Gameboy Advance - Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past/Four Swords

Format
Gameboy Advance
Publisher
Nintendo
Developer
Capcom
Country of origin
Japan
Genre
Action RPG

Legend of Zelda : Link to the Past/Four Swords

By David Rasmussen
20th Mar 05

I'd tell you to stop me if you heard this before, but odds are you heard this before... more than once.
So I guess I'll get my sarcasm out of my system before the review... hold on please... (leaves room)
(silence) (returns) Okay. I feel better now. Let's begin.

If this game looks familiar? It should. This is the GBA re-release of a classic SNES Zelda game (Link to the Past). The second game, Four Swords, is the tie-in game to the recent GameCube multiplayer Zelda.
However for the most part we'll be focusing on Link to the Past since it takes four players to play (and review) Four Swords and I just don't seem to have that kind of manpower (w/GameBoy Advances) on hand so we'll have to stick to the SNES re-release review.

In Link to the Past it looks like you must once again save Zelda, who doesn't seem to do very much despite the fact the series is called "The Legend of Zelda"... so, what is this legend again? It doesn't seem to be a very good one if the person this legend is based on is best known for being eternally kidnapped, put to sleep (like a stray only she can be reawaken) and turned to stone. Sheesh, she sure knows how to stay out of trouble now doesn't she! The day Link goes into therapy to cure himself of his Zelda obsession is a happy day for Hyrule (and for us, the players, who are getting tired of the endless saving Zelda missions).

This time out Zelda is kidnapped along with several other girls as part of this whole ritual to release this new evil being, and it's up to Link to save the girls and the kingdom by traveling back and forth between the light and dark world that used to be the Golden Realm where the Triforce sleeps (after avoiding many guards who hunt Link like a fugitive in the light world) to save the girls and find a way to stop the evil.

Yeah, I bet you do think that sounds vaguely familiar. It's the same thing you do in both Constantine (PS2) and Metroid Prime 2 : Echoes! Passing from one world to another to advance and make progress, only this time there's a twist. When you get to this "dark world" you find that you're form is changed (to that of a bunny) and the only way you can become you again is to find this pearl... which is harder than it sounds.
After that you'll bounce back and forth between the light and dark world to do the duty.
Speaking of duty I'd like to know whose duty it is to recommend these games since they haven't done an original thing with the Zelda franchise since Windwaker (and I have my issues with that game as well).

The last few games have been less than promising, and this won't change your mind about the series.
For all intents and purposes Link to the Past seems to just follow the same Zelda formula last seen in Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time for the N64! Basically find three items to release the seal on the legendary Master Sword, watch as something bad happens, then go out to 7 or 8 dungeons and find something, or save someone, and then work towards a final battle and blah blah blah.
Yes, this game does have some new things to speak of, but overall it just doesn't pack enough punch and plays like any normal Zelda game which doesn‘t test your skill and mettle out at all if you are just repeating the same gameplay tactics over, and over, and over, and over again.

Four Swords, the whole multiplayer Zelda that probably doesn't even support online play (despite the fact that Four Swords is probably the best candidate for online play) is another example! Oh, yes, this game supports Four Swords and four players can be linked to play Four Swords... which is, by the way, is also the ONLY way the game can be played! You must have four players... and since I only know me and myself I don't think I'll be finding enough players to even attempt to review Four Swords anytime soon.
And don't get me started on the latest GBA Zelda game, The Minish Cap, which is another 2-D Zelda fare that seemingly is stuck in the classic (done to death) Zelda gameplay mode with only so-so upgrading.

Zelda, like Silent Hill it seems, has become set in it's ways to the point of becoming stagnant.
We have not had an interesting Zelda game since Ocarina of Time (N64) and Windwaker (GCN)!
Worse the game seems to suffer from de-evolution syndrome! First it looked extra keen in Ocarina of Time, then diminished abit visually in Mask of Majora (also for the N64). After that it became the kiddy anime graphics style of Windwaker, and then the old school looks in Four Swords.
I'm almost afraid to ask if we'll ever see another big Zelda game for the consoles, especially since I'm sure it's not going to be a good thing that'll be eaten during the showing.

Considering they've just done a rethread of the Resident Evil franchise with RE4, you'd think they'd get to the point where they can begin to evolve other games, like the Zelda franchise... too bad that ain't happening anytime in the near or forseeable future. Heck, even having a Zelda game where the characters actually speaks would be an overall improvement! That would be some sort of viable progress that CAPCOM hasn't done yet!

It's a shame. Really. Considering CAPCOM has moved their best survival horror franchise into a brand new era with Resident Evil 4, when will they do the same with the Legend of Zelda franchise?
Stuck in endless gameplay repeats it seems Zelda is not due a major overhaul anytime soon, which is nothing but a shame considering how long this series has been around.

You'll have to be a long term Zelda fan to be buying into the GameBoy Advance games since it doesn't seem to be offering up anything to lasso in new players anytime soon.

Legend of Zelda : Link to the Past Breakdown
What's Hot? - Despite the fact I'm abit groggy on the whole thing, there is some hotness to the game.
Really. If you need a portable Zelda fix then your answers may have come at last in the form of Link to the Past and Minish Cap for the GBA! And if you just need a Zelda fix? Well this game is good for that too.

What's Not? - I think an old verse of poetry said it best, if paraphrased.
"I think that I will never see a Zelda as original as can be."
Let's face it, really, finding an original Zelda game to pitch just doesn't seem like work to me, yet CAPCOM doesn't see it that way since they seem to drown in endlessly repeating the same game mechanics over and over again. Please, people, some originality!

Moments to Remember? - It has it's moments. Trust me, there are a few moments.

What to Ignore? Ignore the people we're supposed to ignore. Easy as that, right?

Overall? It's the same old same old gaming and yet there's something about it that makes it different!
It has lots of promise and yet seems to slump in public. Anyway the game has it's merit, and worth checking out. So what's next (let alone next online)? Let's find out... together.

-- David Rasmussen 20th Mar 05

Gameboy Advance Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past/Four Swords Images