N-Query

The weekend edition is here. Get it while it's hot.

AXed

One of these days you're going to have to answer my question: What ever happened to F-Zero AX?

Matt responds: Damn you! I was hoping to inconspicuously ignore this question forever, but your persistence has won me over. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by the question. F-Zero AX came out briefly in the arcades in Japan and in the US and then disappeared into obscurity shortly thereafter. The arcade market isn't exactly booming here in the States, which would explain why you probably never heard or saw much about it.

You can unlock much of the AX experience if you're insanely good at F-Zero GX on GameCube, though. To unlock the AX machine parts, you have to beat the story mode on hard difficulty. To unlock the AX pilots, you have to beat the story mode on very hard. And to unlock the AX tracks, you have to beat the grand prix on the master setting.

By the way, good luck. You're going to need it.

RE4 Special Edition

I've just read about Resident Evil 4's special, Gamestop Collectors Edition. I want to know if, Capcom will offer an official Pre- order special. If so will it be better? Perhaps, a demo of the game before it is released? (Or maybe a year's subscription to IGN Magazine for half price...)
Dan Centofanti PS
Time is a factor; I am extremely impatient and want to reserve Resident Evil 4 already. I do not want to jump on the first offer and then a better one comes along. Could you ask the guys or ladies at Capcom, if they are going to have one...

Matt responds: I talked to Capcom about this yesterday and the company currently has no special edition version of Resident Evil 4 in the works. That being true, I doubt you're going to find a better package than the one GameStop is offering now. I know you want to get on the pre-order list, but you could always just opt to wait it out and see what happens, too; the game doesn't come out until January 11 in the US, remember.

Zelda for Revolution or Cube?

The new Zelda looks like it could be the best game put out by Nintendo in years, and we're all expecting some delays. That is, after all, Nintendo's [i]modus operandi[/i].

However, I've been worried lately that they'd push it back to Revolution. It's a dream come true for GameCubers, but I'm certain it also has a strong appeal as a launch title.

Do we have any assurances from the Big N that Link will return to the Cube?

Matt responds: Yes sir, I do. Actually, that was a big concern of mine, too, and so we recently asked Nintendo of America's VP of sales and marketing, Reginald Fils-Aime, about it. Here's what he had to say:

"[The new Legend of Zelda] will launch on GameCube. Let me be clear: that will launch on GameCube [laughs]."

Look out for a late 2005 release. Should be a major, huge, awesome, sweet, lovely, wonderful spotlight of the Electronics Entertainment Expo next May, too.

Split on Splitters

About Time Splitters 3, do you from IGN Cube really believe what Mark Ryan Sallee said? THat its control is ancient? I love Time Splitters for its gameplay, it is the best. Also, he said it should include the option for alternative control scheme. Is that option not included? TS2 had it and it was deep.

If you could answer this it would be great. Tahnks

Matt responds: I was a big fan of the way TimeSplitters 2 controlled and TS3 is every bit the extension of that. So, no, I don't agree with Mark on the subject. Also, if memory serves you are allowed the ability to use multiple configurations in the game. It's going to be a lot of fun, that one. And with any luck Free Radical might even support a LAN-play mode for GameCube owners, which would in turn mean that the crazily dedicated folks at Warp Pipe might be able to bring out some sort of online play, too.

The DS Connection

i asked craig in the ds mailbag but it seems he has gone on stike or something because that mail hasn't been updated in a long while, but since its gcn and ds related i thought i'd have a crack and ask it here too.

like the gba, can the ds link up to the gamecube with games like animal crossing, loz: 4 swords and ff:crystal chronicles.

while i know you still dont know alot about the ds even though its so soon to release, if you happened to know this tid bit of info it would be greatly appreciated if you let me know. thanks

Matt responds: I think our old friend Rock Biter Craig Harris is in fact on vacation right now, so I'll field this one. Again I have to call up the words of our leader extraordinaire Reginald Fils-Aime. We asked the NOA VP of sales and marketing about such link possibilities and here's what he had to say:

In terms of connectivity to the SP, that cannot happen. The two systems work on two different wireless frequencies. Could there be interactivity with GameCube? Potentially. Depends on the software and accessories needed from a GameCube perspective. But it's certainly possible. Could there be interaction with the Revolution? Certainly possible. Certainly capable.

Reggie's words noted, I'd be surprised if Nintendo actively explored a connection between DS and GameCube. The company tried the whole connectivity thing with GBA SP and nobody cared. As a result, you'll notice that few new GBA or GCN titles actually support the function. I expect it'll be similarly ignored with DS and GameCube.

Clipping

I'm as excited about RE:4 as the next guy but what's up with the clipping, and why has it never been brought up as an issue in your previews? I was watching a video, and the action was tense, I was practically on the edge of my seat, then as Leon makes a quick exit out the window half his body passes through the wall instead....kinda killed some of the tension, as it pulled you out of the game. There also seems to be a lot of clipping issues and collision problems when you go in close with the knife. This may be knit-picking, but it really stood out in the video I saw against an otherwise seamless and perfect looking game.

Matt responds: I wouldn't say that collision detection is a huge problem, but you're definitely right about the clipping issues. When Leon jumps through a window, his body will occasionally go through the entire wall of the house. The reason we've never complained about this, until now, is that we're fully hoping that these issues will be addressed for the final version. Remember, the demos of the game circulating are more or less from the E3 2004 version of the game, which hit the show floor five months ago. If there are still clipping issues in the final build, you can bet that we'll whine like unfed babies.

Perfect Dark

I was looking under my bed the other day and found what I think is the best multi-player game ever, Perfect Dark for the N64. I got to thinking and was wondering if Nintendo was ever going to release a sequel to this awsome game. Thanks!

Matt responds: Nope. Nintendo's competitor, Microsoft, bought the guys who made the game, a company called Rare. Another Perfect Dark is under development for Xbox 2 or possibly Xbox 4, knowing Rare.