Eiji Aonuma

Saw the promotional trailer for this mash-up called Fistful of Rupees and I thought that while it looked interesting, it would be as forgettable as The Legend of Zelda fan-made video tribute things tend to be. However, having seen all three parts to the "film" I have to say this effort is surprisingly good on many levels—the acting is surprisingly good, the action is surprisingly good and the production quality is surprisingly good as well. Never thought I'd want a Zelda game based on a Spaghetti Western until now.

You probably never thought about it this way, but while playing The Legend of Zelda, you were going into boss fights at a severe disadvantage. Not only were you probably low on health, but you had to deal with that incessant chiming. Dorkly shows us how Link should have used it to turn the tables.

We're bringing back GameCritics After Dark, and to kick things off it's a special Zelda extravaganza! We assemble a crack team of experts to give their take on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, then we debate an even more enormous question: what is the future of the Zelda franchise? Featuring Richard Naik and Mike Bracken, plus special guests Jeffrey Matulef and Brainy Gamer's Michael Abbott.

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• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review

Please send feedback and mailbag questions to podcast (at) gamecritics (dot) com.

Stuck in the Clouds

HIGH The boss in dungeon four.

LOW Inconsistent stabs AND falling off a ledge to be respawned next to a lantern ghost in the Silent Realm.

WTF To open the gate of time, you must attain the three sacred flames. To get the sacred flames, you must acquire the three sacred gifts. To get those, you must procure the fifteen tears of the goddess....

I did play the game back in the day when it was new, but it's been so long (released in 2000) that I couldn't remember much about it except that I had an intense dislike for it.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was not a favorite game of mine—I played it for a few hours and put it down never to pick it up again—but I did always like the character Midna. Others have apparently played the game as well and become quite fond of Midna. They have gone so far enough as to create a Midna costume. As with such things, some are more successful than others, but no matter where you go, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better example of Midna cosplay than Kagomechann's.

While thoroughly engaging and lore-filled, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is not the "tight and classy" Wii primer that Gene Park implies. Poor presentation and technical flaws mar this latest addition to the Zelda family.

Even before a new installment in Nintendo's fabled The Legend of Zelda series hits shelves, it has the uncanny ability to ignite heated, passionate discussion on its untested merits. At the same time, it often summons cool, breezy reflections on the overall series and its special qualities. And what happens afterward? More of the same thing really. But there was one significant outcome after the release GameCube's Wind Waker and the Nintendo 64's Majora's Mask—Twilight Princess.

Game Description: The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess brings you back to the land of Hyrule, as you uncover the mystery behind its plunge into darkness. Link, a young man raised as a wrangler in a rural village, is ordered by the mayor to attend the Hyrule Summit. He sets off, oblivious to the dark fate that has descended upon the kingdom. When he enters the Twilight Realm that has covered Hyrule, he transforms into a wolf and is captured. A mysterious figure helps him break free, and with the aid of her magic, they set off to free the land from the shadows. Link must explore the vast land of Hyrule and As he does, he'll have to enlist the aid of friendly folk, solve puzzles and battle his way through dangerous dungeons. In the Twilight Realm, he'll have to use his wolf abilities and Midna's magic to bring light to the land. Revisit classic and new characters—Link, Zelda, Midna and many others.