Link swings wonderfully into action on Nintendo Wii

November 21st, 2006, 06:11 Posted By: gunntims0103

news via usatoday



There's a reason "Legend" accompanies the title.

Nintendo's favorite hero, Link, kicks off the Wii launch with Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, another heroic adventure that cements the franchise as one of gaming's best.

Zelda returns with the same nail-biting action and brain-teasing dungeons. And new gameplay elements and the Wii's innovative controls immerse you deeper than any previous Zelda title.

The story begins with Link working as a farm hand. After friends from his village are kidnapped., Link is sucked into a dark realm and transformed into a wolf. There, he meets Princess Zelda, who details Hyrule's descent into eternal twilight. Link then sets off to destroy this new evil and pull Hyrule back into the light. The story starts off slow, but turns quite intense as you progress.

Visually, Zelda is enchanting. Graphics don't offer next-gen horsepower, but landscapes and dungeons still look stunning. The sound package is equally fantastic, especially with the Wii remote. Hearing the clangs of swords from the remote or arrows leaving your hand enliven the action. The game's music is powerful, adding to the epic nature of your adventure.

The pacing is superb, providing enough time to learn new skills yet not dragging the storyline too slowly. You'll master basic weapons from your sword to a slingshot before upgrading to items like boomerangs and bows and arrows.

Once you adjust to the Wii controls, Zelda is easy to pick up. The left nunchuk is used for movement and targeting. The remote controls weapons, items and your map. Whipping the remote left to right executes sword slashes, while a quick twirl of the nunchuk unleashes a powerful spin attack. Swordplay is decent, but occasionally borders on repetitive.

Fortunately, the gameplay elements keep Zelda engaging. Link can only enter areas blanketed in twilight as a wolf, including a new set of actions. Using your senses uncovers hidden areas and items, or dig into the ground to burrow under homes. You'll also receive the help of Midna, a shady character tasked by Princess Zelda to assist you. Mostly, Midna offers clues on conquering the game's puzzles, as well as warping between lands and reaching difficult areas.

What are especially impressive are the tasks you attempt outside the action. With a fling back and forth, the remote becomes a rod for Link's fishing tasks. In an attempt to access one of Zelda's early dungeons, Link must sumo wrestle a tribe leader to advance. Even as a wolf, you learn how to howl to access secret items. The action is almost too easy, but it's forgotten when you learn so many different things.

In many ways, Twilight Princess is textbook Zelda. Dungeons are as challenging as ever, heightening the levels of danger and action. Yet the inclusion of a new control scheme and subtle changes to gameplay keep Zelda as fresh a franchise as its debut 20 years ago.

If you're fortunate enough to secure a Wii, Twilight Princess is a must-own title.

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