Game Description

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is an update of 1992's blockbuster Super NES title, the first and only Zelda game to appear on Nintendo's 16-bit system. Players control Link from the familiar overhead perspective as he battles monsters in real-time while venturing across 11 dungeons spread across two diametrically opposed worlds. After the wizard Agahnim murders Hyrule's benevolent king and captures Princess Zelda, Link is pressed into action to save the troubled land once more.

Unique to this Game Boy Advance version is a standalone multiplayer mode entitled Four Swords, where up to four players can fight as a version of Link dressed in a different colored outfit. Structured in a similar manner to Gauntlet, each player must work together as a team to defeat hordes of monsters while collecting rupees and fallen items. Acquired items can then be transferred to other party members in need, as cooperation is the key to solving many of the game's puzzles and boss encounters.

Players will team up to move giant boulders, activate pressure pads, or to get past certain areas, often requiring characters to play a specific role apart from the rest of the party. One character may need to lob bombs over a fence for another Link to use on a barrier, for example. Each character possesses one special weapon different than everyone else's. Thus, others will depend on a certain Link's ability to perform a particular task so the entire group can advance. No matter which Legend of Zelda game is selected, progress during both adventures can be saved via battery backup. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

The control, presentation, and story all come together to make a memorable adventure that ranks among the best the series has seen to date. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Continuing their quest of re-releasing classic NES and Super NES titles for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo graces audiences with the company's crown jewel, one packaged with a surprise addition that only increases its luster. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past has made the transition to Game Boy Advance with a number of subtle refinements designed to improve the overall experience, but the most intriguing addition is a separate game designed for up to four players. "Four Swords" encourages cooperation and teamwork as each player joins forces to free the hapless Princess Zelda from the clutches of one evil Gan -- ahem, sorcerer named Vatti.

Those who previously enjoyed A Link to the Past will find this Game Boy Advance version to be a solid port, with the same story line, items, and weapons as its 1992 predecessor. The changes seem to be borne of a desire to simplify gameplay, so players will now be able break pots with arrows, harm enemies using the lantern, and pick up fallen items simply by slashing the sword. Certain puzzles are also less frustrating and the interface is more streamlined. Slight tweaks have been made to the presentation as well. Link has a new cry reminiscent of the "hee-ya!" found in the Nintendo 64 games, minor animation has been added here and there, and a new dungeon opens up once players complete the separate Four Swords episode.

Everything that made the original so memorable is here as well. The game returns to the more effective and immediately engaging overhead view of the first title in the series. The action, of course, occurs in real time as enemies attack Link from all sides. Heart containers can be acquired (up to 20) to make the treks across the two different worlds safer, and Link can find and use familiar equipment -- such as bombs, the hook shot, magic hammer, flute, magic mirror, and much -- more to solve puzzles and to reveal secrets. Numerous side quests will keep players occupied for hours, and the vibrant graphics, smooth scaling effects, and enormous boss encounters will remain on their minds long after the system has been placed upon the shelf.

Yet the Four Swords episode is almost reason enough to purchase this game, especially for those who have had their fill with the Super NES game and are looking to have some fun with friends. While there is no way to play this game alone, the action becomes far more memorable and entertaining when friends are fighting alongside huge bosses or scrambling to grab the final rupee needed for the next level. You'll yell at the person across from you to keep firing, wonder where the person on the left is going, and even take your aggressions out by throwing the Link on the right off a cliff (he deserved it, you'll rationalize). Laughter, gasps of surprise, and a couple of heated exchanges are all part of the experience.

The multiplayer game is broken down into four themed stages (Sea of Trees, Talus Cave, Death Mountain, and Vaati's Palace), each offering three quests, one of which is a boss encounter. The goal is to collect as many rupees as possible to earn the keys needed to access the subsequent worlds. While collecting rupees is a team effort, the player who has gathered the most will earn a special Medal of Courage at the end of a level (earning ten of these awards opens up a new quest in A Link to the Past). During each stage, players will need to rely on friends to save them from traps, participate in games of tag, and fight bosses in which each player must swipe the creature at precisely the right time -- visually depicted by the creature changing color to match each Link's outfit. Other enemies include centipedes and blobs, which need coordinated attacks to defeat them. The centipede, for instance, needs to be cornered so someone can strike its head, while the blob requires simultaneous sword strikes to squash it before it can restore itself.

Four Swords is an entertaining dungeon romp that only suffers from a relatively short length. While players are encouraged to revisit this mode with the promise of random dungeons, the random aspect only applies to one specific quest in each of the main areas. Despite that somewhat misleading feature, A Link to the Past comes highly recommended to those who missed out on the 1992 Super NES cartridge. While many owners are awaiting "true" sequels to classic games on their Game Boy Advance, along the lines of the excellent Metroid Fusion, A Link to the Past is nonetheless a must-have title that, if nothing else, represents the missing "link" of Nintendo classics destined to appear on the color handheld. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

A number of minor visual changes were made to improve the game's look, but all of the classic elements (the rainstorm, the scaling, etc.) have remained untouched. A colorful game that almost leaps off the screen during certain sequences. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

A number of sound changes were also added into the game, none more obvious than Link emitting a cry each time he swings the sword. The music is essentially the same, which is a positive. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

The addition of the "Four Swords" scenario keeps things interesting and encourages players to keep plugging away to see all there is to offer in the main game, including a difficult dungeon available only when both Ganon and Vatti are defeated. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

Nintendo rarely disappoints in this department, and the full-color documentation clearly explains each facet of play with a mix of screen shots and beautiful artwork. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide