An impression of seeing an old friend not seen for over 20 years ... This is the first feeling of the player when entering this new adventure of Link that is a direct response to the monumental The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, released Super Nintendo in 1992. After about two hours of play, 3DS propped in hand, the question seems not allowed: this gaming travel appears simply magnificent ..
The adventure begins with a dream of Link, pretty way to ensure a smooth transition between the two games. Recovered from his emotions, the boy left his room and joined the local blacksmith who gave him his first mission : bring the captain of the guards sword he has forgotten. Along the way , Link finds himself quickly involved in the rescue of a young girl trapped in a sanctuary. Therefore, our hero will not cease to travel within the realms of Hyrule and later Lorule (which are parallel ) to meet all more familiar , wacky or dangerous one than the other characters. A course starting with Princess Zelda and the villain of the piece , Yuga , which, thanks to its great power , wants to free Ganon . But many secondary characters are also important . As Irene , a very nice witch you can call by ringing a bell : it then transports you free on her broom to one of the save points on the map that you have used . Wonderfully convenient ! There is also the villagers Kakarico (aka Cocorico - the names were in English in the demo , but will of course be translated in the end) , as the gravedigger or fortuneteller . Not to mention several essential merchants to buy refills of life , weapons (such as the shield ) or bonuses (such as Fruit Scoot which teleports you directly to the entrance of the dungeon where you are) . And finally there was the purple rabbit Lavio , peddler , who lives at Link and he praises its objects ...
Revenue Lavio ( li )
Hammer , bow, boomerang, fire stick , grapple, stick wind bombs ... objects / weapons available from Lavio - in exchange for a handful of rubies - are needed to enter the dungeons and face the boss. Indeed, whenever new dungeons appear on the map , a symbol on a tower at the entrance to one of the corresponding objects in Lavio . At the beginning of the adventure, when you finish the first dungeon , two new ones appear . You are free to choose whatever you want . The south is available after learning to swim with a particular character , while the north opens when you are equipped with the hammer - for rent with Lavio - to push the tree trunks blocking the entrance. It is also advisable to keep this special item for exploration because it also serves to kill as some enemies and move more easily. As such, the second tower is organized vertically, you have to knock on blocks with a hammer to pop and bounce on trampolines , in order to achieve higher levels. Incidentally, the relief effect inherent in the 3DS is proving quite impressive as the player has almost the impression of experiencing the scenery and objects around him. Very cool. A big boss generally expected to the end of each dungeon , as here a big yellow caterpillar (it should hit its tail to inflict damage) . Note that in case of death of Link in a dungeon , Lavio automatically retrieves its objects. Link must return home for rent again. Anyway, at that time , the game offers Link two choices : either restart the game at the entrance of the dungeon , or from his home ...
A lick of paint
Undoubtedly , the most important object of Lavio turns out to be the bracelet allowing Link to turn into a painting . To do this, the player must approach any surface (wall, rock ... ) and simply press the A button Paint form 2D Link can then move , plated on the wall , only the left or right ( but never in ascending or descending order) . We must therefore observe the architecture design. For example, to climb the floors of the second tower , it may turn into paint and move to stick on a block of stone that regularly move up and down . At the top , you must quickly you take off the block by taking the normal form of Link ( just press A again ) . The ability to turn into a painting achieves remote platforms or inaccessible places. But it is also a way to get a bunch of ruby painted on the walls and especially into the wall cracks to get to the other side of a room. Some of these cracks, the particular aspect, offer to travel the world Lorule.Enfin alternative form of painting , Link also has the ability to momentarily escape from enemies or traps. For example, if a risk of crushing rock , it can turn into paint and paste it on the nearest wall to avoid the danger. Warning, your movement as paint is still dependent on a power gauge that empties in seconds As you move . Fortunately, she then refilled quickly enough. Moreover, this gauge also provides some objects Lavio . For example , it decreases quickly when you shoot many arrows in a row with the arc ( in the first dungeon , these arrows are used to enable remote switches in the form of balls perched on top of towers) .
An accessible gameplay
No doubt the familiar player in the world of A Link to the Past will easily find its brands through gameplay almost identical , with stylized graphics and soundtrack great ( with the typical music and sound effects as in the discovery of a secret passage ) . However, the novice adventurer , who has never practiced the original game should have little difficulty , since the game has some elements that facilitate adventure, like a red cross on the map showing the exact location of make for each mission or dungeon. Or up to 20 markers positioned on the plane, very useful for remembering important people or places . Finally , handling turns could not be more easy. Thus, according to the pressure on the joystick , Link advance more or less rapidly, while the directional pad can slightly move the camera on the screen around it. With the A key, the young boy has the opportunity to pick up or throw an object ( barrel , pot , bush ... ) , turn into paint next to a wall and talk to a person nearby ( there are sometimes choice between two responses to the screen in a dialogue, but no real influence on the course of events ) . For its part, the B button is used to give sword ( holding it down , he shot his load and performs a broad attack around him ) . R , maintained key can use the shield to counter enemy attacks or projectiles , while the Y button is for special items , including Lavio as an oil lamp which sets fire to enemies. Link can carry up to 20 objects / weapons at the same time . And to equip it , it's easy : just move your finger on the screen down to the dedicated box . Note that on the 3DS, the top screen displays the action , while the bottom screen is used to manage objects and displays the map of the world on which it is possible to zoom .
Good news by visiting the Kakariko Village, you can compete against other players through StreetPass. For now, the maximum number of players is still unknown, as is the detail of the fighting. But what we do know is that the characters of other players in the form of a shadow Link, and only the selected objects before the confrontation may be used during the fighting. Then gauge your character's life (hearts) fills completely before and after the fight. And even if you lose the fight, you keep your personal belongings. Last but not least: 50 StreetPass challenges are present, such as "Win 10 times a struggle," "Use the oil lamp to kill your competitor" or "Winning the battle after eating a green apple." In the end, there is thus no doubt that A Link Between Worlds should be an adventure as magical as colossal.
