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Zelda smashes expectations
By Nick Hanson
Published:
Monday, March 31, 2003
I've come to the realization that the Gamecube is an excellent gaming system.
It may not have the biggest library, but what it lacks in quantity, it surely makes up with quality. Titles like "Metroid Prime," "Super Mario Sunshine," and most recently, "The Legend of Zelda the Windwaker," have left me praising the Nintendo gods.
Simply put, "The Legend of Zelda the Windwaker" is one of the best games I've played for two or three years. It came as a surprise to me, however, because before I delved into this massive game my expectations were quite low.
Nintendo took a bold move by ditching its macho real worldish Zelda by adapting a cartoony environment. Now Link has the appearance of a little wimpy 12-year-old kid. The new look couldn't be more fitting.
Playing this game is like watching a cartoon, but a well-made cartoon. Watching this game is like watching a million dollar Disney blockbuster. Everything from the enemies, dungeons and vivid character expressions, are made in a likeable cartoon fashion.
The humble portrayal of Link makes it that much more satisfying to beat a dungeon or solve a puzzle. I don't think Link was ever made out to be an imposing figure. Despite the fluid animation and new graphical stylings, this game has got the goods in every department.
Like its predecessors, the gameplay is solid. Controlling Link through the colorful world is an ease. Travel is brought about through a boat. You navigate from island to island collecting artifacts to inevitably save the world. As is customary with all Zelda games, you must navigate through dungeons by solving a myriad of puzzles. "Windwaker" is not an exception; it has plenty of them.
It never gets tedious, however. Every dungeon and puzzle is executed with greatness. There is a level of innovation put into this game that really is unparalleled. I was left "wowed" at the puzzles and new environments much more often than I can count. As far as flaws, this game doesn't have many. Like most games, the camera angle can get a little confusing. Yet, it is nice to be able to control the positioning of the camera at any time.
This way, if the angle is poor, at least you can change it. Also, sometimes traveling across the vast ocean to a new island can take a while longer than probably needed.
But what makes this game so great to play is that at its core, it's fun. Everytime I turn on the system a smile pops up on my face. I haven't played a game that got me so hooked that I couldn't set down the controller for a minute in a long time. I have been living, eating and breathing Zelda for the last week.That alone is enough to prove that "Windwaker" is an experience that no one should miss.
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