Official Nintendo Magazine releases their A Link Between Worlds review

In the midst of a new launch it seems like everyone wants to get their hands on Nintendo’s latest and greatest game, A Link Between Worlds, and the Official Nintendo Magazine is no exception. Just today the founder of the site and current editor, Chandra Nair, released a review of the game. Hit the jump to learn what he had to say!

 

Chandra begins his review by stating that he has only one complaint about the game. Right out of the gate we know he loved it, but what just didn’t quite make the cut in his eyes? Item rentals. The review explains how the rental system seems like a contradiction of development ideas, that of wanting to mix up how players get items and not wanting it to be so odious as to ruin the game. For Chandra, it was not executed well and that is most likely due to the fear of rebuke if the game became irritating because of the change coupled with really difficult areas.

However, Chandra does go into some detail about how the game is not difficult enough to warrant a rental system which encompasses rules such as Link losing his rented item if he dies. The review mentions that prior to Link being able to outright purchase the items he needs, there is no fear of repeated death, as there are fairy caves, hearts and rupees scattered quite thickly across the overworld. Though these points are based purely on perception and some of us will undoubtedly disagree about how thick on the ground health and help are, it would seem that our trusty Zelda development team has saved the really difficult parts for Hero Mode, so if the game seems too easy, you know you have a more difficult run ahead of you.

Besides the one dislike, Chandra expresses appreciation of the side quests and general story, especially the larger quest of returning babies to a mother Maiamai (she has 100!). For every ten babies Link returns he gets an item upgrade, much like we have seen in other Zelda handheld games like Spirit Tracks, with both bunnies and stamps. Another aspect of the game that is touched on is the length. I was, admittedly, a little disappointed when I heard about the length of the game, but this review quantifies it in a different way, stating that the whole game is “killer,” basically head down and charging the whole time with a very small amount of fluff.

All in all, the most telling part of the review is listed as a sub title:

“Finding something bad to say is the greatest challenge of all.”

If this review is taken at face value, my hopes about A Link Between Worlds are not diminished at all. This is just one more piece that shows how great the game is going to be for all those who experience it. To read the whole review click here.

Source: Official Nintendo Magazine