A disappointment compared to Wind Waker, but still another satisfying entry in the long-running Zelda series.
Lows: Cheezy dialogue, difficulty is pretty easy for a Zelda game, music is a little bit on the forgettable side, a little short, lacking fun side quests.
Verdict: May not be Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker or A Link to the Past, but Twilight Princess is still a decent entry in the series.
With the success of Wind Waker three years before, Nintendo decided to keep their hot streak going. With the Wii just coming out, Nintendo not only released their newest Zelda game for that console, but they decided to breathe life back into the GameCube, which was nearing the end of it's lifespan. This is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, released for the GameCube in 2006. In TP, like other past Zelda games, you play as Link as he has not one, but two villans to deal with. He of course has to deal with returning series villian Ganondorf, but also ruler of the Twilight World, Zant, as he cast a good chunk of Hyrule under the spell of Twilight, where those with pieces of the Triforce, can maintain the powers that they have in the normal world. Link has also been given the power to turn into a wolf, as the beasts of the Twilight cursed Link, putting him in wolf form every time he goes into the Twilight. If you have played Wind Waker, you should have an easy time getting used to the controls and gameplay. There is an excellent new inventory system, as you press up on the D-pad to bring it up whenever you need to bring out a new weapon. Like in Ocarina of Time, there are different outfits for Link, like one that lets you breathe underwater, and there is the new Magic Armor, which for the most part, makes you invincible as runs off your rupees that you collect. An armor that protects you by using your own money? Yes, so don't use it all the time, okay? The level designs and dungeons are very well put together like it was in Wind Waker, also Hyrule is bigger and better than ever as there is lots of exploring to do. The time period in this Zelda game looks more modern, looks like it takes place in the 19th century. There are excellent new weapons to choose from, like the Double Clawshot, where you can grapple onto a wall or ceiling with one, than with the other, you can aim it to where you need to go. The game has a very high replay value, as it is lots of fun and you will want to come back and play it again. However, TP is not without flaws. The dialogue is pretty cheezy as some of the characters' acting is pretty over-the-top, like Midna's and Zant's. Twilight Princess is one of the easiest Zelda games if not the easiest Zelda game, it isn't very challenging, enemies can be taken down with only a few hits, the bosses and mini-bosses, for the most part, are challenging at times, but they are easy to figure out, thanks to Midna's hints and some of the easy to find weak points on on these bosses, even though these boss fights are very fun. The music, even though it is good, it isn't very memorable and it is more forgettable, as it looks like they got a little lazy with making the music. The game's length is pretty short, and because this game is pretty damn fun, you'll be disappointed by the short length, wishing it would go longer. Also, the side quests are pretty boring and uninteresting, even the fishing side quest that made an appearance for the first time since OoT, isn't very interesting. Overall, Twilight Princess is a decent game. It isn't as good as past entries in the series like Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past and Wind Waker, but it will not disappoint fans of the series. The GameCube version of TP is somewhat rare and expensive, as it didn't sell as many copies as the Wii version. If you want to pick the game up off of Amazon, it's gonna cost you upwards of $45 to pick up a copy. If you want to pick up any version of TP, I'd go with the Wii version since it's easier to find, but for those who are die-hard fans of the series, the GC version of Twilight Princess is a must-have collector's item. Pick this up whenever you get the chance.