By: Mark Wilson

Toward the end of my two day Nintendo visit, I'm sitting with Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo's VP of Marketing and Corporate affairs. She casually mentions that P. Diddy called to make sure he was getting a Wii at launch, and I'm a little embarrassed for her. Does she not realize who I am - the world famous writer of TDIG - admired around the globe for the keen ability to cut and paste Wikipedia articles, add the word "cock" a few times, and claim it as my own insight? Apparently not.

I want to explain to her that you don't name drop around the Name incarnate. But more with Perrin later, because you want to hear about The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii.

During the event, I play Twilight Princess for about nine hours total, but due to press embargoes, I can only talk about the first four or so. To put that in perspective, Nintendo claims testers took 70 hours to play through the game the first time. This article isn't about plotline or character development - that fun is for you. I am going to do my best to relay the experience of playing and answer all those questions of Wiimote mechanics.

Twilight Princess is broken down into two basic worlds. The first is the normal Zelda land we all know, with Link looking like a young Rod Stewart as he frolics around the countryside to Hyrule. The second world is that of the Twilight Realm, a growing parallel existence of shadow where Link transforms into a wolf ridden by a witch named Midna. Here, living people appear as ghosts who don't even realize they are trapped in darkness.

Graphics

The graphics of Twilight Princess are both beautiful and disappointing, looking a lot like a high end Gamecube title (or more likely, XBOX) with enhanced shaders. In the normal world, there are moments of brilliance in the glow of the vast horizon, but these touches are difficult to appreciate with Link's pixilated body constantly front and center. Artistic intention is obvious, but I can't help wishing that the jagged edges of Link's arms aren't more frightening than his sword. Some of the effect is due to the close proximity of the LCD televisions - which are only a few feet away. From farther distances, the image gains cohesiveness and the richness of an oil painting. I often find myself looking around the room to other monitors, admiring the neighbors' scenery more than my own.

The Twilight Realm, however, has a much cleaner edge from close proximity. This is mostly due to a constant blur effect - but it's beautiful nonetheless. Highlights in the wolf's fur glow, and the sky shimmers like the Northern Lights - be they sitting stagnant in the sky.

Gameplay/Control
"For gamers, Zelda will probably be number one...for people who are new to this industry, or who used to play and have left...I think Wii Sports is going to be the big draw," Perris says. I know what she means, and it comes down to the complexity of controls.

Playing as Link is completely familiar, as he brandishes a set of moves similar to recent titles. The nunchuk moves Link through the environment. Jumping between surfaces is not jumping, but running off the edge and engaging an auto-leap. It's fairly natural after a while.

But how does the Wiimote fair? It's not horrible, and not stellar. You unsheathe the sword by moving the remote. Fighting with a sword, you have three basic attacks: you can swipe side to side by swinging horizontally. You can swing downward by swinging the remote up to down. Or you can thrust...by thrusting? No. You swing and hold the nunchuk directional pad forward. To me, this button combination takes a lot away from the basic sword control. As soon as simple attacks aren't one-to-one translations, I begin to miss the point. A jump attack or finishing blow is even less movement based, requiring you to lock on with the Z button from the nunchuk and press A. I want to leap into the air and descend from the heavens, smashing skulls into bits, projecting little brain pieces on fellow journalists, yelling "That's how the Markster brings it, BITCH! Don't fuck with Zelda!" Hell, I practiced it. But instead, it's Z button, A button. The combat can still be fun, and the added visceral element will be a loss in the Gamecube version. But the sword attacks simply don't take full advantage of the Wii controls.

Aiming projectiles takes practice, but can offer surprising accuracy. I find myself avoiding the slingshot or boomerang mostly because I'm playing with the Wiimote resting on my leg. When activating my weapon and aiming, I receive a full screen message telling me to aim the controller at the screen. This happens a ton, though I don't think it would be an issue if I were standing while playing because then I'd keep the Wiimote in the ready. We are set in highchairs, while I would prefer to rock Zelda hard and deep like Guitar Hero's 'More then a Feeling'.

Attacking with the wolf is the only major disappointment in battle. He has one primary lunging attack activated by any simple Wiimote movement. Because of this mono-directional fighting style, I often find myself on the wrong side of an enemy with little choice than to run and turn around (lest the wolf's subsequent anal raping make Twilight Princess 'M' for Mature).

There are evil shadow creatures that the wolf encounters, who require a different type of attack to kill. As I hold Z, a black circle grows on the ground, sparking with purple electricity. When the shadow creatures are all within the circle, I release Z and the wolf combo kills them all - a necessity because if one is left standing, its shrieking will resurrect the others...and generally annoy the hell out of the real you.

But Link's wolf form offers more interesting features than combat. He has enhanced senses that are easily activated with the touch of the D-Pad. They allow him to see sparkling treasure in the ground (which he can dig up) as well as eavesdrop on ghosts. Something I'm sure will be exploited later in the game is his ability to howl - a real time musical interaction where you control the pitch. But is the howling controlled by the Wiimote? No, and it makes me crave a good Wind Waker port along with that lame conducting game from E3 that ended up being just a tech demo.

Link's witch friend Midna is less for battle and more for reaching high distances and long gaps. You hear her giggle in the Wiimote speaker at the appropriate times to call for her assistance. It's a great use of the speaker, as its presence dwells outside the general stereo sound interface. It's like she's right next to you, because she is. If you fail to solve certain puzzles, she eventually chimes in with hints. Without spoiling much, I will say Midna is an extremely fun, cynical and memorable character I will no longer want to see Zelda without. And her prior screenshot manifestation as that stupid arm protruding from the wolf's back is all but eliminated.

Horseback riding on Epona is smooth and natural. You can call your horse by blowing into a special whistle plant that grows sporadically throughout the world. Read that last sentence again to remember how beautifully ridiculous the entire game plays. The horse gallops with the same basic running controls as the wolf, but will continue to gallop automatically if you pull out the slingshot to attack an enemy. Yes, it's really freakin' cool, even if the first four hours don't offer much in the way of horse battles.

Sadly enough, fishing might be the most natural use of the Wiimote in the whole game. You cast as you normally would think to cast, and pull up immediately as the bobber goes under. It's simple, natural and offers the one-to-one Wiimote control that I crave more of in the game. Apparently you can collect fish, but we're thinking pockets of grouper will begin to smell pretty foul by hour 27.

Oh, and there are monkeys. Bare-assed monkeys. Bare-assed monkeys who flaunt their bare-assedness. It's just something to keep in mind if you are into that sort of thing.

Final Thoughts

"Do we have the software and the hardware to do something exciting enough to begin taking the industry beyond its solid but average numbers every year? It's been sort of a $10 billion [industry] for a long time," Perris said. "Do we have what it takes to lift that up a little bit? We think we do." I think, "What is a little bit of $10 billion?"

I attempted to regurgitate my Twilight Princess experience the best that I could. For those who are craving more plot, you can pick up the game soon, scout's honor. I can tell you that TP follows the same archetypal story of its predecessors and looks to offer the deepest character development I've seen in any Zelda title yet. The game is remarkably cinematic, but not in the cheesy Hollywood-wannabe way that so often traps the gaming industry. At times, I had moderate issues with the graphics and controls. But part of the reason I am a little down on the game is that the first four hours aren't nearly as exciting or innovative as the four that follow.

Sure, it's a Gamecube port. From what I understand, the Wii version's major differences are a wider aspect ratio and Wiimote incorporation. Twilight Princess doesn't utilize motion as well as some games built for the Wii from the ground up - which is a major, disappointing detail. But I do find myself enjoying playing, and I'm enjoying playing in the way one can only enjoy a Zelda title. Does Twilight Princess need to be on the Wii? Probably not. But the game is a little better for it. Mark Wilson

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