12th February 2003, 5:09 AM
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Review
By Weltall
The Nintendo 64 sold roughly 30 million units in its lifespan. It would not be a bad guess to estimate that a good quarter of those were sold along with, or for this game. It is that damn good. This version of Zelda rode a bumpy road to its November 1998 release. Delay after delay plagued any news of it. But the ends, in this case, justified the means. Ocarina of Time, in this reviewer's opinion, is bar none the greatest title ever released for the console, and one of the best games ever. Rarely does a game present such a complete and satisfying package of gameplay, graphics, atmosphere. Even the N64's oft-maligned sound capabilites were used to the greatest extent
In this installment, chronologically the first in the series, the young Kokiri boy Link is summoned by the Great Deku Tree, via the fairy Navi, for an appointment with Princess Zelda, the evil Ganondorf, and ultimately destiny.
Graphics
Ocarina of Time showcased was is arguably the best real-time graphics of the entire hardware generation. Vast areas like Hyrule Field and Lake Hylia are rendered beautifully without the slightest hitch, and the game keeps a steady 30 FPS from start to finish. Character designs are iffy, except for the important ones. Textures can be a little blurry at times, but there isn't a hint of clipping to be seen, which is no mean feat. Artistically, the game is a wonder to behold. Town and dungeon designs alike fit the their respective themes. And there's nothing like watching your first sunset. There is little to complain about in this deparment whatsoever.
Sound and Music
Koji Kondo performed miracles with limited tools. His musical selections are superb, some of his best works. Even though the game lacks the classic Zelda theme, the new stuff is memorable, and you will be humming it, guaranteed. And though the classic theme is absent, there are certainly a few you will recognize, Kakariko for instance. Sound effects are good for the most part. I say for the most part because there is no option to rip out the vocal cords of your fairy partner Navi, who pops up CONSTANTLY with generally useless information. It's all good everywhere else.
Gameplay
Oh sweet mother, does this game have play! All your favorite classic Zelda weapons, plus a few new ones, brilliantly translated into the 3D arena. The move to 3D made some old weapons more fun to use. The Fairy Bow comes to mind. And the good old Hookshot is far more important than ever. Another wonderful, innovative addition is the Z-Targeting system. When Navi hovers over an enemy or object, pressing the Z trigger will make Link lock on to it. This is an invaluable combat tool, especially when speed is key. While locked on to an enemy you can do the dance of death like never before: sidestep, hop forward, leap backward, shield, thrust, jump-slash for double damage, and perhaps best of all, it gives projectile weapons (Bow, Slingshot, boomerang, etc) a much better chance of hitting it%27s target without fine-precision manual aiming. For a challange, try playing the game without using Z-Targeting. It's a LOT harder!
Purchase Price
Shouldn't be more than $20 by now.
Total (not an average) : 9.5
By Weltall
The Nintendo 64 sold roughly 30 million units in its lifespan. It would not be a bad guess to estimate that a good quarter of those were sold along with, or for this game. It is that damn good. This version of Zelda rode a bumpy road to its November 1998 release. Delay after delay plagued any news of it. But the ends, in this case, justified the means. Ocarina of Time, in this reviewer's opinion, is bar none the greatest title ever released for the console, and one of the best games ever. Rarely does a game present such a complete and satisfying package of gameplay, graphics, atmosphere. Even the N64's oft-maligned sound capabilites were used to the greatest extent
In this installment, chronologically the first in the series, the young Kokiri boy Link is summoned by the Great Deku Tree, via the fairy Navi, for an appointment with Princess Zelda, the evil Ganondorf, and ultimately destiny.
Graphics
Ocarina of Time showcased was is arguably the best real-time graphics of the entire hardware generation. Vast areas like Hyrule Field and Lake Hylia are rendered beautifully without the slightest hitch, and the game keeps a steady 30 FPS from start to finish. Character designs are iffy, except for the important ones. Textures can be a little blurry at times, but there isn't a hint of clipping to be seen, which is no mean feat. Artistically, the game is a wonder to behold. Town and dungeon designs alike fit the their respective themes. And there's nothing like watching your first sunset. There is little to complain about in this deparment whatsoever.
Sound and Music
Koji Kondo performed miracles with limited tools. His musical selections are superb, some of his best works. Even though the game lacks the classic Zelda theme, the new stuff is memorable, and you will be humming it, guaranteed. And though the classic theme is absent, there are certainly a few you will recognize, Kakariko for instance. Sound effects are good for the most part. I say for the most part because there is no option to rip out the vocal cords of your fairy partner Navi, who pops up CONSTANTLY with generally useless information. It's all good everywhere else.
Gameplay
Oh sweet mother, does this game have play! All your favorite classic Zelda weapons, plus a few new ones, brilliantly translated into the 3D arena. The move to 3D made some old weapons more fun to use. The Fairy Bow comes to mind. And the good old Hookshot is far more important than ever. Another wonderful, innovative addition is the Z-Targeting system. When Navi hovers over an enemy or object, pressing the Z trigger will make Link lock on to it. This is an invaluable combat tool, especially when speed is key. While locked on to an enemy you can do the dance of death like never before: sidestep, hop forward, leap backward, shield, thrust, jump-slash for double damage, and perhaps best of all, it gives projectile weapons (Bow, Slingshot, boomerang, etc) a much better chance of hitting it%27s target without fine-precision manual aiming. For a challange, try playing the game without using Z-Targeting. It's a LOT harder!
Purchase Price
Shouldn't be more than $20 by now.
Total (not an average) : 9.5