Opinion Retro Wii U

Give Twilight Princess A Go For Zelda’s 35th Anniversary

This week, the Zelda franchise has turned 35. That’s an incredible amount of time for a game franchise to have existed. It means that over the course of those years, the series has evolved, and mostly gone from strength to strength. I’d say that most entries improved upon the tried and tested formula, making the most of the hardware they launched on as well. However, one of the best to hit the market and make the most of its unique hardware was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This game added so much to the franchise, and really took it to an entirely new level. If you’re looking for a new Zelda game for the anniversary, this is the one to try.

Twilight Princess released on both Gamecube and the Nintendo Wii. While I experienced it on the Wii, the Gamecube version is one that I’m always on the lookout for. The Wii version is definitely more innovative though. It made use of the Wii Remote for players to defend and attack. There are sword moves to master with various movements, and if you’re good, you can look like a pro. I opted for a controller because I am not very good.

The key aspect that makes Twilight Princess so memorable and innovative is the dark world though. Link can transform into a wolf, and as the game progresses, this blurs into the light world as well. The game came out off the back of Metroid Prime 2 Echoes’ success with blending these worlds, and it works just as well here. It adds twice as much exploration for players to do, and makes the most of the new world and agility that Link has.

Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild can definitely thank Twilight Princess for pushing the agility and verticality of Zelda games forward. The developers weren’t scared to push players to their limits in puzzle design and combat, making every encounter feel satisfying and meaningful. Honestly, this is the best traditional Zelda game. It’s not as open as Breath of the Wild, but it’s pretty damn close. If you want to feel like Link, this is the game that you need to be playing.

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