Update Time!

Wind Waker - Done and done. I'll need to return this to my friend soon so I can't complete everything I wanted (not to mention some things are too late/not worth it. Pretty fun game with a cool story, art direction, and music. The dungeons were interesting if a bit simple compared to the crap Majora's Mask and the 2D Zelda games throw at you. In fact the game overall was easier than other Zelda games (since when did enemies grow so weak they take a fourth of a heart piece?!) but I did really enjoy the final confrontation with Ganondorf. Tetra was an interesting, if a bit underwhelming take on Zelda (poor girl can't catch a break) and I was a bit sad her role and her crew didn't pop up more in the story. Overall, it was a fun game, but I still stand by my assessment that Twilight Princess is the best of the 3D entries.

Now that this is over, I can return to the other Zelda titles.

Majora's Mask - Finally figured out what I was doing wrong with the Zora quest. A) I need to actually read the characters directions on how to use the Zora Mask so he doesn't suck. B) Understand that despite the fugly N64 graphics this game has, that I should be more careful when looking around and not mistake entrance ways as just part of the scenery. I didn't get much done, but I did upgrade my wallet to the Giant's version and obtained the Stone Mask. I'm also close to getting the All-Night Mask. Afterwards, I plan on doing the Kafei Quest to completion now that I can get to the Mask Thief's lair a bit easier.

One of the interesting things about going back to MM after playing WW was certain things I took for granted and proof of why the N64 controller kind of sucked. Having a controllable, mostly full rotational camera to look around is a godsend. I've been playing WW so hard lately that it's been difficult translating back to MM's controls because I used the camera extensively to get the right angle in these games. Also money, while money has always had limited use in the series, it's a bit weird how Rupees practically fell from the sky and I was losing dough from having small wallets in WW; but due to the groundhog day loop and just the fact money doesn't appear under almost every blade of grass, money is a bit hard to come by in MM. Especially annoying because it's actually useful here seeing how I have to play all the damn carnival games to get the upgrades for the bomb bag and Quiver. Also, I feel like Blue Potions are not going to be terribly useful seeing how it's kind of a pain in the ass to get them since one requires me to actually hoof it to a specific location and the other is stuck behind a quest that locks it into a Day 2 or 3 use.

In other Zelda related news, I picked up the manga adaption of A Link to the Past by Cyborg 009 creator, Shotaro Ishinomori. This is a bit significant for me because this was the comic showed in Nintendo Power around the time of the game's release and I still imagine this version while playing through the game. Oddly enough, the manga adaption is actually a bit more depressing and less fairy tale than the actual game. It does an interesting job of creating a nice bond between Zelda and Link and it actually may have led to some of the inspiration for later Zelda elements. Like the cheesy U.S. cartoon series, Link acquires a Fairy as a personal friend that journeys with him over the course of the story. The moon in the dark world has a face (that's melting off) which Majora's Mask used, and Link doesn't transform into a cute bunny in the Dark World, he never fully transforms but it's apparent his form is actually that of a wolf...

Anyway, it's a pretty good read even if the art style is distinctly 60s anime retro and the artwork presents Hyrule closer to an actual medieval setting as opposed to the more eccentric variation the games often feature. It even adds a character to the story that's not in the game or world, but he surprisingly works better than the chick who appeared in the more recent manga adaption.