Ahh, Zelda.
Disclaimer: Some of my fondest gaming memories involve the Zeldas all the way back to the NES. (I'm conveniently forgetting Zelda II here)
So Zelda: TP then. Loved it, loved it, and loved it some more. I think I now rate this as the best Zelda to date. Take it for granted that if you love Zelda, the things you love are here: clever lateral thinking, a big world with long foreshadowed interleaved goals and some hardcore moreishness.
So what's different?
To start off with, the Wii is a bloody fantastic bit of kit. Surprisingly the wiimote + nunchuck configuration is more comfortable than a gamepad for prolonged gaming. The tether between them means that you don't have to have both hands locked permanently together.
Swinging the wiimote (not directly mapped to motion here) to attack is also supremely satisfying. As childishly gleeful as mowing down grass was previously, it's all the more so as you run along swishing the wiimote from side to side. Aiming was very satisfying as well. Snapping an arrow into an archer with the flick of a hand before they get you first is terribly rewarding.
The graphics are a little blurry, but forgiveable when you consider that most of this is probably still a gamecube game. They are very well designed though, with each location sporting a strong recognisable character. This aesthetic sense shines through the technical limitations on several occassions, places where you find yourself just thinking "beautiful".
The characters are also fantastically designed, bold and colourful, each an excellent reflection of their traits. Animation too is fluid and full of expression.
No skimping on effects either. The screen is always alive, and boss fights do not disappoint at all.
Taken all together, you're likely to find yourself drawing favorable comparisons to a Miyazaki movie while playing Zelda:TP.
Speaking of Miyazaki, possibly the most welcome change this time around is the darker plot. Angling at a more sinister children's fairytale, Zelda:TP manages to make more of its grand plot than any Zelda to date. After the twee sugary delivery of Windwaker, more Grimm and less Disney is a good thing.
The only let down then, is the music. Audio in general is quite passable, but the music really lacks some punch. It's pleasant enough, and I didn't tire of it over the course of playing the entire game, but it really didn't have any crescendos to it. Considering the rich heritage in Zelda music, they also missed a boatload of tricks. Other than a little tease at Hyrule castle, they didn't even have a clear rendition of the Zelda theme! I was very much hoping for a big orchestral reworking in the Square style here.
But that didn't stop Zelda:TP from being the most entertaining game I've played this year, and the best justification I've found for owning a Wii at this point. Great game, great system, if you love games you absolutely owe it to yourself to pick it up.
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