The Legend of Zelda: Revisited and Revamped @ Gaming Target

Written by Jeff Milligan on February 24, 2003

The Legend of Zelda: Revisited and Revamped: "The Rebirth of a LegendЕand a True Hero's Challenge"

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
It's quite an amazing accomplishment for a game to be considered one of the best ever created. So big in fact that it shouldn't just be allowed to pass by once and die, but should be reborn for future generations of gamers to enjoy. Nintendo knows they posses this exact type of game, and they also know exactly how to bring it back, with style.

The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, originally released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 has been exalted as one of the greatest games to be created in history, and for good reason. With it's amazing gameplay techniques, stellar storyline and stunning graphics and sound (at the time), it was truly a masterpiece not to be missed by anyone. However, with the not-so-grand life of the Nintendo 64, Ocarina of Time did indeed pass some by, and was forgotten by others. Now is time for the Legend's return. Due to the genius company that is Nintendo, the Ocarina of Time has made its comeback, and is now available for the Nintendo GameCube, better than ever.

Although the Ocarina of Time is a direct port from the N64, there are a few things that have been changed, and some that have been improved. Since all of the gameplay and elements and the storyline have gone unchanged, we'll concentrate on what's new in the GameCube version. You won't see the graphical updates of that we witnessed in Resident Evil, but you will notice minor improvements. Ocarina of Time's resolution has been increased because of the power of the GameCube. Characters and objects are a bit smoother around the edges, but are still noticeably blocky. For those with higher-end TV's, progressive scan can be utilized for an even sharper experience. The game still runs at its original 30 FPS, and at most times is very smooth.

You may also notice a few minor updates in the sound department. Although Dolby Surround Sound is not available, the sound effects can be heard a bit more clearly with the GameCube's hardware capabilities. All of the great musical pieces return from the N64 version, virtually unchanged in any way, so they are still all in MIDI format, which make them pretty much outdated by today's standards. You won't find any new music or voice actors included as some had hoped for however.

The final change from the original is of course the controller layout. You'll find that the GC controller handles OoT surprisingly well, and that so little has been changed, you'll feel right at home within your first few minutes with the game. Most of the basic controls are identical to the N64 controller, like using the analog stick for movement and the A and B buttons for attacking and interacting etc. However, Z-triggering has been switched to L-triggering, as the L button on the GC controller is located closer to where the Z trigger was on the N64 controller. Also, due to the lack of C buttons on the GC controller, your C items are handled by the C-stick. Pressing left, down, and right on the C-stick will act as if were pressing the left, down, and right C buttons. It may sound complicated, but it works surprisingly well, even when used often with the fairy bow and such.

Bottom Line
All in all, the Ocarina of Time conversion to the GC system couldn't have gone any better. Everything you have grown to love in the N64 version is back exactly as you remembered it, and can now be loved all over again on your GameCube. For those of you who never had a chance to play the original, this is your chance to play through one of the best games to ever hit any console, and shouldn't be missed. Even for those who are veterans to OoT, this is a great way to get yourself reacquainted with the series before the big release of The Wind Waker next month.

The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and Master Quest

The Legend of Zelda: Revisited and Revamped: "The Rebirth of a LegendЕand a True Hero's Challenge"