Grazza

Welcome to the Wii club! Assuming you've played Twilight Princess (and as you own Galaxy), I think Metroid Prime 3 would be the big one to play. I ended up really liking it, and it made me love the Wii controls (which I didn't expect). I must admit, despit having a Wii since early October, I still haven't got round to playing many games on it. My Games Pile (TM :nando: ) is getting bigger!

Regarding the article about Majora's Mask, I just wanted to say that re-using the Ocarina of Time engine and character models was a very sensible thing to do. Here you had probably the most popular game ever, so it was a stroke of genius to get another game that felt the same out the door whilst the N64 was still a viable platform. I don't want to bash Twilight Princess again, but if you look at games whose development spans multiple platforms (eg. Kameo, Too Human and Twilight Princess), the reception tends not to be so good, as they keep getting re-shaped to suit different consoles. The only thing in the Majora's Mask article I slightly agreed about was the time limit. Don't get me wrong, I loved the 3-day aspect, but I didn't think the 4th dungeon fitted into the actual time limit that well.

Oh, that's a great shame! They are quite rare, but if anyone's got any tips for having more, I'm all ears! On the flipside, I don't think I've ever had a symbolic dream.

No, I've never dreamt that, thankfully. For some reason, I hardly ever think about death. It freaks me out, yes, but I find life very challenging, so I'm always focused on what I want to achieve in life, and that seems to keep scary thoughts at bay. My favourite dreams: 1) Erotic (of course!) 2) Flying 3) Fighting monsters with my super strength! PS - King V, your signature is brilliant!

You're right. The uncomfortable truth is that games in general just need to get better, not necessarily different. It can be hard to define though, and so you get calls for massive reinvention instead. I've always thought the criticism of Twilight Princess along these lines was completely unfounded - it's not too similar to previous games in the slightest. In my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Zelda formula, it just needs to gradually evolve as technology does. You explore an overworld, go in a dungeon, get a new item from a mini-boss then use that item to fight the main boss. Spirit Tracks shows this can still be enormous fun if it's done well! The key is in making it fun, and that's a very complex formula. I really don't think it has much to do with innovation or lack of innovation.

Yeah, I had that one thanks.

Landstalker - It's an ideal candidate for a remake, as the setting and story are perfect. This time I'd like it in full 3D, not isometric.

My instinct is, yes, it's the Wii 2. As Fused King says, it's quite late to just be protection against rip-offs. Plus, existing laws would stop the rip-offs, it's probably more that they're sold in areas where Nintendo can't enforce Japanese law.

To be fair, they really have to show Zelda at this stage. If they just showed more of Galaxy 2 and Other M, that would be a disappointing use of E3. To me, anyway.

Shame about Punch Out, Muramasa and Little King's Story, but I can't say I'm too bothred about the others not selling!

Yes indeed! I made him appear, but I can't remember if I actually caught him or not (if he can run off during battle, then that probably happened). Either way, he's definitely the last reward you should ask for. By the time you get that far, the prize for completing the Monster Arena will have been far more useful than having Hev.

Wonder Boy - No game in particular, just based on Wonder Boy III: the Dragon's Trap and Wonder Boy in Monster World, which are like Zelda II, but better, as the overworld and dungeons are seamlessly integrated. It's like Metroid, but with towns and villages too. Kid Icarus - I was going to say Metroid, but then I remembered Metroid: Other M, so let's see what that's like. I haven't played Kid Icarus on the NES and I'm not saying it's a good game, but that it could be made into one. (But yes, here's hoping for a 2D Metroid on Nintendo's next handheld.) Zelda - I love 3D Zelda and I like the DS games, but one thing they've lost from the SNES/Game Boy days is the feel of the dungeons (and overworld), specifically that feeling that the room takes up one screen and has four doors. For example, maybe you entered via the bottom door, the door on the left is accessible, the top door needs a key and the door to the right is the type that only opens when you have solved a puzzle. You don't get that feel any more. It's not that I don't like current Zelda, but it'd be nice to have Link to the Past graphics given the turbo treatment, and the overworld could be made to feel the same too, made compact like the old days, with simple things like rocks stopping you from exploring until you get the Power Bracelets. (By the way, I did own Four Swords Adventure and it was great.)

Some tips for you, Patch:

Just another odd thought, but I presume that thing Wesley posted is a placeholder for the feet? If the spacing isn't turning out like you expect (compared to the measurement you entered), could it be that there is a decimal point in the wrong place?

So it's an actual vertical fall, stopped by magnetic brakes, I imagine? I must say, I expected a pivot point at the far end. In fact, if the train doesn't land on a slant, how will it roll backwards out? I must say, I'm a bit of a grump and this doesn't do anything for me. I'd rather they made a different type of coaster (woodie or Mega Lite) and advertised "Eight big drops, 20 seconds of airtime" etc. With Merlin putting the emphasis on theming these days (and scary theming at that), they're forgetting about the fun. To me coasters should be about fun (drops, airtime etc), not fear - they're very different things.

This might sound really obvious and patronising (bear in mind I know nothing about 3D modelling), but did you "build" half the groin line? It's the groin that provides space between the legs, isn't it, so I'd have thought you need to include that? Sorry if I've misunderstood something. PS - Your finished dodgem car looks great.

That's a hilarious and brilliant way of putting it, Emasher! It's not a bad article and I don't disagree with it, but the time to complain was three years ago. I was furious about Twilight Princess, disappointed at the processing power and sceptical of the controls, but the Wii is what it is, and we might as well just enjoy it. Also, how's this for arrogance from Matt (from this Zelda preview: http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/744/744044p2.html): Sounds like he was making excuses for them just like he accuses people of doing now!

I wonder if people might treat it like the DS games. People don't necessarily love Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, but there is no real backlash against them either - no disappointment. I still say that Twilight Princess was uniquely disappointing because of the way it was handled - hyped up since 2004 as this amazing GameCube game, then delayed and altered until it really wasn't a great deal like the game people expected. Fans aren't that unreasonable, and can accept a sub-par game or two, as long as there's not the manipulation that was present with TP. Even if Zelda Wii turns out to be rubbish, I don't think I'd be annoyed, because in all honesty, the Wii is the Wii and I accept it for what it is. I don't get excited about Wii or DS games like I did the GameCube - enjoy them, yes, but not get excited. The only real disappointment would be that we've waited ages for it and it would be a shame to "waste" Zelda for a generation. Right, back to Spirit Tracks!

Also, it cracks me up when friendly characters are prepared to beat you up as a "test"!

I suppose what I really want from a Zelda game, above all else, is the feeling that it's better than the previous ones. Zelda is a byword for "best game of its type ever", so yes, that's a massive expectation to put on a game, but Nintendo have done it before (every generation apart from this one) and I hope they can do it again. And I for one do not hate Twilight Princess. It's a great game in its own right and has a beautiful atmosphere in many parts (Lake Hylia, Hyrule Field), but I'd rate it as the 4th best 3D Zelda, and that in itself has to be slightly disappointing. Let's hope we get some of the better character designs back for the next one. The Moblins in Wind Waker were the best ever, yet they weren't even in Twilight Princess (the masked ones are Bulblins, the slack-jawed ones are Bokoblins). However, there is a brief glimpse of one in the legendary 2004 trailer. It'd also be nice to see Octoroks, Wind Waker's version of Wizzrobes, Iron Knuckles and Dodongos more like the N64 ones. It's a great design, because it's not actually that hard (apart from the floor you had to destroy - that was almost impossible to work out yourself). The Lakebed Temple probably overdid it though, and was arduous.

Hilarious update, Patch. I'm enjoying being reminded of all these bits.

Exactly. You've hit the nail on the head. This is what I find remarkable about this news - not that the Wii is selling less than it used to, but that manufacturers are expressing surprise about it and also making a loss.

That's a great idea. The Deku Leaf is one of my favourite items, because it could take you far, but you had to calculate it yourself. You had to see somewhere you wanted to go, control the wind correctly and choose wise starting points. I also like your points about the freedom in Ocarina of Time. That's actually a good idea! You could even call Tingle to pick you up in it! That's another very, very appealing idea. The one thing I'm reluctant about is that if flying was the only way to get between areas, it wouldn't feel like they were really connected as much. I love the idea of a massive mountain range, though, with high bits, low bits, caves, tunnels, villages, snowy peaks etc. Thinking about it, there's no reason why this Link couldn't be half-Ruto (and develop his wings halfway through the game). It would definitely be seen to be a copy if you had to find giants in the landscape, but perhaps there could be classes of mini-boss who gradually populate the land? Also, bosses could perhaps not have to stay in their chambers all the time. Some could chase you through the dungeon, some could break out of their dungeon and onto the lake etc, or break through the wall of the building and the battle continues outside.

First of all, I don't agree that the fantasy worlds should just be a flawless escape. The whole moral of your story is to show that the foster family isn't so bad after all, which is a perfectly nice idea. The fantasies don't need to be bad - Merel should just gradually realise they're not so great. Secondly, I have one suggestion for the story structure. Immediately after each fantasy, show Merel enjoying life with the foster family in a specific way that shows it's better than the fantasy. For example, if she didn't like the witches' food, show that the foster family's food is better. After the dirty, smelly animals, show that the real house is nice and clean. After the chaos of the circus, show calm. If you do that, it'll break up the fantasy sequences with "real" sequences inbetween.

Yeah, that's one I didn't really "get" either. It was a decent game, but I think the GBA could have done better, when you consider how good the Metroid games were. The only handheld Zelda I thought was brilliant for the time was Link's Awakening. Ooh, that's a taboo, but I agree! I did get it at the time - I loved it - but the Zelda games are about exploration and 3D only improved that. Mario and Metroid on the SNES, though, have aged very well as they're viewed from the side and about jumping. Mind you, I don't think Link's Awakening has aged any better than Link to the Past. PS - Welcome back Jonnas! PPS - Great post Hero of Time!