New GBC Zelda revealed

[08.19.99] » Acorn of the Mystical Tree turns out to be an adventure game after all. Full game details.

   Contrary to previous reports that Zelda: Acorn of the Mystical Tree would be a puzzle game, new details confirm that the game is sticking with Zelda's adventure roots. As Zelda Gaiden re-uses Zelda 64's engine, Acorn of the Mystical Tree will feature the same engine and many of the same graphics as Zelda DX.

   The game, however, is entirely new, and forms the first part of a three-game trilogy. Each game in the trilogy corresponds to one the three Triforces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. The three chapters will form a continuous storyline, and be released in quick succession -- each game will be released only two or three months after the previous one.

   New light has also been shed on the development situation. The "scenarios" (basic storyline and situations) for each chapter were created by Flagship, also responsible for the "scenarios" of Dino Crisis and the Resident Evil games. The game design itself is being handled by Nintendo, and programming is done by Capcom. Nintendo will publish the final product.

   There's still no word on a U.S. release date for any of the titles in the trilogy, but given the enormous popularity of the Zelda series, a translation is a given. Expect a new name in place of the wordy Japanese title, however.