Link has forever known since the dawn of Nintendo’s creation, with Shigero Miyamoto, Link’s creator, leading the way within the gaming industry. Due to technology, the look and style of the Zelda games have changed and evolved through the years of advance in Nintendo or other consoles. It started off as a basic, black pixel fantasy world with early machines such as the NES and even Gameboy. It then moved onto colour with the Nintendo and Super Nintendo consoles. Soon, Ocarina of Time was made in full colour 3D graphics for the first time and shocked the world with its stunning appearance and amazing gameplay. Though, like with the advancement of every console, the Gamecube was released and the world of Zelda changed once again into that which is the Wind Waker. Everyone believed that this was to be the new adopted style of the series that Shigero had chosen and would make following games for the Gamecube in the same technique of Cell-Shading. Rumours and even supposed shots of the game were flowing through the media and it was certain that there was to be a Wind Waker 2.
Certainty was shattered at the E3 Expo.
When the video of the new Zelda game started, everyone stood with disbelief on their faces and their jaw hug down low in complete and utter amazement. It was completely different to what they expected and more importantly, Wind Waker. The new Zelda game is once again a full colour 3D game and it looks more than a little stunning. It seems to be an epic that will best the entire series.
It was in the year 2000 that Nintendo first show cased a new Zelda trailer at the Space World games show. The short clipped showed a fight, in full colour 3D graphics, of an older Link fighting a very evil looking Ganandorf. However, in less than a year it was placed up on the high, dusty shelf in the game department so that Nintendo could put their full concentration on the smash hit title---The Wind Waker.
Time passed and it seemed as though they had completely forgotten about it. When the release of Soul Calibur II arrived, people even speculated that the short trailer had actually been a feature of the game and that not only could you have Link as a special character but Ganandorf as well!
They were wrong and now at the 2004 E3 Expo, it was proved that Nintendo had not forgotten about the trailer at all but had actually advanced its creation and had moulded it into a new Zelda title.
As before in the Wind Waker trailer, this new one featured the outstanding and classic song from the famous film Conan the Barbarian, orchestrated by Basil Poledouris. With this exciting new edge added to the game, the trailer then unfurled into the looks of an amazing game of adventure and action.
The first noticeable point about the new game is that Link himself will look and also act different to that previous in the Wind Waker and also other games that feature his ‘childish’ like side. No longer does he have the cute and young face but now a more adult and teenage look to his age. The design of the character frame itself is completely amazing and moves with such a smooth flow that it is hard to find fault with it at all.
Miyamoto himself says, “We are now taking you to a world where Link has grown up -- a world where he will act different and look different. In order to grow, Link must not stand still and neither will I.” With this, it looks as though, like in the past, that Link will always be experiencing change.
Secondly, it seems as though he has once again taken up his saddle with Epona to ride him across what now seems to be a very expanse land of Hyrule. It also seems to be very barren and bleak due to the presence of evil within the land. Not only can you ride Epona but there were also scenes shown of Link fighting moblins on hogback, yes hogback. They are huge warthogs the size of a horse, if not a little bigger.
The more ominous side to the new game is an army shown marching over a hill at sunset, the sun sinking down behind them in a hazy sky, giving off its last light before the darkness comes to overrun the world. This seems to be the main theme of the game---good versus evil as it has always been---but it seems to be more than that. It looks as though the very gates of hell that Ganandorf commands has been unleashed upon the land of Hyrule and now an epic struggle is taking place for fight for peace and freedom of light once again.
From what has been seen in the trailer so far, the enemies are Moblins, Bokoblins and also a lot of Lizalfos. Within the trailer, Link is also seen battling a fiery, black boss creature, swinging a gigantic chain at him in an attempt to destroy him in one swipe!
As said before, the graphical designs of the game are truly amazing and far beyond stunning. Not only are all of the character and monster models full of detail but also the land and weather effects are also gorgeous, with views of either rolling hills of light filled forests. There are also stunning night scenes, with flowing torches and flaming arrows being shot through the air as you gallop away on your steed. There were also various dungeons shown, with Link battling out against enemies and solving a few puzzles---having to push some blocks into place. The shadow and lighting within this game is so magnificent that it is hard to believe.
The trailer, all in all was just a superb example of the power of the Gamecube and promises to be a very interesting and enthralling epic!
There was nothing of the plot revealed and still there have been no updates of information since the trailer from E3 in May---Shigero Miyamoto is giving away nothing with this one and promises that a full playable version will be available at next years E3. After coming up on stage with a few swings of a real life master sword, holding a Hyrule Link shield, he then said his goodbyes, leaving all of us on a complete cliff hanger and patient wait to see the final product.
‘The Legend of Zelda’, as it is titled for now, will rock the entire series with its brilliance. TR
