While the recent last-minute delay of Shenmue 3 has some people disappointed, its far from the first title to need some extra time to polish up right before release. Case in point: These are 10 games delayed just before release (and how they turned out).
Metroid Prime 3
Given that Nintendo’s legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto is credited with the quote “A delayed game is eventually good; a bad game is bad forever,” it’s little surprise Nintendo has delayed some titles even as they were within reach of a release.
This was the case for Metroid Prime 3. Initially slated for an Aug 20, 2007 release, the title was delayed by one week in July of that year.
Granted, it was one of the tamer delays the industry has ever seen – delays usually entail several months of extra waiting as opposed to seven measly days – but it was still surprising to see any sort of delay so close to a supposed release.
How it Turned Out: For all intents and purposes, the game turned out great and was an excellent addition to the Metroid Prime series.
Most critics and fans applauded it for its graphical fidelity and presentation, with IGN even naming it the best adventure game of 2007.
The only gripes came from the similarities it had with past entries. While it had a more action-packed approach compared to the previous two entries in the series, the game tended to blur together with the design and gameplay of Metroid Prime 1 and 2.
All the same, it was a title that was well worth the wait, even with an extra week tacked onto development time.
