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Absolutely Breathtaking

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 118 / 123
Date: November 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

If you loved Ocarina of Time as much as I did, this will make you happy.

The graphics are gorgeous. The scenery is amazing. Everything looks beautiful, and the best part is it still feels like a Zelda game. They decided to revert back to the N64 Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask style graphics (but much cleaner, of course) rather than the cell shaded Wind Waker. I like the realistic character design much more for Zelda than the cartoonish one from the other recent games.

You can also get Twilight Princess on Gamecube, but the Wii version has some extra benefits. One such benefit is the interactivity. When you go fishing, you use the motion sensitive controller to cast the line into the water and reel the fish back. This makes it a lot more fun than the somewhat tedious sit-there-and-wait-to-press-A fishing game in Ocarina of Time. I'm glad they revamped the fishing and brought it back. Also, it is much more integrated in the gameplay than the last fishing minigame in a Zelda game (which was, of course, in Ocarina of Time). You use fish in sidequests and for other purposes.

As far as the control, it feels very natural. You use one Wii-Mote and one Nunchuck together for it. You control Link's movement and targeting with the left hand and you use the right hand to move your fairy around with the motion sensor, and to supplement the left hand with looking around, that action button, and other functions. It's hard to explain without trying it yourself, but trust me, the controls are great.

You start out the game with your horse, Epona. You also get the option to name both Link and Epona when you start your file, although I'm not sure if this will have any effect other than what NPC's in the game call you. Sometimes games use naming for codes ("If you enter your name as ___, ___ will happen" type things) but somehow I doubt it for this game. Anyway, the controls for Epona are great too. Just like Ocarina of Time, you can press A to speed her up and jump over fences. She is very beautiful and detailed too. When you make turns, you can see Link pull in the reins. You use Epona for many minigames as well as just getting around. In the beginnig of the game, for example, you use her to herd goats into a shed. It's a lot of fun, and horseback riding is another feature I'm glad they brough back.

Also, don't worry if you saw Link with the weird goatherder outfit in all of the previews - he does get his original outfit later on. The dungeons are AWESOME. It's rated Teen, but Zelda games have never included inappropriate content in my opinion. You do kill monsters, but there is no realistic blood or gore, or suggestive themes. The rating says "Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence". Trust me, it's fine for kids. The action is all "hero against evil" type action. This game is a total blast, and both new and old-school Zelda fans will love it. Even if you've never played a Zelda game, try this one - it'll get you hooked.

The Legend lives on.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 20
Date: November 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess has been dubbed one of the biggest launch titles in history, coming out with the Nintendo Wii on November 19th. The game's appearance on the Nintendo Wii was confirmed by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata at E3 `05, and has since been a target of hype and anticipation like no other. Numerous delays-including the delay of the Gamecube version of the game until December `06-have held Twilight Princess back, but rest assured that Nintendo's flagship Wii title is for real. It's not too bold to say that Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the greatest Zelda game of all time, and Ocarina Of Time sits playing second fiddle.

Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess takes our hero Link to the land of Hyrule (where else?), where a mysterious and terrifying twilight has taken the land by storm. This twilight is the product of the evil Twilight King Zant, whose shadow creatures begin wreaking havoc on the world. It's up to the blessed Link to save the day, but of course, it's not that simple. Early on, Link enters the darkness of the twilight and is temporarily transformed into a wolf. He also meets a strange character named Midna, a twilight being bent on driving the evil Zant from power. The story delivers on all counts, gripping the player to Hyrule and almost all of its NPCs like no other Zelda game before it. It's dark and twisted for Legend Of Zelda standards; and throughout the story you'll question everyone from Link to Midna to even Zelda herself.

Zelda games are all about adventure, and Twilight Princess gives the player a massive world to do all of the adventuring one could possibly want. The world is full of caves, towns, and dungeons to explore as well as lakes, forests, deserts, and mountains. The scope of the game is huge before even considering the hefty amount of things to do. Twilight Princess follows a very familiar Zelda structure, for the most part. Players are thrown into Link's world and eventually a conflict leads him towards a region's dungeon area, where Link will solve puzzles and defeat a boss character to restore peace throughout that region. This game does take the formula a little further; different regions throughout the world will be consumed by twilight throughout the game. Link must enter in his wolf form and seek tears of the region's inhabitants, which restores power to an overseeing guardian who drives away the twilight and restores the area. This extra factor in the gameplay really prolongs the game, but in a good way. Twilight Princess has a pace that never lets go of your attention but yields enough freedom to allow you to explore, which is the point in the first place.

Dungeons are a major highlight here, and the developers have mastered level design. Like the rest of the game, they follow a familiar pattern. Each dungeon introduces major challenges, new puzzles, and an important new item that will help you out with the former two situations. This structure has held strong since the series began in 1987, and it is rock-solid here as well. When you come across the bow in the second dungeon, for example, you're bound to use it a lot to solve the puzzles and open up some new areas as well as defeat the boss character. Zelda is very similar to another classic Nintendo franchise, Metroid, in that finding new items can really open up a lot elsewhere in the game. As I mentioned, exploring the world is a big deal in this game, and finding new stuff to uncover nooks and crannies is the trick to finding even more cool stuff.
The big controversy over the Nintendo Wii version of Twilight Princess was whether or not the controllers would be able to deliver familiar control mechanics so that Zelda fans wouldn't have to adjust much to a new scheme. Rest assured that Twilight Princess on the Nintendo Wii controls perfectly. That's really all there is to say about it, in general. It feels great, simply put. To go a bit more in-depth, though, you control Link's general movement with the nunchuck's analog stick. Unsheathing and swinging his sword is done with movements of the Wii remote, and for the spinning slash attack, the nunchuck. Z-targeting is back and works as well as it always has, and items can still be used and mapped to different buttons on the Wii remote. Using projectile items is a real treat; items like the slingshot, boomerang, and bow can be fired with the Wii's B trigger and aimed with the Wii remote's motion sensitivity as well as a targeting reticle on the screen. After some practice, defeating enemies, solving puzzles, and simply moving around is as easy as it ever was. Twilight Princess has as much of a learning curve as Ocarina Of Time did, and anyone who's played a Gamecube or Nintendo 64 Zelda game will have no trouble hacking and slashing through minion after minion, stopping only to scratch their head at the next befuddling puzzle or look at the scenery.

There are distractions everywhere that strongly support the rumored 70 hours of gameplay. Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess breaks a traditional Zelda mold by forcing you to find 5 Heart Pieces to restore a Heart Container (normally you'd collect four), and as a result, there are 45 of these pieces scattered throughout the world. Fishing was always fun on the Nintendo 64 Zelda titles, but it's an all-new experience here. With the Wii remote, you'll cast the fishing rod, set the hook, and reel in a fish rather than pressing buttons and moving analog sticks. There are 60 Poe souls and 24 Golden Bugs to seek as well as other mini-games scattered throughout Hyrule. If there's not enough for you to do here, well, I don't know what to tell you, because this game's loaded.

Twilight Princess is easily the best-looking Nintendo Wii title out of the gates. Hyrule has never looked so beautiful. Link's character model is detailed down to the chain mail protecting him underneath his tunic, and when you see the high towers of Hyrule Castle far off in the distance of the grassy rolling hills of Hyrule Field, it's hard to say the view isn't stunning. The character designs of the last few Zelda games have been superior to most games, but Twilight Princess takes it to a level so high that even those who don't normally appreciate such a thing as art style and design will be impressed. Enemy designs are some of the best in the series, and boss characters are more fearsome than ever before. The twilight structures enemies are very interesting, usually colored in a very dark palette with high-contrast, almost neon-colored designs covering them. Even the different weapons and items look interesting, and are much less conventional than those of previous games. The animation is smooth as silk. Link has no problem keeping up with your flinging of the Wii remote as you slash through keese and other familiar enemies. I was happy to see that some of Wind Waker's effects, like the exploding enemies and flashes of light during battle, were kept intact despite the otherwise polar opposite art direction. It also won't hurt to mention that the game's cut-scenes are choreographed beautifully, making for some of the best story clips I've seen in video games.

The music ranges from classic and memorable to completely new, but never leaves the high quality that you'd expect from a Zelda game. If there's anything as familiar as Link's green tunic, the Master Sword, or the Triforce, it's the different sound effects, jingles, and tunes that series veterans could hum in their sleep. You'll hear the familiar theme songs, that little tune that plays when you unlock a door or uncover a secret, and even the same jingle when you open up a treasure chest with an important item inside. There is still very little voice-over, with most of what's there coming from Midna's foreign twilight tongue. While most veterans of the Zelda franchise are happy with this, I would have liked to see other NPCs speak throughout the game. I wouldn't mind if Link remained his voiceless, wordless self, but everyone else could and should be talking.

After reading eight paragraphs of praise and little else, you might be wondering: Is Twilight Princess a perfect game? Sadly, it's not, though it's close. It's got a few flaws that keep it at a mortal status, though none of them are detrimental to the gameplay and are easily dealt with. First of all, the sole visual fault comes from slightly blurry textures that show that the game was intended to be a last-generation Gamecube game. Second, some of the alterations to small elements of gameplay bothered me a bit. For example, Link climbs at about half the speed he used to, making those all-too-common vine or grate climbs a major chore. Also, there are several lava, poison, and endless pits that will set you back-sometimes too far back. Early on in the game, you're to follow a monkey holding a lantern through an area filled with poison gas. If you get even an inch too far into the poison gas and away from the safety of the lantern, Link will pass out and return to the beginning of the area. The frustrating part in this specific example is that you battle enemies and can't control the speed of the monkey, so it's entirely possible to return to the starting point multiple times. Last of all, some of the twilight enemies-specifically the shadow minions that you'll encounter often as a wolf-are somewhat annoying to deal with. They present a definite challenge, but eventually they can become quite tiresome.

Even with those three gripes I mentioned above, Twilight Princess is a blast to play. It's tough to creatively elaborate on that; it's just fun, and that is the most important purpose of video games. Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an epic, and nothing less. It's a game that will test anyone, whether the player controlling Link with the Wii remote is a veteran or beginner. There is so much to do and so much to see that only the definition of time and meaning of life is more perplexing to think about. Nintendo couldn't have kicked off the Wii launch in a better way, but more importantly, they've one-upped a game that is considered by most as the greatest of all time. Ocarina Of Time, eat your heart out. There's a new legend, and it's Twilight Princess.

You will not be disappointed!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 10
Date: November 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is simply amazing. The graphics may not be top notch, but the gameplay is excellent and the controller puts you right in the game.

Don't get me wrong... it's an excellent game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: November 21, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is, no doubt, an excellent game. In regards to all of the glowing positive reviews, I'd like to say "what they said," and add a 'but...'.

I was a little disappointed in using the remote as a sword when playing Zelda. Sure, I no longer have to make my thumbs sore with button-smashing; I can now tire out my entire arms. Granted: I like the fact that my wife and I can control Link in tandem (she uses the nunchuk, as I use the remote), and swinging is a tad more fun than using thumbs when it comes to that, but Link's on-screen response to my swing does not match the motion of my arm like I fantasized it would. Instead, I have as much control with the sword by swinging the remote around as I do with my thumbs on the Gamecube controller. I was hoping for and expecting directional control of his sword swinging, but all I got was control over the duration and speed of his directionally pre-programmed slicery.

Great, Involving Gameplay for All Ages

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 217 / 229
Date: November 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Zelda Twilight Princess has been eagerly awaited by legions of Zelda gaming fans. This version features a more adult Link who rides a horse, swings a sword and saves the day.

The title is available for both the GameCube and the Wii, and there are definitely some advantages with the Wii. First, you can see the game in 480p, which is DVD quality. It's not quite high definition, but it's still quite nice! Second, you get widescreen, which means you get much more game to see on the screen. Finally, you get to use the motion sensing controllers on your Wii to swing your sword, go fishing, aim your slingshot, and much more.

First, the gameplay. Most gamers will be thrilled to hear that Link is less cartooney in this game. That's not to say it's a mature title - it's still a game without blood. You kill evil enemies who vanish in a puff of smoke. You go on a variety of quests, and it's very much good-against-evil. Rather, with this Link you're not a little 6 year old on a toy sailboat. Your Link is in his late teens, has his own house, owns a horse. He is harassed by three little tykes, but there's a certain young lady whose large eyes catch at Link's heart.

In no time at all Link is out in a world which is not all butterflies and daffodils. There are dark things afoot in Hyrle. The land is covered in twilight, and you turn into a wolf to deal with the shadows. Your senses serve you well in this realm. It's not too scary for kids - but it gives the game much more depth for older players.

The graphics are rather impressive for a Link game. Remember, the game is still a cartoon, so you're not seeing detailed tanks or the pores in the characters faces. The world you are in is stylized. There is plenty of detail in 480p - or even in regular TV resolution - to show the orange pumpkins, green vines, and fluffy white chickens which make up Hyrule. The water ripples, the dust billows and the fire flickers in the fireplace.

How about the sound? The Link games were famous (or notorious) for the silly noises characters make. None talk. I suppose this makes it easy for them to convert the game to every language in the world - they just change the text out and are all set. Also, you can change your name and your horse's name without any speaking issues. The voices might not know how to pronounce "Shadowfax".

Gameplay is just amazing in its length and depth. There are numerous worlds to traverse and dungeons to delve into. There are the standard collection of mini-games, quests, things to collect, puzzles to solve. You could easily play this for months and not be done. This isn't a game to race through to say "I solved it" and move on to something else. It's a world to immerse yourself in, to get to know every hill and dale, to track down those secret locations.

I really like how the Wii controllers integrate into the game. It's not like you are using them constantly, getting exhausted with hand movements. Instead, you do a fair portion with the regular joysticks for fine movement. The joysticks are used in a more general way, for sweeping sword attacks or relaxing fishing. You can use small movements if you want - but it's much more fun if you get into the spirit of things and swing away. Just make sure you have that wrist strap properly connected!

Downsides? The little "he he he" voices can get annoying quickly, especially if you are stuck on a puzzle and they are tormenting you. Sometimes the checkpoints send you back further than you might like.

They do a good job of giving you little nudges if you get stuck, helping you figure out your way through the puzzles.

In general, I think they struck a great balance between "tame enough for younger kids" and "in depth enough for older players". There are a lot of teen and adult Zelda fans out there, and they'll be quite pleased with what the game offers. This is definitely one of those must-have for gamers who like adventure games even the slightest!

Classic gaming experience, Innovative new controls

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: November 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Short rant: Amazon users, please don't post reviews for games if you haven't played them!

Ahem. And now for the review... I'll get straight to the point: If you love adventure games, you're going to be blown away by this one. It's the same Zelda that we all know and love, but with a bold new control scheme. For those of you who worry that arm-fatigue might set in after hours of virtual sword-swinging, fear not: Twilight Princess has just the right mix of action, adventure, and exploration, so there will be plenty of time to rest your arms in between bouts with monsters and the like.

For those of you who adored Ocarina of Time (read: everyone), you'll be in heaven. Twilight Princess feels very much like the spiritual succesor to the game that many dubbed "best game ever." This game also adds many new features, such as fighting on horseback (you even joust in one section!).

The game is filled with magical moments, but of course the main draw is the incredibly well-designed dungeons, which are just as brilliant as ever. Long story short: get the system and the game; you won't regret it!

Amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: November 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I purchsed this game and a Wii system at launch and imdeiatly was blown away by this game. While the graphics are not as good as those for the XBOX 360 and PS3the gameplay is absolutley breathtaking. The story hooks you imediatly just like with every Zelda game. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is amust have for any gamer.

Not perfect, but the next best thing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: November 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Okay, i know there is a lot of hype about this game and i assure you, it's the best Legend of Zelda game ever, but there are a few negitive comments that should be adressed.

First up, the sword swinging is very cool, i'll admit, and it does add another level of immersion, however, you do not control the angle and force that Link siwings with (sorry to anyone who was really hoping otherwise). Pretty much, waving the controlller back and forth, will yeild the same results as complicated swinging motions (again, sorry).

Second, this game will have you banging your head against the wall several times throuout the story line, some of these puzzles are just immense! if you really like puzzles than this is your greatest dream, but otherwise, it can get a little annoying.

Finally, although the bosses are spectacular and will really wow you graphics wise, they are not all that challengin. I'm a veteran Zelda player so this may just be because i'm used to figuring out bosses, but sieriously, som of the Ocarina of Time bosses presented a much bigger challenge.

Now for the good stuff. Graphics wise, these are the best nintendo has produced and are ten times better than the Wind Waker ones. The story line is really long and has a ton of side quests so it will keep you busy for a while (60-70 hours at least!!) and some of the new features including horseback fights, and incorperating the wii remote into the game really adds to the completion of the game that we all know and love. Despite some of its drawbacks, it's a must-have game for anyone who owns a wii.

Graphics: 5/5
Music: 4.5/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Length: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Oh Zelda !

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: November 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Haven't played all the way through this game (I'm on my way to the first temple, enough said) I couldn't disagree more with some reviews I've read which say the Gamecube version is better. Haven't played (nor thinking about buying that version) but the Wii version is spectacular...Visuals look great, the storyline so far is also pretty good (although it begins with the "standard" dumb activities, but these ones are better than windwaker, ocarina of time and majora's mask).

You may be wondering, well how does it work with the Wii-mote? Truthfully, its pretty good, although (first game I've played haven't played Wii Sports) the controls are very intuitive and really EASY to get a grip on...it gets a little not complicated, lets say confusing (for the first 5secs) with the sword, because it requires you to shake it first to wield it, and again to attack.

Another thing that could've been better is when using items, you can only equip one (lantern or slingshot for example) and in order to switch you'll have to access the in-game menu to switch...

Other than that, controls are great. Fishing....! oh my god fishing!!! seriously in previews game i'd rather buy the fish, than catch the fish, very early on the game, you have to fish, and let me tell you, so far so good (can't wait for the bow and arrow).....

This is Zelda, so you have to know for sure, that its a great game, and if just the Wii alone hasn't convinced you to buy the system (although on itself it should) Wii's Twilight Princess should be the reason, the control helps you get more involved in the game (and no, your arms don't get tired)....

Exceptional game, congrats nintendo.

As good as any Zelda yet, maybe better

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: November 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Ocarina of Time is my favorite game of all time, but this one seems like it is a front runner to take it's spot- it's got the depth and complexity of Ocarina, with better graphics though, and it also took some of the better features from the Wind Waker.

I read a review on here that said the controls are awkward and have a slow response time with the Wii controller, but that person is full of it. I haven't had any problems at all. The only reason I can imagine them saying that is maybe they set up their sensor bar wrong, or their sensitivity is off. I find it is amazingly comfortable to have the split controller set up.

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