GameCube's final gaming glimmer proves worthy of the royal treatment.
The game begins with Link performing small ranch duties in Ordon village. This includes wrangling goats into a barn with the help of his trusty horse Epona and even stopping a few strays from leaving with some brute force. Unfortunately, it isn't long before horrific events lead him back into the troublesome land of Hyrule. The storyline and levels are pretty much the same as those from the Wii version, though both games mirror each other. Everything that appears on the right in the Wii version appears on the left.
Another notable difference is the lack of motion controls. When Link fires arrows or goes fishing, players use the analog stick and buttons to complete said activities. Some may miss the motion-powered abilities, but the scope of the adventure remains perfectly intact. Twilight Princess features a tremendous battle system that allows players to lock on to enemies, walk on ceilings using magnetic boots and ride horseback. Only two items can be equipped in the GameCube version (like, say, the Long Bow and the slingshot) instead of three, but the menu system can be easily accessed. In addition, players can save any time -- something that comes in handy when they don't feel like spending all night lumbering around a dank dungeon.
Two big extras push this game ahead of previous Zeldas. The first is the inclusion of Midna, a bothersome yet helpful spirit that guides Link on his quest. Midna is a likable character, one of the better ones to be introduced to the Nintendo universe in quite some time.
The second big addition is Link's ability to transform into a wolf in the Twilight sections of the game. This dynamically changes the gameplay as well as the world. Human allies that speak to Link in human form now consider him a threat and flee (or attack). Meanwhile, animals become friends, and Link has the ability to howl in rhythms and pick up on scents to help him find things. These new additions add to the game, and almost seem like a nod to Capcom's Okami, another game that features a wolf on a spirited quest.
Despite these new additions, however, there's a memorable feeling to Twilight Princess that Zelda fans will take great comfort in. Whether it's dungeon crawling, challenging a boss with massive strength or even riding Epona for hours at a time, there's a sense of wonder present, similar to the first Nintendo 64 Zelda, Ocarina of Time
Zelda's impressive presentation has an unfortunate downside. The synthesized soundtrack, while catchy, feels dated. Nintendo should've hired an orchestra instead of relying on Nintendo 64 quality audio.
Furthermore, the graphics have issues. It's good to see the mature Link, and the world he interacts with is filled with surprises and astonishing design. All the same, some of the textures look fuzzy, such as pixilated trees. Even the cut scenes look sharper than some of the in-game content.
Despite the lack of motion controls and some presentation hitches, Twilight Princess packs a robust and enjoyable adventure no one should miss. There's nothing like a little Twilight to make one's holiday season brighter.