The greatest

Is it worth buying a Nintendo 3DS to experience the greatest game ever made all over again? Probably not. But if you do own a 3DS, you simply must have Ocarina of Time.

For those that somehow missed this mesmerising Legend of Zelda game when it was originally released on the Nintendo 64, re-released on GameCube as a bonus for Wind Waker pre-orders, or uploaded to the Wii's Virtual Console service, you are in for an extraordinary treat. In fact, I'm really jealous if you've never played it before.

Ocarina of Time offers a spellbinding mix of exploration, puzzle solving and combat, with an engaging fairytale plot and an engaging world.
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It's an epic to be savoured right from the first moment you witness Link galloping across the screen on his trusty stead.

Controls can occasionally be a little fiddly, particularly with the lack of direct camera control, but the game is thoughtfully and elegantly designed and a pleasure to play. Like all Zelda games, players are gradually presented with new toys and clever new puzzles in which to utilise them.

Gadgets include slingshots, bombs and bows, and Link is also naturally handy with his sword and shield.

The story is set in two time zones. First Link is a mere boy, and then he later matures, with the challenge for the player increasing and the environments changing.

The large, convincing gameworld is populated by a raft of colourful characters and foes: some friendly, many frightening, and others extremely weird. The boss enemies are massive and memorable, albeit usually not terribly difficult to fell.

There are a huge variety of tasks to undertake. One minute you'll be collecting chickens, the next you'll be making your way through a dungeon, sneaking into a palace, riding a horse, or exploring inside a giant fish.

Some of the puzzles are particularly ingenious, and the use of the Ocarina is a delight. Link learns a variety of different tunes to play at key points in the game using buttons for different notes.

Even just wandering around the gameworld is wonderful: the genuine sense of place is still impressive over a decade later.

When the game was first released for the N64 back in 1998 the presentation seemed startling, but it looks pretty dated these days. Fortunately, this update has had a bit of a spruce up with the likes of new animations and textures, although I suspect most players will do without the 3D effect if only to preserve their console's battery life (so they can keep playing...)

Other welcome additions include better maps, improved inventory management thanks to the touch-screen, and more accurate aiming via motion control for items like the bow, catapult and boomerang.

It's a game that is accessible to a wide variety of players, and offers a reasonably lengthy quest to enjoy, with plenty of fun diversions along the way.

I particularly like the way the game's puzzle solutions are never obviously signposted, that the design assumes players are smart, creative and curious. But there is some concession to modern hand-holding, with Shiekah Stones offering you a glimpse of what to do if you are stuck.

It's a re-release that has been given the love and respect that it deserved, and absolutely deserves to be played and loved all over again.

What have you been playing lately?

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/games/blogs/screenplay/the-greatest-20110627-1gm7s.html#ixzz1QQF5ailb

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