The Legend of Zelda : The Ocarina of Time

Summary

Genre: Adventure
Number of players: 1
Rumble Pak: Yes
Controller Pak: No
Expansion Pak: Not used

Review

From a long list of Zelda titles (all of which are pretty good, by the way) comes this new adventure, given the full 64 makeover.

Zelda 64 as it was then called was announced very soon after the machine's actual launch, way back in 1996. Even then it looked like something special, but little did we know that we wouldn't get our grubby mitts on the game until a couple of YEARS had gone by. But, as it turns out, it was all worth it in the end.


Gameplay: The gameplay is absolutely sensational. Fighting enemies in 3D is made easy thanks to the handy-dandy way of "locking on" to foes using your fairy friend, the more-than-a-little-annoying Navi ('HEY!'). Grr. The enemies might not be too intelligent to start with, favouring the time-honoured strategy of running straight at you quite slowly in the hope of touching you before your sword slices them into pieces. This doesn't often work, and you would have thought they would have noticed by now. Well, those that haven't died, anyway. But that's only to start with. As you become more used to the controls, and the game progresses, you'll notice that your foes instead use far more cunning ways of attacking you. Instead of running at you, by the time you reach the second level, "Death Mountain" (a bit of a crap name, really, isn't it?) your foes are JUMPING at you!! Wow! How exciting! Seriously, though, the game does get quite hard in places, and some of the bosses are absolutely brilliant!

There are plenty of cutscenes that I think go on for just a bit too long. The one I'm thinking of in particular is when you first meet Zelda, and she tells you about the Triforce. Too long! You're just itching to draw your sword and slice her clean in two. Sadly you can't do this. But this doesn't detract from the game as a whole, fortuantely, because these longish cutscenes are relatively few and far between.

The game really benefits from all the different items that have been included in the game. Certain items are required to complete certain puzzles, and without them you can't progress in the game. Obviously this is NOT new or innovative, but it's a classic!! The only sad thing is that when you get an item, most of the time it will be in a dungeon. That item will then be the solution to practically every puzzle left in the stage, which really does take a bit away from the puzzles. I would have preferred it if you had to use a different item every now and then, since this way the puzzles are not really all that challenging.

Worthy of a special mention at this stage is the best subgame of all time, on any format. Yes, it's the fishing game! An absolutely superb subgame that is great fun to play, and very well thought out! Almost worth the asking price of the game in its own right!


Challenge: Zelda will keep you coming back for a good long time. As well as the challenge of completing all the dungons and bosses, collecting all the quarter heart containers, and finding all the Great Fairies, this game introduces the Golden Skulltulas. A family in Kakariko village have been turned into giant skulltulas because they were too greedy (or something), and to change them back, you must kill and collect tokens from golden skulltulas around Hyrule. They pop up in dungeons, in the fields, everywhere! There are 100 in all, and they are sometimes very cunningly hidden. It will take you ages to find them all; that is, if you can be bothered looking for them all, because you don't have to. You can fight the final boss and see the end sequence without doing all that, which is quite fortunate, really, for those of you out there who just can't be bothered looking all over for 100 small arachnids.


Graphics: The graphics are actually quite good. Not that this is a surprise, but think what they could have done had they used the expansion pak! Still, everything is looking good, right down to the chickens who inhabit some towns (try whacking them with your sword) and the fish in the sea. There is little or no pop-up to be seen anywhere, and there is no fogging, a la Turok, which is always a good thing. The dungeons are well designed, and each has their very unique atmosphere. The best one in terms of this is the final stage before you first become big, but I won't ruin the surprise by telling you exactly where and what this is.


Sounds: Although the characters in the game don't actually speak to you, they do all have their own unique little sounds they produce. It's not quite the same, granted, but at least it's something! The music will instantly remind you of all the other Zelda games, which is a good thing, because I really liked the Zelda music. The music also plays an important part in the game. When danger approaches, the music changes, which is very useful, especially if the enemy is coming up from behind (oo-er). It's only a small thing, admittedly, but it's the little things that count!


Summing up: One of the best games to have ever come out for the N64. In fact, up until the release of Perfect Dark it was THE best game, bar none. If you haven't bought it yet, why not? Go out and do so! You won't regret it!!


Gamesmark: 94%


Reviewer: Tangycheese