I’d previously played through a large portion of the original game, but only got a bit of time in with this high-definition remake. That’s because, not only was time running short, but I couldn’t find a way to quit the island demo I’d entered. There were two available, one of which allowed players to try the beginning of the game, wherein Link must get his sword and whatnot after losing his sister to evildoers, and another which focused on what I remember as being the first boss battle. Though I never got to play the latter one, as mentioned above, I did watch someone else battle the winged beast, and came away very impressed.
Now, don’t get me wrong: I think the island looks great, and has a good personality, but it’s not an ideal demo spot. That is, for me at least.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is a beautiful-looking port that will blow people away with its shine and visual upgrades. The GameCube version was a sight to behold when it first launched, but this one takes things further. On top of that, it controls really well using the GamePad, and gives adventurers the option of using the touchscreen for maps, inventory usage and message-leaving. Yes, there’s a social element, which some will like and others will hate. It allows you to leave Tingle bottles, which can be picked up, read and responded to (in a like/dislike type of way), bringing to mind the S.O.S. bottle technique.
When Wind Waker returns to prominence, it will surely take a lot of time out of my gaming schedule. I really need to beat it this time around. What I played of the GameCube original was fantastic, and this HD upgrade is a beauty.
[h2]The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds[/h2]
Last, but certainly not least, is The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, the brand new 3DS title that is set in the same world as one of gaming’s biggest triumphs: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. As a huge fan of the mentioned Super Nintendo title, this E3 reveal turned me into a bit of a giddy school girl. As such, I couldn’t wait to demo it, though I went in understanding one thing: Zelda games and those like them are hard to demo. It’s not because they’re bad, or anything close, but because I really need to sit down with an RPG and get into it before I can truly say how I feel. You can’t just jump into this type of thing and expect to really know what you’re doing or get a great feel for the game, unless you start at the beginning and play for a while.
With that being said, I was quite impressed with what I played of this handheld behemoth. It’s neat and very good looking, with a unique cartoon look, and thankfully plays just as well. The new mechanic that allows one to become 2D and walk along walls, platforms and more, in order to solve puzzles, get to new areas and collect secrets, will certainly take some time to get used to, though. It’s neat and works with ease, but is just a little weird.
As with Wind Waker HD, Nintendo offered us two demos for this one. The first was simply a walk through the fields of Hyrule, while the other was a new dungeon. Both showed the potential for greatness, and both were interesting, though I must admit that walking around the over world was more fun for me. The dungeon was unique, requiring 2D flattening and proper use of pegs that could be flattened, sat upon and then used for a vertical boost, but I needed more time with it to truly get a good lay of the land per se.
This is another release that will surely deliver quality in spades, and will most-likely sell a lot of systems. It has a ton of promise, not to mention some tight and well-designed mechanics.
Well, that’s it, folks: Approximately two hours’ worth of demoing condensed into a lengthy preview article for your reading pleasure. Hopefully I’ve answered some of the questions you’ve had about certain Nintendo titles, and have left you interested in what’s to come from gaming’s most talked-about company. I enjoyed my time up in Toronto at this event, and feel lucky to have been able to try so many great games. However, due to timing constraints, I did not get to try The Wonderful 101 or Pikmin 3, though I did play an impressive early demo of the latter game over a year ago. Both look to be quality titles in their own right, and should definitely be given a good chance, much like the rest of the interactive experiences referenced in this preview article.