The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

"Link gets cloned for the 2nd time!"

As many of you may know, Four Swords Adventures is the second "real" Zelda game on the GCN. After Wind Waker, and counting the Bonus Discs, this is the 4th Zelda Game on the 'Cube. One word before playing/buying/renting- this is not your average Zelda game. For one, you'd think that a Zelda game on the GC would be the 3D Adventure like the Wind Waker. Well, it's not. It goes back to it's roots to "2D", using similar graphics of that in AlttP. So..onto the review...

Visual
The graphics are all almost taken from A Link the the Past, from the similar trees to the grass, everything's the same. The characters look different though, with updated graphics from the Four Swords GBA game. There are also a few neat effects that the GCN can do what the GBA cannot.

The effects are small, but make the game a little more enjoyable. You might even find the occasional 3D shine or a big boss that looks 3D. But other than that, I'm not gonna ramble about the Graphics.
Final Score: 7

Audio
Again, they are almost all taken from AlttP, so chances are, if you like AlttP music, you'll like this. Of course, they are rendered and some are even remixed to fit the almighty CD that can hold CD Quality sound.

As for the sound effects, nothing too exciting. The sound effects aren't all taken from AlttP for once. This time a lot of it is taken from The Wind Waker game. But they work, so I'm not complaining.
Final Score: 7

Storyline
Those who have played FS for the GBA should know the story to that, so it's pretty much the same here. Princess Zelda gets kidnapped, so Link must pull out a Sword that splits him into 4. Throw Link needing to find Royal Jewels to track Zelda mixed with the concept of the 7 Maidens and you've basically got the story for FSA...
Final Score: 6

Mechanics
Because of it's "originality" as a Zelda game, take out some of the "Adventure" aspect, keep "Zelda", and add "Action", and you have FSA. What I mean is, that instead of you exploring a large field going from town to town carrying items and keeping your quest status, you have levels. Once you beat a level, you go to the next, and so on and so forth. You can replay a level again and again, but eh.

Like the FS GBA, the screen has 4 Links: Green, Red, Blue, Purple. Unlike the FS GBA, you have an option to control all 4 Links or do multiplay and let others play a seperate Link. There are two game modes- Hyrulean Adventure and Shadow Battle. Hyrulean Adventure is your typical adventure, advancing from one level to another. In solo mode, the goal is to reach the end, but by picking up 2000 "Force Gems" along the way. In multiplayer, the goal is to collect the most Force Gems.

First, let me explain 1P Mode. If you're playing Solo, you control 1 Link (the leader) at a time, leading the others along with you. But, you can change it to control all 4 at the same time, which works better than you'd think. It's not hard to control all 4 at a time, as it is crucial. When you cut grass and kill enemeis, instead of getting your usual spoils (Rupees, Ammo, etc.), you get "Force Gems". The goal is to collect 2000 before the end of a stage to power your sword up to destroy the barrier at the end of the game, using an assortment of items and teamwork to advance. Once you power up your sword, your sword strengthens, becoming the true Four Sword, and you can advance. To advance through the Stage, you have to use different Formations to control all four Links to get you past obstacles that require teamwork. Whether it be a huge boulder vertical or horizontal, or a horde of a hundred enemies (no lie), you'll need your 3 other companions to pass through the stage. You can collect power ups along the way, like an extra Heart or so or a Power Bracelet. A crucial element to pass a level is an item (both powerups and items will be lost at the end of a level). Each Link can carry one at a time, so more strategy sets into place. You may need a Fire Rod to get past this one obstacle, but then later you'll need a Bow and Arrow, so you'll have to backtrack. FSA uses the same demise as the other Zelda games, but also adds in a bit of strategy as well, as you can only carry one item at a time.

Now for the multiplayer part. You and your bestest buds can duke it out in Hyrulean Adventure, trying to collect the most Force Gems by the end, but at the same time working as a team. Hitting another member with your weapon forces them to lose a bit of their precious Gems, so it's a dog-eat-dog sort of setting. You have to negotiate the other Links to pass through a stage. Shadow Battle is more of a "Battle Royale" mode. You select a stage, all of them are unique in their own way, and try to destroy the other Links, using Items. So you see, the Replay Value sort of differs whether you have friends/friends with GBAs.
Final Score: 8

Replay Value
Not much if you intend to play solo. Each level differs in length, and can be pretty long. But after you finish, what can you do but play with friends again? Without friends, or GBAs, you're kind of buying/renting a linear game.
{1P}Final Score: 3
{Multiplayer}Final Score: 9

Final Word
Well, this was my first review, so don't bomb my house if it was bad. Anyway, FSA is a great game, which has mainly two purposes: for hours of multiplayer fun or to satisfy the fans of a "Overhead View" Zelda game. If you have friends with GBAs and Link Cables, I highly reccomend you to buy this game. If you don't, you've gotta love the classic Zelda games to get an intuition to by this game. Kudos for reading.
Final Final Score: 7

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/23/05