Zelda: a link to my past

I remember the turbulent release period of Pokemon Gold & Silver back in 2001. As a gallant eight year old boy I had anticipated its arrival in April. Unfortunately the date of release coincided with the outbreak of ‘Foot-&-Mouth’ disease. As an Irishman, ensnared by water on all sides, the ensuing aerial trade embargo dashed and defl ated my hopes. My anticipation incrementally ratcheted to breaking point between April and October. In that interval, deprived of the game, I envisaged it in all its glory in the classroom, in the playground, at the dinner table. When Gold fi nally arrived, it was every bit as satiating as I had hoped. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is the fi rst game in twelve years to emulate those infantile impulses of nostalgia. My own copy is lying in wait under the Christmas tree back home in Ireland... Roll on December 14th! IGN eloquently summed up the essence of the latest addition to the series. “ Not only does it pay homage to Zelda’s past glory: It reinvigorates its spark.” Trailers and reviews not only led me to relate to the a priori form of previous Zelda games but subtly hinted at a new and unprecedented dynamism. Its crux is said to lie in a multi-tiered, challenging puzzle platform, bolstered by colour coding and a retro Gameboyesque top-down 2D view. As a massive supporter of Nintendo, I am glad to see them develop yet another memorable game that simultaneously exhibits traditional traits and innovation. If you are a true Zelda veteran you will immediately draw parallels between A Link Between Worlds and A Link to the Past, released on the SNES back in the 1990s. Th e Hyrule map shows many similarities with that of its predecessor. Th ese blueprints are touched up by the impressive graphics on the 3DS platform. Other characteristics of the game also stand out. Many items can be “rented” at a given location, ensuring that the player is well-equipped for the tasks at hand. Th is saves time searching around in dungeons and caves for treasure chests. Th e puzzles have been awarded an increased level of intricacy. Some argue that A Link Between Worlds is the “best puzzle game that Nintendo has ever released”. From trailers and teasers it looks like they’ve drawn from Pøkemon, Mario Kart and even Metroid Prime (if it is possible to do so). Whether it will surpass that of Th e Ocarina of Time remains to be seen. Link’s ability to morph into a 2-Dimensional shadow gives him the ability to merge with walls and pass enemies and obstacles with relative ease. When combined with the ability to “fast track” around the map, it is said that the game never fails to surprise: A given dungeon, plain or village will always yield a welcome surprise upon return. If you want to reminisce about the days when your only concern was the myriad of puzzles contained in your SNES, Gameboy, Nintendo 64, to name but a few, A Link Between Worlds will not fail to disappoint. By honouring the Nintendo pledge to continually surprise, it will also challenge a player. To my mind this can only be a good thing.