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[Segata Sanshiro]

Why exactly is Zelda such a big seller on the DS? I mean people always backed up criticism to Twilight Princess sales by saying "Zelda isn't that big in Japan." And now Phantom Hourglass is the next non-game? How does that work (other then the fact that the DS hardware is a hurricane in force)

Let's see how it actually sells for a bit before we declare this a return to sales form for the series in Japan.

 

[D.Lo]

Why comparing a game with 17mln userbase and another one which was on starting line-up?

2,6mln Wii and 500k for Zelda TP i think it's a good result...

Miyamoto specifically said he was disappointed in TP's Japanese sales. And 'launch game' status usually helps a game's sales, since there's nothing else to play. (see Mario 64 DS).

SIDE POINT: if it's all about userbase or system hype, who's to say what WW would have sold on the DS or Wii? This is a question we'll see answered to some extent for Metroid when Prime 3 is released on a very successful console.

IMO Nintendo should do RE4 style budget re-releases of the best cube games with classic controller support, just to give them a second chance. WW, Prime 1 and 2 etc would still be some of the best looking Wii games too.

 

[Toru]

http://mantanweb.mainichi.co.jp/web/2007/06/mdog25.html

This article says Zelda PH sold almost 350k just in two days.

 

[Masklinn]

http://mantanweb.mainichi.co.jp/web/2007/06/mdog25.html

This article says Zelda PH sold almost 350k just in two days.

Could it reach non-game status in less than a month?

(edit: oh shipments only 400k, definitely not then)

 

[ksamedi]

Why exactly is Zelda such a big seller on the DS? I mean people always backed up criticism to Twilight Princess sales by saying "Zelda isn't that big in Japan." And now Phantom Hourglass is the next non-game? How does that work (other then the fact that the DS hardware is a hurricane in force)

I think the Japanese were bored with the old Zelda formula, i think the DS one is a breath of fresh air for the Japanese. Thats why Nintendo should make the next Zelda pointer only.

 

[Cruceh]

It could be very front loaded. I wouldn't call anything yet.

 

[Pureauthor]

It could be very front loaded. I wouldn't call anything yet.

I'll see your 'Stuff in Japan is front-loaded' and raise you a 'It's on the DS'.

 

[D.Lo]

I'll see your 'Stuff in Japan is front-loaded' and raise you a 'It's on the DS'.

And it's a somewhat 'disruptive' game given its revolutionary interface. And disruptive games are the ones with legs, on both DS and Wii.

 

[AniHawk]

And it's a somewhat 'disruptive' game given its revolutionary interface. And disruptive games are the ones with legs, on both DS and Wii.

Hell, even those that aren't last a good while. Ace Attorney 4 is nearing 500k, and FFIII wound up selling over 1,000,000.

 

[nli10]

Why comparing a game with 17mln userbase and another one which was on starting line-up?

2,6mln Wii and 500k for Zelda TP i think it's a good result...

I'm hoping that PH will 'Halo effect' the Zelda series and the Wii version will start to sell consistently. At no point do I think that it's a bad selling game though.

 

[Mithos Yggdrasill]

http://ameblo.jp/get6-2/entry-10037807644.html

This place is saying that 400k units shipped and most stores had a high sell through rate. I reckon we're looking at 300k+ for the weekend.

So, resurgence of Zelda's series confirmed ?

(If true, I'm really happy, because the franchise deserve it).

http://mantanweb.mainichi.co.jp/web/2007/06/mdog25.html

This article says Zelda PH sold almost 350k just in two days.

Another confirmation we're going in the right direction.

 

[slaughterking]

I guess the word of mouth ["Zeruda isn't that bad (on the DS)"] will eliminate much of the scepticism towards the series in Japan and will give PH some nice legs.

 

[Jokeropia]

Maybe it can even get some more people interested in TP? [/optimist]

 

[Jackano]

So if ~350k for the first 2 days will be confirmed by MC thursday, with some luck PH can reach 500k in 2 or 3 weeks and the "best selling handheld Zelda game" status in maybe ~6 weeks.

Good job.

 

[Barf_the_Mog]

So if ~350k for the first 2 days will be confirmed by MC thursday, with some luck PH can reach 500k in 2 or 3 weeks and the "best selling handheld Zelda game" status in maybe ~6 weeks.

Good job.

What is the best selling Zelda game in Japan?

 

[Chibbi Brady]

It really would be great too see a resurgence of Zelda in Japan. Who knows, if PH goes on to sell well over a million, we might just the same style for the next Wii game.

 

[ethelred]

So if ~350k for the first 2 days will be confirmed by MC thursday, with some luck PH can reach 500k in 2 or 3 weeks and the "best selling handheld Zelda game" status in maybe ~6 weeks.

Good job.

I don't know... how much did Link's Awakening sell? The DX version alone did around 315k, so its total sales aren't insignificant.

 

[Grampasso]

What is the best selling Zelda game in Japan?

Mmmh... Ocarina of Time or A Link To The Past (Super FamiCom) if I remember well, but whatever it is the most popular should be OoT thanks to the innovation brought to the series.

 

[kisakiproject]

350k in 2 days, snap! Thats almost as much as TP has sold in JP ltd. Good job DS, bring Zelda back to the mainstream in JP.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Why exactly is Zelda such a big seller on the DS? I mean people always backed up criticism to Twilight Princess sales by saying "Zelda isn't that big in Japan." And now Phantom Hourglass is the next non-game? How does that work (other then the fact that the DS hardware is a hurricane in force)

Regardless of how big or not big a series is, being released on a system with a dozen times the userbase can lead to greater success.

Miyamoto specifically said he was disappointed in TP's Japanese sales. And 'launch game' status usually helps a game's sales, since there's nothing else to play. (see Mario 64 DS).

SM64DS didn't launch with a Brain Training or Nintendogs, though, the way TP launched with Wii Sports.

 

[apotema]

Lets hope thats true

 

[Jackano]

Best selling Zelda game in Japan=> The Legend of Zelda (FDS): 1,69M OR The Adventure of Link (FDS): 1,8M (another sources says that Zelda II didn't outsell Zelda 1).


Best selling portable Zelda game in Japan => Link's Awakening (GB): 540k, Link's Awakening DX: ~320k.

 

[Version 3.0]

IMO Nintendo should do RE4 style budget re-releases of the best cube games with classic controller support, just to give them a second chance. WW, Prime 1 and 2 etc would still be some of the best looking Wii games too.

Prime 1 and 2 need pointer/motion support, not just classic controller. Hopefully Prime 3 does well, and gives them a reason to re-visit 1&2.

 

[ethelred]

Best selling Zelda game in Japan=> The Legend of Zelda (FDS): 1,69M OR The Adventure of Link (FDS): 1,8M (another sources says that Zelda II didn't outsell Zelda 1).


Best selling portable Zelda game in Japan => Link's Awakening (GB): 540k, Link's Awakening DX: ~320k.

LA DX isn't the second best selling. Both of the Oracle games sold around 375k, then Link's Awakening (314k by Famitsu's reckoning), then Minish Cap bringing up the rear at a paltry 235k.

 

[cw_sasuke]

350k in 2 days, snap! Thats almost as much as TP has sold in JP ltd. Good job DS, bring Zelda back to the mainstream in JP.

tp sold nearly 500k on wii with much a lower userbase... so u cannot really compare the sales with ph which launched on a system with userbase that much higher....

 

[Yoshi]

tp sold nearly 500k on wii with much a lower userbase... so u cannot really compare the sales with ph which launched on a system with userbase that much higher....

Did you use a 5 while wanting to press the lovely 4 button?

 

[Jackano]

Did you use a 5 while wanting to press the lovely 4 button?

TP is at 470/480k

Ethereld: I forgot the Oracles. I have 1,03M for both Ages/Seasons.

 

[nli10]

TP is at 470/480k

I'd lay odds on a residual 5-10 place rise by the Wii Zelda next week due to the interest in the series so it might have another few 5k weeks.

 

[Jasoncheng]

Del

 

[Jammy]

Holy shit! ~350,000 sold for Zelda: PH in less than the normal frame of time for Japanese releases?

The DS just does unprecedented things. Just as you think the Zelda series is in a decline in Japan this happens. Phantom Hourglasses three week sales will be bigger than Zelda: TP's LTD.

 

[legend166]

Excellent.

 

[Saitou]

I think we may be in the vincinity of 400k DS hardware sales with this combo.




All thanks to a couple games and new colours. In the middle of ****ing summer.




Sometimes, not always but sometimes..... I wish the DS had never happened, if only to cease to be walloped over the head so repeatedly.

 

[apujanata]

http://ameblo.jp/get6-2/entry-10037807644.html

This place is saying that 400k units shipped and most stores had a high sell through rate. I reckon we're looking at 300k+ for the weekend.

Wow if true.

http://mantanweb.mainichi.co.jp/web/2007/06/mdog25.html

Zelda two days sell 350K+

Whoever said Japanese does not have good taste in gaming ?

If Zelda managed to get so high a first week sales, what will happen to DQIX first week sales ? 4 Million First week ?

 

[nextgeneration]

This week's Media Create is sure going to be interesting.

 

[LanceStern]

DS has an uncanny ability to revitalize sales of franchises fading in Japan:

Mario Kart
Harvest Moon
Kirby O_O
Phoenix Wright
NOw even Zelda!

But poor beans for the mana series :/

 

[cvxfreak]

PW sales always went up with each release since the original on GBA though.

 

[LanceStern]

PW sales always went up with each release since the original on GBA though.

I stand corrected. I hope the other games hit the point though

 

[justchris]

He's been doing this for many months. It has exploded like this a couple of times before.

Wow, I feel lucky this is the first time I've been exposed to it then. Criticize away.

As for ZeldaH, I suspect it will sell much better than Minish Cap because it has a new audience. The DS has a broader (and larger) audience than the GBA did. For a lot of those new gamers, PH may very well be their first Zelda, and they may just be buying it to find out what the hype is about. TP didn't get that kind of advantage, because it was there at launch, doesn't have a large enough userbase, and the new gamers getting the Wii haven't had it long enough to really broaden their gaming tastes.

 

[DarkMehm]

I stand corrected. I hope the other games hit the point though

Kirby was always that popular. The first GBA title sold over 800k...

 

[Mr. Pointy]

But poor beans for the mana series :/

You can't revitalise a series if you give it shit game after shit game after game in genre that Japanese people don't play all that much.

 

[LanceStern]

Kirby was always that popular. The first GBA title sold over 800k...

Yea, but then it declined on GCN, then Amazing Mirror, then the DS version of Canvas Curse, all lowering.

I guess the only example I can bring up is Mario Kart and Harvest Moon. And Animal Crossing and NSMB... it rocketed those already nice-selling titles to unheard of popularity.

 

[Deku]

Yea, but then it declined on GCN, then Amazing Mirror, then the DS version of Canvas Curse, all lowering.

I guess the only example I can bring up is Mario Kart and Harvest Moon. And Animal Crossing and NSMB... it rocketed those already nice-selling titles to unheard of popularity.

Lance do you treat all platforms like VCRs and just chart the up and down trends of software sales of each franchise? I think you're staring at the reason why it declined in the face.

Very few games did better on GCN than on other platforms comparatively. Off the top of my head, the only Nintendo made titles that did better were SSB and Doubutsu no Mori.

 

[Masklinn]

If Zelda managed to get so high a first week sales, what will happen to DQIX first week sales ? 4 Million First week ?

Eleventeen zillions first day obviously

 

[Grampa Simpson]

Eleventeen zillions first day obviously

Is that like the Eleventeenth Angel?

Spoiler

props to anybody who gets the reference

 

[LanceStern]

Lance do you treat all platforms like VCRs and just chart the up and down trends of software sales of each franchise? I think you're staring at the reason why it declined in the face.

I think so, yes.

For the record, I've broken over 4 VCRs in my house... I like rewinding to my favorite parts >_>

 

[king zell]

posted ?

 

[SouthernDragon]

Do you think they made enough copies?

 

[Cheesemeister]

Okay, good news. I've just about got the parser up and running for Gpara. Right now it's successfully reading in last week's rankings and printing out the results per normal. All that's left is to wire up the polling function.

I could still post the list of upcoming games from "eg" as the data there shouldn't be too out-of-date yet; re-engineering to use Gpara's upcoming release calendar will have to wait 'til next week. But holy crap, there are 57 titles coming out this week -- that's a lot of translation and data gathering. =P

Do you think they made enough copies?

Probably not.

 

[Neo C.]

Iwata: "in the shops, there is not enough space for our games".

 

[Chris Michael]

Any major DS games releasing next week?