Can you improve upon perfection? That's no doubt the question many have in mind as they contemplate whether to buy The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, the latest re-release of a game that many (including myself) consider one of those rare perfect gaming experiences.
Considering my reverence for the original title, I was a bit apprehensive about revisiting Ocarina of Time. Would Nintendo change too much? Will the enhanced graphics be hastily added? Will the 3D interfere with the original concept? Am I going to want to use touch-based item management or the gyroscope to aim?
As it turns out, most of these fears were unfounded. At today's 3DS Preview Event, Nintendo offered three portions of the game's earliest moments as a taste of things to come. The Kokiri Village, Great Deku Tree and Gohma Boss fight were available for selection, each more or less showcasing the same concepts.
The game's visual alterations are fantastic and effective. This is everything I remembered and loved about Ocarina of Time, polished and upgraded for a portable experience. While the game is still perhaps somewhat limited by its aged visual design, Nintendo has redone character models, textures and some animation sequences. And the aged visuals actually work in the game's favor now, coming across as a sleek, streamlined art choice rather than an unfortunate trait of a game that is over 12 years old. Link's hat moves with better fluidity. His leaps have more frames of motion to them. It's honestly all very subtle, but considering I just played through some of these sequences of Ocarina a few weeks ago, the changes are definitely there. There's nothing different here that should displease purists.
Considering my reverence for the original title, I was a bit apprehensive about revisiting Ocarina of Time. Would Nintendo change too much? Will the enhanced graphics be hastily added? Will the 3D interfere with the original concept? Am I going to want to use touch-based item management or the gyroscope to aim?
As it turns out, most of these fears were unfounded. At today's 3DS Preview Event, Nintendo offered three portions of the game's earliest moments as a taste of things to come. The Kokiri Village, Great Deku Tree and Gohma Boss fight were available for selection, each more or less showcasing the same concepts.
The game's visual alterations are fantastic and effective. This is everything I remembered and loved about Ocarina of Time, polished and upgraded for a portable experience. While the game is still perhaps somewhat limited by its aged visual design, Nintendo has redone character models, textures and some animation sequences. And the aged visuals actually work in the game's favor now, coming across as a sleek, streamlined art choice rather than an unfortunate trait of a game that is over 12 years old. Link's hat moves with better fluidity. His leaps have more frames of motion to them. It's honestly all very subtle, but considering I just played through some of these sequences of Ocarina a few weeks ago, the changes are definitely there. There's nothing different here that should displease purists.
Talking about 3D is going to be an interesting part of the 3DS experience. Quite honestly, because it never really adds to gameplay, the 3D effects are, to me, almost incidental. If the developer is doing its job well, you don't notice any problems. You are simply drawn seamlessly into the experience. There's a level of depth to the screen, and in some instances the game has a more visceral, thrilling feel. Ocarina of Time's demo was mostly in this category, with depth never interfering the gameplay... except in one notable category.
The 3DS features a gyroscope, allowing developers to program for the 3DS system's movement. If you tilt or shift your system, a game can detect it. Ocarina of Time uses this method as one way of aiming in first-person mode. Here's the problem - the 3D tech requires you to keep your eyes fixed at a certain distance and angle from your 3DS. Too much movement ruins the effect... which is what you're supposed to do to trigger the gyroscope. Granted, it is possible to fix your perspective and still move the 3DS, but you'll put so much thought into it that it's certainly not worth it. Fortunately you can still aim using the traditional analog stick.
Other changes to Ocarina of Time are relatively simple. The bottom screen of the 3DS is used for inventory and map management. With a couple quick presses I can remap one of four item buttons, two of which can be quickly accessed through the X and Y buttons. A couple more quick presses can jump to Link's weaponry/outfit screen or a dungeon map. It's all very effective and just might be the best addition to the game, even when considering the enhanced visuals.
We'll see if Nintendo is daring enough to actually change one of its most celebrated games. With just a few sequences plucked from early in the game, I have no idea whether this remake is going to be a spectacular upgrade or a routine port of a game I've played many times before. There's certainly no indication of new enemies, dungeons or gameplay concepts... and I'm not sure if that comes as a relief or a bit of a disappointment. But this is certainly a step in the right direction. With solid visuals, reasonable 3D effects and a great touch screen functionality, what's perfect is somehow being made better. Who'd have even thought that was possible?
The 3DS features a gyroscope, allowing developers to program for the 3DS system's movement. If you tilt or shift your system, a game can detect it. Ocarina of Time uses this method as one way of aiming in first-person mode. Here's the problem - the 3D tech requires you to keep your eyes fixed at a certain distance and angle from your 3DS. Too much movement ruins the effect... which is what you're supposed to do to trigger the gyroscope. Granted, it is possible to fix your perspective and still move the 3DS, but you'll put so much thought into it that it's certainly not worth it. Fortunately you can still aim using the traditional analog stick.
Other changes to Ocarina of Time are relatively simple. The bottom screen of the 3DS is used for inventory and map management. With a couple quick presses I can remap one of four item buttons, two of which can be quickly accessed through the X and Y buttons. A couple more quick presses can jump to Link's weaponry/outfit screen or a dungeon map. It's all very effective and just might be the best addition to the game, even when considering the enhanced visuals.
We'll see if Nintendo is daring enough to actually change one of its most celebrated games. With just a few sequences plucked from early in the game, I have no idea whether this remake is going to be a spectacular upgrade or a routine port of a game I've played many times before. There's certainly no indication of new enemies, dungeons or gameplay concepts... and I'm not sure if that comes as a relief or a bit of a disappointment. But this is certainly a step in the right direction. With solid visuals, reasonable 3D effects and a great touch screen functionality, what's perfect is somehow being made better. Who'd have even thought that was possible?
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