Read on for the official Nintendo Europe press release...

2002 has been a great year for NINTENDO GAMECUBE. Since launching with a bang in May, the console has been crammed with top games and over 1 million gamers across Europe have been playing them. Mario introduced his latest repertoire of skills and new water cannon in Super Mario Sunshine, Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion won BAFTAs and Capcom's next generation Resident Evil game arrived as a NINTENDO GAMECUBE exclusive, all part of an awesome line up of over 100 games.

But that was just the warm up. In 2003 NINTENDO GAMECUBE hits top gear with some of the most anticipated titles in videogame history.

Eagerly awaited Metroid Prime arrives on NINTENDO GAMECUBE, with classic action heroine Samus in her latest adventure since Super Metroid on SNES. This first person action adventure has already received rave reviews in the US, and topped the reader's most wanted lists at IGN.com for months prior to release. The game features many original link-up opportunities with the Game Boy Advance title, Metroid Fusion.

Capcom's Resident Evil series continues exclusively on NINTENDO GAMECUBE next year in the all-new Resident Evil 0. The most advanced Resident Evil game yet acts as a prequel to the previous games, for the first time ever showing the player where this famous gaming legacy really began. It's all set to be the darkest and most unsettling survival horror game yet, and adds depth to the NINTENDO GAMECUBE software range that caters for all ages and tastes.

2003 will see the return of Link in the new Legend of Zelda. The previous two games on the Nintendo 64 are frequently sited among the greatest games ever conceived, and the NINTENDO GAMECUBE version is even more impressive. A strikingly original graphical style means Link's never looked better, and the game links up with the Game Boy Advance Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for an unprecedented gameplay experience.

Sports fans are anticipating the latest in the 1080� Snowboarding series, 1080� Avalanche. From the team that produced the critically-lauded Wave Race: Blue Storm at development house NST, 1080� Avalanche will be the essential adrenalin game.

Mario's arch nemesis Wario gets his own game in Wario World - it's the first time Wario has appeared on a home console. The previous games all appeared on the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, but the winning formula of adventuring and puzzle solving remains.

Sega's support for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE continues into 2003 with a selection of top exclusive titles including a sequel to the celebrated Super Monkeyball and the legendary online role playing game Phantasy Star Online. Super Monkeyball 2 builds on the fiendish dexterity tests of the previous game, and also includes a slew of new mini-games including Monkey Soccer and Monkey Tennis.

Phantasy Star Online is a landmark title for the NINTENDO GAMECUBE. It's the first game to make use of the forthcoming broadband and modem adaptors to immerse the player in the online world of Ragol. Every person you meet is an actual person playing somewhere else in the world, so you can form alliances on your quest or simply hang around chatting. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles will be another exclusive title for NINTENDO GAMECUBE, introducing a brand new adventure in the legendary series.

The cream of next year's releases doesn't end there as blockbuster's for NINTENDO GAMECUBE just keep coming. Already the list includes Rayman 3 Hoodlum Havoc from Ubi Soft, and True Crime from Activision. Gamers are also looking forward to Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, guaranteed to be another hot release from Eidos along with Enter The Matrix from Infogrames and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon from Ubi Soft.

The message is clear: no other console can boast a line up of games like that for next year, and there's an established library of classics to choose from this Christmas.

The NINTENDO GAMECUBE is available now, at the estimated retail price of 199 euros. Games are available separately priced around 60 euros each.