The Legend of Zelda — “Twilight Princess” (for the Nintendo Gamecube)

Before I start this review, I really would have loved to try this out for the new Nintendo Wii, but student loans, beer and my Xbox 360 gaming obsession (not to mention not being able to actually see one in the stores) has prevented me from doing so. The good news is that the Gamecube and Wii versions of the game are identical (according to Nintendo) minus the unique Wii control scheme and that the worlds and screens are set up as Link being a “righty” on the Wii and a “lefty” on the Gamecube.

I read the reviews and previews and was anxious to hop right into what is supposed to be the best and biggest Zelda adventure since the N64's “Ocarina of Time.” Over 40 hours of promised game play for those who want to complete Zelda was everywhere and I doubted it. Thank goodness this game proved me wrong. I've clocked in over 40 hours and I only have 17 hearts and am probably missing more of the game (like all the fish you can catch, the Poes that you collect and more).

The game starts off just like every other Zelda. You have no skills and are foreign to the world that awaits you outside your quaint little village. The nice thing with this chapter of the series is that the game starts off quickly and you're into it right away although you don't hit your first dungeon for quite awhile.

In “Twilight Princess”, it seems that every time you think that you're going back into a gaming routine and thinking that you're playing one of the previous Zeldas, the game introduces some game play mechanic or twist the series has never seen before (not to spoil it, but the double grapple you get later on in the game kicks major ass).

The graphics in this game aren't the “next-gen” that we've now been spoiled with thanks to games like “Gears of War,” but if you're not looking for something just to stare at, you'll be quite impressed with the visuals in this game. One complaint I have is that some of the faces of the children look butt-ugly and I think that there are too many recycled characters from previous outings (and they don't look that much different from the cartoony “Wind Waker”).

The controls (for this version) are just like the “Wind Waker” controls but there were some parts where I was frustrated with the lock-on target system for combat. Perhaps I haven't played the previous game in a while but I don't remember having such control gripes as I do with this game. The issues pop-up only once in a while and aren't present in the awesome boss battles but it's just something I have to speak out about.

The story in the game is intriguing and the whole dark world/light world mixed in with Midea, Link's companion, and the wolf transformations blends the whole game into a masterpiece that everyone should go out and buy, even if that means going out and getting yourself a $90 Gamecube (plus you'll be able to pick up “The Wind Waker” for cheap). I really enjoyed it and I can't believe all the gaming time that I logged in had gone by as quickly as it did. Make sure that you get your hands on one of the “must plays” of the year.