Nintendo outlines 2003 for Cube

Metroid Prime has slipped to March 2003, Zelda is due out in Q2 and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle is aiming for Q4. These are just some of the highlights on Nintendo's 2003 European schedule, which also includes the likes of 1080 Avalanche (Q2) and Wario World (Q2).

After earning rapturous acclaim in the US, Metroid Prime is now the most hotly anticipated Cube release since Mario Sunshine [there have been Cube releases since Mario Sunshine? -Ed], but Nintendo has slipped the game into 2003 to head a strong line-up beginning in March. Resident Evil 0 is also due out in March on the 7th.

And Nintendo will continue to look to third parties in Q1. Sega's Phantasy Star Online and Super Monkey Ball 2 will both appear, as will Ubi Soft's duo of Rayman 3 Hoodlum Havoc and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon.

Moving into Q2 and we start to see more of Nintendo's first party earners. The Legend of Zelda (there's no word on the Japanese extras, sorry) is penned in for roughly then, as is 1080 Avalanche (cue hoots and cheers around the office) and Wario World. Moving further afield, True Crime (Activision), Hitman 2 (Eidos, now censored) and Enter The Matrix (Infogrames) all aim for Q2.

And although it will probably slip, as these things tend to do, Nintendo is predicting that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicle, Square's eagerly awaited return to a Nintendo game console, will appear in Q4 2003. Keep a Chocobo on ice.