I was wonder since nintendo has said that they will offer a collectors edition of zelda twilight princess. What are the chances that this collectors edition will contain both the gamecube version and the Wii version? It sounds resonalble even if they made it 70 dollars, after all they would be making 70 bucks on and the same game.

Yeah, but why would someone buy two versions of the same game when they are only ever going to play one? If they did get it, kept the Wii version and gave the GC version to someone else, that would also be one less copy of the game someone else would buy, and Nintendo loses a potential $50 sale on a $70 game. Financially, it wouldn't make sense for Nintendo unless they only sold the game in the double-disc format for that price. I would only pay $70 for a special edition Twilight Princess if it came with a replica miniature Master Sword and Shield or some other uber-awesome collectible. Perhaps even $100. But not $105, that's too much. My pockets only go so deep.

Everything I've heard from Nintendo about the latest Zelda game is they're making both a Gamecube and Wii version.

That's all fine and dandy...

...but two different releases? Two different SKUs for stores?

Why the hell not package both the Gamecube and Wii disc in the same case, with the same SKU?

It can't be for cost reasons. Discs are trivial to press nowadays.

It's not like a third-party multi-system release where there are fundamental differences in licensing, royalties or trademarks. It would be nothing but a token of good will to gamers, and a great upsell opportunity for Gamecube owners thinking about getting a Wii.

-Tyler Loch

I don't think things will be that difficult. Retailers have been dealing with multiplatform releases forever, so there shouldn't be any difficulties getting that sorted out. As long as Nintendo ships enough copies of the Wii version of Zelda to satisfy the launch day crowds and has ample supplies of the GameCube version, no one will be sad when the game is released.

As I said in the previous question, Nintendo isn't going to put the GC and Wii versions in the same package. It's not that Nintendo couldn't afford to do it, it's just that they will make more money by keeping them separate. That's all that matters in the end. If Nintendo wants to give GC owners an “upsell" opportunity, they can just say the GC version of Twilight Princess will play perfectly on the Wii hardware. You don't need to give away a separate version of the same game just to convince them to buy a new console that they would eventually get anyway.

What do you think the possibilities are that nintendo follows microsoft/sony and sells two wii packages- a "core unit" with only an extra controller for $199, and a "premium package" with controllers, the light gun thingy, the dvd player thingy also (couldnt think of a better way to describe it) and wii sports thrown in for $250?

Lovin The Site by the way...

Mr. T

I just think Nintendo will offer one affordable unit with everything they want to include in it. Sony and Microsoft need the two-tiered pricing system because their systems are very pricey. If someone really, really wanted one of the hi-def consoles and couldn't afford the asking price for the real deal, they have the option of settling with the bare-bones model. A “premium" Wii package at launch would really only appeal to the hardcore audience, which isn't Nintendo's main focus this time around. Besides, Nintendo will make a lot more money selling off accessories separately, which is one of the reasons we hate them so much (yet, still love them).

I'm a die hard wave race fan. The release of exciteTruck at launch looks phenomenal, but it's not wave race. any word of wave race in the future? please? PLEASE!?!

...humor me...

-Biscuit

There's nothing official that Wave Race is coming to the Wii as of now. Bringing a new game in the series to the console is a no-brainer, though. It'll happen eventually.

I must say that ever since the rumors of controller tilt sensitivity were flying around a long, long time ago, one of the first things I thought about was a tilt-sensitive version of Wave Race. You would still steer with the analog stick, but a tilt-sensitive controller would control the rider's movement. Tilting the controller to the right would cause the rider to lean to the right, that sort of thing. The Wii remote would be beyond perfect for that kind of control. We'll see if Nintendo is as smart about it as I am!

Hey guys,

In your last bag you said the Wii could work with the wifi adapter from nintendo (which is most likely correct), but you also said it also works as a wirless access point for things other than nintendo products (I assume you mean laptops or psp or something). Well I have the usb connector and it is required to install the software on a windows xp pc and you have to authorize access to anyone using a ds to get in. You can't just jump in (too bad huh?)

Anyway, I figure the connector searches for signals sent out by nintendo products only just letting you guys know.

You also said Mike or Evan may be stoned. 4:20!!!

Oh, is that true? I just thought it was a re-branded version of this, just with the additional support of connecting to the DS (and Wii). I don't see why you couldn't just install the drivers for the Buffalo product for the Nintendo USB adapter, seeing as they are essentially the same product using the same technologies. Would anyone want to give that a try and see if it works?

Is Dream Mix TV still somewhere I can buy it?

I've been lookin' at this game since I first heard about it on PGC and even last august it was still $65 of Play-Asia. I found it for $60 w/ Naruto on eBay. Is this one still alive to buy?

Saturn2888

DreamMix TV is an older game now, originally being released in late 2003. For a while, it was hard to track down for an import. However, in March 2005 the game was re-released as a “Hudson The Best" game and made available for purchase again in a second run. It looks like that run has ended, though, and the places that do carry it are all sold out again. It looks like you're going to need to stick to eBay, as all the import sites I know of are out of stock on the GC version (although NSCX does have the PS2 version). If you really want it, I would recommend you jump on a copy of it as soon as you can find one within your price range. Remember though, the “Best" version should be less expensive than the original release was, so don't pay more for that unless you're desperate.

Do you think that Mario Kart Arcade GP will be released on the Wii? I'm dying to play it and haven't been able to find an arcade that has it.

Nope. Nintendo and Namco had both made it 100% clear that the arcade version of Mario Kart would be exclusive to the arcades, and not be released on consoles. I wouldn't be surprised if some gameplay elements from the arcade version (such as the myriad of items) wound up in a new Mario Kart game on the Wii, or even if Namco has their hand in its development. MK on the Wii will surely be built from the ground-up to work with the Wii controller and hardware, instead of just porting over a game designed to work with an arcade cabinet.

If you want to locate a Mario Kart arcade machine in your area, try asking our forums for help. Maybe, just maybe, they can point you to one within a reasonable distance.

Hi PGC,

I have a question considering co-op games on DS. You say that Castlevania will have it in some form but I suppose it won`t be main story (correct me if I`m wrong). And there was some info about Phantasy Star Online but for some time I didn`t hear a thing. It`s my favorite GC game and I`d love to see it on DS (at least not in form which PS Universe offers witch its Playstation-like fighting scheme... I just prefer old one). Maybe Sega waits for Wii version to offer some connection features? But Universe is to be realased on current generation of consoles. It just makes me wonder if there will be DS version.

Rakszens

The crux of Portrait of Ruin is a player can control the two main characters at once, or two players co-operatively controlling one character each. The whole game looks like it'll be built around dual-character usage, so it's going to be a major part of it. Oh, and awesome, too.

The two Phantasy Star Online games on the GameCube were big, big surprises when they were announced by Sega, and stand as the only two online games for the system released in North America. With support like that, is a new online Phantasy Star game coming to the Wii or DS? I think there's a great chance of PS coming to the DS in the future, with the DS userbase expanding weekly and more and more people logging on to Nintendo Wi-fi Connection. (Makes you wonder, though... would Sega charge a monthly access fee for Phantasy Star on a handheld?) Phantasy Star Universe is actually coming to a next-gen system (Xbox 360) as well as the PS2 and PC, but again, if Sega wanted to put two (two!) online RPGs on the GameCube, they would have little reason to look away from the Wii. Nothing has been announced or made official, of course, but I don't see why Sega wouldn't take advantage of another online console and release some sort of Phantasy Star game on it.

How long do you think it will be before Nintendo rereleases DS games as Player's Choice? And do you think the price will be $20 considering some games release as that?

A very, very, very long time. For reference, the Game Boy Advance was released in 2001, and five years later Nintendo finally made three GBA games Players' Choice titles. I would suspect DS games will follow the same pattern and not go cheap for a few years. $20 seems the right price whenever it happens, though.

If you think about it, what reason would Nintendo have to make their own games Players' Choice as soon as possible? A company would only want to do that if game sales started to slow and needed a price cut to boost sales again. Nintendo's own games never seem to stop selling enough for them to need to slash the price, especially the handheld ones. They know people will continue to buy their games at both $35 and $20, so they might as well make the most money off of it and keep it at full price.

It's been mostly assumed that the Wii's SD card slot will function as a memory-card slot of sorts, providing Wii-to-Wii save transfer as well as overflow storage from the 512MB internal flash memory. It occured to me, though, that another Nintendo device uses SD cards: the Play-Yan. Have you heard anything or think it likely that the Wii will incorporate video and audio playback functions through the SD slot like the Play-Yan does?

-Rurouni Q

That would be neat, but very unlikely, I think. The SD memory format is common in a bunch of other devices, such as cameras or cell phones. Just because two things can use it doesn't mean they will share functionality. Microsoft and Sony are pushing their consoles to be multimedia all-in-ones, and I don't believe Nintendo will offer anything similar to that on the games-only Wii, other than DVD playback. I'd like to be wrong about that, but I can't see Nintendo including that kind of media support.

Hey PGC bag!

Even though the Opera DS Browser is set to release in Japan later this month, no U.S. release date (to my knowledge) has been confirmed. I’ve seen screenshots of the new browser with touch keys for both Japanese and English text. Would it be possible just to import a browser from Lik-Sang and have no problems with browsing English language sites online?

Thanks,

DylTyl

I don't foresee a problem with it working with English websites (it is just a regular web browser, after all) or over American wi-fi connections, but there may be some language barriers to overcome when setting it up or using it. I would imagine every menu and help screen of the Japanese version would be in Japanese, so be aware that although there are English text entry options, that doesn't necessarily mean English-friendly accessibility. Remember, the DS Browser would need to have English text input since all Internet URLs use the English alphabet. I think it would be best to wait for some impressions of the browser and how import-friendly it is before you grab it when it comes out in Japan later this month.

While I appreciate the expansion port on the controller, and the nunchuck is clearly a neccessity, am I the only one who thinks that making accessories like "light guns," steering wheels, etc. for Wii is a stupid idea? I was under the impression that making a controller that could emulate a steering wheel or light gun without any add-ons... would eliminate the need for such add-ons.

I agree that the add-ons or other accessories (aside from the analog stick) wouldn't be essential because the Wii remote pointer is versatile in what it can emulate. It can be a light gun or a steering wheel without the need for an additional piece of hardware. However, there's a certain charm about using such elaborate devices to play games. While you could play a theoretical next-gen Duck Hunt game with the remote alone, don't you think someone would have more fun pointing a shotgun-shaped device at the screen? In the case of a steering wheel, while the Wiimote can do that job well, nothing beats wrapping your hands around a bona fide wheel in which you can control the on-screen vehicle in the same way you control your own car or lawn tractor.

The point of such accessories for consoles before the Wii were to give games control not possible with a standard controller. I think there will be plenty of those accessories available for the Wii as well, but this time around they will be to enhance the experience. They'll probably be optional, so if you don't want 'em, don't get 'em. I may want that Wii Zapper, though, provided I can finally shoot that damn dog.

So ends another Planet GameCube mailbag. Apologies to those who sent in questions I couldn't get to this week. Don't fret, though, since I still have some emails that I might get to next time. If you sent something in last week that wasn't posted, check back next week.

But wait, there's more! We now have a NEW Mailbag Talkback thread in our forums. If there's something specific you wish to add to the topics already addressed here today, or you want to point out a grevious error that I have included in the mailbag due to my lack of sleep and/or general stupidity, you can do that there, too. But hopefully, it'll just be commenting on the mailbag topics.

Until next week.