Matt Hazuda
12-13-2002, 01:42 PM
Hey kids, it your friendly ToonZone menace MDawg here with all of todays big Gamecube news courtesy of the fine folks at IGN Gamecube (http://cube.ign.com).
First up, it looks like there's a sequel to the hit game Animal Crossing in the works in Nippon(ed: That's Japan kids)
Japanese lifestyle magazine Sabra scored an interview with game designer Shigeru Miyamoto -- and true to the master's ways, he managed to leak out information about a new game in a place where nobody would think to look. According to Miyamoto, Nintendo is hard at work on a sequel to Animal Crossing, scheduled for release in Japan in 2003.
The Nintendo designer did not elaborate whether the new game would be a full-fledged sequel or an enhanced edition, similar to the step from Animal Forest for N64 to Animal Forest + in Japan. The US version of the GameCube hit, known as Animal Crossing actually contains many features not found in the Japanese edition, such as the ability to download NES games to the Game Boy Advance, the password trade option, and localized events.
Animal Forest + (Animal Crossing) sold almost 600,000 copies in Japan according to sales tracking firm Media Create, making it the third best-selling title for the console after Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Mario Sunshine. Depending on which form this sequel takes, expect the title to be announced for the US market sometime next year.Good news indeed. Hopefully there will be some sort of online functionality to the game. Can you say Animal Crossing Online? :D
Next up, it looks like Nintendo and NEC will be teaming up for the Gamecube successor (http://cube.ign.com/articles/380/380218p1.html) which could see its debut in 2005
Bloomberg is reporting that Nintendo is planning to collaborate with electronics giant NEC on the creation of the GameCube's next-generation hardware successor. The home console, which sources have indicated could debut in 2005 against Sony's PlayStation 3, is still without an official title or codename.
NEC previously supplied the graphics chip for Sega's Dreamcast and Nintendo's GameCube, and has recently invested 40 billion yen into the creation of a new production factory in Kumamoto, Japan.
NEC is working on developing a system LSI that would serve as the core of the new game console.
The continued Nintendo alliance with NEC comes in response to Sony and Toshiba's stronghold on the videogame market, according to Bloomberg.
We will have more on this news soon. Stay tuned.
In other big news we've got a look at the all-new boxart for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker(click for larger image)
http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldawindwakerboxgoldin.jpg (http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldawindwakerboxgold.jpg)
All I can say is, this is much better than the terrible looking version of the japanese box art (http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldajpn_box.jpg). It's nice to see NOA sticking with the classic cover design for the series over in the States.
We've got news that cross-platform developer THQ had a couple of choice words to say about the Gamecube's future, and none of them were good (http://cube.ign.com/articles/380/380119p1.html).
Earlier today in a Dow Jones release, THQ's president and CEO Brian Farrell said that he thinks that Microsoft is "gaining traction" with sales of its Xbox console. He also noted that Nintendo's next-generation hardware seems to be in a popularity slump.
"I think we'll hear better Xbox hardware sales, while GameCube is still struggling," Farrell said.
Farrell's comments are the latest in a stream of complaints from publishers dissatisfied with GameCube's current selling rate in the market.
Nintendo of America is betting on a strong showing of its big holiday title Metroid Prime, a first-person action-adventure set in a sci-fi backdrop, coupled with its new Platinum GameCube, to drive sales of hardware and software through the fourth quarter.
More as it becomes available.[/url]Could THQ be hinting at a possible drop in Gamecube support, and do we even want them after dreck like their Jummy Neutron, Spongebob Squarepants, Rugrats, and Rocket Power games? Only time will tell.
Finally, it loks like Sega will be adding a special treat (http://cube.ign.com/articles/380/380219p1.html) for it's Japanese Phantasy Star Online gamers d(sorry US PSO fans)
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II developer Sonic Team announced today that it would launch the "Messenger from a Dream Quest" for the Japanese version of its multiplayer online title on December 13. Like other quests in PSO, it is designed for four players and will have the popular Sega character Nights from the Saturn game of the same name.
Once the Nights Quest is completed, players receive the key item "Nights Score Attack" which can be used to unlock a mini-game called "Nights Score Attack", which is downloaded to the Game Boy Advance via the GameCube link cable.While it's not as cool a feature, it looks like US gamers will also be getting something for the holidays on PSO
Additionally, the lobby of the game changes from December 19 and features Christmas decorations, including a Christmas tree. The holiday theme ends on December 25.
Well that's it for the first of what may be more Cube News columns. Let me know what you think, and as always, feel free to post your responses to any of the topics in this post. Later.
First up, it looks like there's a sequel to the hit game Animal Crossing in the works in Nippon(ed: That's Japan kids)
Japanese lifestyle magazine Sabra scored an interview with game designer Shigeru Miyamoto -- and true to the master's ways, he managed to leak out information about a new game in a place where nobody would think to look. According to Miyamoto, Nintendo is hard at work on a sequel to Animal Crossing, scheduled for release in Japan in 2003.
The Nintendo designer did not elaborate whether the new game would be a full-fledged sequel or an enhanced edition, similar to the step from Animal Forest for N64 to Animal Forest + in Japan. The US version of the GameCube hit, known as Animal Crossing actually contains many features not found in the Japanese edition, such as the ability to download NES games to the Game Boy Advance, the password trade option, and localized events.
Animal Forest + (Animal Crossing) sold almost 600,000 copies in Japan according to sales tracking firm Media Create, making it the third best-selling title for the console after Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Mario Sunshine. Depending on which form this sequel takes, expect the title to be announced for the US market sometime next year.Good news indeed. Hopefully there will be some sort of online functionality to the game. Can you say Animal Crossing Online? :D
Next up, it looks like Nintendo and NEC will be teaming up for the Gamecube successor (http://cube.ign.com/articles/380/380218p1.html) which could see its debut in 2005
Bloomberg is reporting that Nintendo is planning to collaborate with electronics giant NEC on the creation of the GameCube's next-generation hardware successor. The home console, which sources have indicated could debut in 2005 against Sony's PlayStation 3, is still without an official title or codename.
NEC previously supplied the graphics chip for Sega's Dreamcast and Nintendo's GameCube, and has recently invested 40 billion yen into the creation of a new production factory in Kumamoto, Japan.
NEC is working on developing a system LSI that would serve as the core of the new game console.
The continued Nintendo alliance with NEC comes in response to Sony and Toshiba's stronghold on the videogame market, according to Bloomberg.
We will have more on this news soon. Stay tuned.
In other big news we've got a look at the all-new boxart for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker(click for larger image)
http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldawindwakerboxgoldin.jpg (http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldawindwakerboxgold.jpg)
All I can say is, this is much better than the terrible looking version of the japanese box art (http://cubemedia.ign.com/cube/image/zeldajpn_box.jpg). It's nice to see NOA sticking with the classic cover design for the series over in the States.
We've got news that cross-platform developer THQ had a couple of choice words to say about the Gamecube's future, and none of them were good (http://cube.ign.com/articles/380/380119p1.html).
Earlier today in a Dow Jones release, THQ's president and CEO Brian Farrell said that he thinks that Microsoft is "gaining traction" with sales of its Xbox console. He also noted that Nintendo's next-generation hardware seems to be in a popularity slump.
"I think we'll hear better Xbox hardware sales, while GameCube is still struggling," Farrell said.
Farrell's comments are the latest in a stream of complaints from publishers dissatisfied with GameCube's current selling rate in the market.
Nintendo of America is betting on a strong showing of its big holiday title Metroid Prime, a first-person action-adventure set in a sci-fi backdrop, coupled with its new Platinum GameCube, to drive sales of hardware and software through the fourth quarter.
More as it becomes available.[/url]Could THQ be hinting at a possible drop in Gamecube support, and do we even want them after dreck like their Jummy Neutron, Spongebob Squarepants, Rugrats, and Rocket Power games? Only time will tell.
Finally, it loks like Sega will be adding a special treat (http://cube.ign.com/articles/380/380219p1.html) for it's Japanese Phantasy Star Online gamers d(sorry US PSO fans)
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II developer Sonic Team announced today that it would launch the "Messenger from a Dream Quest" for the Japanese version of its multiplayer online title on December 13. Like other quests in PSO, it is designed for four players and will have the popular Sega character Nights from the Saturn game of the same name.
Once the Nights Quest is completed, players receive the key item "Nights Score Attack" which can be used to unlock a mini-game called "Nights Score Attack", which is downloaded to the Game Boy Advance via the GameCube link cable.While it's not as cool a feature, it looks like US gamers will also be getting something for the holidays on PSO
Additionally, the lobby of the game changes from December 19 and features Christmas decorations, including a Christmas tree. The holiday theme ends on December 25.
Well that's it for the first of what may be more Cube News columns. Let me know what you think, and as always, feel free to post your responses to any of the topics in this post. Later.