Nintendo announced this morning that its anticipated new adventure game, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess , has been delayed. The title, formerly scheduled to debut this November around the world, has since been postponed to 2006 so that the developer can continue to make the game better.

"After much discussion, the Zelda development team has requested extra time to add new levels, more depth and even higher quality to Zelda: Twilight Princess

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Twilight Princess, developed by Nintendo and directed by Majora's Mask overseer Eiji Aonuma, was previously set to be the company's big holiday game. In fact, analysts expected the game to be Nintendo's single greatest deterrent to consumers potentially interested in Microsoft's next-generation console, Xbox 360, which is set for a November launch. The delay leaves Nintendo without a major holiday release on GameCube.

In the epic adventure, a 17-year-old Link travels across a gritty, realistic world and is able to move into an alternate dark land called the Twilight Realm, where he transforms into a wolf. Twilight Princess won a number of considerations by critics when it was presented in playable form at the Electronics Entertainment Expo. However, even then, members of the development team hinted in interviews that they would have to work overtime in order to meet a holiday release.

Speaking with IGN, Kaplan elaborated on the delay of the new Zelda. She explained that Nintendo has not yet committed to a new release date for the game, except to say that it would arrive sometime after March 2006. "But it will be worth the wait," she added.

Asked whether Nintendo would launch any previously unannounced GameCube titles this holiday to stand in for Zelda, Kaplan pointed to already-shown software.

"Of course, we don't suggest that any game can replace the unique nature of Zelda. However, GameCube owners have an excellent lineup of new games from which to choose, including Battalion Wars, Mario Super Baseball, Fire Emblem, Super Mario Strikers, Pokemon XD, and a host of great new games from third party publishers," the Nintendo executive stated. "Add to this a plethora of great DS games, the launch of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and several Wi-Fi games (Mario Kart DS, Animal Crossing DS, etc.), plus the launch of Micro (which will be hot!), and there is a lot for consumers to choose from."

With Twilight Princess being pushed in 2006, some Nintendo fans are wondering if the game might ultimately be killed for GameCube and instead repositioned as a launch title for Revolution, the Big N's next-generation platform. Revolution is set to launch sometime in the second half of 2006, according to sources. According to Kaplan, though, the game is still scheduled to ship for GameCube.

"In effect, because of the backward compatibility built into Revolution, every GameCube game also will be a Revolution title," she said. "But we feel a commitment to the GameCube owners who've been patiently awaiting this new Zelda title, and don't want to force them to wait and buy a brand new system in order to play the game."

Kaplan dismissed the notion that the delay of Zelda would put Nintendo in a tricky situation as GameCube owners decide whether or not to stick with the system or purchase Microsoft's new console this November.

"I think we are talking two different things here," she said. "Those who love Zelda will be thrilled when it arrives, and we believe will still want to purchase it even though the wait might have been a disappointment."

The Nintendo spokesperson also had a message for GameCube owners deflated by this latest delay. "Our message is that we understand what a disappointment this is solely because we know people are eager to play Zelda," she said. "The philosophy of 'quality-first' still lives within Nintendo and it's something we won't compromise on. When Zelda game arrives, we hope to hear that players are thrilled with it and believe the wait was worth it. We think it will be."

Nintendo has released seven new screenshots of the game in motion. Readers are directed to our images section for new shots of Link exploring a populated town and manipulating the snow as the wolf.