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CRank: 5Score: 5890

User Review : The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Ups
  • Improved graphics
  • Boot can now be equipped like other items
  • 3D actually works well
Downs
  • Need to finish the game to access Master's Quest
  • Motion controls can interfere with thumb pad aiming

And they say you can't improve on perfection

Ok let me save you time here if you don't like reading reviews that are long because this one may be pretty long. Perfect score, must buy, wait until more 3DS games worth owning to come out to buy a 3DS if you don't own one. Ok? Ok now lets do this. *cracks fingers*

Let me get personal to start with. I played Ocarina Of Time for the first time when it came out in 1998 and I was 13. A time in my life where this game helped me emotionally at a time where I needed it most. The touching story and hidden message of the game really effected me in a way that's indescribable. If you play/played the game around the ages of 10-18 you may get the same kind of effect. The game was almost too perfectly released when you consider how old generation NES were. The funny thing is 13 years later, the game is still as good as ever and somehow they improved on perfection.

If you haven't played Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time first off you have my deepest condolences. Second, Why haven't you? It's on Wii Virtual Console and it was re-released on Gamecube with Windwaker and at one point you could buy a Gamecube with a Zelda Collection which has the 2 NES and 2 N64 games on one disc. Anyway now is your chance on 3DS.

The story of Ocarina Of Time is about a boy who has been chosen by destiny to save the land of Hyrule from Ganondorf/Ganon and he even has to travel through time to do so. I would give out more detail but you need to experience it for yourself.

The game is a 3D action adventure dungeon crawler. You know the routine by now right? If you played a game like Dragon Age or Darksiders then you get the idea... mainly because they are trying to copy this game, sure Dragon Age is a more personalised experience but it's a dungeon crawler regardless. The controls and gameplay are simple and the game does a fantastic job teaching you how to play it. Speaking of teaching they added tutorial videos you can watch via a Sheikah Stone which are located right outside Link's house in Kokiri Village and in the Temple of Time. The videos are designed to help people who are stuck in a dungeon. These are well done but even when I was 13 and this being my first Zelda game, I never had a problem solving the puzzles.

The game has 3 dungeons as a child and 5 as an adult and a few mini dungeons. The level designs of the dungeons are designed so well that the seem to fit the architecture of the outer structure of the dungeons. The world is also large and beautifully designed from the Kokiri Forest all the way to Lake Hylia. Basically it looks good, especially with the graphical upgrade they did.

Speaking of the graphics they really did a great job on the visual upgrade. The new textures make everything look more vivid and the characters more alive. One strange thing about the graphics is that without the 3D it looks a little smudged. I'm serious here, the 3D seems to also be an unintentional HD switch(does the 3DS even do HD?) and makes everything sharper. The 3D surprisingly doesn't feel out of place and actually helps make the world feel more real and you feel more immersed... as long as you don't lose the sweet spot.

Some of the new features brought to this version other then 3D are motion controls for the camera and aiming with some of the weapons. I must warn you that you can lose the sweet spot really easy with the motion controls and on top of that they will interfere with using the thumb pad for aiming so I recommend turning it off if you prefer aiming with the thumb pad.

As mention before the Sheikah stones give tutorial videos for newcomers needing help. There's also the Boss challenge mode where you can re-fight bosses with limited health and items. I don't really like this mode because it's not very challenging for me.

They also brought Master's Quest back but I honestly don't remember it being mirrored. This mode is great for veterans, especially those who know the original game back to front and don't need a playguide to complete the game *stands proudly knowing where every heart piece and gold skulltula is*. Unfortunately you need to finish the normal game to unlock Master's Quest but is that really a bad thing?

I also have to mention because this is an important improvement, the Iron and Hover Boots are now used like every other item! Yes you and equip them like in Windwaker and Twilight Princess! Trust me this is a great improvement because it reduces the frustration of the Water Temple.

As I said the game gets a perfect score. The original game was one of the best, if not the best game ever made and then they improved on it. Whether you're a newcomer or a returning veteran, the game will not disappoint. It really is the reason to own a 3DS. I enjoyed every minute playing the game and I'm sure everyone else will too. I also played the whole game in 3D and even though I played for a 7 hour play session, my eyes were still fine.

Score
10.0
Graphics
This game looks beautiful.
10.0
Sound
All the original sound effects and music are in it. They are still great to here.
10.0
Gameplay
The benchmark gameplay elements still work perfectly to this day.
10.0
Fun Factor
The game is still as good as ever. It's fun to play even with motion controls. Also 3D angry chicken flocks are more fun then before.
Overall
10.0
Solid_Dave4689d ago

Very detailed review. But can a game really be that perfect?

Kran4688d ago

I have a friend who is litterally a nintendo fanboy. Litterally, and even he didnt give it a 100%. He gave it a 97% as there were just a couple of things that didnt fit.

ultimablackmage4687d ago

Well in my opinion it is. I've yet to play a game better then OoT in my 21 years of gaming.

mastiffchild4686d ago

But you still KNOW it's not perfect-if it WERE perfect everyone would feel it was perfect. Perfect is an ultimate and not an opinion. It'sd just a dangerous road to go down when you end up saying things like they improved on perfection which is, as you know, complete tosh as perfect is perfect.

I love OoT and agree with you about it in almost every respect but for me THIS releasre has issues way before we p[lay the game. i'm certain it will sell amazingkly well but I begrudge Nintendo the saes on this one. The HD remakes on consoles sell more cheaply than other games AND almost always have more than one game included and haven't seen a release in a few long years. This isn't the case with OoT 3DS.

My issue is entirely because it's not cheaper(and it should be, no matter how amazing the game it's still not as much work as a true, new title in any way and the price needs to reflect that for me), there isn't another game included and everyone who missed it the first time played it,what, a year or two ago when they released it on VC. It's one opf the greatest games of all time, sure, no problem with that, but Ninty have ripped Zelda fans off when you consider what Sony did for GOW fans with the collection fr PS3, when you look at Sly Collection or Ico/SotC-all these games were, or will, be cheaper than a normal release and are collections of games some would argue(even myself with GOW and Ico/SotC-those games are right up there for their genres just like Zelda)are equally high quality.

I just feel that I'm gonna miss out on this one purely because Nintendo are taking the piss a little. Syure, they can argue they've done a deql more than the companies making HD remakes of their games but the fact remains the main changes are because of the 3DS itself and they're using us Zelda fans to sell their system and can't even give us a decent deal when even Sony managed to get that right(and we all know what marketing screw ups they're capable of).

I can't knock the game itslef as the original is amazing and remains so even wiothout being tarted up and everything I've seen of this version makes me think Nitnendo did an amazing job. even so the issues it always had will remain(it does drag a bit at times-thugh I never moaned about the Water Temple myself-I mean just the middle third, or the end of that third, in general. Add in a couple of new control issues and along with the lack of real value you should really be thinking it's not quite perfect as a package.

We all know the game is amazing so with a remake, for me, the devil is in the details of the value and here I think they let us all down a bit.Great game, poor show. I cannot get past the fact it's an old game with a lick of paint and fiddled controls and to me that surely doesn't add up to the same as making a new game. I know i'll get lynched by my fellow Zelda fans but it's been annoying me a bit lately.

bwazy4685d ago

Hmm Id have to say that The Windwaker is.... MAYBE better than Ocarina

kane_13714688d ago

GFX10?
isn't it a remake from the old N64?
I approve even i don't agree with lot of things.
and there are few spelling errors here and there.
fix them too

itani4687d ago

Motion control can interfere with thumb pad aiming? You do realise you can turn off motion control so you putting that down as a negative when you didn't search enough through the options, the negative is more on you to be honest.

ultimablackmage4687d ago (Edited 4687d ago )

Yes I do realise it can be turned off. I mentioned it in my review. I added it to the negatives because people need to know about little niggles like that.

Did you even read the review or just check the score and the pros and cons?

ultimablackmage4687d ago

The game does use a lot of the original models with new textures but they did remodel a fair few of them.

Spelling mistakes I could find have been fixed and this is written in the Queen's English not U.S English since I'm Australian.

itani4687d ago

So if you knew how can something you can turn off be a con? :S

LightofDarkness4687d ago

You found two flaws with it or aspects not to your liking. Thus, logically, that means the game is not perfect. Thus, 10/10 is not an objective score. Thus, either your review is invalid or your scoring system is. It's up to you.

kramun4686d ago

A 10/10 does not mean a game is perfect. If every reviewer only gave a 10/10 to a perfect game then a 10/10 would never be given as there is no such thing as a perfect game.

rjdofu4686d ago

Then why a 10/10? Why not 9.5/10?

Tigerfist4687d ago

You can't improve perfect. Perfect means flawless and complete and therefore perfect can't be improved.

TheDivine4687d ago

My gosh people this is probably THE GREATEST game ever made. Who cares he gave it a 10? Its about as close to perfect as one can get. An opinion isnt right or wrong. It was a good review, thanx.

kane_13714686d ago

Perfect is the one in your avatar.
Now sir, that is perfect!

Show all comments (20)
100°

Zelda: Ocarina of Time - A Legend 25 Years in the Making

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time debuted 25 years ago, forever changing the face of video games and becoming a legend of its own.

Number1TailzFan157d ago

I used a guide to beat part of it but some of the rest myself, still enjoyed it regardless. Too bad they didn't stick with this kind of gameplay for the rest of the series as I would prefer it over what they're doing now.

TheBrainZ157d ago

A definitive moment in video game history. Played it countless times, and Zelda was the best reason to own an N64.

FinalFantasyFanatic157d ago

I played through OoT so many times on the 64, then I bought it on the 3DS before the Eshop shut down. I wish we could have a Zelda collection like we did for Mario, I still can't believe that never happened.

Azanar157d ago Show
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80°

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Inducted In Video Game Hall Of Fame

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has recently been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame by The Strong National Museum of Play.

SinisterMister720d ago

Had it coming. What a gem of a game!

porkChop720d ago

Well deserved. Between SM64 and OoT Nintendo changed the industry forever.

40°

'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' is a Beautiful Tragedy About Growing Up

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a beautiful tragedy that gets to the heart of growing up.

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