Grazza

The thing with Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and Wind Waker were they were all technically brilliant. Ocarina of Time for obvious reasons. Majora's Mask used the extra RAM to keep track of an incredible number of things, and made the game bigger through the use of time. People quite rightly praise the sidequests, but I think the single most impressive thing about that game is the way the Moon gets lower and lower throughout the 3-day cycle, in real time. You can check it out any time you want, and it'll be in the correct position. It's the simplest, most brilliant way of telling a story and, to this day, I've not seen anything as audacious as that in game. Wind Waker used the GameCube to finally have a physically bigger game. Not only that, we had full camera control all the time, sophisticated 3D towns and (incredibly) loading times as fast as those on the N64. It didn't have a 3-day cycle, but it had complete 1-day cycles for the townsfolk, and different phases of the moon. The whole thing was generally very fluid and was Zelda for the next generation. Twilight Princess, however, did not have a single bit of extra hardware to take advantage of. Also, the graphics were so detailed, the experience did not feel as technically advanced as the previous games, such as town design and loading times (as well as the Wii control issues I've mentioned). The townsfolk did not even have a 1-day cycle. I don't say this to bash TP, just to highlight that we need technical excellence to get the "wow" factor. For Zelda Wii, how about this for an idea? When Link draws his bow, the perspective shifts into 1st-person and you can actually move, just like Metroid Prime 3. Aiming whilst stationary is one of the few things that feels old-fashioned. I don't think you should actually have to draw your bowstring with MotionPlus; they should just keep the infra-red aiming. In fact, I've got a feeling the entire game may be in 1st-person perspective, with no sword at all, but that's just a guess.

Something vaguely similar happened to me. I printed off an Item FAQ, crossing off each expansion as I got it, yet I only have 245 missiles! It's bizarre. Obviously I've made a mistake somewhere, but I would have to go and check all 50 locations to know which one I missed! It's a different situation to yours, but still... Can you actually see her cannon from different angles now? If so, that is a fair reason not to have the effects in. The cropped cutscenes are also understandable. The ripple effects would be worrying if the Wii simply coudln't do them, but it's probably just because they've added bloom lighting to that game. At the end of the day, we've had the "real" versions on GameCube, so any compromises Nintendo had to make with these ports is 100% fair. Personally, I'll stick to the 'Cube versions, as I prefer traditional controls in general. I didn't really like the visor-switching in Corruption, and that game wisely stacked the beams (I wouldn't want to switch beams with the accelerometers, personally). The only thing I'd want from the Trilogy is the widescreen gameplay.

If the Light Suit helps me in the Dark World, I'll be pleased! I was chuffed to find an expansion for my beams. Hopefully I'll find them all. Wahey, just smashed the Boost Guardian! He was no match for me! Seriously, it reminded me of the Omega Pirate, in that it may seem impossible. Then, when you understand the technique, what to ignore etc, it actually seems easy. How I love Super Missiles.

Yeah, but people who don't understand the quality of Nintendo games and think they're "kiddie" have never been worth listening to. My argument is that it is not these people who saw the flaws in Twilight Princess (and the Wii in general). Honestly, the Tri-Force Hunt is the most unfairly criticised and exaggerated moment in gaming history. It hardly takes any time to find the eight charts, then the mini-challenges themselves are very fun and varied. It's nothing like as laborious as finding items in other games, such as keys and artifacts in Metroid Prime 1+2, for a quick example. It was better than having an extra dungeon or two. They inadvertently stumbled across a better formula and a better way of using the overworld. That's why you're confused; you think people didn't like the game, when all people are saying is that it was less brilliant than usual. It was that final year that changed the game so much. I always think the "apology screenshots", issued in August 2005, tell a grand story: http://uk.media.cube.ign.com/media/572/572738/imgs_2.html This was the GameCube game at its pinnacle, before development shifted to Wii. Look at how much better Castle Town is, with better camera angles. As soon as the game had to work on the Wii as well, it massively compromised the GameCube version. The lack of buttons meant that shield control was actually removed and all areas, including forests and towns, had to be designed as though the player had no camera control. Who knows why they took out the magic meter and the items that used them? I'd be amazed if that wasn't something to do with the Wii too. And I think this is the real reason there's a bone of contention about Twilight Princess. Whatever issues Majora's Mask and Wind Waker may have had, they were released at the right time, for their intended console. If Twilight Princess had been released as intended, purely on GameCube, I honestly believe people would have found it much easier to accept, warts and all. We could have had a Wii version later, like Pikmin and Metroid Prime Trilogy, which would have been fine, but the changes would have been huge and clear for all to see.

Thanks, I really appreciate that! Ah, I didn't realise it worked at all in 50Hz. I always had to change Metroid Prime to 60Hz anyway, as it made me feel sick otherwise. In my defence, I did actually buy Metroid Prime back in 2004, I think it was, but because I couldn't defeat the end boss, I didn't want the extra challenge of Echoes. Anyway, I've beaten the first "big" boss and have left Agon. No real problems so far, but I'm dreading the Boost Guardian!

Good point. I really think Zelda needs to take some tips from Metroid. Not in terms of structure, but rather in terms of intensity and pacing. Metroid Prime is a lean, mean, intense game. Twilight Princess is flabby. Metroid Prime only has about five big bosses, but we sure remember them. Twilight Princess has loads of bosses and dungeons, but they're pretty forgettable. Zelda has always been a cross between an action game and an RPG, and I hate to say it, but it's veered too close to being an RPG. What I'd like from the next Zelda is a simple, intense game. It's always fun to do a Zelda wish list, so here goes! 1. No twilight or light world/dark world. The light world is always better. just concentrate on making that as fun as possible. 2. Better art direction. In Twilight Princess, the enemies looked too much like real creatures. The spiders were realistic and the Dodongos looked like gekkos! Not magical enough. 3. No real gimmicks. Mounts are good because they're an extension of Link, but I don't want any of these wolf/twilight shenanigans that completely change the gameplay. Zelda Wii should just be about Link running around as well-designed a world as possible. 4. More "wow" moments. Twilight Princess had a few, like the storming of the Bulblins' camp, but not enough and not close enough together. We need more "rollercoaster" sections, with a greater sense of speed and excitement. 5. Cut the flab. I like sidequests, but these should really be optional, post-game affairs. Like I say, we need lean, mean pacing, like Metroid. 6. Better sense of location. The dungeons should feel more like castles, cathedrals, mansions etc - whatever building they're actually meant to be. The Forsaken Fortress was particularly good at this. Perhaps even if you jumped out of a window, you'd land straight in the overworld, with no discernable separation from the two. 7. Technical excellence. I want smooth gameplay, running around with no loading times, switching between perspectives when I like. Zelda should be the pinnacle of technical excellence. 8. Magic. Whatever they were thinking when they made Wind Waker, they were right...

I genuinely agree with that, and it has the added bonus of being an Alan Partridge quote! I think you're generalising the small group of reactionary fans with the wider group of gamers. I don't remember any fuss about Majora's Mask. Everyone knew it was a "bonus", same-engine Zelda. It was less flawless than Ocarina of Time, but in many ways better. As for Wind Waker, well, I have never criticised that. I thought it was the best game ever from pretty much the first moment. Even so, I can somewhat understand some people being disappointed they didn't receive the SpaceWorld Zelda. It's a simple case of "You get teased with something, you want it". Nintendo do this to sell machines, after all. Now, as for the next game, maybe it will be inferior to Twilight Princess, in which case people will say so. This doesn't mean they will somehow reclassify Twilight Princess as excellent, because it wasn't. It was a right mess. It had moments of brilliance, true, but the game as a whole was an uninspired jumble of nonsense. Don't forget that, unlike Majora's Mask and Wind Waker, Twilight Princess had an overly long development time, spread out between two consoles. This meant that the end product was nothing like it was meant to be. Too true. I can't believe how unexcited I am for Spirit Tracks, which, after all, is out very soon! I keep forgetting that. If you look at the lack of hype, I'm sure many people feel this way. That said, I didn't find Phantom Hourglass disappointing, personally, as I just had a feeling it wouldn't be all that.

With everyone enjoying Metroid Prime Trilogy at the moment, I decided to buy this (on GameCube)! I massively enjoyed my replay of Metroid Prime a couple of months ago, but I couldn't really be bothered with this one, as I'd read about the Light World/Dark World and limited ammunition. However, a workmate strongly recommended it, saying it was "easy" (hmm...), so I went for it! This time, I only found Metroid Prime to be of medium/hard difficulty, so I'm up for a little bit more challenge if necessary. Anyway, I started playing and... wow! The graphics are truly incredible. What an amazing machine the GameCube is. The atmosphere at the beginning is incredibly spooky, and I regret I'm only just beginning to appreciate how talented Retro Studios were. I'm finding the game incredibly good fun, no problems with the bosses at the moment, although I'm not far in. I wondered if it had Metroids in it.

I'm always looking for the perfect place! My favourites are wooded valleys like Matlock Bath. A river runs through it and the sides are really high, steep and green. I also love real classic seasides, with high cliffs, crashing waves, salty air and the sound of herring gulls. They also need a touch of lights and entertainment. Scarborough is probably the best one that fits the bill. Another favourite of mine is Great Yarmouth. It's flat and there are no cliffs, but it's a "real" seaside in most ways. There's so much to do, and it has probably the best wooden roller coaster in England. Hmm, lets' see... another all-time favourite of mine is Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight. Magical, mysterious and steeped in legend, either by day or lit up at night. I've been visiting it since 1983. Shame it's crumbling away. (Shanklin Chine's another great one - smaller and less mysterious, but greener.) Finally, my favourite place abroad is probably a little piece of Western France - La Palmyre near Royanne. It's coastal with huge pine forests. Beware if you go for a bike ride though - I did and got lost for five hours!

Quite a few people (totally platonic friends) have told me they loved me. Is this just what the youngsters are like nowadays? I never know what to say. PS - I love the Alan Partridge quotes in this thread.

That's the opposite of the truth, in my opinion! The PlayStation and Saturn were basically like the older consoles with extra polygon-pushing power and more storage space. Nothing wrong with that, but that's how it was. The N64, on the other hand, had a complete rethink of how 3D games could work, and the other companies have taken years to catch up (if at all). Just compare Mario and Zelda 64 to the "3D" games on the PlayStation, designed for a d-pad, where you had to turn on the spot before moving.

Like an idiot, I'm only beginning to appreciate Retro Studios now it's too late. Metroid Prime really was a brilliant, intense, succinct game. I think Retro Studios should permanently handle the "adult Link" games, whereas EAD2 should do the Wind Waker series (on consoles, not handhelds). I'm pretty sure I read about a video tour of Retro Studios recently (I didn't watch it, but it must have been about Metroid Prime Trilogy), where they still had the Hylian Shield and Master Sword on the wall.

Did any of you ever beat the Primeval? I got to it ages ago (must have been June), but it must be one of the most unfair bosses ever. On approximately the 15th round it tries to One-Hit KO your entire party. Unfortunately, I was usually only left with my Protector, and this isn't good enough when you consider you need to revive, cure and buff everyone again. I tried it about three times, but it just seemed impossible - beyond skill or strategy. I tried equipping all of them with two or even three items that are meant to resist One-Hit KO, but it still didn't work. In a rage, I deleted my game data. Now, like a fool, I'm starting again! Are there any items with double resistance to One-Hit KO?

My favourite consoles (and games): 5. Saturn/PS2 Can't decide between these two. PS2 hosted the better games, but I enjoyed owning the Saturn a bit more. Both were good or decent for 3rd-party games. Basically, there were both "general" consoles to me. (favourite Saturn games: ) Guardian Heroes Story of Thor 2 Panzer Dragoon Saga (PS2: ) Dragon Quest VIII Shadow of the Colossus 4. SNES I didn't love the SNES quite as much as other people, but I could still see the quality of its games. Super Mario World Zelda: A Link to the Past F-Zero Note: For some reason, I didn't play Super Metroid, but I'm sure that's one of the best. Got a feeling I missed out on a lot of very good games for this machine, particularly in the Contra/Axelay vein. 3. Megadrive I really think this brought more to the market at the time than the SNES. No other console has matched the excitement of me getting this. It also seemed one of the best ever 2-player machines to me, as I played it a lot with my friends, particularly the scrolling beat 'em-ups. It eventually culminated in Landstalker, which I enjoyed even more than Link to the Past. Landstalker Sonic the Hedgehog Golden Axe Streets of Rage 2 And many, many others... 2. N64 To me, the N64 took everything to a new level, making the game design on the PlayStation and even the Saturn look primitive. The only drawbacks were blurry graphics and low draw-distance. It was also just a machine to have for the 1st- and 2nd-party games. Nonetheless, its games are still generally my 2nd-favourites. Zelda: Ocarina of Time Zelda: Majora's Mask Super Mario 64 Note: I didn't play Goldeneye or Perfect Dark, as I didn't think I'd like the genre. Banjo Kazooie was good, but I don't think it's up there with Nintendo's finest. 1. GameCube For me this was the peak of Nintendo's "3D Worlds" philosophy. Everything was sharp, with good draw-distance - basically all the small problems of the N64 fixed. It also had the best controller ever - I loved playing about with the analogue triggers in Super Mario Sunshine. Zelda: Wind Waker Super Mario Sunshine F-Zero GX Metroid Prime Zelda: Twilight Princess Now that's what I call a line-up! Pretty hard to beat that. (Note: I didn't play Resident Evil 4, as I don't like horror.)

I'm sure you will this time. I never thought I'd be able to do it either, but it's much easier than it seems (the boss, not the scans). ...Which is (to the rythym of Magmoor Caverns)... bomb, leave, bomb, bomb bomb, leave, bomb, bomb I was chuffed when I mastered that! Cool addition to Prime though - it sounds just as it is in the GBA games.

Yes, exactly, I meant keep the game as it was, just with better framerate, resolution etc, although come to think of it, I'd enjoy the addition of camera control with a C-stick.

This is why I (re-)bought Metroid Prime on GameCube recently - to prove to myself I could complete the "real" game. I'm tempted to get Prime 2 (also on Cube), but I've read about it and I can't be bothered with some aspects of the game. The last straw was when I heard you can run out of "ammunition" for some of your beams. I don't mind running out of missiles, but running out of "beam" sounds like a step too far.

It can do the RAM expansion, just not the Memory Pak (ie. the memory card) or the Rumble Pak. I would like to see it when Nintendo have a system comparable to the Xbox 360 - 1080p, widescreen, smooth framerate and traditional controls.

Extremely interesting article about Zelda. The original character model they had for Link is more faifthful to the NES games, but I think they were right to change it. Nintendo just "had it" then. I hope they still do, but I'm not sure. Miyamoto said he was once obsessed/fascinated with 3D worlds, and I think that's why the N64 and GameCube games were so good. Twilight Princess and (especially) Phantom Hourglass showed very little of the vision Nintendo once had, but they can be excused for various reasons. How they reinvent Zelda for the Wii will be the real test. It's funny to think the Wii is the first time a Nintendo machine has had in-built memory since the 64DD. Is its flash memory as useful and versatile as the N64 add-on? One thing's for sure, if they could ever offer the completed Ocarina of Time 64DD/Ura Zelda, it'd be a bigger system seller to many of us than anything I can think of, with the possible exception of a brand new Zelda!

This is not very helpful now, but the key to playing the GameCube version is to do the bare minimum, then save. For example, once you've improved your sword, play the Song of Time and save your game. I can see why you did both those sidequests though, because if I recall correctly, you need post-Goht items for both of those.

On the PS2, I'm pretty sure I just swiped the ball.

Yes, I'm very proud of my 120 Shine Sprites. It was very difficult, yes, but I actually did it back when I couldn't complete Metroid Prime (which I can now), so I always considered that harder.

I've got a Golem - a nice, trustworthy monster, but you can't equip him with a "critical hit" weapon (ie. one that does it particularly often) or armour with particularly good elemental defence. Still, he's permanently in my group of eight. I'm just slightly preferring the Warhog, Orc King and Gigantes at the moment. PS - I think I'll try that with the Falcon Blade. Thanks for the tip.

Ahem... I accidentally recruited a Metal Slime last night. Wasn't even trying - must be my animal magnetism. To be honest, I don't think I'll use him, as I heard it can make it too easy. My favourite monster is my Gigantes with Hela Hammer!

It must be a fake as there's a rogue apostrophe in that first image. "It's MET...is higher than" should be "Its MET...is higher than".