My favorite gaming series of all time is most definitely The Legend of Zelda. More specifically, Twilight Princess has a very special place in my heart that dates all the way back to my childhood. I’m sure you could have imagined the smile on my face when I discovered that the producers would be remaking one of my favorite games of all time. I already thought that Twilight Princess was a great game, but they made it even better with the HD remake because it wasn’t just a remake, it was a remaster.
I can talk for hours about this game, but i’ll just start with some of the things that they fixed in the remake. This will appeal to most of you who have already played the older version of the game.
- They made the beginning shorter and less annoying compared to the old version.
- The textures in this game were IMMENSELY improved.
- Use of the Wii U gamepad for map + item swap.
- The controls are much more savvy compared to the old version of the game, that also goes for controlling your horse (Epona).
The list goes on! There are also a number of great things that they added to the game to make it even better. The most notable of which is the inclusion of the Wolf Link amiibo. When you use the Wolf Link amiibo in the game, it allows you to access the Cave of Shadows – a 40-level dungeon where you fight increasingly more difficult enemies as Wolf Link. At the end of this Cave-of-Ordeals-like dungeon, you obtain the largest wallet in the game, which holds 5,000 rupees. This is useful for gamers who complete the sidequest that unlocks the magic armor, which drains your rupees in expense for the luxury of having the best protection from enemies that the game offers. In addition, the game includes Hero Mode where no hearts appear and enemies deal double damage. The world is also flipped in Hero Mode, much like the Wii version of Twilight Princess.
Now let’s talk about the story. To me, a great video game should have both great mechanics and a great story. Twilight Princess has excessive amounts of both of these components. The story in this game is arguably the best the series has ever offered, and I stand by that statement. I love the concept of the light and dark worlds conflicting and you have this character, Midna, who ends up being your companion, but she has a sort of mystery to her because you never really know whether or not she is actually on your side (spoilers ahead). It isn’t until later that you realize Midna is the Twilight Princess who was turned into an imp by an usurper named Zant, and Zant threatens both worlds of light and darkness. This is where the story gets really good because you actually begin to develop feelings for Midna and her world. Because of this, Midna has (in my opinion) the most tragic departure from Link that the series has ever seen, when she breaks the Mirror of Twilight and separates their two worlds for good (end spoiler).
I would also like to mention that combined, both the Gamecube and Wii versions of Twilight Princess add up to be the best selling game in the franchise to date. With that said, it was a brilliant idea to transfer this game over to a console that needs sales. As a matter of fact, it looks like this tactic the producer’s pulled is working. According to NPD sales numbers, Twilight Princess HD is the third-best selling game of March 2016. Its great to see numbers like these for a game many people love so much.
Overall, I would argue that this is the best Wii U game we have to date. With this game’s improved graphics, stunning story, savvy controls, and great improvements in comparison with the old game, this game certainly comes out on top in my book. What do you think of Twilight Princess HD? Do you have a different opinion about the best Wii U game to date? Let us know in the comments.
