Posted by: thepinetree on 01/19/2007 07:37 AM
Updated by: thepinetree on 08/01/2007 07:16 AM
Expires: 01/01/2012 12:00 AM
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In Media Res...Gaming Column Number 3...January 2007...By Raven and Coyote
Like many, when I heard Nintendo was releasing a final Legend of Zelda title for the GameCube, I was ecstatic, having been worried I would have to wait until I could afford the new system to get another Zelda. Adding to my excitement was the promise that the new game would step back away from the cel-shaded cartoony style that marred the otherwise amazing game that was Wind Waker, and return to something more like Ocarina of Time, which up until now has held the Raven-lady's top spot as the best Legend of Zelda game of all-time....
I was, therefore, even beyond excited when the Coyote delivered the long-anticipated game, and I got to thinking about just how integral a part of my experience as a fantasy writer/gamer the Legend of Zelda series has been. So, in honor of the recently released Twilight Princess, I submit our own humble retrospective on the Legend of Zelda series.
~The Legend of Zelda (US Release: 22 August 1987)~
This was the first game in the series, but it was the second one I played. At first, I felt it inferior to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and in many ways, it was. But even then, it was hard not to marvel at the size of the game, and the vastness of its dungeons. The game interface was simple, with plenty of enemies for you to sharpen your 8-bit blade on, and once you figured out how it worked, it was a good game for even a beginner to play. The dungeons weren't too complicated; just enough for a 5 or 6 year old to figure out after some effort, but each one became more and more challenging, the final dungeon impossible for me to navigate without the benefit of a walk-thru (which I still own, safely bound into How to Beat Nintendo Games 4). In spite of that difficulty, though, I enjoyed the game tremendously.
~Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (US Release: 26 September 1988)~
My earliest, most vivid recollection of this game was the early TV spot, where a remarkably well-costumed actor dressed as Link is seen here and there in a temple/palace, ending (to the best of my recollection) with him pounding on the invisible barrier that separates himself from the slumbering Princess Zelda. That last image was always the most vivid in my mind, and the commercial made me think that this new Zelda title was going to be the greatest game ever.
Zelda II was unique for the series, in that it utilized not only the familiar top-view world map, but also integrated side-scrolling actions and “random encounters” in the form of dark silhouetted creatures that appeared if Link strayed from the roads. Link could also gain experience through his fighting, making the combat not only interesting, but necessary. And aside from the relics/items (take your pick of terms) you could find, there were also spells for Link to learn, taught to him by old men who were either the village elders, or village wizards. It was also possible, by finding two knights hidden in the game, to learn and upward and downward stab attack, which made life a lot easier.
Zelda II was also unique in that it was one of the few Zelda games that has been released that was a direct sequel to the game before it. (Majora's Mask being the only other title that hops to mind.) It also introduced Link's Shadow, who played as the major “villain” in the game, and would appear as a character in Ocarina of Time later on. This was also one of the few games that didn't actively feature Ganon as the final boss, as that final boss, in this case, was Link's Shadow. In fact, the only time you saw Ganon was if you died. This was explained in the instruction manual as being the fact that Link's blood was needed to revive Ganon, which was why the monsters were hunting him so vehemently. The actual quest of the game was Link's charge to wake Princess Zelda from a magically-induced sleep.
The game was huge, and took a long time to complete. There was plenty to keep you busy, from dodging the random encounters to seeking out that last little item you didn't have. It was a tremendous amount of fun to play, and was the very first Zelda game I had the pleasure of both playing and completing.
~The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (US Release: April 1992)~
It was another four years before this rabid Zelda fan would have something new to chew on. With the coming of the new Nintendo System, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) came the promise of a new wave of old favorites. Super Mario Bros., Metroid, and of course, The Legend of Zelda. I took to this game rabidly, loving some of the new game features. Although Nintendo had returned to the original ¾ view, the resolution had increased tremendously, and more detailed color palettes could be used, lending to richer visuals and smooth animation, in spite of taking on a more cartoony look along with it.
This game was to be the biggest Zelda yet, with a total of ten different dungeons, and was the first game to introduce the concept of the Master Sword, which has followed through nearly every major Zelda game since. Likewise, it was the first Legend of Zelda title to introduce the Ocarina, so far as the Raven-Lady is aware. This game also was the first to integrate the actual use of whatever character name you decided to give Link, whereas before, choosing a name for a file was more a matter of identification. Of all the new features, this one was the one that captured my attention the most, the ability to be called by whatever name struck my fancy one that led me to play the game over many, many more times. Yes, I'm an odd one, that way.
~The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (US Release: 1993)~
Like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening was the first of its kind, the first Legend of Zelda title to be released for a hand-held system. It would set the new system for portable Zelda games, including being able to freely assign items, weapons, shields and everything else to either the 'A' or 'B' buttons, giving you almost endless versatility with the items and weapons you would find in the game. This led to some inconveniences, such as having to manually equip the Power Bracelet item to move rocks and the like, as opposed to having it equipped automatically, as it was in other games. Still, it was a minor setback overall, a minor irritant to an otherwise awesome game.
~The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (US Release: 24 November 1998)~
Again, a new system and a new Zelda title came from Nintendo, Ocarina of Time becoming the N64's claim to the franchise. It featured a more serious storyline than most, and utilized the 64-bit resolution to make Link and the others in the world very real, if still cartoony. It was the first 3D Zelda title, as well, and had a more in-depth storyline than before. Suddenly, Ganondorf wasn't the only clear-cut villain. You were introduced to a larger world, more races, new territories. You still saw familiar things, Death Mountain and the like, and in the latter part of the game, traveled freely back and forth across a five year time period as Link, the Hero of Time, battles to defeat Ganondorf and save the Princess. This game utilized the same pattern as that of A Link to the Past, finding three jewels to access the Master Sword, then completing seven other dungeons to unlock the way to the final confrontation with Ganondorf. Like the other games, there was a gigantic world to explore, and several fun (if occasionally exasperating) mini-games to play.
This game also introduced the notion of Z-Targeting, a lock-on system that, while it would change button assignment, would become integral in all the major Zelda games after.
I had a tremendous amount of fun with this one, and as mentioned previously, held my personal top spot as the finest Zelda Game to date until the release of Twilight Princess.
~The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (24 & 25 October 2000)~
Another direct sequel release, this one taking place some time after the end of Ocarina of Time. It utilized a special “Expansion Pack” that increased the RAM of the N64 system, allowing Majora's Mask to do things with their visuals that Ocarina of Time simply couldn't compete with. However, to me, this couldn't make up for the game's shortcomings. The most prominent of these was the looping time-line, Link living the same three-day period over and over and over again. I found it impossible to get anything done in that game without a walk-thru to help me, save the dungeons themselves. The save system for this game was poor compared to Ocarina of Time as well, requiring use of the Song of Time to reset to the beginning of the three-day period, which caused an automatic save, or by using owl statues peppered here and there throughout the world.
There were some aspects of the game I still liked extremely well, however. The mask system among them. Although the Deku mask was interesting, and the Goron mask useful, my favorite is, hands down, the Zora mask. I loved swimming around the watery environments as a Zora, being able to swim or walk the sandy bottom and to be able to fight underwater. Still, that one aspect wasn't enough to make up for the difficulties I had with the rest of the game, and I never did finish it.
~The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages (US Release: 13 May 2001)~
These two cartridges, released simultaneously, were a bold move for Nintendo. They were meant to interact with one another, and although they were both very well-made, so far as I could tell, both of them were challenging, and I refused to use a walk-thru more than I absolutely had to. Sadly for both games, I had fallen away from hand-held gaming for a time at that point, and so neither game was either completed, my attentions stolen away elsewhere toward other, shinier games for other systems.
~The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (US Release: 24 March 2003)~
After the excitement of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, this newest Zelda title came as something of a visual disappointment. The cel-shaded, heavily stylized art style was a far cry from the near-reality that had been achieved in Ocarina of Time, harkening to the changes in style between Final Fantasy VIII and IX. Also, having to travel by boat from place to place could, without the use of the warping ability, be tedious, if not outright mind-numbing.
However, once that was looked past, Wind Waker was an amazing game, encompassing the biggest world yet, comprised of several islands spread out over a vast ocean. The plot was intricate, multi-faceted, and delved deep into Hyrule's history. It touched on the events of Ocarina of Time, but wasn't a direct sequel. The green clothes that Link has come to be known for took on a more symbolic meaning. The Master Sword carried through, as did much of the earlier game engines. It was a challenging game, as well, and once you got used to the new art style, the visuals were colorful, vivid and engaging.
Still, when compared with Ocarina of Time, it seemed to be lacking something.
~The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (US Release: 11 December 2006)~
And so, we've come full-circle. Twilight Princess is everything Wind Waker tried to be and more. The graphics are mind-blowing, rich in detail and color. The step back to a more serious art-style was a good choice, adding to the overall reality of the experience. There's a gentle learning curve at first, the game set up to train you in the somewhat new interface before turning you loose on the world.
Although I'm far from finished with the game, I've been consistently entertained, drawn into the world, and sucked into the new story. This game is, in spite of only being the GameCube port, the finest Zelda Game I've played, and a fitting tribute to a series that spawned everything from a solo cartoon series, cameos by Link and Zelda in other games and shows, to a breakfast cereal. Well done, Nintendo. Keep up the good work.
Questions? Comments? Drop us a line at In Media Res.
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