Now is the time to buy the Wii U

The Wii U has gone through a very tumultuous past two years; it's hard to believe that in just about a month the Wii U is going to hit the two year mark.  My goal with this post is to get you to buy the Wii U and I really hope I can convince you.  First and foremost, whenever you are buying a new console you must always ask a couple of standard questions: What games does the console have that I want to play?  How much is the console and what does it do for me?  Will this console be worth owning in the future?

What games are on the Wii U?

Plagued by a lack of titles in its infancy the Wii U has finally amassed a respectable library.  I'm going to break down all of the games I have bought for the console as well as the ones I haven't.  This list will be ranked by which games I think you should buy first.

1. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD - This game will remain one of the best games on the Wii U throughout the system's life.  How do you improve on a game that is already generally accepted as one of the best games in one of the most well known franchises?  Give the graphics an unbelievable polishing and correct a couple of small inefficiencies that were present in the original game.  At this moment right now, if you are going to own only one Wii U game, this is the best game on the console.

2. Super Mario 3D World - Brilliant level design, five player local co-op, and everyone's favorite Nintendo mascot Mario 3D World is an absolute masterpiece.  The Cat suit is the new big feature for this game and let me tell you, it's a complete game changer.  There's not much like the feeling of jumping into oblivion only to snag onto a wall just in time.  Slashing enemies with your claws and running on all fours really makes you think about a platformer completely differently.  The multiplayer in this game is quite fun as well and isn't held back by the usual multiplayer platforming games.  This is seriously a must buy for any Wii U owner.

3. Hyrule Warriors - Talk about a shockingly awesome game.  I had expected to like this game on a casual level mostly because I am a huge Zelda fan.  The one thing I didn't expect was to love what is basically a Dynasty Warriors hack and slash style game.  The number of different characters, levels, challenges, adventure mode, and the upcoming DLC means that this game is supposed to take well over 200 hours to complete.  I can't say much else apart from that if you enjoy Zelda and Dynasty Warriors even a little bit then you will love this game.

4.  Mario Kart 8 - This is the best Mario Kart game ever.  Many people will claim that Mario Kart Double Dash is the best in the series but never has there been one this accessible to all gamers.  That isn't to say that the game is easy.  Pretty much all of the Mario Kart games have their place for the casual gamer and for the hardcore gamer.  Mario Kart 8 is the best example of this by far.  No longer are items the absolute main determiner in who wins races (one of the biggest problems with Mario Kart Wii).  With five player local co-op, comprehensive online play and two DLC packs on the way (one in less than a month) this is THE multiplayer game to own on the Wii U.

5. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - It's kind of crazy how great this game is.  After Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii and Donkey Country Returns 3D on the 3DS I was pretty sure that Nintendo had put themselves in a pretty terrible position.  They had revived a long neglected franchise and completely knocked it out of the park.  There was a lot of pressure on this game to be awesome and I'll be damned if Nintendo didn't just shut me the hell up.  Tropical Freeze is awesome.  It's platforming in its purest sense, with that fantastic Donkey Kong difficulty, creativity and appeal.  The pure challenge of this game is wonderful and never quite gets to the point of being too frustrating.  If you decide you want to get to that level there are several bonus stages that will make you question your own sanity.

6. Bayonetta 2 - The sequel to the seriously hyped and awesome Bayonetta 1, Nintendo brought this franchise back from the dead and did so in epic fashion.  If you've never played the series before it's not problem!  Nintendo has kindly included the first game free of charge in both physical and digital formats!  Once you buy this game prepare for one of the most vibrant, over the top, insane action gaming experiences of your entire life.  You can play this game to the point where it almost feels like Bayonetta is dancing while she caps bitches with the guns on her god damned feet.  It's pretty hard to describe what Bayonetta is apart from an insane exercise in video games.  The story, while I wouldn't call it lackluster, is just the right amount of campy and zany that makes you just love it.  This is definitively one of the best games on the Wii U and the fact that it comes with the first game for free makes it one of the best gaming values out there right now.  I'd really recommend checking out some videos of the gameplay if you can because describing here in words really can't do it justice.

7. Pikmin 3 - If you have never played a game in the Pikmin series this is an excellent place to jump in.  You are in charge of new characters and the inefficiencies of the first two games are all but gone.  With an excellent single player campaign involving multiple Pikmin leaders this game is a multitasker's dream and truly offers a unique video game experience; something very difficult to come by from a large publisher.  Pikmin 3 also offers several multiplayer modes including cooperative and competitive modes.  Pikmin is one of Nintendo's most underrated series.  Despite each of the three games garnering fabulous reviews it tends to be the semi-black sheep of the Nintendo franchises.  I truly recommend you try this title out because I'm sure you will love it.

8. Rayman Legends - Although this game was released on multiple platforms if you pay attention to the gaming world you'll know that Legends was originally supposed to be a Wii U exclusive game.  Therefore, this version of the game is considered the definitive version and is the only one that can actually take advantage of the touch screen controls.  This game also has an insane amount of content: it has the normal single player which can support up to five players playing at once, it has many of the best levels from Rayman Origins, it has a fun soccer minigame, it has daily online challenges (which are still updated as of this post), and many different playable characters.  I absolutely love this game.  If it hadn't been made into a multi-platform title I would put it higher on this list but make no mistake that this is one of my favorite platforming games ever; certainly in my top ten.

9. Game and Wario - Developed by the Intelligent Systems (Fire Emblem Series, Super Metroid, Advance Wars, Paper Mario series, Wario Ware series, and the Pushmo series (basically these guys are doing anything but fucking around)).  What is there to say about Game and Wario? It's a spiritual successor to the Wario-Ware series.  It's a "party game" so it's a collection of mini-games that have both single player and multiplayer modes.  Where Game and Wario separates itself is from it's wonderful use of the gamepad and for the seriously insane content floating around this game.  It has games that range from things as easy as pictionary to games that I can honestly say I've never encountered before.  All of the games are interesting, some of them more so than others, and all of them warrant coming back to when you have friends over.  Since this is a sort of fringe title you can usually find it for relatively cheap at places like amazon and target.  I really recommend checking this out despite some of the mixed reviews it garnered.

10. The Wonderful 101 - Developed by the wonderful Platinum Games, the Wonderful 101 boasts a control scheme unlike any other.  You control a large group of heroes and order commands by drawing them onto the gamepad and pushing buttons.  It's an action game with a mix of puzzle solving and feels sort of like a Pikmin game in the sense that you need to control multiple heroes.  The story is very over the top and charming and despite a couple of frustrating sections I really freaking enjoy this game.  Expect something new, expect something fun.

11. New Super Mario Bros. U/Luigi U - A new take on the classic 2D Mario experience.  The new power introduced in this game is the flying squirrel suit and I have to say, I absolutely love it.  The level design, the overworld map, and the difficulty are all right in line with what I expect from a Mario title.  Awesomely, after you beat the Mario game you can go ahead and play the second game: New Super Luigi U.  It takes place on the same overworld map but each level is quite different and must be completed in 100 seconds or less.  To make it even crazier, the levels themselves contain more enemies and even more precarious situations.  This is something that many Mario fans had been asking for for some time, an actually difficult platforming title.  New Super Luigi U is a welcome breath of fresh air to a well established franchise from Nintendo.  Personally I feel it's a must buy and it can often be found inside a bundled Wii U system if you do not yet own one.

12. Nintendo Land - The game that comes free with all Wii U consoles Nintendo Land really is the showcase demo for the Wii U.  Each of the games has a theme based on one of Nintendo's franchises.  There's an FP Zelda game that supports 1-5 players (One as an archer holding the gamepad and up to 4 using swords by holding wii motes).  There's a cooperative Metroid arena style game and even a very quirky yet fun Donkey Kong tilty game that you honestly need to play to understand.  Each of the games makes unique use of the gamepad's features and it really is fun when you have several people to play it with.

13. Zombi U - It really is a shame that this game had to come out in the early life of the Wii U.  A launch game, Zombi U is an FPS that takes place in London after the Zombie apocalypse.  Instead of the usual slaughtering hordes upon hordes Zombie game, Zombi U takes the "realistic" route: Zombies are quite powerful and kill the player very quickly.  The game is based around coordinating with a group of unseen survivors in hopes of rendezvousing with them and escaping.  The game has a normal story mode, a survival mode (where you try and get as far in the game as you can without dying once), and a shockingly fun multiplayer mode.  The player with the gamepad summons different types of zombies onto the field using the touch controls while any other number of players fight against those zombies.  It's one of the most fun multiplayer shooter games I've ever played and it's really sad that Ubisoft has basically said that they won't make another game unless the Wii U does extremely well.  So we'll see what happens.  Either way, pick this game up, pop it in the Wii U, turn off all of the lights, and get ready to be scared.  

14. Batman Arkham City Armored Edition - The sequel to the critically acclaimed Arkham Asylum, Arkham City Armored Edition is essentially the GOTY.  It comes with all of the DLC released for the game and comes integrated with gamepad controls that truly showcase why the Wii U is so awesome.  I played this game first on the 360 and let me say that not only does this version look better but it is without a doubt the best version of the game that has been released.  If you haven't played this game before, you should buy this the day you get your console.  If you just wanted to replay the game I've seen it for very cheap at several stores because it was on the Wii U, it was already an old title when it came to the Wii U, and while it did meet sales expectations they printed a bunch of copies of it.  Really do check this game out if you see it in the bargain bin for 10-20 bucks.

15. Lego City Undercover - This is without a doubt the best "Lego" game I have ever played.  You play as Chase McCain a cop in a city with a lot to prove.  This is essentially a platformer/collecting game/grand theft auto for kids.  I really really enjoyed this game and for all of the guys with girlfriends/wives that aren't necessarily in to video games this is a great game to play alongside them.  Its controls are easy and intuitive, the game is very forgiving when it comes to making mistakes, and the humor/story truly are a lot of fun.  The game takes you to several places you'd never have guessed and I can assure you that 100%ing the game is a bunch of fun.  As you beat the game you unlock cheat codes which can make the game that much more goofy and helps to boost the replay value.  I must say though, the reason this game isn't higher up on the list is because of the god damned loading time.  Thankfully this isn't like a PS1 era game where it's literally loading every 5 minutes (probably around once every 15-20 minutes in this game) but damn it the screens take forever.  If you have a DS or something to occupy you for the minute or so each loading screen takes I'd really recommend it.  Believe me, the game is worth playing and any Wii U owner should seriously consider checking this game out.  But I can't let you go in blind either, the loading screens are an annoying factor.  Ian's prescription for loading screens, keep a 3DS with pokemon on hand.

16. Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut - There's not much to say about this one that wasn't already said about the Batman game.  It's the Director's Cut so it comes with all DLC etc.  The one major thing that was changed for this version is that the boss battles have been updated to keep them more in the spirit of the actual gameplay; much more focused on stealth and choices.  If you've never played the game, pick this up for sure.  If you've already played it, you can probably skip it.

17. Wii Party U - A fun party game and a great sequel to the original one of the Wii.  Lots of game modes and up to five players makes for a surprising amount of fun.  At times, I like the Wii Party series more then the Mario Party series but with this one it's hard to say.  If I were to be totally objective, I'd say that I think the first Wii Party was a bit better.  I got my copy for free through a Nintendo promotion but if I had to pay I'd feel very comfortable paying around 10-15 dollars for this title.  Don't pay any more than though because games like this go on sale ALL the time time.

18. Batman Arkham Origins - This game got a lot of grief when it first came out because it has to live in the shadow of Asylum and City.  While this is the "worst" game in the Arkham series I still found it immensely enjoyable.  Essentially it's more of the same with a few new things which for this kid is A OK.  I purchased this on the Wii U to support the console but the DLC for this game is not on the Wii U so unless you don't care about that stuff I'd actually have to recommend buying it on the ps3 or the 360; at least for the time being.

19. Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed - Seriously this is such a badass game, it's just a shame that it now lives in the shadow of Mario Kart 8.  This game is a lot floatier, a lot of more fast paced, and full of random characters from Shinobi to freaking Danica Patrick of all people (nominee for most random character included in any video game roster ever).  I have also seen this game for super cheap so if you really want to expand your Wii U library this is an excellent game to do it with, especially for those times when you want to race but don't exactly feel like playing Mario Kart.

20. Sonic Lost World - One of the only titles on the Wii U I have bought that has slightly disappointed me.  I love Sonic.  I have loved the character since I was a small kid.  Unfortunately, this game has fallen into the same trap that many of the more recent Sonic games have faced: many excellent things to say along with many shameful and annoying things to say.  I would give this game a solid 6/10 if you don't get much into Sonic and am 7.5/10 if you do.  The gameplay is fun but it feels like they almost scaled it back a bit from something it once was.  I do however love the visuals and level design.  If you are a Sonic junkie like me, this is absolutely a must buy.  It will fill that Sonic void in your heart and if you can get in for the 20 bucks that I paid for it, I think you will leave feeling satisfied.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Edition - While I have not yet played this game I can say that the number of people I've seen online who have put over 500 hours into the game is astounding.  One of the most popular game series in Japan right now and developing a large following in North America, Monster Hunter games are said to be some of the best online multiplayer experiences around.  Hunt down giant effin monsters for your own amusement.  The main reason I haven't bought this game is because I know I'd like it and I don't want to sink that much time into it hehe.

What Games Are Coming in the Future??

Nintendo has announced several new titles for the end of 2014 through TBA 2016.  Here's a brief list and synopsis of all currently known upcoming Wii U titles.  Each link leads to a trailer for each game.

Captain Toad Treasure Tracker - Originally showcased in Super Mario 3D World, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is a game about getting Toad from one end of a level to another.  It's a shocking amount of fun and the 40$ retail price means a day 1 purchase for this guy.  Trailer for game!

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse - Sequel to the truly excellent Kirby and the Canvas Curse on the DS.  This game is looking to be awesome!

Mario Maker - A 2D mario level editor and sharing game.  This is going to produce some absolutely insane Mario creations and I seriously cannot wait.

Mario Party 10 - It's gonna be Mario Party and that means it's likely going to be at the very least playable and fun when a bit drunk.  So far the Wii U integration looks pretty legit.  Hopefully once it releases we will hear only good things.

Project Giant Robot and Project Guard - Two new IP's being worked on by Miyamoto.  We don't know much about them yet but anything that man touches seems to turn to gold so we'll see what happens!

Shin Megamu Tensei X Fire Emblem - Still in development but the hype is very real.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric - Looking to be another mediocre Sonic title sadly.  We will see though.  Can't judge until I've played it but the signs aren't all that encouraging.

Splatoon - What seems to be one of the first shooters coming to the system Splatoon is a new IP by Nintendo that looks interesting.  Not much yet is known apart from the goal: painting the field!

Star Fox U - No actual footage yet exists we just know that it's in development.  Very much looking forward to it!

Super Smash Bros. Wii U - The next HUGE release for the Wii U is the newest Super Smash Brothers.  Already out on the 3DS this game is going to be absolutely fantastic.  Cannot wait for November 21st!

The Legend of Zelda U - If what we are hearing is real, this could be the best and most innovative Zelda game to date.  ALL ABOARD THE HYPE TRAIN!!!!!

Xenoblade Chronicles X - Sequel to the excellent game on the Wii (Xenoblade Chronicles) this game just looks incredible.  I really don't know what else to say apart from watch the damn trailer and get hyped with me.

Yoshi's Wooly World - A spiritual successor to Kirby's Epic Yarn, Yoshi's Wooly World looks absolutely beautiful.  Cannot wait to get my hands on it.

What About the Online Store?

The Nintendo eshop has an excellent library of oldschool to new titles, several new ones are added weekly.  Some games I'd recommend:
- Mighty Switch Force - Fun platformer involving switch platforms on and off and shooting.  It's a lot of fun and very fast paced.
- NES Remix - A literal best of NES experience, taking pieces from classic NES games and making a whole new experience.  Physical release of NES remix 1 and 2 coming soon,
- Pushmo World - One of the best Puzzle/Platformer series ever, Pushmo is one of my favorite titles on the 3DS and Pushmo World is just more of the same but bigger and better in every way.  Check it the heck out.
- Shovel Knight - Critically acclaimed classic NES style platformer.  A Wii U and 3DS exclusive this game has received nearly universal praise.

The eshop contains everything from: NES, SNES, Gameboy Advance, and is rumored to have Gamecube and DS games some day.  Some of the highlights include games like: Earthbound, Megaman X series, Metroid Fusion, Advance Wars, Zelda the Minish Cap, etc.

 What Else is Awesome About the Wii U?
- The gamepad functions as a universal remote both when the console is powered on and off
- You can access your tv guide and cable provider stuff through the gamepad
- You can play almost all games just on the Gamepad.  That way if someone else wants to use the TV you can keep playing.  Also!  In case you have to poop and you don't want to stop, you no longer have anything to fear
- The Wii U has an internet browser, all of the streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc.)
- The Wii U is also a Wii and is compatible with pretty much all old Wii games and accessories
- If you have old Wii VC games, you can move them for free onto the wii u memory or you can pay a much reduced price (1 dollar for NES and 1.50 for SNES games) to have them upgraded to play on the wii u and gamepad.  I have done this with several games it is well worth doing.
- Many games, such as Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Brothers, have online sharing features so you can share your favorite pictures or videos of your favorite games.
- It has a NFC (Near Field Communicator) that allows it to communicate with special pieces of hardware (specifically the soon to be released Amiibo figures)
- It has a built in Gyroscope
- Switching from the gamepad to the TV is literally instantaneous
- It has a camera and microphone for video/audio chat
- The upcoming line of Amiibo toys actually look pretty cool.  Some of the in game features are yet to be seen but I'm definitely looking forward to it
- The Miiverse (Wii U social media tool) is actually surprisingly cool and filled with a bunch of passionate and creative people.
- The price is pretty hard to argue with.  250 bucks for my current favorite console out right now.

OK, I have all the info about the Wii U...Except Which one to buy...

The Wii U comes with two versions:

1. The Basic Wii U - A White Console with White Gamepad and 8GB of stock storage.  I cannot stress this enough, the Basic Model, while cheaper, is the more foolish buy.  What you really want is option #2
2. The Deluxe Wii U - A Black Console with a Black Gamepad and 32GB of stock storage, a charging stand, a copy of Nintendoland, and owning a Deluxe gives you 10% back on all purchases of 50 bucks or more!  So if you are the kind of person who wants their games digitally you could actually make a decent bit of money back through this unlimited promotion.  Plus, with how many Wii U bundles there are now, most Wii U Deluxe Bundles these days come with Nintendoland and another game as well.  So in the end, you will likely save more money by getting the Deluxe version of the Wii U.
- With all of this being said, be absolutely sure you check all available online bundles/deals before you purchase a console.  Nintendo constantly does promotions for free games, especially when it comes to getting people to buy a Wii U.  Right now online I see Deluxe bundles containing Mario Kart 8, Super Mario 3D World, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Zombi U.  Personally, I feel the best deal still available in terms of Bundles is the Zombi U Bundle.  Not many are left in stock on Amazon but it comes with the Deluxe Console, Nintendo Land, Zombi U, and a black Pro Controller (normally retails for 50).  However, whenever deciding whether or not to purchase a new console, always look at which new games are coming out you might want and make sure that either a bundle or special edition console isn't coming that you might want.  I missed out on the Wind Waker Wii U because of that.

There really has never been a better time to buy a Wii U and in fact, I'd say this is the best time.  Once the console starts selling more and more units some of the games that were previously made cheap due to lack of demand will soon go up in price.  I'd recommend purchasing one as soon as you can.  I've been enjoying mine since the day I got it.  Thanks very much for reading!  Hope I convinced you!

The Legend of Zelda Part 12

THIS POST HAS SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!!!! YOU HAVE HAD FAIR WARNING!!!!!!!

5. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (1993 Nintendo Gameboy)

Following the great success of A Link to the Past on the Super Nintendo in 1991, Nintendo was under a lot of pressure to release a Zelda game for their extremely popular portable gaming system the Gameboy.  Released in 1989, Nintendo fans had to wait four long years before they would see a Zelda title for the Gameboy.  Thankfully, this is one of those games that Nintendo hit completely out of the park.  It didn't simply sit in the shadow of A Link to the Past; it carved its own path with a unique story and a truly brilliant world to explore.  For the past twenty years (1993-2013) Link's Awakening had continued to hold the title of best handheld Zelda game; mercilessly tossing aside all that might challenge its reign.  Another thing Link's Awakening brings to the table is just how many elements introduced in it are still used frequently in the current Zelda games.    While all of those milestones it produced are important ones, the true testament to how great this game is is that those elements are still better than their counterparts in many of the more recent Zelda titles.

Link's Awakening, in terms of the Zelda timeline, takes place after the events of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages.  After Link's adventures in Labrynna and Holodrum he sets off on his boat to sail back home.  During the trip back, Link is caught in a great storm, his ship is struck by lightning, he plunges into the water and everything turns black.

Link later washes up on the shore of the island of Koholint and is discovered by a young girl named Marin.  Unable to wake Link, Marin brings Link back to her home in Mabe Village.  Still unconscious, Link hears the voice a girl who he thinks is Princess Zelda but after he starts to come to it turns out to be the voice of Marin.  As Link wakes and begins to understand his predicament he ventures out to find his sword.  Upon discovering his sword on the beach by the wreck of his ship he is approached by an Owl.  

This Owl tells Link the true nature of the island of Koholint: "A Courageous lad has come to wake the Wind Fish... It is said that you cannot leave the island unless you wake the Wind Fish..."  As you progress through the game the Owl makes several other appearances, each time giving Link some direction as to where he needs to go to continue his quest.  Each time Link completes a dungeon, he gets one of eight total instruments used to wake up the Wind Fish.  This story line is unique to the Zelda series in several ways the most important of which is that it is the only canon Zelda game that does not have Princess Zelda appear in any capacity.  It's even more odd to think about this when you consider that this was only the fourth game in the series.  It was quite a risk for Nintendo to depart from the traditional hero saves damsel in distress format.  Instead, we get a game that truly is an expression of the courageous spirit that Link embodies.  This is his quest to get home, it is his quest to awaken the Wind Fish, and it is the kind of quest that solely benefits him.  Sure he is saving the Wind Fish, but the residents of Koholint aren't in any immediate danger from some kind of supervillain.  This is one of the few Zelda games where Link's motivation for action is his own self interest.  Every other game in the Zelda series has Link working for a cause like saving princess Zelda, stopping some kind of catastrophe, or saving a member of your family.  It's reasons like these that make me love this game so much; there's nothing in the background to distract you from what Link is doing and everything discovered is for the taking.  I also just love the plain old mystery surrounding the Wind Fish.  Very early on in the game Link can simply walk right up to the egg that the Wind Fish is sleeping inside of.

I like this plot-device of allowing you to see your end goal without totally throwing it in your face.  Also try and think about the context of the times when this game first came out.  Unless you had watched a friend play it, there wasn't really any way you could find out what the Wind Fish looked like.   There was no google image search and no real online communities of any kind devoted to compiling images of video games; especially those that were only on handheld devices.  All of these factors really contributed to the mysterious feeling of the island and at times the seeming futility of escaping it.  Apart from the mysterious Wind Fish, the island itself is filled with some very interesting characters, side quests, and environments.

Walking around Koholint for the first time, it immediately becomes apparent that the traditionally styled Zelda series map was firmly established in this game.

We have the mountains at the top of the screen, a graveyard, a desert, rivers, and an ocean area; all of the areas that we now classically associate with Zelda.  These types of areas continue to be mainstays of practically every Zelda game and it really was this game and A Link to the Past that firmly established that trend in the Zelda series.  One of the best features of Koholint is how wild the island still feels.  Apart from Mabe Village, the Animal Village, and a few huts here and there Koholint makes you feel a lot more like you are exploring a wilderness as opposed to say Hyrule Kingdom; a place where you feel people have been able to make their mark on the entire landscape.  This lack of mankind affecting the environment adds to the mysteriousness and personal struggle of Link's quest.

   The dungeons in Link's Awakening are truly a test even for some of the most experienced gamers.  Each dungeon truly tests your memory and situational awareness.  You often have to backtrack across nearly the entire level in order to grab a small key.  However this backtracking, while at times taxing on your memorization skills, definitely provides a serious sense of accomplishment each time you figure out each puzzle.  In addition to the great level design each new item you obtain really does feel like a game changer.  For example: in the 2nd dungeon, Bottle Grotto, the simple act of getting the power bracelet opens up well over half of the level that was previously closed off. Moments before you felt weak and now you feel like a jar tossing badass.  Some items in Zelda games feel a lot like throwaway items.  The Spinner (an item that let you travel along grooved paths) in Twilight Princess felt like such a waste of an opportunity.  Instead of making it more capable and giving the player numerous chances to use it, it gets used in one temple and for a few pieces of heart; that's pretty much it.  And the problem is that I love that item, but it really doesn't do very much in terms of opening up the world.  The power bracelet and really several other items in Link's Awakening make you feel that without them you be completely helpless in the world presented to you.  Even though some of the same kinds of puzzles are reused in different dungeons, raising and lowering of groups of blocks is one of the most used in the game, they continue to get more and more difficult as the game progresses.  It's great to see how Nintendo coped with the limited power of the gameboy and with the limitations of the top-down perspective.  

One dungeon I have to make special note of is Eagle's Tower (7th dungeon) not only for it's level design but for how groundbreaking it is to the entire series.  As you can see from the picture to the left, Link is standing in front of a pillar and a green/black ball.  Throughout the course of this level Link is tasked with bringing this ball around with him and tossing it into four separate pillars.  Holding the ball prevents Link from using items and it opens him up to attack from enemies. What's unique about this is that Link is required to bring an item with him that is not part of his normal arsenal.  This was a first for the Zelda series and Nintendo did an excellent job of implementing the mechanic.  At times you have to throw it over gaps and then backtrack several rooms to get to it again.  You have to use pretty much every item in the game up to that point as well in order to figure out how to reach all four of the pillars.  I cannot stress enough just how clever this dungeon is because clearly Nintendo thinks so too.  They have used this mechanic in several subsequent Zelda games and will likely continue to use it in the future.  

 There was one mechanic in the dungeons of Link's Awakening that Nintendo has not used since and that is changing the perspective from top-down to 2d side-scrolling.  Not only does the camera angle change in certain areas, it almost turns the game into a mario-esque experience; they even put enemies from the Mario games in these parts to make it that much more confusing (fun little easter eggs).  I have a serious soft spot in my heart for these sections and it's always fun when game series give shout outs to each other.  I must say though, if the dungeons are lacking in one thing in this game it's in difficulty of bosses.  I actually enjoy the design and battle mechanics of all of the bosses but I wish they weren't so damn easy.  Maybe you'll die once or twice until you figure out which items you need to use but for the most part the battles are pretty straightforward and only two of the bosses will give you any real trouble.  One battle in particular that truly demonstrates my point is the battle with Anglerfish.  Everything seems like it's going to be awesome: you had just gotten the flippers, you jump into water, the game switches to the 2D side scrolling view, and a giant scary fish appears from the depths; here's a situation ripe with potential danger.  Unfortunately the battle is as easy as slashing him on his light a couple of times pretty quickly.  He doesn't really move around to avoid you and all of the things he is shooting at you are at the bottom of the screen and the battle can be over in about five seconds.  I don't think it would have been that hard to make the battle a bit more challenging (at least the setting makes the battle somewhat cool).

Thankfully the final boss fight is about as epic as they come and will likely take several attempts before you will beat it.  Further enhancing the mysteriousness of Link's Awakening the main antagonist is never really given a name and isn't seen until the very end.  In a way, this really makes sense for how the story of Koholint Island is portrayed.  The only way to escape the island is to wake the Wind Fish and the only way to wake the Wind Fish is to destroy the dark energy keeping it inside the large egg.  Getting the Wind Fish in the first place was the main goal of the game so it makes sense that you wouldn't encounter the main evil until the very end.  Like many other Zelda series mainstays established in this game, the formula for 2d zelda final boss battles really came into its own with this game.

The final boss has six different forms some of which resemble bosses from the dungeons and some of which are completely unique to the final boss.  The shadow in the bottom left corner of the picture is clearly a shout out to Ganon in A Link to the Past and the shadow in the bottom right corner would become the template for the final boss in several subsequent Zelda games.  Even though this is kind of a simple detail I love how it adds to the ambiguity of the story; is it Ganon or is it some other evil force causing all of these problems?  This procession of different forms is a highly popular mechanic used for final bosses in Zelda games and I really am a huge fan of how it's used here.  I don't want to spoil everything for the reader so I'll allow you to figure out how much fun it is on your own.

Apart from the dungeons there are several side sections of the game that make it a truly unforgettable experience.  For yet another Zelda milestone Link's Awakening marks the first item-trading sequence in the Zelda series.  Surely developed as a way to get the player to interact with all of the characters and places in the game, Link must perform a series of trades with different characters in the game.  At the end of this trade-sequence, Link is given a magnifying glass that eventually makes it much easier to get through the final dungeon of the game.  The beauty of the sequence is that it forces the player to interact with the NPC's while also introducing a sense of accomplishment with each interaction.  Each of these characters are goofy and all around delightful; it's hard to overstate just how much I enjoy this part of the game.  Link's Awakening also marks the first appearance of a bunch of items whose sole purpose was to be collected, in this game's case: Secret Seashells.  

 Secret Seashells are hidden throughout the entire game in pretty surprising places.  Some are in simple locations like under a piece of grass or inside obvious chests.  Others though are hidden intricately inside of dungeons or require you to play a mini game to get them.  If you get twenty out of the twenty six hidden throughout the game you get the Level 2 sword which is twice as powerful as the normal sword.  I love that this powerful of an upgrade is not only difficult to get but is also completely optional.  Nothing in this game is handed to you and at times you even have to make sacrifices.  In order to get the boomerang (a very powerful projectile weapon) you have to trade away another one of your items.  Nintendo is constantly making you think in this game and they clearly wanted you to actively engage with the environment.  Link's Awakening also marked the first appearance of a musical instrument that had multiple songs the player could actively select.  Each of the situations involving the Ocarina are pretty fun.  One of songs warps you right to the house you buy potions from, one song allows you to open several areas in the mountains and involves a funny scene with frogs, and the last song is one of the best songs in the Zelda series: The Ballad of the Wind Fish (link to song) and it makes several appearances throughout the game including the ending credits.  On a small side note, the music in this game is wonderful (link to the OST).  I highly recommend checking it out when you get a chance.

 Link's Awakening also marks the first appearance fishing in the Zelda series and despite its simplicity it's actually pretty damn delightful.  All you have to do is catch the large fish and it isn't all that hard but there's something about it that is just charming as all hell.  I can't really explain why except that the feeling this small fishing game gives you is the feeling that the rest of the game gives you: one of pure happiness and accomplishment.  Link's Awakening is a triumph, plain and simple.  It's such a simple game and yet it's depth was until very recently unparalleled in other 2d zelda games.  The pinnacle of this games depth had to be saved for the very end.  The encounter with the Wind Fish is both amazing and yet somehow sad.  As the Wind Fish begins it's story, Link eventually learns that Koholint island itself was a mirage produced by the Wind Fish inside the egg.  In freeing the Wind Fish from the egg Link accomplished his initial goal of escaping the island but he lost all of those friends he had made on his travels.  A bittersweet ending to a truly excellent game; one worthy of the highest praise.

 Link's Awakening it was later remade into Link's Awakening DX.  Link's Awakening DX has a secret ending (link to secret ending, don't click it you don't want major spoilers, the secret ending begins at 3:17 of the video) if you don't die once while playing it you get an extra cut scene at the end that is actually pretty damn cool.  DX also added color (it was first introduced on the Gameboy Color) and one more dungeon: The color dungeon (clever I know).  It was basically a couple of mini bosses but it gave you a cool blue or red tunic.  It's definitely a better experience than the original game and I highly recommend playing it if you can.

Until next Time!  Let's bring on #4!

The Legend of Zelda Part 11

SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011 Nintendo Wii)

2011 was the greatest year to be a Zelda fan in living memory; it marked the 25th anniversary of the franchise and Nintendo pulled out all the stops releasing a wealth of Zelda content: the Symphony of the Goddesses concert series, the release of Link's Awakening DX on the 3DS, a 3D remake of Ocarina of Time for the 3DS, a remake of Four Swords on the 3DS with an all new single player mode and local multiplayer, Club Nintendo Zelda posters, the Hyrule Historia, a Zelda edition of the 3DS, and finally a collectors edition of Skyward Sword which included a soundtrack and golden Zelda wiimote.  I cannot overstate just how happy I was to be a diehard Zelda fan that year.  Out of all of these great things released, Skyward Sword more than took the cake.

Skyward Sword was the first Zelda game to take full advantage of the new Wii Motion Plus controls.  This added realistic sword movement literally tying the precise movements of the wii mote to Link's Sword and other weapons.  The Wii Motion Plus controls were showcased well in this game and one could argue that Nintendo used Skyward Sword almost as a tech demo for their new control system.

The story of Skyward Sword (SS) literally begins the lore of the Zelda universe.  Everything in the Zelda universe from the Gods to why Link's tunic is green is established in this game; an excellent set-up for those lore hungry Zelda fans.  The story begins as it almost always does in Zelda games with an intro video explaining some of the back story: in a time of darkness for the humans living on Earth, the Goddesses with all their power gathered the remaining humans onto one plot of land and sent that land skyward.  Hoping to save humanity from the forces of evil the Goddesses and the remaining land dwellers fought a war against the forces of evil as had never been seen before.  Eventually, the Goddesses and the overall forces of good were able to seal away the forces of evil once again bringing peace to the land.  However, the Goddesses decided to keep the humans and their land in the Sky knowing that the seal on the ultimate evil would not be able to remain in place forever.

Personally, I love the setting and the explanation for why the humans are in the sky for this game.  Skyloft (the main hub in SS, pictured to the left) is an excellent little town and its colorful backdrop paint an excellent picture.  Nintendo clearly wanted the colors of the world to be showcased and they did so to great effect with the city in the sky.

As the story and the gameplay begin, the player learns that today is the day of the annual Wing Ceremony: a ceremony held for graduating students of the Knights Academy.  One of the main aspects of living in the Sky is the chosen mode of transportation for the people of Skyloft: large birds known as Loftwings.  These birds come in many different colors and are used as simple modes of transport to tools in combat; as demonstrated by all those who attend the Knights Academy.  The evening before the Wing ceremony Link has a terrible vision of a giant monster and a strange spirit.  Before the vision can proceed any further Link is awoken by Zelda's Loftwing, handing him a letter telling him to meet her in front of the Statue of the Goddess.

Here, Link learns that Groose (one of the local bullies) has hidden Link's Loftwing in an attempt to keep him from the Wing Ceremony.  Despite Groose's best efforts Link finds his Loftwing and proceeds to complete the Wing Ceremony faster than anyone else, winning the favor of Princess Zelda and of the people of Skyloft.  As Link and Zelda fly on their Loftwings together, a huge black tornado comes barreling through the Sky knocking both Zelda and Link from their birds.  While Link's Loftwing is able to scoop him up and bring him to safety, Zelda falls through the clouds and disappears without a trace.  The next morning, Link wakes up in his bed and is met by Headmaster Gaepora (Zelda's father and head of the Knights Academy) who tells him to rest and not to worry.  Link however is stirred by the same mysterious voice he heard earlier in his sleep.  The voice calls to him and eventually leads Link outside to the Statue of the Goddess where it opens a secret door to the inside of the statue.  Inside, Link encounters a sword in a pedestal and is told by the spirit to remove the sword from where it stands.  Initially weary, the spirit introduces herself as Fi and tells Link that Zelda survived her fall through the clouds and that it is up to him to rescue Zelda from the forces of evil.  Fi then gives Link a piece of a map which illuminates a path through the clouds to the previously forgotten surface world below.  From this point onward Fi's role in the story becomes immediately apparent.  Much like Navi, Tatl, Midna, or Ezlo Fi's job is to provide the player with useful information and hints throughout the gameplay.  Throughout the story you learn more about her role as the Spirit within the Master Sword and why the Goddesses created her.  Unfortunately, you also learn how annoying her gameplay actions can be at times.  Constantly throughout the game she is bugging you to try and talk to her so that she can give you what she thinks are useful bits of information; in fact the are quite useful for the first hour or so.  After that though, her frequent chiming in becomes more than a bit of an annoyance.  Nintendo was definitely attempting to cater to their so called "children" demographic with how many hints she gives you.  But for the seasoned Zelda player or even your average gamer, you tend to just want her to let you play the damn game without bothering you around every turn.  Thankfully, her character development and some of her dialogue can be quite amusing at times (especially when she talks like a methodical robot) and it doesn't ruin the experience of the game in the slightest.  I will say though that her frequent interruptions do slow down the pacing of the game to the point where you wonder why Nintendo did not give you the option to turn her off apart from necessary story elements.  Thankfully you often have to push up on the D-pad to talk to her so at the very least you have the option of ignoring her some of the time.

Traveling from the Sky to the surface below is the main focus of movement in this game and is done so with Link's Crimson Loftwing.  Flying around in the Sky is one of my favorite parts of this game.  At any time, Link can command his Loftwing to go higher, to dive bomb, speed ahead or Link can even just jump off the bird and let it catch him as he falls.  The player controls the Loftwing with the Wii Mote held horizontally and the Wii Motion Plus controls add a very fin tuned control scheme.  As with any new control scheme, learning it can take a bit of time but with practice it just becomes to fun to simply fly around the upper world.  For each new area that Link opens up, a large column of light will appear that literally hovers over a hole in the clouds.  Link cannot travel below the clouds apart from these specific areas which if I'm honest is a tad disappointing.  This feature feels a bit limiting to the overall openness of the Sky realm, but I don't believe it takes away from just how awesome flying around on your giant bird can be.  Also, in a pure gaming fun sense I love skydiving off of the land of off of your Loftwing; it's a ton of fun. When Link eventually does travel below the clouds he encounters one of the more beautiful areas in all of Zelda: Faron Woods.

Like many Zelda games, the "forest" area is often the first one.  These areas are usually some kind of intro area, helping explain the gameplay through some simple tasks with some easier enemies thrown into the mix to make it interesting. Faron Woods is one of the best intro areas in any Zelda game to date.  It does not simply spoon-feed you what the player has to accomplish.  There is a necessary element of exploration here and the area is large enough to encourage this behavior for the player.  I also simply love the art-style of this game.  The pastel dominated colors and the lush greens really bring forth feelings of warmth and comfort to the player.  In fact, all of the areas in this game offer a unique visual perspective not seen before in the Zelda series.  None of the other Zelda games with the possible exception of Wind Waker have this vibrant of a color scheme and it truly shines through in every area of the game.  Another area I find simply beautiful is Lake Floria.

The mix of blues, purples, pinks, and greens really make the area just pop with color.  Clearly some hard work was put in to making these areas not only feel real but look visually stunning.  Not only is the art style brilliant, but every area of the surface world feels very fluid.  Too often in Zelda games we find a really cool area only to have the temple seemingly stuck randomly somewhere in the middle of it, making the area and the temple seem very separate.  In SS however, each area and the temples that reside within them feel very fluid and rationally connected.  Each area also has its own story tied into it and because the humans in the Sky have been isolated from the surface for so long all of the story seems fresh and exciting.  Most of the surface world feels separate from the Sky because it truly is and while that should seem obvious, I feel Nintendo did a superb job making Skyloft and the surface world their own entities while preserving the overall story.

The dungeons (or temples, these terms are thrown around pretty interchangeably in Zelda games) in SS again showcase the beauty of the art style and demonstrate the excellent items Nintendo created for them.  The first dungeon, Skyview Temple (commonly referred to as the forest temple since it resides in Faron Woods), introduces one of the best items ever conceived in any Zelda game: the flying Beetle.  The Beetle has several different functions throughout the game including picking up items for Link, dropping bombs on enemies, cutting down certain things, and hitting hard to reach objects for Link.  The Beetle is versatile and is controlled the same way as the Loftwing: the player holds the wii mote flat and than tilts the controller in the desired direction; the player can even hold A to make the Beetle move faster.  The Beetle has a surprisingly large range of movement and you can move around with basically until you bump into something.

I think the Beetle is one of the most brilliant items every introduced in the Zelda series.  Its versatility practically negates the need for a boomerang or even the slingshot and I hope Nintendo makes the smart decision to somehow include it in future titles.  The Wii Motion plus controls really make the player feel accomplished when you can pull off a tricky maneuver using the Beetle; true badassery in motion!  Another dungeon and its corresponding item that I love is the Earth Temple inside of Eldin volcano.  While volcano areas are no stranger to the Zelda series, in fact they are one of the most popular, Eldin volcano in particular truly utilizes the art style that Nintendo was going for.  There aren't just simple reds and oranges but dynamic colors and in fact signs of life and architecture of the people that may have once inhabited this strange place.

Inside the temple Link is introduced to a new type of species to the Zelda universe, the Mogmas.  Mogmas are mole like creatures that use large claws on their hands to dig under the ground to move around and to search for treasure.  Link meets several of them on his way up Eldin Volcano and is later gifted a pair of Digging Mitts as the main item for this temple.  The Digging Mitts allow Link to find soft pieces of Earth and to dig below the surface so that he can find special items and move from one place to another inside the temple and in other areas of the game.  The Mogmas become very appreciative of Link for his role in clearing out the Bokoblins (enemies) from their home and take several opportunities to help Link on his quest; giving him rupees and other rare treasure that they find beneath the surface of the Earth.

The Earth Temple really does feel like an old place of worship.  Beautiful stone structures are all over the place inside making one wonder who were the ones to build this great place; feeding the crap out of the Zelda lore whore inside many Zelda fans.  One of the best things about this temple is that once Link receives the Digging Mitts he never has to worry about putting them on or taking them off again; they simply remain in place ready for use at any time.  Too often in all video games comes the constant need to change items and Zelda games in the past have been guilty of this atrocity (most notably with the iron boots in Ocarina of Time, but more on that later).  I cannot stress enough just how much I enjoy all the items and dungeons in Skyward Sword.  Several of them require aspects of time travel and all of them make the player want to explore them.  My one critique of every temple is that they might be a bit too easy.  I say this because on my first play through of the game not once did I have to consult a guide or video of any kind to beat them.  To me this says one of two things: either Nintendo designed the dungeons so well that they naturally allow the player to figure them out or the temples are not all that complex.  While I do agree a bit with this criticism I have to defend the integrity of the dungeons in SS.  I think all of them are polished and methodically designed, keeping the art style pure and giving the player a great sense of accomplishment in figuring out the puzzles within them.  I think it's also fair to say that this kind of design allows the pacing of the game to not be interrupted because, as gamers, we all know how frustrating it can be to have to stop your game out of pure frustration of not knowing where to go.  I do hope in the next Zelda game that the dungeons are a bit more challenging, but that does not mean at all that these dungeons in SS are not worth experiencing.  In fact, I'm not even going to tell you about my favorite dungeon because I love its gameplay mechanics so damn much.

The bosses of Skyward Sword have some of my favorite gameplay elements of any Zelda game and most of them make excellent use of the items in each temple and of the new dynamic sword movements.  One boss I want to mention in particular is the boss of the Ancient Cistern, Koloktos.

Koloktos is a boss I love fighting because it demonstrates the capabilities of the Whip that Link acquires within the temple.  Link has to whip and grab onto certain spots of Koloktos, pull them towards him, and then slash at them with his sword all while avoiding getting hit and dodging several enemies that spawn in the process.  This battle takes full advantage of the Wii Motion Plus controls and I enjoy it quite a bit.  One thing that I feel SS is guilty of is lack of utilization of the items found within the temple during each respective boss fight.  None of the boss fights are bad, but some of them make you wonder why Nintendo could not find more creative ways to make use of the items found.  The Koloktos fight is a perfect example of item utilization coupled with swords fighting; something that Zelda series is known for and should strive to be great at at all times.  The boss of the Earth Temple, while a fun fight, does not make use of the Digging Mitts at all; a missed opportunity on Nintendo's part. Another thing Skyward Sword does, and I give them less crap for this because it does help the story quite a bit, is make you fight different versions of the same boss as many as three times.  This happens with one of the main villains Ghirahim (the one trying to destroy the seal on the ultimate evil) and with The Imprisoned, the evil incarnate beneath the seal.

While none of these fights are boring (in fact I kind of like that you get to fight The Imprisoned and Ghirahim three different time) one wonders why Nintendo made this creative choice.  Each of these fights does fit in with the story very well, but in any videogame where you fight the same boss multiple times players are going to accuse you of laziness and they would not be totally wrong for doing so.  People play games for all the different experiences they offer and to Nintendo's credit they did an excellent job of making these fights feel extremely relevant to the story where for me I did not mind fighting them several times.  I however would not blame anyone for calling Nintendo somewhat lazy in this regard.

One thing I need to touch on with this game is the overall presence of the motion controls.  Obviously the game is one the Nintendo Wii so motion controls are to be expected.  For what it's worth, I think Nintendo did a fantastic job utilizing the motion controls for this game.  On the other hand though, I find some of the movements to be a bit convoluted.  Some of the sword movements for example require specific quick movements to the left and then up, or holding the wii mote vertically to charge up the sword.  While the end results of this can be very cool, there are definitely points where the motion controls get in the way of the gameplay a bit.  They are by no means game breaking but if I'm going to be completely honest and impartial here I have to admit that at times I was annoyed by certain aspects of the control system.  One has to wonder why Nintendo did not give the player more freedom with the sword, especially when you consider how responsive the wii motion plus is.  Why would Nintendo require specific left to right or up and down movements with the wii mote when they could just have easily given the player complete freedom with the sword?  I feel this is a valid criticism but I urge you not to let this influence your decision to play this game.

On a final note I have to mention the wealth of extra content available in Skyward Sword.  Every citizen in Skyloft has some kind of an extra quest attached to them, all of which feel original and tie into the story very well.  Plus, this game has Beedle and his shop! One of my favorite side characters in the Zelda series; any game with him in it is a better game for it.  The Sky itself has several other islands within it making you want to fly from one end to the other in a regular basis.  There is also a pretty advanced upgrade system whereby you have to collect certain items on the surface world and in Skyloft to upgrade your shield (which can break if you don't fix it) and your other weapons.  These upgrades are all worth getting and they make you return to the Sky to get them (something that I love to do).  Each upgrade while entirely optional feels necessary.  The game makes you want to upgrade them all.  There is also a boss challenge mode where you can fight all of the bosses you have already fought to win certain very awesome rewards that I will not divulge here (trust me on this, they are totally worth your time). And finally, there is a "Hero Mode" to Skyward Sword where the enemies deal double damage and do not drop any hearts.  Second Quests are no stranger to the Zelda series and in fact seven games in the main series have second quests (including Zelda 1). You also get access to the final boss in the boss challenge area upon completing Hero Mode.  I simply love the amount of replay value that this game has and Hero Mode is a serious challenge to anyone who calls themselves a Zelda fan.  While I did not mention everything there is to do in this game, I must encourage you to play it and experience the wealth of content this game has to offer.  I'm also not going to tell you anything about the final boss because it is so much fun that I feel I won't do it justice by writing about it.  You just have to experience it for yourself.  I have also kept several very key story elements away from the reader in the hope that you will play this game and still be able to discover things on your own.  Skyward Sword is a worthy and excellent addition to the Zelda series and one of my personal favorites in the series.  More a lot of the Zelda games Skyward Sword makes a serious effort to make the story the main focus of the game as opposed to others where the gameplay is the overall focus.

Thanks so much for reading!  We are about to crack the Top 5 Best Zelda games as decided by me!  Holy Wow! Cannot wait! Until next time!