It’s been a while since I’ve had an opportunity to purchase a retail game for the 3DS (since the system’s launch, to be exact). But I’ve been waiting for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.

Since its release in 1998, this particular “Adventure of Link” has been considered not only one of the best Zelda games of all time, but one of the best games of all time. Ever. Of course, there have been the questions of buying a 13 year old remake of game as a retail product, and not having it available as a download. Or does it carry the same weight as it once did. Do the graphics really make that much of a difference?

One of the main comments that I always made about the Nintendo 64 original is how much Hyrule feels like it is a set world, with actual depth, and height. The layout makes sense. If you were to somehow reconstruct the whole game as a scale model, it would be possible, without nonsensical areas that don’t fit. The effect now has changed. It feels different, and I’ll explain how.

Imagine that world with depth and Read the rest of this entry

While I think that Nintendo’s E3 conference had some good things in it, there was more ambiguity to the whole event than I would have liked.

The eShop finally went live last night after a two-week “delay” (well, more like two weeks and over 3 1/2 hours, since they didn’t release the update until 9:40 P.M. PST instead of 6:00 P.M.). I’m still convinced that this was for a “surprise reveal” at E3, not to mention a way to tie Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening into the whole Zelda 25th anniversary event.

The shop itself is nice and easy to navigate. It seems that Nintendo is going to have several shops within the shop to find more specific types of games. Excitebike 3D was an appreciated free item, and while the 3D isn’t mind-blowing, it is a very neat and noticeable effect. The Pokedex 3D is also a free item, and is fun enough to play around with, though I’m sure Pokemon fans will get much more out of it than I will.

As for the conference, it was broken down into three areas: 3DS, the new console, and… I guess the Wii. I think Nintendo has written that Read the rest of this entry

Has it really been that long?

I remember getting my NES on my birthday in 1987. Zelda was still a “new” thing here in the States fully introduced by a color article in the Nintendo Fun Club magazine, and a few weeks after my getting my system, I was introduced to this:

I was mesmerized my this theme. It was haunting and beautiful, and I would sometimes listen to it as background music.

When I wasn’t doing that, I was obsessing over the wonderful illustrations in the instruction manual, presenting Link like this:

I prayed for some cartoon or movie to come out looking this good (I have better Zelda pics on older posts). There WAS a cartoon series, but it was nothing like this, featuring an immature Link who commonly cried out “Excuuuuuuuuuuuuse ME, Princess”, whenever he hacked off a rather snippy Zelda (which was often).

For all the “oohing” and “aahing” I did on the surface materials, I did even more in the actual game. This full, wonderful world housed in a golden cartridge that lasted hours, progress was saved, and every play session promised new adventures.

I’ve loved the series over the years, but my next big “love” for the Read the rest of this entry

I decided to wait a few weeks after E3 to really sit down and discuss Nintendo’s new line-up for the Wii. I’m sold on the 3DS purely due to my love for Kid Icarus: Uprising, and after 20+ years, one takes what they can get. Of course, Starfox 64 3D and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D hold my interest as well. But it’s a telling sign that a lot of games are getting crazy for two remakes that are over 10+ years old, and a franchise that hasn’t been touched in two decades. Honestly, it sounds like the current state of the film industry, doesn’t it?

Of course, there will be other titles, and the line-up does look exciting, so that’s little more than an observation on my part.

For the Wii itself, things couldn’t be better as far as retail goes. For a while, my interests remained purely with WiiWare titles and Virtual Console selections. For the time being (or seemingly indefinitely), NoA has shelved the Virtual Console, which is unfortunate. From 3-4 games a week, to one game a week, to hoping for at least one game a month, one of my Read the rest of this entry

After a weak 2008 showing, and an average 2009 (with highlights) showing, Nintendo has apparently lost their minds and provided a software lineup that has the potential to crush everything out there.

Since the Wii took off, we’ve seen a handful of mini-game compilations, tech demos meant to push hardware accessories, and the bone thrown here and there to the old fans. I’m not going to shield that I’ve had a love/hate affair with Nintendo of late (especially after my multiple Wii debacle this year), but after seeing their 2010/2011 lineup….

I’d have to have a heart of stone not to fall in love with both the Wii’s and 3DS lineup.

This title has sold me on a 3DS. Day 1:

I’m not going to lie: I teared up with retro-nostalgia glee. There’s also talk of updating classic Nintendo 64 games, like Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, plus, a new Nintendogs game (please, cairn terriers this time), which was the only other virtual pet sim I’ve genuinely liked outside of Seaman. That’s nothing to say of a new 3DS Resident Evil or Metal Gear.

And then Nintendo had to just go crazy with my weaknesses: Franchise revival mixed with retro 2D Read the rest of this entry