LOZ: The Wind Waker: Most Anticipated Video Game Of All Time (1 Viewer)

[DavidBelis]

Due to Nintendo's fantastic marketing for Wind Waker (especially the free bonus disk), plus, the amazing reviews for the game so far, Wind Waker now has the most pre-orders of any video game in history.

Not only did it shatter Ocarina of Time's old record (325 000), but it has even surpassed GTA: Vice City's pre-order record.

According to retailers, WW had surpassed 560 000 preorders, 2 weeks before the game is being released (March 24th), and continues to sell at a phenomenal rate.

"The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the most anticipated video game in Electronics Boutique's history based on our pre-orders, even outpacing last year's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," says Jerry Madaio, vice president, merchandising, Electronics Boutique. "And the number of pre-orders is still growing! Clearly, this game's appeal is so wide, that it is a 'must-have' for any Nintendo GameCube owner."

http://www.gamerfeed.com/index.php?story=2026


I truly can't wait for this game.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I feel really bad, but I think I'm going to buy Amplitude first. I want to want Zelda, but I just can't anymore. I've been waiting too long, and other games are starting to look so good...

Either way, I WILL get it eventually.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I truly can't wait for this game.

I'm with you, David. This is going to be a difficult two weeks. Some of my fondest game playing times have been with Zelda. The only problem is, like Metroid Prime, once I play and finish, I won't have it to look forward to anymore.

 

[Neil M]

Count me in as dying in anticipation for this game. 2 weeks cannot come soon enough.

 

[Mark Evans]

Ah ha, my general disinterest in the N64 meant that I never played OOT so I'm occupying my two weeks with school and a healthy dose of OOT that's brand new to me . Man that game is great fun, and the soundtrack is quite excellent.

What's worse is when you watch that preview movie on the bonus disc. Man, that really pumps me up for the new one. Love the soundtrack.

Best pre-order ever!

 

[Greg_S_H]

And, Mark, Majora's Mask may even be better than OOT! Certainly worth my picking up an N64! Of course, as successful as this pre-order deal was, you'd probably be wise to just wait until the next Zelda game. I bet it'll be offered. And, the next Zelda is supposed to be shown this year!

 

[BrianB]

Hrumpf.

Weren't there press releases boasting of millions of Warcraft 3 preorders?

 

[DavidBelis]

People confused the number of pre-orders with the number of copies ordered in total by retailers.

For instance, right before its release on Xbox, rumours were flying around, saying that Splinter Cell had 1.1 million pre-orders.
This turned out to be untrue, since even to date, the game has sold 934 000 copies.

Does that mean that 166 000 people returned the game, and not a single other person has bought the game since it's official release in mid November? Of course not. People merely confused the number of pre-orders with the number of copies ordered by retailers. Initially, all the retailers combined ordered 1.1 million copies of Splinter Cell. The number pre-ordered by consumers was, in fact, much smaller. (I don't know an exact amount, however, by the end of 2002, 1.5 months after its release, it had sold a total of 755 000 copies, I believe)

The same confusion happened with GTA: VC (there were rumours that it had pre-sold I believe 3 or 4 million copies, but once again, these figures were the number of copies ordere by retailers).

And lastly, the same occurred with Warcraft 3. I believe that the number circulating was 4 million, but once again, people had these numbers confused.

With LOZ: The Wind Waker, on the other hand, 560 000 is the number of total copies pre-ordered so far by consumers. I would imagine that the number of copies ordered by retailers, is in fact, much much larger.

 

[BrianB]

I know that, David, and in fact, I made much the same point about the Warcraft numbers. That's why I brought it up! Lies, damned lies etc.

Either way, it's a good achievement by Ninty. They need strong numbers from Zelda, especially in Europe right now.

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

This is interesting. For all the bitching about the cel-shaded look, it appears as though players around the world don't give a flying monkey's rear end. They just want to play some good, old-fashioned Zelda.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I've only played a little of the demo, but I kind of like the look. Of course, I wasn't really following the game until recently, so I missed out on much of the controversy.

 

[Kris Coffin]

Maybe people are still bitching about Cell-Shading, but hey, Zelda is Zelda, and the fans will buy it no matter how it looks. Hell they could release Final Fantasy 12 and all the charecters could be stick figure, and I would still pick it up, maybe the same holds true for Zelda. Personnaly I hate the look of the game, and pray that nintendo finally releases a future version of Zelda similar to the little video we saw about 2 years ago or so. Until then, I will make due with what we got.

 

[Mark Evans]

Hell they could release Final Fantasy 12 and all the charecters could be stick figure, and I would still pick it up

I wouldn't, but that's because I haven't liked the last couple Final Fantasies . I agree with the concept though, that gameplay is way more important than graphics in the end.

Seeing a Final Fantasy that looked like it had been crossed with Vib Ribbon might be rather amusing though...

 

[BrianB]

More games should look like Vib Ribbon... They might have to spend their time on making hte game worth playing instead of just pretty.

 

[Mark Evans]

No argument there, Brian.

 

[DavidBelis]

Wow, Zelda WW is currently the 2nd highest ranked game at gamerankings.com (for those who don't know, that's a site that takes every respectable review site it can find, averages out a score, and ranks the game.)

Currently, the top 10 list is:

1.Lgend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
2.Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3.Metroid Prime
4.Soul Calibur
5.Half Life
6.Goldeneye
7.Gran Turismo
8.Halo
9.Grand Theft Auto 3
10.Super Mario 64


This is quite impressive for a game that everyone said would be terrible and wouldn't sell well due it being cell-shaded.

 

[JamesH]

I think there have been many games more anticipated than WW. WW is available for preorder even in stores that don't usually take preorders, and they're giving away the free games. If you want the game, it would be pretty foolish NOT to preorder, so it might not pick up many sales over what gets preordered. Heck, Dynasty Warriors 4 did better than WW. I personally object to the new look(cel shading is fine, 2 year old main character is not), but I preordered it because the bonus disk was pretty much an offer I couldn't refuse.

 

[David Williams]

I think it says a lot about why Nintendo is popular now and will continue to be in the future that 5 of the top 10 games at gamerankings.com are produced only for the Nintendo platforms:

1.Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
2.Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
3.Metroid Prime
6.Goldeneye
10.Super Mario 64

I can't wait for TWW. Playing the demo at Wally World has got me salivating. Only 10 more days...

 

[Vincent Schmitt]

I have never been disappointed with a Zelda game from the Nintendo Entertainment System thru the N64. I'd have to say that Majora's Mask was probably my favorite. The GBA Seasons and Ages games were a blast as well.

The cell shading is not a problem for me since game play is more important. Still, I did like the look of the N64 games.

 

[BrianB]

This is quite impressive for a game that everyone said would be terrible

Generalisations are a wonderful thing!