Metroid Prime 2 and Geist due this year?

Europe can expect to be playing Metroid Prime 2, Geist, and Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green by the end of 2004, according to a report originating in the UK Official Nintendo Magazine that Cube-Europe picked up on.

The article apparently focused on an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, who asked fans to be patient with his main charge, Mario 128, repeating the company line that the game uses new ideas "prone to lose their freshness or to be imitated once they go public". Mr Miyamoto also reconfirmed that a new Zelda game (he called it "the new Wind Waker") is underway, as revealed late last year.

Finally, the article reportedly stated that Nintendo sent French retailers Christmas cards telling them that Animal Crossing would be with them in 2004, nudging the "will they/won't they" argument back into motion.

Although we haven't seen a copy of the magazine ourselves, this is nonetheless fairly encouraging. Let's just hope that Metroid Prime 2 and Geist (a body-swapping FPS revealed at E3 last year) won't be the full extent of GameCube goodies due out in 2004.