The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

"It's a very nice game, but short despite the obscene amount of levels in it."

Introduction
Despite this game's many levels, it is very short. However, this is still a nice game, but not at depthy as you might expect from a Zelda game. However, it is still fun.

Graphics 9/10
They are absolutely superb. This game successfully uses a combination of the backgrounds and monsters from Zelda: A Link to the Past, the explosions and lighting from Zelda: The Wind Waker and the detailed character design of the first Zelda: Four Swords. All of this together comes out very nicely.

Everything is smooth and non-frustrating. All animation is nicely done and movement of characters is not choppy, and the movement of projectiles is fast yet detailed with trail and sometimes light you see in Wind Waker.

The ground and bushes/rocks etc. are very nicely done with a Link to the Past style, which is mastered here in this game. This means that older gamers can sit themselves into a game of more advanced graphics while still maintaining the old-style graphics of there day.

And of course, characters are done with 2-D detailed and advanced character design of Four Swords. This means that you get some of the best 2-D graphics around for the ‘Cube. Although 2-D, these characters are just as good, if not better, than that of some 3-D games. You will love it.

The only reason this doesn't get a 10 is because I only give 10s to the most superb graphics out there- they must be far better than this.

Gameplay 7/10
This is kind of a let down. Although not disappointing, this is not one of the better games if you are looking for gameplay.

This game has a total of eight worlds with four levels each. Sound like a lot? You bet your ass it does. However, this game still manages to be short. I kind of don't get it myself.

Although short, this game is very thrilling. It has very nice monsters, puzzles unique to the Zelda series, and much action indeed. A lot of times you will be forced to familiarize yourself with common puzzle-solving objects that you have never seen (and probably never will see) before. Things such as moving houses, charging hammers, lining up and shooting arrows at a line of targets simultaneously… The list goes on and on.

However, the lack of an inventory is kind of a letdown. Although it would be hard to make it work on a Four Swords game, I don't see how it wouldn't work here. Since each person has two screens (that of the television and that of their Gameboy) the screen could appear on your Gameboy… But thus, you are forced to carry around one item at a time and drop it to get another one.

In one player, you can only have one item throughout your whole team, which sucks. Since you can choose to control each individual Link, they would not have much trouble allowing you to have different items. Although, they do allow it in multiplayer, which is what this game is all about.

If you are playing single player, then you have the option to not use the Gameboy. Seems kind of pointless since this game comes with a free cord, but you can still do it. Anything that would appear on the Gameboy will instead show on a little window that pops up. You can do this in multiplayer too, but only one person, and your “private” adventures will be there for everyone to see.

Going into the Gameboy generally only applies with caves, meaning that whatever Gamecube screen the other person is on, you're on. Plus, you have to move screens together. It really sucks that you can't split up, but hey…

Sound/Music 8/10
Music here is very nice. Not only does it remix all those toons from other Zelda games, but also it even modifies the songs to make them sound better. Not to mention they even out in more songs for this game.

Sound is good also. Just like they did in the remake of Link to the Past, they used Link's N64 voice here, which is actually pretty good. It really sounds nice, even though some people probably won't like it.

Every other thing sounds real here. Swords clanking on rocks sounds like swords clanking on rocks, which is the same for metal, grass, bushes and, of course, monsters. Not to mention the monsters give off a little grunt that sound real for that type, but when they die they give off a corresponding “yell.” Fire lighting, water splashing, fairy music, it all sounds real (accept for the fairy music, which sounds real like movies).

Sound is as good as it gets in a 2-D Zelda game, but they could definitely do better.

Replayability 3/10
Once you beat this game, although you may like it, you'll probably not revisit it. For some reason, the second time through is tedious. It's probably because you already know all of the surprises, worlds and puzzles in the game. That takes the flavor out.

Rent or Buy?
Well, here's a problem. Although short, you won't be beating it within one rent, but it's way too short for the whole $50 sell thing… so… I say buy it used. Used it's around $10 which is about what this game is worth. However you get it, enjoy!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/12/05