Abbyzzmal
Level: Smiter
Rank Points: 348
Registered: 07-03-2004
IP: Logged
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Re: The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap (+2)
I played Minish Cap a month or two ago as a birthday present to myself, and it was one of the best ones I've ever given/received. However, I've never been much for presents, so I'll put it in more objective terms.
Minish Cap carries on the tradition of the Gameboy Zelda games, which are, in my opinion, some of the finest in the series. They play differently than their console brethren; I attribute this to the fact that the sword is detachable, that it can be unequipped. Also, like Majora's Mask, the gameboy games have a less mythic plot, where the main character is some guy trying to get by and not the "legendary hero." They all have plots completely isolated from the rest of the series, and that is why I find them somewhat more enjoyable.
Anyway, I'll write a review. I've never written a video game review before, so I'll devide up characteristics. That sounds like a good strategy.
Story: It is your basic save the princess/world story, only with funny hats. And as the title suggests, the funny hats are important to the story. It's well written although not spectacular. Certainly good enough to be entertaining. I'll quantify: I'd give it a 6.5/10, just because there's nothing in the story that seems like it isn't just an excuse for the gameplay.
Gameplay: New items, a few minigames, trading sequences you'll probably never complete, sword techniques, microscopic detail; this is the stuff that fun games are made of. However, my only qualm: I said this was my birthday present to myself, and that one day, my birthday, was long enough to get through most of the game. On the other hand, it was addictive enough that I couldn't put it down the entire day. I don't think it's too short, actually, but for someone who's played similar games before, it won't take very long, unless you complete all the other stuff that I didn't bother with. Also, I found the final boss to be a challenge, at least until I figured some things out. All in all, I'd say 9.5/10.
Graphics: Similar to that Four Swords thing that I didn't play. There's probably a lot of gameplay stuff left over from that game too, some to think of it. Anyway, the game is pretty and detailed. For a Gameboy game, it would be hard to ask for anything more. 10/10.
Sound: All the Gameboy Zelda games have had a different staff than the console versions, but in the past the substitutes for Koji Kondo have done an admirable job. Link's Awakening had a marvelous soundtrack (considering the hardware), and the other GBC games' soundtracks were similar. The sound in this game, though, sounded much too. . . refined. Nothing distinctive. Nothing interesting. The only thing that stood out are the annoying sound effects that accompany character speech. As always the great Koji was in the credits as Music Consultant or somesuch, and there are references to some of the musical ideas of previous games, but all in all, if you played with the sound off, you wouldn't be missing much. 6/10.
I can't think of any other criteria, so I'll just say that it's very enjoyable, although perhaps a bit formulaic. It's no Majora's Mask or Wind Waker, which I regard as the most artistic (in different ways) of the series, but it is a nice diversion. I'd say, were I to give a numeric rating of the game as a whole, that I'd give it an 8.5 out of 10, even if the above numbers don't quite add up to that (checking. . . they don't).
So there's a review. I left out anything really specific, but basically, if you like Zelda games, you might as well play this one.
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