Twilight Princess: Behind the Legend – Part 2
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is a game all Nintendo fans have been following religiously since it was unveiled in 2004. For some of us it has been the air we breathe, even the seemingly final hours to our own apocalypse as we waited in anticipation. For others it has been the title that should have been, rather than the anime styled, treasure hunting Wind Waker.
Today we look at Part 2 covering Zelda’s final journey to a Wii Launch Game. Article contains images from the final build of the Wii version of Zelda Twilight Princess
t was soon approaching the month of E3, the much-anticipated event that caught the attention of millions of gamers every year. This was an event to remember, for better or worse as some would come to see it. After the sudden announcement of Nintendos new consoles name, Wii, eyes soon fell back onto the fading hope that Twilight Princess would be shown in some form. What we got was not what many had hoped for but instead a sign of what was to come. Nintendos media conference started with a bang as the Wii was demonstrated to the public at last. Mario, Tennis, Metroid, guns and monkey balls were just a taste of the bigger prize. Finally, after months of waiting, Twilight Princess was shown once more but in a way that would shock thousands of fans.
Twilight Princess was going to be available on the Wii as well as its original homestead, the Gamecube. It would feature innovative controls, widescreen support and a slight graphics boost. So why exactly did gamers around the world find this news as a crushing blow to their trust in Nintendo? Few have ever understood the mind of a gamer. How could one possibly be angry over a decision made by a multi-million dollar company to bring their holiday title to their holiday console? What it came down to was a promise made a long time ago that Twilight Princess would be exclusive to the Gamecube and loyal followers now had to feel the stinging jab of betrayal.
id this move work out for Nintendo despite some early threats of boycotting and gamers turning their backs on the Wii? You bet it did but the path to ascension was not an easy one. As the months after E3 approached so did the endless wars that sprouted from the fiery depths of gamer hell, comparing the two games and deciding effortlessly to prove which was the superior version. The wars dragged on and drag on to this very day. While one version may be favoured over the other come launch day the fact remains that both versions are the same game and will be enjoyed just as much on either platform.
Seemingly out of nowhere, popular media site IGN proclaimed that Twilight Princess would feature a sprawling landscape that would take gamers 40 odd minutes to traverse across, from one end to the next. This seemed to be the icing on an already overly large chocolate cake. But despite this revelation one thing remained unsaid, a release date. Even with E3 coming and going no one had a thought or idea of when the game would see the light of day. Soon rumours surfaced that Twilight Princess would be pushed back to give way to the other First Party titles like Metroid Prime and Excite Truck. Only one company knew the truth and they were being as secretive as the very game itself.
n the time since E3 Nintendo did something radical, they listened (partly) to gamers. Impressions from E3 were mixed; some good and others bad, all centred around the controls which many had asked, Would it work?. A new build of the demo surfaced and suddenly we were more apart of the game than ever before. With a simple flick of the Wiimote Link would now slash and stab his sword at enemies. The new controls worked wonderfully and Zelda fans were happy again, for a few seconds.
The most controversial change to the game for gamers was not the waggling of the Wiimote but rather the flipping of the entire game world to suffice for Links right-handed use of the blade. Link was no longer a lefty and many gamers were left feeling like Nintendo had taken away from Link what made him who he was. This change to the game would soon become known as the age of confusion, as people tried to figure out just how this would affect the game. Finally it was decided that unless one was to step back into the realm of Hyrule on the Gamecube the change in world structure would be unnoticeable. No worries of backward dialogue here.
inally, in October, during one the best weeks for Nintendo gamers in the known history of gaming the Wii got a release date, as did Twilight Princess. Rumours of a delay were squashed and the Legend was promised for launch day. It was a week celebrated by gamers worldwide and one that drew Twilight Princess closer. Sadly however a later release was confirmed for the Gamecube version, which sparked uproar from fans like never before. Many accused Nintendo of using the Legend to promote the Wii and sell more off the shelves. Either way the dates had been set (until the Gamecube version was once again pushed back a entire 3 days) and the legend was coming. November 19th and December 7th would become the days that the long journey came to an end and a new one began.
Since then we have seen the war between Wii and Gamecube continue to persist in the background, gamers endlessly battling down a narrow, pointless road. The Gamecube version has hit a few bumps, becoming available in Japan only online and almost forgotten about in Australia. Journalists have gone hands on with the final build, spreading spoilers and impression like wild fire and new trailers have emerged, originating from down under and soon finding its way onto YouTube like a ravenous plague.
Yes, the Legend behind Twilight Princess draws to a close after so many memorable years. But while there is reason to mourn the passing of one age, it is also time to celebrate to coming of a new, when Link, the hero that has captured our hearts over and over again gallops across our screens this holiday season. The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess is almost here and will finally bring to close one of the greatest Legends of all time. The adventure of a lifetime is about to begin
The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess launches in Australia on December 7th for Wii
