Nintendo Sheds Light on Future Releases

by Mike Sklens - November 12, 2003, 10:07 pm EST
Total comments: 18 Source: Press Release

Get the low down on a fantasy offer, a girl in a metal suit, and some furry little critters.

DID YOU KNOW? - NEW PRODUCT RELEASE DATES

November 12, 2003

Nintendo plans to ring in the new year with three of the video game industry's most popular franchises: Pokémon, Metroid and Final Fantasy. Nintendo GameCube™ and Game Boy® Advance enthusiasts are sure to start off 2004 with a bang.

Final Fantasy®: Crystal Chronicles™ launches exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube on February 9. This is the first multiplayer Final Fantasy game available on home consoles in the United States. Through cooperation and teamwork, four players can join with teammates to perform more powerful attacks. And for the first time, players can use a Game Boy Advance to control characters, manage data and view character information. To make this Game Boy Advance connectivity feature more accessible, Nintendo is offering a link cable with pre-sell orders through participating retailers.

Also debuting on February 9, Metroid®: Zero Mission for Game Boy Advance starts right where the original Metroid for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) left off. Based loosely on the original NES maps, Metroid: Zero Mission includes all of the weapons and environments that made the original a huge hit, and also provides a totally new experience for the series' many fans by adding new enhancements and delving deeper into aspects of the story that haven't been told.

On March 22, the next chapter of the Pokémon craze will offer 20 hours of 3-D role-playing game fun for the Nintendo GameCube when Pokémon Colosseum™ hits stores. Players can upload all 200 Pokémon® from their Game Boy Advance Pokémon® Ruby and Pokémon® Sapphire games to battle against their friends on the Nintendo GameCube. Pokémon Colosseum features Jirachi, a hidden character and star of the upcoming Pokémon movie. Jirachi wakes once every 1,000 years for seven days, during which it has the power to grant wishes. To date, the Pokémon franchise has sold more than 38 million video games in the United States and more than 110 million worldwide. Stay tuned for some exciting details on an upcoming pre-sell program.

PRESS RELEASE

A Santa Letter From Nintendo

The European arm of Nintendo sure knows what we want for Christmas.

Dear Santa...

Do you have NINTENDO GAMECUBE and Game Boy Advance on your Christmas list yet?

Be the envy of all your classmates with the ultimate gifts this Christmas, the NINTENDO GAMECUBE and the Game Boy Advance SP. The consoles from Nintendo will promise hours of fun, making this the best Christmas ever. But which one will be the top of your list?

The small but perfectly formed NINTENDO GAMECUBE has an amazing line-up of games for you and your mates to go head to head on. So whether you're into racing karts, futuristic vehicles, downhill boarding or adventures, each game guarantees non stop fun to help you while away those long winter afternoons and evenings indoors.

And the fun doesn't have to stay indoors, with a Game Boy Advance those long car trips to visit relatives over the Christmas holiday need never be dull again, and with many two player games, for once you won't even mind if your brother or sister is desperate for a turn. But with two new colours, Flame Red and Arctic Blue now available, make sure you let Santa know exactly which one you would like.

Just in time for Christmas, Nintendo is launching a number of fantastic new games for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE which include Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, 1080º Avalanche, F-Zero GX and Mario Party 5. Fun for all the family on Christmas Day, if you let them near it!

The full Christmas line-up for the Game Boy Advance includes Golden Sun 2: The Lost Age, Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising from Nintendo, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and FIFA Football 2004 from EA, Tony Hawk's Underground from Activision, Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, Banjo Kazooie from THQ and Spyro Adventure and The Hobbit from Vivendi. So much to choose from and all that holiday time to get playing!

So, make sure all of these goodies from Nintendo are on your wish list this Christmas!!

Talkback

Gibdo MasterNovember 12, 2003

What the hell? Are you guys trying to say that Zero Mission is a sequel to Metroid? I'm really getting tired of this. One minute it's a prequel, the next it's a remake, and now you guys are saying it's a sequel.

beccaslovahNovember 13, 2003

Well at least you know what it is now, right? I'm still quite excited about it, prequel, sequel, remake, whatever.

mouse_clickerNovember 13, 2003

Dammit, why does Nintendo have to release all their great games on the same day? February 9th is going to be a big hit on my wallet.

Avinash_TyagiNovember 13, 2003

This is why I wait until the games reach the bargain bin, or are available used.

Bill AurionNovember 13, 2003

The only people that have said the game was a remake didn't pay attention to the developer interview at E3...

I probably won't get any February games so I can save up for Pokemon Colisseum and Tales(March)...

Ian SaneNovember 13, 2003

"To make this Game Boy Advance connectivity feature more accessible, Nintendo is offering a link cable with pre-sell orders through participating retailers."

I think that's pretty lame that you have to pre-order to get the free cable. It should be a pack-in. Limiting it to pre-orders only appeals to the hardcore who are likely to already have the equipment. If it is a pack-in it becomes accessible for absolutely everyone who buys the game.

Nintendo seems to launch hit GBA and Cube games at the same time a lot and that's probably why I miss out on so many GBA games. They launched Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire and Wind Waker a week apart! I only have so much time and money, Nintendo!

Bill AurionNovember 13, 2003

They do it to save on shipping, I believe...Makes sense from a money stand-point...

Koopa TroopaNovember 13, 2003

Hmm FF:CC is sounding more promising, that is to say, it doesn't sound like GBAs will be required to play. Hopefully you can mix GBAs with normal controllers ::crosses fingers::

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorNovember 13, 2003

You can't man, don't get yoru hopes up...supposeldy you can play 1 player with a gcn controller...but multiplayer requires a gba for each person..(including the first player).

- NintendoFan -November 13, 2003

Only if they could give out GBAs too...

But I like that Link Cable Idea a lot. Most of my friends have GBAs but no link cable. This is the perfect way to get more people into the game.

mouse_clickerNovember 13, 2003

Well, that'll make 2 link cables in my normal group of 4 friends- we just need 2 more (and another GBA ).

Gibdo MasterNovember 13, 2003

I just want to say I think PGC is wrong about Zero Mission. Look at what IGN said.

Quote
Nintendo today revealed the release date for Metroid: Zero Mission, the follow-up to Metroid Fusion for the Game Boy Advance. The game will ship on February 9th.

Based loosely on the original NES maps, Metroid: Zero Mission includes all of the weapons and environments from the original game, and also provides a totally new experience for the series' many fans by adding new enhancements and delving deeper into aspects of the story that haven't been told.

We'll have more on the game as it gets closer to its release date.

Seems like a remake here.

This is what gbacentral.net said.

Quote
Nintendo announced some firm dates for a couple of its early 2004 releases, and the sole GBA game to get a mention was Metroid: Zero Mission, now with an official date of February 9th. Here's the official blurb from Nintendo: Based loosely on the original NES maps, Metroid: Zero Mission includes all of the weapons and environments that made the original a huge hit, and also provides a totally new experience for the series' many fans by adding new enhancements and delving deeper into aspects of the story that haven't been told.

This shows that what IGN said was straight form Nintendo.

Besides how could they even squeeze another sequel in after Metroid? First there was Metroid II, then Metroid Prime, and now they are trying to shove Zero Mission in there? I seriously doubt that. Also since this game obviously takes place on Zebes it would also screw up the story for Metroid Prime since that game was supposed to take place right after Metroid and makes multiple references to that fact in game.

By the way check out the sweet box art here.

Bill AurionNovember 13, 2003

Quote
Based loosely on the original NES maps

That's the part you need to concentrate on...I'm still looking for the interview from E3 where one of the guys working on it said it wasn't a remake...

Nice find on the boxart, by the way...

Koopa TroopaNovember 14, 2003

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You can't man, don't get yoru hopes up...supposeldy you can play 1 player with a gcn controller...but multiplayer requires a gba for each person..(including the first player).

Hope is all I have

If you're right, and you do sound certain, I'll just have to hope single-player is more than it appears to be.

The following is what I'm clinging to...

Quote
And for the first time, players can use a Game Boy Advance to control characters, manage data and view character information.

It says "Can" not "Will", but you're probably right.

mouse_clickerNovember 14, 2003

Quote
I just want to say I think PGC is wrong about Zero Mission.

Eh, PGC didn't say anything about Metroid: Zero Mission- what you're looking at in their article is Nintendo's press release. In any case, I still think it's unclear, but ah well, if Metroid Fusion was any indication, we're in for a treat.

Gibdo MasterNovember 14, 2003

Quote
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
Quote
I just want to say I think PGC is wrong about Zero Mission.

Eh, PGC didn't say anything about Metroid: Zero Mission- what you're looking at in their article is Nintendo's press release. In any case, I still think it's unclear, but ah well, if Metroid Fusion was any indication, we're in for a treat.

Well, then Nintendo is contradicting themselves. The press release they gave to IGN would indicate it's a remake but the one they gave to PGC says it's a sequel. Someone on another board suggested that while it's probably a remake it may also have additional story added in explaining the confusion.

mouse_clickerNovember 14, 2003

Quote
Planet Gamecube:

Also debuting on February 9, Metroid®: Zero Mission for Game Boy Advance starts right where the original Metroid for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) left off. Based loosely on the original NES maps, Metroid: Zero Mission includes all of the weapons and environments that made the original a huge hit, and also provides a totally new experience for the series' many fans by adding new enhancements and delving deeper into aspects of the story that haven't been told.

Quote
IGN:

Nintendo announced some firm dates for a couple of its early 2004 releases, and the sole GBA game to get a mention was Metroid: Zero Mission, now with an official date of February 9th. Here's the official blurb from Nintendo: Based loosely on the original NES maps, Metroid: Zero Mission includes all of the weapons and environments that made the original a huge hit, and also provides a totally new experience for the series' many fans by adding new enhancements and delving deeper into aspects of the story that haven't been told.

It's the exact same thing, man.

IGN just cut out the first line.

Hostile CreationNovember 16, 2003

I was wondering about that.

Nice box art, though.

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