Have you been wondering what kind of functionality the Wii controller will add to Twilight Princess? Wonder no more. Time Magazine has learned that the Wii controller will be used to swing Link's sword and aim his bow. It will also play an integral part in many of the mini games, such as casting in the fishing mini game.
Also, as many of you know, our Webmistress Goddess Rinoa will be attending E3 this year, so hopefully she will get some hands-on time with Twilight Princess so she can brag to us about playing it before us. :P I'm sure she will also be updating us with all kinds of impressions from the show floor.
Stay tuned to Z-I.com all week as Nintendo will likely be revealing more information as E3 gets started.
Archived News - May 2006
05-08-2006 - written by Link Hero of Hyrule
05-09-2006 - written by Link Hero of Hyrule
EGM has released some more information on Twilight Princess. According to the magazine, players will not be using the Wii controller to swing the sword the entire time they are playing. I am not sure whether this means that the Wii controller will be used in certain mini games, certain segments of the main game, both, or neither. Furthermore, EGM confirms that the game will indeed be larger than OoT. They also state that the game will be able to run in widescreen when played on the Wii, and that it will also have an online component. We'll have more on TP as it becomes available.
05-09-2006 - written by starfirecold
For those of you interested in the EGM scans, you can find them at Jeux-France. It covers Twilight Princess and Phantom Hourglass, as well as how to use the Wii controller to interact with the game.
Speaking of the Wii, the retail price is speculated to be $249 American. According to EGM, "the controller will contain a small amount of memory, which can be written to by the console (via Bluetooth) during the game. This will usually be used to store small sound files which can be heard via the controller's small internal speaker." Virtual console games will be "a few dollars for NES, $5 for SNES and $10 for N64".
One of our affiliates, Land of the Legend, has posted a new screen from Time magazine of what appears to be a possible new targetting system for Twilight Princess. Also note the boots shown in the top right. A Gerudo Valley-esque scene, no?
Finally, here is the complete EGM summary thanks to TSA at The Hylia.
* Zelda is 80% complete, delay was for graphic tweaks, wii functions and because they want the game to be measured on a scale of 1 to 120 instead of 1 to 100.
* NO SWINGING THE CONTROLLER for the sword, you just press a button. There are some cases where you will swing though. Reason = you'll get tired too fast
* Controller does sound effects
* Widescreen on the REV only
* Navi is only when you play on the REV
* Something with online is planned but no battle mode
* More dungeons than OOT already
* More items too
Speaking of the Wii, the retail price is speculated to be $249 American. According to EGM, "the controller will contain a small amount of memory, which can be written to by the console (via Bluetooth) during the game. This will usually be used to store small sound files which can be heard via the controller's small internal speaker." Virtual console games will be "a few dollars for NES, $5 for SNES and $10 for N64".
One of our affiliates, Land of the Legend, has posted a new screen from Time magazine of what appears to be a possible new targetting system for Twilight Princess. Also note the boots shown in the top right. A Gerudo Valley-esque scene, no?
Finally, here is the complete EGM summary thanks to TSA at The Hylia.
* Zelda is 80% complete, delay was for graphic tweaks, wii functions and because they want the game to be measured on a scale of 1 to 120 instead of 1 to 100.
* NO SWINGING THE CONTROLLER for the sword, you just press a button. There are some cases where you will swing though. Reason = you'll get tired too fast
* Controller does sound effects
* Widescreen on the REV only
* Navi is only when you play on the REV
* Something with online is planned but no battle mode
* More dungeons than OOT already
* More items too
05-09-2006 - written by starfirecold
First off, Nintendo has confirmed that the Zelda DS game, Phantom Hourglass, will pick up where Wind Waker left off.
Nintendo has released another trailer for Twilight Princess. You can find it at GameSpot. The trailer confirms the appearance of the Hookshot in the game.
Reggie has also announced that there will be two versions of Twilight Princess that will be released simultaneously during the Wii launch date- one will be for the Wii and the other will be for the GameCube. As far as we know, the only difference will be the control mechanisms.
Nintendo has released another trailer for Twilight Princess. You can find it at GameSpot. The trailer confirms the appearance of the Hookshot in the game.
Reggie has also announced that there will be two versions of Twilight Princess that will be released simultaneously during the Wii launch date- one will be for the Wii and the other will be for the GameCube. As far as we know, the only difference will be the control mechanisms.
05-10-2006 - written by Link Hero of Hyrule
Nintendo has recently announced that the next installment of Super Smash Bros. is called Super Smash Bros: Brawl.
The game will feature new characters like Pit from Kid Icarus, Solid Snake, Zero Suit Samus, Metaknight from Kirby, and Wario. Nintendo has also confirmed that Mario, Kirby, Pikachu and Link will be returning.
Strangely, Nintendo will not be making used of the Wii controller to play the game, instead it will be controlled by a regular GameCube controller. The reason being that it got too confusing using different motions for the controls.
The final bit of news is that SSB:B is no longer a launch title. It will launch in 2007.
UPDATE: You can see the trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl here.
The game will feature new characters like Pit from Kid Icarus, Solid Snake, Zero Suit Samus, Metaknight from Kirby, and Wario. Nintendo has also confirmed that Mario, Kirby, Pikachu and Link will be returning.
Strangely, Nintendo will not be making used of the Wii controller to play the game, instead it will be controlled by a regular GameCube controller. The reason being that it got too confusing using different motions for the controls.
The final bit of news is that SSB:B is no longer a launch title. It will launch in 2007.
UPDATE: You can see the trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl here.
05-12-2006 - written by Link Hero of Hyrule
Hey all, I thought that you might be interested in seeing the gameplay demo of Phantom Hourglass that Gamespot had on their live webcast. I found it fairly entertaining, and you can find it here.
For those of you without high-speed, and those of you who don't want to watch it for some reason, it should be noted that neither the buttons, nor the control pad are used in the game. The action is completely controlled by the stylus, and judging by the demo, it really seems to work well.
I also found some story info about Phantom Hourglass. This is copied directly from Nintendo's website:
Many months have passed since the events of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Link, Tetra and Tetra’s band of pirates have set sail in search of new lands. They come across a patch of ocean covered in a dense fog, in which they discover an abandoned ship. Tetra falls into danger when she explores the ship alone, and Link falls into the ocean when he attempts to rescue her. When he washes up unconscious on the shores of a mysterious island, he is awakened by the sound of a fairy’s voice. With the aid of this fairy, he sets off to find Tetra – and his way back to the seas he once knew.
I am personally getting very excited about this game, and I can't wait to learn more about it.
Z-I.com will have more on Phantom Hourglass as it becomes available.
For those of you without high-speed, and those of you who don't want to watch it for some reason, it should be noted that neither the buttons, nor the control pad are used in the game. The action is completely controlled by the stylus, and judging by the demo, it really seems to work well.
I also found some story info about Phantom Hourglass. This is copied directly from Nintendo's website:
Many months have passed since the events of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and Link, Tetra and Tetra’s band of pirates have set sail in search of new lands. They come across a patch of ocean covered in a dense fog, in which they discover an abandoned ship. Tetra falls into danger when she explores the ship alone, and Link falls into the ocean when he attempts to rescue her. When he washes up unconscious on the shores of a mysterious island, he is awakened by the sound of a fairy’s voice. With the aid of this fairy, he sets off to find Tetra – and his way back to the seas he once knew.
I am personally getting very excited about this game, and I can't wait to learn more about it.
Z-I.com will have more on Phantom Hourglass as it becomes available.
05-13-2006 - written by Goddess Rinoa
From the second I set foot in Los Angeles, I began having communication problems. The internet access at the hotel was lousy and only worked when it wanted to, and I also had trouble getting connected on the E3 show floor. By the time I got anywhere near internet access after hearing something new about the games, LHoH and SFC had already covered it. So, that's why you haven't really heard from me.
I do have something to add, though.
E3 was really fun. I met great people and got some good pictures, and played some fun demos.
Yes, I did get a chance to play Twilight Princess, near the end of my stay in LA. I can describe it in one word. Amazing. All of this waiting and all of these delays? Worth it. Trust me.
Since they had a working Wii unit at E3 this year, the Wii version of TP was the one everyone was playing, so I got a chance to not only experience TP for the first time, but also with the new Wii controller. I have to say, I was very impressed overall. I think using the controller proficiently will have a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you can do great things with it. For instance, if I wanted Link to do a spin attack, all I had to do was spin the nunchuck part of the controller (what you hold in your left hand) in a quick, small circle, in a stirring-like motion. The controller itself, not the little joystick on it. I kept doing it even when there were no enemies around, because I found it to be so freaking cool. XD
The Wii controller's motion sensitivity also heavily comes into play when aiming your bow. You point the remote-part of the controller (what you hold in your right hand) at the TV and move it gently in whatever direction to position the crosshairs on your unlucky target.
Oh, and remember the screenshot that came out before E3 that showed Link hanging upside-down? A lot of people, including myself, thought that those boots that enabled him to do that would be a seperate item. It seems they're not. They're just normal Iron Boots - what Link is sticking to is a giant magnet. That was in the demo as well. It sounds a little weird, but it's actually pretty neat, especially when you switch into your Iron Boots in midair and fly up to the magnet, like I had fun doing. You can also fight while upside-down, via your bow.
It also seems that the parry move has returned, as well as a finishing move you can do to wipe out an enemy that you've knocked down.
Aside from the dungeon demo that I played, there was also a fishing demo. I didn't play this myself, but I watched someone else play it while I was standing in line. I was really, really impressed by how realistic it seemed. The Wii controller's motion sensitivity was used to cast the line, which was fun to watch.
I only got to play for about ten minutes, but that was long enough to reaffirm the fact that all of this waiting will be well, well worth it.
I also played Phantom Hourglass briefly. As LHoH mentioned before, you control Link entirely with the stylus, do your fighting with the stylus, etc. However, the before-mentioned footage of the demo is rather misleading. I found the stylus system to be extremely awkward. It's like they're asking way too much of you - they want your tiny DS screen to be a lot more sensitive than it really is. It's hard to pick up something and throw it at a certain enemy if the screen is crowded. My hand also kept getting in the way, which was somewhat frustrating.
Again, I was only able to play for about ten minutes, but my first impression of the control system was pretty bad. I sure hope they make some changes to it, because I really don't think it's going to work all that well.
Well, that's about it.
I just wanted to write up my report on the games before crashing into a deep sleep. I've been awake for the last 30 hours or so and am about to pass out. See you again when the jetlag wears off. XD
I do have something to add, though.
E3 was really fun. I met great people and got some good pictures, and played some fun demos.
Yes, I did get a chance to play Twilight Princess, near the end of my stay in LA. I can describe it in one word. Amazing. All of this waiting and all of these delays? Worth it. Trust me.
Since they had a working Wii unit at E3 this year, the Wii version of TP was the one everyone was playing, so I got a chance to not only experience TP for the first time, but also with the new Wii controller. I have to say, I was very impressed overall. I think using the controller proficiently will have a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you can do great things with it. For instance, if I wanted Link to do a spin attack, all I had to do was spin the nunchuck part of the controller (what you hold in your left hand) in a quick, small circle, in a stirring-like motion. The controller itself, not the little joystick on it. I kept doing it even when there were no enemies around, because I found it to be so freaking cool. XD
The Wii controller's motion sensitivity also heavily comes into play when aiming your bow. You point the remote-part of the controller (what you hold in your right hand) at the TV and move it gently in whatever direction to position the crosshairs on your unlucky target.
Oh, and remember the screenshot that came out before E3 that showed Link hanging upside-down? A lot of people, including myself, thought that those boots that enabled him to do that would be a seperate item. It seems they're not. They're just normal Iron Boots - what Link is sticking to is a giant magnet. That was in the demo as well. It sounds a little weird, but it's actually pretty neat, especially when you switch into your Iron Boots in midair and fly up to the magnet, like I had fun doing. You can also fight while upside-down, via your bow.
It also seems that the parry move has returned, as well as a finishing move you can do to wipe out an enemy that you've knocked down.
Aside from the dungeon demo that I played, there was also a fishing demo. I didn't play this myself, but I watched someone else play it while I was standing in line. I was really, really impressed by how realistic it seemed. The Wii controller's motion sensitivity was used to cast the line, which was fun to watch.
I only got to play for about ten minutes, but that was long enough to reaffirm the fact that all of this waiting will be well, well worth it.
I also played Phantom Hourglass briefly. As LHoH mentioned before, you control Link entirely with the stylus, do your fighting with the stylus, etc. However, the before-mentioned footage of the demo is rather misleading. I found the stylus system to be extremely awkward. It's like they're asking way too much of you - they want your tiny DS screen to be a lot more sensitive than it really is. It's hard to pick up something and throw it at a certain enemy if the screen is crowded. My hand also kept getting in the way, which was somewhat frustrating.
Again, I was only able to play for about ten minutes, but my first impression of the control system was pretty bad. I sure hope they make some changes to it, because I really don't think it's going to work all that well.
Well, that's about it.
I just wanted to write up my report on the games before crashing into a deep sleep. I've been awake for the last 30 hours or so and am about to pass out. See you again when the jetlag wears off. XD
05-19-2006 - written by Goddess Rinoa
05-19-2006 - written by Link Hero of Hyrule
As some of you may recall, when Link entered the Twilight Realm in early videos and screens from TP, the world was portrayed in black and white. However, in a recent interview with EGM, Eiji Aonuma, Twilight Princess' director, has stated that this is no longer the case. Instead of the black and white, the Twilight Realm will now feature a coloured "haze".
We will have more on TP as it becomes available.
We will have more on TP as it becomes available.
05-22-2006 - written by Goddess Rinoa
You're probably used to hearing about me fixing typos in the manga, but how's this for weird? One of my staffers pointed out to me today that there was a major typo in Ocarina of Time II, Chapter 5, page 19. Apparently, I typed "piece" instead of "peace". Brilliant, huh?
A new version of the RAR has been uploaded, for those of you that have been downloading them. You'll probably want the corrected version.
A new version of the RAR has been uploaded, for those of you that have been downloading them. You'll probably want the corrected version.
05-26-2006 - written by Goddess Rinoa
Bleh. One of those days. I had a lot of stuff come up today, so I'll try to get the manga chapter out Sunday or Monday.
Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!
Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!
05-26-2006 - written by Link Hero of Hyrule
IGN Wii has posted a high resolution video of Link fishing in the upcoming game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Nintendo Wii. Normally I wouldn't bother making a post about this, but the graphics in this video are just so amazing that I felt it would be a travesty to do otherwise. You can find the video here. You can also find a low resolution version here.
These may not be HD graphics, but they certainly show that the Wii is capable of producing some very pretty games. We'll post more on TP as it becomes available.
These may not be HD graphics, but they certainly show that the Wii is capable of producing some very pretty games. We'll post more on TP as it becomes available.