zelda tops a million
Well, that was quick. Turns out, Link's latest adventure is quite the popular one as NOA's VP of Marketing, Perrin Kaplan, confirmed to IGN that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has sold more than one million copies in the Americas alone. Now, she doesn't say if this figure is exclusive to the Wii-based Twilight Princess alone, so we'll just assume this figure reflects sales of both the Wii and GameCube version.Shocking news, we know ...
One figure to rule them all
Set tot release in May, the pictured figure of Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is just about the coolest figure we have ever seen. Like Gollum, we needs it and will do anything to have it. Of course, with every possible chunk of happiness we may gain, there is something horrible looming to keep us in check. See, the figures do not have a price yet (it'll probably be a lot) and are only available in Japan. There are a total of 5 figures planned, with only the pictured Link and Wolf Link & Midna being revealed. Others planned are Zant and Zelda, with the last remaining figure yet to be revealed. The figures are also only the smaller size, coming in at a height of around 120mm.See also: Adult Link awes gamers Beautiful Twilight Princess standee Samus figurines drop jaws
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]
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!]
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]
Evil fun: killing the postman in Twilight Princess
Quite possibly some of the most evil laughter that has been emitted from the Wii Fanboy staff in a long time, the embedded video that shows the fast-footed postman receiving his due has won many over at digg, eventually gaining our attention. We felt that it was our duty to show this to all who have not been able to. So, be merry, be evil and watch the video! Be warned though, that if you do this in your game the framerate will drop to less than one-per-second.[Via digg]
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.
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?
Today's hottest game video: Link vs. Riku -- FIGHT!
We wonder how much time these guys spent on this thing. If it was more than one Sunday afternoon, then we fear for their souls. It starts off pretty decent, and the costumes are nifty (check out Link's ears and Riku's hair -- dang), but then we get to the fighting and it just slows. way. down. Watch as I SWING WITH MY SWORD AND THEN ... *tap*. Check out Link's off the rock spin move, eh? He's so proud of it that he does it several times.The video ends with, "It's not over yet." Dear god, why not? Is there a sequel brewing? Don't get us wrong, it was a nice effort ... just two minutes and 41 seconds too long. Check it out after the jump.
