this is especially sad for those of us who, say, reserved Zelda at a retail outlet about two years ago.

Yes, it does.

Nintendo.

-R.U.Sirius

On a side note, I think the Gamecube has been dead to many consumers for a long time.

This move isn't a bad one. I think it was necessary given the newness of the control scheme. I know a lot of people that gave up on the Wind Waker because of the cartoony art scheme. Likewise, I expect some to do so as a result of the motion control.

It's smart for Nintendo to minimize the effect of something that is considered by a sizeable number as a deal-breaker. If it takes releasing a different game on a different platform to appease this obnoxious but sadly, significant minority that complain about Link's right handedness and the map flipping, then by all means, they should do it. It's simply profitable to do so.

Zelda is by far the most appealing Wii launch title and the one game which will move the most systems.

It is very understandable that Nintendo doesn't like to release a Cube version at all. Just like it is understandable that Sony wants to use the PS3 as Trojan horse for Blu-Ray.
Both decisions make buisness sense, but suck for the consumer.

This is one of the moments to dislike Nintendo.

I'm surprised Nintendo bothered releasing it for the Gamecube at all. They're throwing GC owners a bone, so I'm with Marty in not seeing what the fuss is about. They could have easily made it so that you couldn't play it without a Wii (thereby ensuring more Wii sales), but now anyone can buy the game and a 2nd hand GC for a total of about $90. Plus the GC version is sure to be a rare collectable (what with it's flipped maps and left handed Link) in a few years.

Of course people are not making a big deal about it; its nintendo, not SONY.

Hey Will and anyone else who reserved Gamecube Zelda and is pissed about this:

Just go to wherever you reserved it and ask to move the preorder to Wii Zelda, problem solved. I used to work at a Gamestop, customers are supposed to always be allowed to do that.

the reason they are releasing a gamecube version as well as a wii version is because ORIGINALLY twilight princess was promised to be a gamecube game and not a next-gen game. They couldn't break that promise, but couldn't deny themselves the HUGE jump they would get by having a Zelda launch title on a new system.

get your facts straight joystiq, and you wonder why ign/1up dont consider you a 'real' site.. stop being the devil's advocate

fawazr: I've thought about that comment a lot (that the GC version will be rare), but I never really cared. But I think I've just convinced myself to buy both versions (I have the extra capital). It'll be cool to say in 5 years that I have the rare GC version of the best game ever made, where Link is left-handed and all the maps are backwards?!!?

Or, it might not be all that rare in the end and I'll lose out. Meh. It's only $50.

This may be news in Japan, but I live in America.

For anyone who doesn't get it yet:
As far as we know..

THIS ONLY AFFECTS JAPAN.
THIS ONLY AFFECTS JAPAN.
THIS ONLY AFFECTS JAPAN.

I don't personally see anything wrong with it being released for both. There are a lot of people who aren't going to be in the market for a new console, or who don't want to buy a new console for a game that was originally promised to them on the Cube.

Nintendo doesn't stand to lose anything by releasing it for both, so why the fuss?

Because what would the internet be without fussy gamers?

This is a kick in the ass to people who bought 'Cubes waiting for this game just like the people who bought 'Cubes waiting for Resident Evil 4.

I don't see why companies can't continue to make "budget" games for the 'Cube and on the box advertise as "Wii-compatible". This keeps dev costs down while no limiting your userbase. There is no reason for the 'Cube to be kicked to the curb like that. Heck, they could redesign it similarly to the Wii but be only 4" Wide now and lower the price to $79 and it could be the PS1 of the PS2/GC/Xbox era.

Let's face it, alot of people didn't like it because of the "cube" shape and handle. It looked like a toy. Make it sexy and cheap enough to be an impulse buy and let budget titles with smaller licensing fees continue to be released for it. AND! They'd still be "Wii-compatible".

Hell, call the redesign a "Gii".

I can't believe Nintendo never thought of this 2 years ago. Oh well, there's always the GameBoy Cubed (or whatever the next GBA will be) that will be SD card base, but have a GBA slot for backwards compatibility and these DRM-enabled SD cards will magically hold up to 2GB of data, or more than enough for a 1.5GB GC disc and 512mb of save file storage... Ya' 'mean?

The GB^3 (cubed) will NOT feature a touchscreen, will have a widescreen, and will be the final nail in the PSP coffin as it will also have Wi-fi, accelerometers, rumble and a built-in browser. It will feature console-quality games on a hand-held thanks to a real analog stick...heck 2 analogs...

So as not to compete with the 3rd pillar that is the Nintendo DS which will continue to harbour "non-games".

Wow, seriously. Every company has done this. XBOX did it with Perfect Dark and Kameo. They were both originally cube games. MicroSoft buys Rare and all the XBOX fans were waiting 5 years for Perfect Dark 0 and Kameo. Had to eventually get it on 360. And yes there are people who bought an XBOX because they owned RARE, and RARE gave them nothing that generation. They got stuck having to buy a 360 to enjoy their mediocre games. (hopefully they straighten up, but it looks like its over for them in the killer app creations!).

At least Nintendo is keeping its promise and not forcing you to buy a new console if you want Zelda.

P.S. If PS2 didn't have such a huge userbase and PS3 wasn't going to have such a small one for awhile, they would do the same thing with God of War (as would a lot of third parties with their games coming out to PS2.) So basically, don't blame Nintendo for this move at all, blame the people who didn't buy a GameCube!!!!! You people who didn't buy a Cube are making Cube owners wait forever for Zelda!!!!

Nintendo is keeping their promise to Gamecube owners who have been waiting for this game. The Gamecube version isn't limited much, other than controls. They should have just modified the Gamecube version on the Gamecube disc to have Wii controls and then sold it on both the gamecube and wii shelves, but whatever. Still the best Nintendo game coming out for a while. It is also the best action/platformer/RPG type game coming out period, perhaps ever.

If Nintendo does not make the "mirror mode" on the Wii version of TP an option, I'm just going to get the GameCube version of the game and pass on getting a Wii for a while. I want to play the game as it was meant to be played, not all flipped around and backwards.

Anthriel has it right. As sson as people realize the horror that Nintendo is a business just like MS and Sony, they will see this as a business decision. The gamecube version most likely is very close to the Wii version, and Zelda is the Wii's holiday system seller. If the public new they could play it in the system they already own on the same exact date, why buy it on the Wii? No matter what kind of fanboy you may be, money talks louder than any of us can scream.

what really sucks is that i reserved mine at an ebgames over a year ago in a different city in the hopes the game was being released 6 months ago. well, i don't live near that city now and eb is giving me a runaround about getting my preorder money either sent to me via gift card or transferred to a store in my hometown. now that they might not even sell the game, i wonder what they'll do.

I'm getting GC version simply because I'm more comfortable with the controls and won't have a big ass fairy on my screen.