@ khuutra that is a good one. People were definitely going crazy for the game.

@ paperdiego is that your reasoning behind the game not having a larger increase in sales, or were you pointing that out because you thought I didn't know?

So... did you play Link to the Past? Or Link's Awakening?

Well, the question about the impact of art style on the games sales, seemed to help interest in this thread a little.

How about what do people think the impact of Twilight Princess being a launch game had on it's sales? Did the anticipation of the new system, and Twilight Princess being one of the most talked about launch titles cause some people to pick up the game that wouldn't have it was released later on? Or do you think everyone who bought Twilight Princess would have still bought it if it was released later?

I think the fact that it was a launch title had a lot to do with it. A lot of early buyers are going to be core buyers, and people like that are going to want at least one game to go with their systems. I figure a lot of people just picked up Zelda because, Hell, it's Zelda. Considering that it continues to sell 4-5k a week outside of holidays even now, I think a lot of new buyers are still doing that.

That's a good explanation, but I think your answer is kind of two factors. I was thinking that the game might have been helped by being a launch title, by being pretty much the only game with brand recognition and getting a lot publicity. If new owners of the console are still picking it up with their system, despite more recent high profile releases, I think that might be more related to positive word of mouth, or being a fan of the franchise to start with.

What do other people think?

Ok, nobody commenting again.

How about this topic.  Did Zelda: Twilight Princess not see as big of increase as one would expect, because Zelda does not appeal to the Wii's expanded audince (which is taking the assumption that a majority of the Wii userbase is this "expanded audience)? In previous Change in sales threads we've seen Mario Party and Mario Kart, have sales that have increased about the same or even more than the Wii has increased over the Gamecube.  But Zelda only increase ~17%.  So does that mean Wii owners aren't interested in games like Zelda?

GREAT thread yet again.

The increase imo was limited on wii due to the GC version

I know MANY people who preferred to play it on the controller, so they just got the GC version

That is a very interesting question, but perhaps one that could be done better with an alternative frame of reference.

How did Phantom Hourglass compare to Minnish Cap?

Yes, it is on NGC also!

darthdevidem01, thanks again =).  Now if only I could get a few more people as interested in these threads I would be doing well.

Khuutra, that is a another very good point.  For those that don't know, according to VGChartz, Phantom Hourglass increased ~237% from Minish Cap on GBA.  So that would support the idea that the expanded audience could get into traditional Nintendo franchises.

I guess the counter arguement to that point would be (not necessarily one I agree with) that Nintendo attempted to make Phantom Hourglass more mainstream to appeal to that audience.  By making puzzles a little simpler, the use of the Wind Waker arty style, and some of the use of the touch screen.

So what do other people think. Is phantom hourglass proof, that traditional Nintendo franchises can sell to the expanded audience and another factor was holding Twilight Princess back, or is Phantom Hourglass an exception to the rule for some reason?