| More than ten years ago, the original Legend of Zelda forever changed how I spent my spare time. Until I played Zelda, I was a typical casual gamer. I played at my neighbor's or at the arcade, but video games didn't take up all that much of my time. When Zelda came along, everyone took notice. Even the father of one of my friends was addicted to the game. Discussions during school recess centered around which level we were on, and we all huddled around to hear the scoop from the first kid to defeat
Ganon. A lot has happened since then. Many great games have come and gone, but I can't remember another game that had the potential to have such a significant impact on anyone willing to pick up a game controller. However, I encountered another such game on the night before Thanksgiving, when I plugged The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time into my N64.
Back in the days of the original Zelda, I would tire of play after a maximum of three hours. However, the night I first played Link's newest adventure, I started playing at 6:30 p.m. and the next time I thought to take a good look at the clock it was 3 in the morning! I have never had a video game hold my attention so completely for so long. To put it simply, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time takes elements from movies, novels and video games and blends them together in a fashion that no other game has done. Sure, I was interested in Final Fantasy 7's story, but I still haven't been engrossed by it enough to care about finishing it. Zelda, however, is the first video game I've ever played that is capable of bringing forth core emotions from the player with a single elegant camera shot or sudden change in sound. Link's nightmare in the game's opening sequence left such an impression on me that later in the game (at a point that I will not disclose for the sake of keeping the game fresh for you) I actually got a feeling of déjà vu!
While I stand by everything written above, it's important to note the game isn't immediately so engrossing. Not everyone will be eager to play through the game's beginning training course, and in fact you may not care a bit what happens to the Old English speaking Deku Tree. But if you stick with the game at least until Link ventures from his forest homeland, you'll almost assuredly be hooked. Indeed, it's games like this that I had in mind when I created this site.
 | Can't you just feel the air in this place?. |
 | This foreboding scene welcomes you to a dungeon. |
 | Yes, this is a real screen shot. |  | Some weapons put you right in the action. |
One of the best aspects of this game is the fact that you can save anywhere at any time. This means you can pick up the game for 15 minutes and venture somewhere new. If you end up finding something important, a couple of quick button pushes means you can start again later with what you had when you left off. Although the game is conducive to short periods of play, a large cumulative amount of play time is required to make significant progress. This is especially true at the beginning of the game because you must cross the huge world of Hyrule on foot. Your first journey to Hyrule Castle, for example, may take long enough that the Hyrulean sun will set and you must fend for your life against monsters until the castle draw bridge comes down at the crack of dawn.
Sound spatialization is used extremely well throughout the game. Subtle sound changes indicate enemies or secrets are nearby. Sometimes you can track things down simply by following their sound. Additionally, the Rumble Pak finally reaches
its full potential when used with this action-packed adventure. The nifty accessory is used at just the right times and in just the right way that it further draws you into the game. If you play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time without a Rumble Pak, you're missing out.
Another incredible aspect of the game is the real world logic that can be applied to many of the game's puzzles. I solved many of the puzzles in the Deku Tree by doing just what I would do if I were confronted by such a dilemma in real life. This brings me to a major point: only use a player's guide as a last resort! If you work at it, you'll make it through the game just fine without using a guide more than a
handful of times, and you'll enjoy it infinitely more. The only people who should look at a player's guide regularly during their first time through the game are those who are unfamiliar with past Zelda titles. If you don't know what a Dodongo is or how to defeat it, you'll need more help than those of us who do.
There are so many innovative elements in Link's latest adventure that I can't possibly list them all, but there are three particularly
notable ones. First, the use of the ocarina is just plain fun. It serves as an innovative
puzzle-solver that's under the control of the player. Secondly, the use of the player's name (the name you enter on the file screen) is very well done. I suggest using your real name for the full effect, although I imagine that since Link is male, a lot of the text wouldn't make sense when using a female name (i.e. "Well, if it isn't the little forest-boy Jill"). Even so, the use of my name made it seem just a bit more like I was part of the action. Lastly, the combat system is exciting and fun. It's a little like the TV show Highlander with a little bit of classic Zelda combat, with a little bit of first-person action thrown in for spice.
A couple of words of caution before this part of the review draws to a close: although this game is excellent (it's easily the best game I've played in over ten years), it's not perfect. Some younger gamers (probably around age 6 or 7) might find the monsters in this game to be very frightening. I myself let out a gasp the first time I saw a wall monster's spawn choke Link to death as I mashed at the buttons attempting to break free. The side attractions in the game (such as the fishing game) can become tedious when you must spend a lot of time with these diversions to get important items. Also, while the game's incredible graphics are detailed, varied and cinematic, they are also noticeably low-res. Don't be surprised if you find yourself squinting occasionally to see something in the distance. The low resolution is only bothersome if you have grown accustomed to the
high-res graphics that 3Dfx enhanced PCs can generate.
These minor problems amount to almost nothing on the larger scale. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is what video games should be all about: entertaining people through compelling interactive experiences. I haven't been as compelled to play a game in over a decade. I can't believe the amount of time I've spent with this game! In short, while the limited edition gold cartridge is awesome, it's what's on the silicon inside it that really shines. If you even remotely like video games, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be worth every penny.
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