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Preview: A Legend Cometh

Game: Tomb Raider: Legend	Developer: Crystal Dynamics	Publisher: Eidos
Console: Gamecube, DS, GBA	Release Date: TBA

Even the most cold-hearted sceptic cannot deny that the Gamecube has been a good generation for Nintendo, particularly in terms of franchises. Some have come home, most notably Metal Gear and Final Fantasy, and others have defected, including Resident Evil and, astoundingly,Sonic the Hedgehog. And while these names still command respect and admiration, none silence gamers in the same way that Ms Croft does.

The tomb raider herself is making her debut on a Nintendo home console with a port of her recent smash, Tomb Raider Legend. Recognised as the first decent Tomb Raider game since the third instalment back on the original Playstation, the success of the versions of Legend on PS2, Xbox, 360 and PC make it understandable for Eidos to bring it to Gamecube. Hopefully, the Gamecube edition will sell well enough for Eidos to include Nintendo’s consoles in future releases!

The Gamecube version will, naturally, be a straight port of the existing game (though Nintendo owners have been promised “new and exciting features”), but Crystal Dynamics are also working on bringing out versions for the Game Boy Advance and the DS. While the GBA edition will almost certainly be a simple platformer, similar to Lara’s previous outings on Nintendo’s handhelds, no details have been released about the DS version, such as how Ms Croft will make the most of the console’s hardware.

Some screenshots have been released, though there’s no way of telling whether or not they are from the Gamecube version. There’s no word of a release date either, but given that Wii launches in November, Lara will almost certainly be available before Christmas.

I’ll refrain from making stocking filler puns.

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