MaxSpeed Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Nintendo Sold More Than 500,000 'Zelda' Units REDMOND, Wash.- Video game publisher Nintendo (news - web sites) Co. Ltd. (7974.OS) said on Wednesday it had sold more than 560,000 copies of its new title "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" almost two weeks before the game's release. The game is the latest in a hugely popular Nintendo franchise that stretches back nearly 20 years. Nintendo's game console, the GameCube, has been lagging behind competitors in the United States and elsewhere, but Nintendo has said it is counting on the new "Zelda" to boost sales. Customers who pre-ordered the $49.95 "Wind Waker" ahead of its March 24 release were also given a disc with two older "Zelda" games, including "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," which was originally for Nintendo's last-generation N64 console. "Ocarina of Time" is generally rated by the video gaming press as one of the best games ever. In a statement, video game retailer Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq:ELBO - news) said its "Zelda" pre-sale was outpacing "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," the biggest seller of 2002 and a game that sold more than 1 million units in two days. Nintendo said that over its lifetime the Zelda series has sold more than 36 million units worldwide. The latest game features the character "Link," searching for his sister and sailing the seas with a magic staff that can summon windstorms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sauron Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I think Zelda is the one game that most people have been waiting for since the GC was released. It's nice to hear that it's already selling well through pre-orders! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invader_dag Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 yahooo!!! This is JUST what nintendo needs right now!!! i hope this will boost them to a closer 2nd now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisbid Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I just hope that its not the last great cube game, like Ocarina was for the N64 (the last great game that got people buying N64s, before an arguement erupts ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nintendo Penguin Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I think titles like Metroid and Zelda are a sign of things to come from Nintendo. Byt the way.... are they third? I find that hard to belive. CNBC Business had them at 2nd with 30% of the console market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nintendo Penguin Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Hey, I just found this online! ************ A recent ELSPA report has highlighted the growing nature of the games industry and the console and game sales since the next-generation consoles were released worldwide. They list Sony as having 74 per cent of the market share, followed by Nintendo on 14 per cent and Microsoft last at 12 per cent. This is great news for all Nintendo fans as the absolute error of this report would have a very minimal impact, due to the massive sales on the percentage scores, therefore these are very reliable figures! Also the report stated that the games industry is still breaking records worldwide and has not yet peaked! For Nintendo, the official release outlined the fact that they are still second worldwide, not with endless marketing campaigns and mergers but with quality and variety! ************** I think I trust CNBC Business al little more. I mean, business analysis is what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punisher5.0 Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 That's good news . I guess there still are some gamers out there that like high quality games. I just hope that its not the last great cube game, like Ocarina was for the N64 (the last great game that got people buying N64s, before an arguement erupts ) Not to try and start anything but I would qualify Perfect Dark and Majora's Mask as great games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisbid Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 i think they were good games too, but they were released after most people had given up on the N64. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invader_dag Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 sadly, that is really true about OoT being the last big seller of consoles for the N64. Andi think Nintendo deserves to be in second, they have been around longer than atari has(In their original incarnation that is) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paralistalon Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 This is great news, and is sure to give Nintendo some well deserved respect. Although, the preorder number is only so high because of the bonus disk. I don't know if the overall number of sold copies will exceed that of GTA:VC. I'm glad Metroid and Zelda are making such a splash after Mario's somewhat dissapointing sales. As for what the future holds, here is what I see as the next wave of titles to get excited over (taken from EGM's March issue): F-Zero Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Mario Kart Star Fox Armada ("Namco is taking the Star Fox series back to its shooter roots with Armada") Mario 128 (???) Those are the big ones I'm anticipating. The new Pokemon will be comming out, but I don't know how sick of Pokemon the public is yet. But still, IT'S POKEMON ON THE FREAKING GAMECUBE!! Plus, I absolutely love the new Pokemon designs: http://www.anzwers.org/free/pokemonelite/r...kemonlist1.html There are also sequels in the works for Lost Kingdoms, Animal Crossing, and Pikmin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSmirk Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 wow thats a nice looking preview list! Yeah, I put in my pre-order for Zelda, and have been enjoying Ocarina of Time while waiting....when Nintendo hits the nail on the head, they slam it home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I'm disovering many of these Nintendo properties for the first time. Metroid Prime was my first Metroid game, and Ocarina of time (on Cube) is my first Zelda game (I am very much impressed by it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I'm disovering many of these Nintendo properties for the first time. Metroid Prime was my first Metroid game, and Ocarina of time (on Cube) is my first Zelda game (I am very much impressed by it). Well then you outta do yourself a favor and check out some of the PRIME 2D versions of these games. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend checking out Super Metroid both for the Super Nintendo. Play them via emu's on your pc or xbox or heck, get the actual carts and play them. Either way, they're GREAT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 As the self-confessed Nintendo fanboy (and your resident VG mod) I can only say this news had me ear to ear. I'm not dogging my PS2 (still a damn near unbeatable library of titles overall, some top notch exclusives like GTA3, online support + more) but the GameCube holds a sweet spot in my heart that only keeps getting sweeter as more and more cool games and periphreals come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Well then you outta do yourself a favor and check out some of the PRIME 2D versions of these games. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend checking out Super Metroid I've been on the lookout for the carts to play on my SNES. Haven't found either yet. SNES carts are hard to find around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptik76 Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Gameboy Advance is an excellent handheld game as well. Graphically, it's exactly like the SNES version but some of the sound effects are enhanced (plus there's a multi-player adventure if, unlike me, you actually have people to play the game with). I never played the SNES version except on an emulator so I've been very happy with Zelda for the GBA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yar Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 While it's a great game, I am SICK of the GBA rehashes, as are many others. I think Wind Waker will make it all better, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkyxtc Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 I've pre-ordered my Zelda for GC, and can't wait...Now all Nintendo needs is remakes of Kid Icarus, and Excitebike (wanders off into childhood memories)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nintendo Penguin Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 I started a topic about poor little Kid Icarus here: http://www.vintagegamer.net/boards/phpBB2/...wtopic.php?t=79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paralistalon Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 I've pre-ordered my Zelda for GC, and can't wait...Now all Nintendo needs is remakes of Kid Icarus, and Excitebike (wanders off into childhood memories)... There's Excitebike 64 for the Nintendo 64. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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