How well does Twilight Princess hold up after 10 years? Read or watch Kidzworlds review of The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD for Wii U right here!
Twilight Princess HD Video Review
Confession Time. I was one of those fans that never completed Twilight Princess when it originally came out as I was quickly put off by playing as a wolf and abandoned the game. Fast forward 10 years and Nintendo has released The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, an upgrade of Twilight Princess for the Wii U. So here I am finally playing through it in its entirety... and I am very happy I have.
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is one of the most epic adventures Link has ever been on.
A Hero's Journey
Awaking as a young farm hand. The town you call home is soon rampaged by nasty looking Bulbins who kidnap all the children. In pursuit of the children, Link runs into a wall of Twilight which he cannot pass on his own but his pulled into the darkness by the Bulbins where he is transformed into a powerful wolf under the spell of Twilight. Cue the wonderful imp like character Midna who guides Link in these troubling time. And so the unlikely duo of Midna and Link set off on their adventure to not only save the children, but also a greater threat from the evil Zant, who has conquered Hyrule and covered it in Twilight.
Zant is one evil dude...
The story at play here really sets up some dramatic encounters aided by a strong cast of characters. Midna for example is filled with mystery and depth. Who is she really? What does she want? Questions that kept me fully engaged in her quest for the pieces of a broken mirror. The children you are trying to save all have little arcs of their own as well and grow as the story progresses. Numerous allies pop up throughout the adventure and they too are strong. The bond between the giant Yeti and his wife is one I won't forget nor is the young Prince of the Zora people, who must come to terms with his mothers passing.
Midna is one of my favorite Zelda characters.
Fantastic Dungeons
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD also boasts some of the most enjoyable sword combat the series has ever seen. On top of the basic attack combos Link can also learn 6 special combat techniques that add great depth and keep combat varied and exciting.
The sword combat in Twilight Princess is really good.
And the dungeons? They are fantastic. Each and every one of them offering unique challenges and fun boss encounters. Highlights for me were the Arbiters Grounds in the desert with its fast paced final fight as well as the Temple Of Time which had me solving puzzles by guiding a stone statue around with a magical staff. The only negative about the dungeons is that past special items earned don't have much play in the following temples.
I will say the dungeons felt a little easier than other Zelda entries though. Rarely leaving me scratching my head on what to do. Which is not necessarily a bad thing as it kept me moving forward.
The dungeons are all awesome.
Dragging My Paws
Where The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess falters a little is in the pacing department and the general wolf gameplay. All these years later and I still find the wolf gameplay to be a bit of a drag on an otherwise stellar package. When link is in wolf form the combat isn't nearly as satisfying as when in human form. Often times you are required to take out numerous enemies at once but since many of Wolf Link's attack animations have you jump past or over enemies, you may find yourself hitting walls and losing your combo only to have to retry. And it's not much fun blanketing the screen in a fuzzy darkness as you hunt down hidden items or follow a long scent trail.
Playing as Wolf Link can sometimes be a drag.
HD Upgrades
As far as the upgrade to the Wii U goes. There has been some nice additions. Having the GamePad screen act as a handy inventory is great for quickly moving items around. And Twilight Princess has never looked better. But keep in mind this is no visual remaster ala The Wind Waker HD. The visuals on display in Twilight Princess HD still look dated at times, despite some sharper textures. The lighting also makes things look a little flat. All that said twilight Princess is still packed with visual charm.
Twilight Princess has never looked better.
Amiibo are also supported in this update. Some amiibo act as cheats in a way. Tapping a Zelda amiibo for example replenishes your hearts. The Wolf Link amiibo actually unlocks a new challenge dungeon called the Cave Of Shadows. And if you really want to ratchet up the difficulty. Tap a Ganondorf amiibo and suddenly enemies will deal at least twice as much damage.
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD also supports off-TV play with the GamePad but frame rate takes a significant hit when doing so, especially when battling on horse back or when engaged with many enemies at once.
Final Thoughts
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, despite some so-so Wolf Link gameplay stands strong as one of the best entires in the long running series. It's definitely worth a revisit for fans and if you are new to the Legend Of Zelda series, Twilight Princess HD is an epic place to start.
Twilight Princess HD for Wii U is available now.Courtesy of Nintendo
Pros
- Strong story and characters
- Excellent sword combat
- Fun and inventive dungeons
Cons
- Wolf Link gameplay can be boring
- Off-screen play via the GamePad has frame rate issues
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Game Rating:
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