Classic Zelda Presents:
The ZGC November Media Review
As of recent, Nintendo has begun their Kaze no Takuto campaign with full force. The Nintendo of America site has just relesed almost 100 new screenshots, and in Japan, 2 brand new TV Spots for ZGC are being shown. I've picked through all of this stuff, and we're now going to put it all in one spot, for your convenience. Enjoy :)
TV Spot #1
Find it at: Zelda Universe || IGN
The comercial opens with the GC logo, and the familiar sound effect signaling you've tripped a switch or opened a door. Then, SURPRISE! Link comes hurtling at the camera in a barrel. We then get a close up of the grappling hook and see our hero go swinging across a pool of lava. Then there's a little bit where we see Link's feet sticking out of a barrel, sneaking up on his enemies (if only that worked in real life). Then things get interesting: You hear a gong sound in the background and then Link bows the an old man we now know as "Akasyach" (That was the file name of his character art from the Japanese Zelda site). Next, as opposed to that little sword he's seen with for most of the game, we see Link gazing at a sword with a much cooler-looking hilt. The way the blade connects to the base, I'm going to say this is what the Master Sword will look like. After that, Link goes gladiator, standing in his ready-to-attack position in the middle of a large arena. A bird then swoops in, and our hero moves in to attack.
This may look farmiliar as you see Link gliding along the air on a Deku Leaf, the new item that allows him to make use of the wind he controlls with the Takuto. Next, Aril and one of her friends turns around, and we see the expresion of a happy surprise appear on Link's face. Maybe this whole facial expression thing could be kind of fun after all. This happy moment is fleeting though, when we find Link in a heated sea-to-land battle, with a CANON mounted on his boat! The fun doesn't stop there though, because next Link is running from a boss-like creature's barage of explosions. Now, back outside, at night, our hero is doing battle with a large creature (Stalfalos?) and he apparently wins, beause the next cut shows him jumping up and down with a happy little look on his face.
In the final seconds of this comercial we see Tetra. I'm not really sure why, but she looks strikingly farmiliar. At first I thought guerdo, but the complexion is completely off. Now I'm wondering though, if this isn't another one of those "Zelda in disguise" things. Now, remember how whenever Link finnishes a dungeon, he always gets transported out in some fun way? I think the swirling lights and Link floating up accuratly fit this aspect. The part after that confuses me though. There's a big bird floating in front of something I can't quite identify. Maybe its another bird. For the final little clip, its Link in his boat. This is a new setting though, the sky is murky, just like the water (very impending-doom-ish). The title screen flys in, and then fade to black.
TV Spot #2
Find it at: Zelda Universe || IGN
There's that big bird again, the one that kidnapped Aril, what's he so upset about? We then see Link swinging high above the GC version of Gohma (He looks like he's really up high). Another animal that's shrouded in mystery: The big red dragon, who's head looks very much like the creature of the bow of Link's boat. In another night-time scene, a close-up of our hero's face pans back to reveal he's facing a huge monster covered in a black cloud-like thing. Speaking of the head of the boat, it moves! It's turned sideways to see what Link is hauling up with his boat-mounted winch. I wonder what Link's looking for that he couldn't just swim to get. Next we see Link precariously perched on the edge of a mountain, thats spewing fire out of its side! Then there's another shot of him riding the Deku Leaf. Another interesting surprise, is Tingle! He's going to help in the Connectivity department of ZGC.
Ambush! Link screams in terror as some sort of baddies fall from the trees and run right for him! Another confusing part: What are those things he's cutting off the trees? Probably making some sort of path. Now, just when you thought the hookshot was replaced by that grappling hook thing, you were wrong! Everyone's favorite spring-powered chain is back, and Link is using it to dispose of some Venus-Fly-Trap link creature. Then there's a very cool line of about 3 clips with Link drawing his sword, making that cool "shing" noise. Next is the new Gomah, busrting out of a huge pool of Lava. After this, people might pass over the short scene with Link smacking a couple of guys around, but when you look at it carefully, it shows our hero charging up his sword, the camera zooms in for a close up of his face, and then pans back when he releses the attack, killing the enemies. Aril has been kidnapped, and we see her in a jail cell, with bars wider then her waist. Speaking of kidnappers, that big bird is seen shooting out of some kind of hidden lair. Next we once again see our hero admiring the Master Sword. The comercial ends in the same way, (Title flies in, fade to black) but the scenery is happy and blue, not murky.
Top 10 Most Interesting Screens
Find it at: Nintendo
- Link W/O his Tunic View
Kaze no Takuto is doing something no other Zelda game has ever done before: Show us Link without his usual green tunic! In this picture he's wearing a blue shirt and little orange pants. It would also appear that Link doesn't comb his hair much.
- Good Bye View
As our hero sets off for the 2nd part of his quest after rescuing Tetra, there's a heart-wrenching farwell scene *sniff*.
- Link get's Annoyed View
This is a picture where Link is obviously annoyed with the sailor next to him. It's things like this that add some comedy to the game.
- Battle Expresion View
Link shows such emotion in the heat of battle, and even though the game is cell-shaded, these expresions make it more real than a lot of games.
- Nesting View
There's that bird again, but this time its just sitting there. (Or is that even a real bird?)
- Incoming! View
Here's that bird, but he's not sitting anymore, he's coming right at the camera!
- There goes Aril View
The big bird (Called Zeeklock) is kidnapping Link's sister. This, according to the cinema trailer, starts his ultimate quest to save her.
- There goes Tetra View
This may have that here-we-go-again look to it, but Tetra was actually kidnapped before Aril. It was Link's little sister's idea for him to go find her.
- Wind Gliding Fun View
At first the though of conducting the wind sounded a bit hokey to me, but after seeing this, it looks to be a lot more fun that just riding a boat.
- Using the Takuto View
It looks like by moving the Takuto in a combination of 3 different ways, Link can change the way the wind blows.
Ura Zelda Screen
Find it at: Zelda Universe
It was almost 3 years ago that Nintendo showcased a fabulous video of a realistic Link doing battle with a Scarily-Realistic Ganondorf. This spiked much interest in fans, many seeing their ultimate vision of Zelda finally being realized. The next year, when Nintendo scrapped the idea for the Cell-Shaded Zelda, fans were furious. Later on though, people got used to "Celda". It's not so bad, I thought, the facial expresions are really fun, and besides, graphics don't make a game: Storyline and Overall Gameplay are what make something fun.
Well fellow Zelda fans, you've probably already heard about Ura Zelda/OoT for the GC on a special disk in Japan. The big question was whether the games would take advantage of the imense power the 'cube provides, or would it just be a straight port? We may very well have that answer. I'm just going to show one here, (go to ZU for the other available 2) but here you go. My speculation on all of this is that Nintendo realized that these harshly relaistic graphics would not fit the more comdedic ambiance that Kaze no Takuto was set in. Where they would work though, was in the game where Link set out of his most epic quest to save Hyrule for the first time. The one thing about these screens that bothers me though tit that they never show Link's face, and that things look a little to... roundish. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but I can say that these pictures are DEFINATLY preliminary. On a final note: Not to dash anyone's hopes, but these may be bogus. If the game hasn't even been relesed in Japan, and we don't even know if its coming to the US, then why would the only available screens be in English? Just something to ponder.
11/25/02- UPDATE: ZHQ has confirmed that the screens for OoT/Ura Zelda GC were actually fan art submissions, which would explain a lot. However, recent developments have favored the 2 games running in Hi-Res (GC-like graphics). Apparently there've also been rumors of a January Nintendo Power what will have more info on the North American version.
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