[By Jamie Carbone, The Daily Athenaeum]
“Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” is, for many gamers out there, one of the greatest games ever created.
It gave Link and Zelda the looks they are known for today, featuredGanondorf as a truly menacing man of darkness and was an easy way to lose hours exploring every nook and cranny of Hyrule.
Nintendo knows the old adage, if it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it, and has released ‘Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D” for the Nintendo 3DS which is, for the most part, be the same game that fans love.
It contains the same tale as it did before, telling the story of how Link, the boy without a fairy, would become the hero of time, and save the six sages and Princess Zelda from the evil power ofGanondorf as he seeks to enslave the land of Hyrule.
The biggest change between the original, which first appeared on the Nintendo 64, and this one, is that the graphics have been improved dramatically.
No longer does every character look as if they are made out of a bunch of triangles, and long gone are the ridiculously pointy noses. Because of this change, new fans of the series can enjoy the game without the character designs’ age being a problem.
Also redone is the series controls to utilize the 3DS buttons and touch screen.
Now players can simply access their inventory from the handheld device’s bottom screens without frequently having to pause the game and switch things around. It also grants players an extra item slot.
The only problem with this change is that two item-use buttons are on the 3DS and the other two are on the touch screen, and it can be distracting to have to switching items using both methods.
It also changes how players play the game’s iconic ocarina. Thankfully, it doesn’t utilize the microphone like it did for “Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks,” but the button layout is definitely awkward and not nearly as cool as it was on the Nintendo 64.
Besides graphics and controls, the game is spot-on with the original, but I feel like they could have changed at least one thing.
For example, Navi, the player’s fairy assistant, is still as irritating as it was in the original. The fact that it is constantly shouting can be easily ignored, but the “tips” she offers are rarely helpful, especially when she is telling me that I should check out Death Mountain when I am already climbing Death Mountain. She has the worst in-game GPS I’ve ever seen.
Still, for those who are tired with the same old game, this game offers more re-playability.
For example, the first time players beat the game, the will unlock the Master Quest, a version of “Ocarina of Time” that was given to those who pre-ordered “Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” for the GameCube. Offering new dungeons and harder puzzles, the Master Quest is the way to go for those who are looking for something new.
Once that mode is beaten, players are offered a boss rush, where they must fight each boss, one after another, a great way to test their mettle.
Before this game came out, there wasn’t a reason to buy a 3DS. Now, there is one, but really only if your Nintendo 64 doesn’t work anymore. Still, Zelda fans across the world won’t be disappointed with this one.
See the original post here: http://www.thedaonline.com/a-e/legend-of-zelda-3d-captures-spirit-of-original-game-1.2514087