QCF: Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds

hile the consensus is more arguable than mainstream, it’s more apparent than ever that one of the most revered franchises in video games is experiencing a wave of disenchantment in the more recent years of the present game climate, and more players have come forward with their fatigue towards the series. You might have heard of it, it’s called The Legend of Zelda.

Ironically the iconic Nintendo property of late, has been more instrumental in inspiring successes in new franchises that liberally imitate it while failing to significantly innovate itself beyond its esteemed but frankly aged conventions—that is until now.

Nintendo and Monolith entered dangerous territory when announcing that they were working a direct sequel to what many consider the greatest video game of all time that could never live up to the legacy it holds to this day; if Link to the Past is Rocky then consider Link Between Worlds Rocky IV.

This 3DS entry is a shining example that the magic of The Legend of Zelda is very much alive, transporting all who play it into a very familiar and yet robust Hyrule, with tons of astonishment and whimsy in store from start to finish.

A notable fundamental within Link Between World’s fabric is the complete confidence it has within it’s very design of play. Founded on the prior principals and conventions of Zelda’s past along alongside myriad of new original content it introduces, the worlds of Hyrule and Lorule are all a part of an organic web of exploration and discovery that naturally unfolds itself through play without the need of patronizing tutorials and hand-held exercises. With the  exposition of the land’s latest plight against evil gradually inaugurating the green-clad hero’s objectives, the pacing is never once thrown off over arbitrary instructions like aiming a bow or grabbing a boulder; Link Between Worlds appropriately assumes what concepts the player picks up and keeps any tutelage towards new mechanics brief but poignant none of the less.

The new approach towards tutorials fundamentally initiates the tone of pace, one that’s new for Zelda in contrast; accelerated sequencing.

Like Pokémon X/Y, everything you do and work towards from advancing from chasing the next objective to tackling side missions are readily open for the most part sans a few parts to challenge all at the discretion and agency of the player themselves. This new sensation of rapid movement in Link Between Worlds is largely attributed by the introduction of the item rental system; a one stop shop for all the adventuring tools Link requires is bizarrely available near the start of the game granted if you’re rupee pouch is deep enough. The deceptively unscrupulous merchant Ravio, dangles everything from the Firerod to the Hookshot at his stand for prices that range anywhere from modest fee to a steep sales tag with a precarious contract involved. There are no limits on the amount of items a player can hire into their arsenal or restrictive timetables towards the rentals, there’s only one stipulation on the transactions and it’s a caveat that balances the otherwise conspicuously advantageous access to the valuable equipment; stay the hell alive.

Never before has the setback of link falling in battle felt so penalizing like it does in Link Between Worlds; depleting all of those hearts also meant the loss all of the rented items in your possession, and with it, the delicious passport of freedom that those tools afford the player when trekking the overworld. The idea of starting back from square one and journeying to that curio stand along with the hassle of funding the capital needed again for the tools is less than appealing, which reinforced a balance to the arguably liberating dynamic that moved against the grain of traditional Zelda structure. The tension of losing the momentum acts as an incentive for intelligent play and yet, the freedom and sensation of discovery fuels the desire to step up the cadence of the game into this engrossing tug of war that keeps players on the edge that’s consistently rewarding.

The modern Zelda charm of characterization and development makes itself right at home in a way that’s never been done before in a top-down Zelda affair. From the mysterious yet plucky shop keeping Rovio to the spunky yet friendly banter of Irene the witch, Link Between Worlds builds on the humble setting of Link to The Pasts future and blends the modest principals of its discernable inhabitants with the flair of Modern Zelda presentation. The results deliver earnestly satisfying narrative that’s made naturally from elements of both old and new, makes use of some unique story telling devices that help reinvent the familiar parallel world framework into something unique and compelling again.

From the soundtrack arrangement to the visual design, Link Between World’s packaging sticks to the same ideals with its approach of blending present and past into a vivid world that’s imbued with new life. Small details like Link’s embellished bangs of hair flowing with every hop and skip of slap dash shuffle of ramming into a tree at full speed to acquire the prize that waits atop its peak help filter the transition into something that looks and sounds more like an evolution. Quite frankly, this latest venture strikes the perfect mixture of repatriation and individuality that a direct sequel should strive to be; especially to something like Link to The Past.

Link Between Worlds isn’t just the best Zelda to come out in years, it’s the best reason to own a 3DS. Whether it’s a tap and a download a way or a trip to your local retailer, run, don’t walk, and experience some genuine Zelda magic that the series is famous for because Link Between Worlds doesn’t stop at impressing you; it astounds you.