Support NeoGAF

[peanutbutterlatte]

MC didn't have just shrinking though; it had a lot of ways to explore areas. Gust Jar allowed you to clear gaps and reach new areas; Mole Mitts allowed you to dig into caves; Kinstone fusion changed the environment at times; heck, Link even had the ability to fly with his hat by entering tornadoes. I would also not characterize it as incredibly short. Perhaps compared to a 3D Zelda, but in general most 2D Zeldas are about the same length. The dungeons are also only really (relatively) boring in the first half, while the second half has a ton of great dungeons. I would dare say that Minish Cap's later dungeons rival those of this game's. One problem I have with this game is that in terms of exploration, they focus too much on the wall gimmick as opposed to using a bunch of different items (like Minish Cap did.

Kinstone fusion was the one cool aspect of it, and ALBW also has plenty of ways to traverse and explore the environment. I can't really remember outside of the Gust Jar and the flying hat any interesting items in MC. It just felt like a vanilla Zelda, Capcom imitating the norm. Even though ALBW reuses a lot of familiar elements, it's not nostalgic to the point of repetitiveness.

The game also has a pretty lame boss in the Dark Woods - The hand was extremely exploitable, as you could just wall merge over and over again and be completely safe. Good boss concept though.

Really? I found I was either running out of energy or exiting the wall just as the hand created a huge chasm beneath me. It isn't a flawless strategy.

 

[fiore]

Just finished this tonight. What an incredible game. It's probably nostalgia but I think this is the most I have enjoyed a Zelda title since A Link to the Past. I love being in this world again.

A link to the past was my favorite game, I remember about finding bout the L-2 sword and thought there would be a L-3..those darn shells

 

[Roto13]

The Dark World was just the Sacred Realm corrupted and Link fixed it with his Triforce wish hence the background during the credits going from red skies to blue.

Of course Lorule references aLttP's Dark World a lot. Obviously the whole map is based on it, but small details like the masks bearing the faces of some of the Dark World's NPCs and

Spoiler

Ravio, Link's Lorule form, donning a rabbit costume

.

Why did I click this spoiler?

 

[Rich!]

A link to the past was my favorite game, I remember about finding bout the L-2 sword and thought there would be a L-3..those darn shells

But there was a LV 3 master sword.

 

[Neiteio]

A link to the past was my favorite game, I remember about finding bout the L-2 sword and thought there would be a L-3..those darn shells

Maybe I'm fuzzy on ALttP, but wasn't LA the one that used the shells?

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

A link to the past was my favorite game, I remember about finding bout the L-2 sword and thought there would be a L-3..those darn shells

That's Link's Awakening.

 

[F0rneus]

In terms of top down Zeldas, it's really hard to rank it. At least right now. ALttP, Link's Awakening, and Minish Cap definitely outrank it. The original Zelda possibly, and Ages maybe. I could see it landing smack-dab between Zelda 1 and Ages.

ALTTP I can see but LA and Minish Cap is insane talk.

 

[Kalnos]

Beat it. Really fun game and the nostalgia hit me hard. I love how they kept the layout of the LTTP world but mixed it up a bit in places.

I think the renting system is interesting but ultimately flawed as it doesn't feel too different from just finding the items. This is particularly true since many dungeons require one of the items just to enter. The game was a bit disappointingly easy, also.

LTTP is still may favorite game in the series.

 

[BassForever]

Finished the game, despite my disappointments I still think it was a fantastic game. Completed 100% or at least what I believe is 100% (can't really do the shadow link challenges)

All heart pieces
All 100 maiamani
All upgrades
All chest in every dungeon
All gear

Final rupee count was almost 25k dunno if it counted once I hit 9999. I'll post some more detailed thoughts later but this was a solid 9/10 despite my major issues with the game.

ALTTP I can see but LA and Minish Cap is insane talk.

I'd say LA was better then link between worlds, I dunno which I thought was worse between minish cap, link between worlds, and phantom hour glass. Those are my bottom 3 top down zelda

 

[JinjoUnchained]

True story. I was at a cafe playing ALBW on Friday when someone asks me "are you playing the new Zelda?" I reply that I am. He says "I just started and I was wondering if I should buy a shield in town or try to find one for free somewhere". I replied that you should go ahead and buy one, it's cheap enough and I haven't found them for free out in the game world. He said thanks and I noticed later that I have his Shadow Link due to StreetPass.

It occurred to me that this is how social gaming used to work before the Internet ruined everything. People traded tips and talked about games face-to-face, it was much more communal, progression was difficult and we were all in it together. So, thank you ALBW! Not only has the game brought me back to 1992 in the game world, but in the real world too!!!

 

[A Link to the Past]

ALTTP I can see but LA and Minish Cap is insane talk.

MC I can see but saying that LA being better is insane talk is insane talk. LA is for many people the best Zelda period, and it has definitely earned the right to be called that.

Kinstone fusion was the one cool aspect of it, and ALBW also has plenty of ways to traverse and explore the environment. I can't really remember outside of the Gust Jar and the flying hat any interesting items in MC. It just felt like a vanilla Zelda, Capcom imitating the norm. Even though ALBW reuses a lot of familiar elements, it's not nostalgic to the point of repetitiveness.



Really? I found I was either running out of energy or exiting the wall just as the hand created a huge chasm beneath me. It isn't a flawless strategy.

1. The Minish Cap was hardly vanilla; many of the items were new. You had the Four Sword (which worked in a new way), you had the Gust Jar (which was used in nearly all if not all dungeons), you had the Mole Mitts, you had the Cane of Pacci, Remote Bombs, and most importantly, for the first time (that I can recall), Link actually learns a number of new combat techniques (whereas the most you ever got was a sword spin).

2. The trick is to split from the wall when he lifts his hand and go back in. If you time it well, you'll never run out of energy. I actually managed to never walk from the spot I was standing with this trick.

 

[Kodiak]

Man the combat in this game is so satisfying. It's like popping air bubbles.

Too bad that fairly quickly, the challenge disappears as most of the enemies don't have interesting or surprising behaviors, and art not combined in sufficient numbers to pose a threat. I guess I've been forever spoiled by Dark Souls. I had no trouble beating the 50 room challenge without using a potion.

 

[UncleSporky]

I gotta say, I feel like I used arrows, the boomerang, and the hookshot less in this game than in any other in the series.

Hookshot used to be the big badass highly-anticipated thing that gave you the ability to explore the world, finally, after seeing all these far away places you couldn't get to. Now, merging does that.

Boomerang was just not as effective as any other item in the game. Instead of getting it as your first item and using it liberally because it was all you had, instead...there was just no reason to use it ever.

By contrast, the more exotic items (the rods) got way more common use in this game than any other. I used the fire rod for combat constantly because it is super amazing best item.

 

[Neiteio]

I think the renting system is interesting but ultimately flawed as it doesn't feel too different from just finding the items. This is particularly true since many dungeons require one of the items just to enter. The game was a bit disappointingly easy, also.

Not different enough? The new item system allows you to tackle dungeons in any order of your choosing, and to explore most of the overworld(s) right out of the gate. It also adds a risk-reward mechanic -- rent a lot of stuff and make more progress more quickly, but at the risk of losing it all if you fall in battle.

 

[A Link to the Past]

I gotta say, I feel like I used arrows, the boomerang, and the hookshot less in this game than in any other in the series.

Hookshot used to be the big badass highly-anticipated thing that gave you the ability to explore the world, finally, after seeing all these far away places you couldn't get to. Now, merging does that.

Boomerang was just not as effective as any other item in the game. Instead of getting it as your first item and using it liberally because it was all you had, instead...there was just no reason to use it ever.

By contrast, the more exotic items (the rods) got way more common use in this game than any other. I used the fire rod for combat constantly because it is super amazing best item.

I've gotta agree. I also didn't like the hammer much; the delay made it best to just not use it.

Not different enough? The new item system allows you to tackle dungeons in any order of your choosing, and to explore most of the overworld(s) right out of the gate. It also adds a risk-reward mechanic -- rent a lot of stuff and make more progress more quickly, but at the risk of losing it all if you fall in battle.

Honestly, it kind of does falter in the uniqueness department. It certainly does a good job w/ wall merging, and the dungeons are among my favourite ever, but yeah. I also didn't feel the nonlinearity as much as I had hoped; my expectation was that I would be able to go to Lorule with all of the rented items and do the eighth dungeon before anything else if I wanted to, but from what I can see, some dungeons in Lorule don't allow immediate access.

 

[EVH]

I just finished the game and I have no words. It was an amazing experience. You think about this mechanic to others like becoming a wolf and they are just stupid compared to all the possibilities that merging with the wall has shown.

I mean, right now, the only mechanic that Zelda has and impressed me as much as this one is the ability to change the season and all the effects it had in Oracle of Seasons.

Incredible game, despite having still some mistakes that would never prevent me to give the max. rating to it.

 

[Magnus]

I'm in total heaven with this game after being disenchanted with Zelda for over 10 years. Great, great stuff. And I don't even know what Lorule is yet (but I can guess). Is that actually what it's called in the game? Wait, don't tell me. Lol.

I'm heading to the Tower of Hera now and love the new item system and all the freedom it affords. Yay for non linearity!

 

[Neiteio]

Honestly, it kind of does falter in the uniqueness department. It certainly does a good job w/ wall merging, and the dungeons are among my favourite ever, but yeah. I also didn't feel the nonlinearity as much as I had hoped; my expectation was that I would be able to go to Lorule with all of the rented items and do the eighth dungeon before anything else if I wanted to, but from what I can see, some dungeons in Lorule don't allow immediate access.

I thought there are only seven regular dungeons in Lorule, not eight. Sounds like you're trying to go to the lair of the Big Bad first?

 

[Neiteio]

I just finished the game and I have no words. It was an amazing experience. You think about this mechanic to others like becoming a wolf and they are just stupid compared to all the possibilities that merging with the wall has shown.

I mean, right now, the only mechanic that Zelda has and impressed me as much as this one is the ability to change the season and all the effects it had in Oracle of Seasons.

Incredible game, despite having still some mistakes that would never prevent me to give the max. rating to it.

Wall-merging is the best Zelda mechanic since the time travel of Majora's Mask, IMO. Both mechanics thoroughly change the game.

 

[A Link to the Past]

I thought there are only seven regular dungeons in Lorule, not eight. Sounds like you're trying to go to the lair of the Big Bad first?

Sorry, I was envisioning the idea I had proposed to myself, where I counted all dungeons together and assumed that they would be eight-count. Point still stands in effect.

 

[TehWhite]

delete

 

[Neiteio]

Sorry, I was envisioning the idea I had proposed to myself, where I counted all dungeons together and assumed that they would be eight-count. Point still stands in effect.

So wait, you can't do the seven Lorule dungeons in any order?

 

[hupla]

4 hours later........

 

[BassForever]

Took me about 3 tries to get 100> greater in the baseball game, its way easier then people made it out to be.

 

[manueldelalas]

4 hours later........

Haha, you just need to get the timing right. I was stuck for 20 minutes with that.

 

[A Link to the Past]

So wait, you can't do the seven Lorule dungeons in any order?

Unless I'm missing certain items, no. For example, I haven't found the item to enter the southernmost dungeon (unless I'm just dumb and had it all along).

4 hours later........

I found that every single time I tried, I got a little better (good enough that I could play indefinitely and constantly profit). Gotta hit dem birds.

 

[princemarth23]

Took me about 3 tries to get 100> greater in the baseball game, its way easier then people made it out to be.

What is your secret, oh great one? (not sarcasm)

 

[SoraanTribal]

So wait, you can't do the seven Lorule dungeons in any order?

People say you can, but you really can't. I wanted to do the Desert Palace first, but you have to do the Thieve's Hideout one before that for the

Spoiler

sand rod

. And you need the

Spoiler

Titan gloves

in order to enter another dungeon, I think (not 100% sure on this). So you would have to do Desert Palace prior to that. It's fairly nonlinear, but there are some pre-reqs before certain dungeons.

---

Took me 2 tries to get 100+ on that baseball game. /flex

 

[goldsoundz]

So I went underneath the

Spoiler

waterfall in Lorule

near Zora's Domain with 2.5 hearts out of 10. I

Spoiler

bullied

the poor guy until he went ballistic and one-shot me. Lesson: don't be an ass.

 

[manueldelalas]

So I went underneath the

Spoiler

waterfall in Lorule

near Zora's Domain with 2.5 hearts out of 10. I

Spoiler

bullied

the poor guy until he went ballistic and one-shot me. Lesson: don't be an ass.

I just did the same, does he give you a piece of heart? Is there any way to defeat him?

 

[BassForever]

What is your secret, oh great one? (not sarcasm)

Using Link's ability to angle himself by holding up or down and taking advantage of resetting pots with the crabs.

Angle link back so he swings for the fences
Hit 3 pots on top swinging early to hit the right side
Hit bird (don't angle and hit when he's near the Octorok and you'll always get him)
Hit 3 pots on top swinging late to hit left side
Hit bird
Angle link down and hit 3 pots on the right
Hit bird
Angle link down and hit 3 pots on the left
Hit bird
Angle link down and hit one of the crabs (easiest when they're closer to the Octorok)
Repeat

I think I got 162 rupees by doing this

Ignore the big pots, if you hit them great but chasing after them is just not going to help you win. I think that's where most people get stuck on, they spend so much time going after the bigger pots they don't focus on hitting 3 pots for a bird.

People say you can, but you really can't. I wanted to do the Desert Palace first, but you have to do the Thieve's Hideout one before that for the . And you need the in order to enter another dungeon, I think (not 100% sure on this). So you would have to do Desert Palace prior to that. It's fairly nonlinear, but there are some pre-reqs before certain dungeons.

---

Took me 2 tries to get 100+ on that baseball game. /flex

You don't need the item from the sand dungeon to get to any other Lorule dungeon, the sand dungeon is the only dungeon you can't possibly do first.

I just did the same, does he give you a piece of heart? Is there any way to defeat him?

Nothing, but every time you save and quit he resets back to the way he was before so you can repeat it and get more rupees (not really efficient but worth noting)

 

[MasterSheen]

Can someone help me out here? I'm at the Dark Palace in the room with the boss door,

Spoiler

but I can't enter yet because the eye in the top left corner has no light shining on it.

Where do I go to fix this?

 

[UncleSporky]

So wait, you can't do the seven Lorule dungeons in any order?

No you can't. There is one item found in a dungeon that is required to get to another one.

Spoiler

The titan mitt.

I suppose technically you could go get the item and then leave that dungeon and go do the other dungeon first, but who does that?

EDIT: Beaten above, and he's right, there are actually 2 necessary items locked behind dungeons.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

I thought the Boomerang was useless until I upgraded it. Its the best stun weapon in the game. You can throw 3 of these mothafuckas and still move around, if you're focusing on one enemy its pretty godlike

 

[A Link to the Past]

No you can't. There is one item found in a dungeon that is required to get to another one.

Spoiler

The titan mitt.

I suppose technically you could go get the item and then leave that dungeon and go do the other dungeon first, but who does that?

That to me is a rather uncomfortable requirement, as it stands as the only barrier for nonlinearity.

 

[UncleSporky]

It also adds a risk-reward mechanic -- rent a lot of stuff and make more progress more quickly, but at the risk of losing it all if you fall in battle.

I don't know if anyone actually allows this to be a risk. Save, reboot the game if you die. It's trivial and saves a lot of time grinding rupees.

There's even extra incentive to do it so that you've got 000 deaths, like in most Zelda games.

That to me is a rather uncomfortable requirement, as it stands as the only barrier for nonlinearity.

I was wrong, there are actually 2 barriers.

 

[BassForever]

Can someone help me out here? I'm at the Dark Palace in the room with the boss door, Where do I go to fix this?

Spoiler

Go to the second floor the room the bottom room and blow open the windows with bombs.

I thought the Boomerang was useless until I upgraded it. Its the best stun weapon in the game. You can throw 3 of these mothafuckas and still move around, if you're focusing on one enemy its pretty godlike

Upgraded tornado rod is better, use it in conjunction with the 100 maiamani reward

Spoiler

upgraded spin attack

and laugh as everything dies.

 

[BY2K]

Haha, you just need to get the timing right. I was stuck for 20 minutes with that.

But what IS the timing!?

 

[JeTmAn81]

This has probably been answered a million times, but can you keep on doing sidequests after you beat the game?

 

[Madouu]

Just finished

Spoiler

Sand Palace. Getting to the dungeon was pretty interesting, especially with all of the fissures in that zone, some of them I'm still confused about their intent as you can get to every spot in the area without using two of them if I'm not mistaken, unless I missed something that is. The dungeon in itself was pretty good.

. Only one dungeon left!

 

[BassForever]

This has probably been answered a million times, but can you keep on doing sidequests after you beat the game?

Beating the game takes you to your last save before you beat the game, mostly likely right outside the final dungeon, you also don't get to keep any progress you made in the final dungeon.

 

[MasterSheen]

Spoiler

Go to the second floor the room the bottom room and blow open the windows with bombs.

Upgraded tornado rod is better, use it in conjunction with the 100 maiamani reward

Spoiler

upgraded spin attack

and laugh as everything dies.

Thank you. Now I can finally move on.

Also just wanted to say, those centaur like creatures are brutal.

 

[BY2K]

This version of Dark Death Mountain is probably the best yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bTtFJC0hb0

 

[eojoko]

I beat it earlier today and loved every second of it. The ending actually had me tearing up, mostly I think because the music is just incredible and moving.

This year I've had a lot of good games to play, and while I've liked most of them, I'm usually excited to move on to the next game. With A Link Between Worlds, even though I beat it earlier today, I'm looking forward to picking it up and playing it some more tonight. There's something special here.

I actually really like octoball derby too.

 

[BassForever]

Thank you. Now I can finally move on.

Also just wanted to say, those centaur like creatures are brutal.

I posted the trick to beating them earlier in the thread

Use arrows or upgraded fire rod to damage them from a distance, their fire breath also hurts themselves so take advantage of that fact and bait them into hitting each other.

 

[PotionBleue]

Beating the game takes you to your last save before you beat the game, mostly likely right outside the final dungeon, you also don't get to keep any progress you made in the final dungeon.

Well, you do if you exited the dungeon to save at some point.

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

Two golden bees and a green apple in a span of two minutes :v

 

[BassForever]

Two golden bees and a green apple in a span of two minutes :v

Do green apples do anything special? I dunno if I ever saw one (yay color blind -.-)

 

[Stoze]

I was wrong, there are actually 2 barriers.

I thought it was just the one? Item spoilers:

Spoiler

You get the sand rod from beating the Thieves hideout and need it for the Desert Palace, but what main dungeon or item do you need the Titan Mitts for?

 

[BY2K]

Where does this one rank compared to the other Zeldas?

Best Zelda since ALTTP.

I love OoT, I love M'sM, I love EVERY Zelda. (Except the DS ones.)

But this.

THIS is something else!

You often hear complains about modern Zelda today. Handholding, too many tutorials, too long intros, too much panning.

This game says FUCK YOU to all that crap. It's Zelda RAW AS FUCK.

Zelda's back. FULL. FUCKING. FORCE. If Zelda Wii U is as good as this one, we're looking at THE next Zelda will make people go WOW. I'm talking E3 2004 reactions.