PAL Metroid Prime 2 Switches Off 50Hz
PAL-60 only means chuck your (very) old TVs.
Following a successful showing at September's Game Stars Live, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is being prepared for release in the UK on 26 November (with a US release showing up on 15th). UK gamers with older televisions will want to pay attention, though; previous rumours that the game would be playable in 60Hz mode only have been confirmed by Nintendo.
Televisions in the UK use the PAL video format, which runs at 50Hz. North American and Japanese televisions, on the other hand, run at 60Hz using the NTSC format.
The majority of televisions currently on sale in the UK are capable of playing back NTSC, or 60Hz, video in addition to 50Hz, but older sets could run into trouble.
Customers looking to pick up Metroid Prime 2: Echoes are advised to ensure that their televisions support 60Hz mode before picking up the game.
Games developed in North America and Japan are designed with the 60Hz mode in mind and are later converted to run in 50Hz mode.
Several games are released with support for both 50Hz and 60Hz modes these days, but this is the first time a game will be released by a major publisher in a non-standard video mode exclusively.
There is speculation within the industry that this is a cost-saving move by Nintendo, which is currently lagging behind Sony and Microsoft in console sales. Nintendo has not addressed these rumours.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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