Explore Why The Minish Cap is the Oft-Forgotten Zelda Game in This Retrospective
Posted on August 13 2019 by Alexis S. Anderson
The majority of Zelda fans have played The Minish Cap, but apart from a vocal few always rooting for the return of Vaati, not many seem to talk about it. This may be because it’s uncomplicated, neither spectacular nor awful. GameXplain explores the game’s indistinct identity in a recent installment of its “Under the Super Scope” series. The video found that while some of its new mechanics fall flat, it tends to color inside the lines making for a solid gaming experience.
As the video points out, The Minish Cap was just the palate cleanser some needed after The Wind Waker shook things up; it stuck to the formula and always made it clear what the player’s next move should be. It also had good dungeon design, boss battles, and weapon utilization. It even told the world that 2D Zeldas were alive and well at a time when 3D graphics were the new frontier. But the game being a return to form made it unremarkable, especially as its in-game gimmicks of shrinking and collecting Kinstones hurt its pacing and did little to enhance the gameplay.
I personally really enjoyed The Minish Cap in much the same way as the video’s narrator. I believe I played it after going through Majora’s Mask for the first time, so it had a welcome simplicity — not to mention catchy music and a uniquely cheerful aesthetic. I also loved Vaati as a villain (and happen to be one of those who’d like to see him back). But like the narrator, I haven’t played it more than once and it hardly crosses my mind. I have nothing bad to say about it, but I don’t think it shines.
How do you feel about The Minish Cap? Do you agree with the video that it’s a solid game, but lacking in some areas? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Alexis S. Anderson is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon who joined the writing team in November, 2014. She has a JD from the UCLA School of Law and is pursuing a career in Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law. She grew up in the New Jersey suburbs with her parents, twin brother, and family shih-tzu.
