Review

While Zelda advocates will find solace in the inventive puzzles, archetypal boss battles, and familiar story arc that runs through every inch of gameplay, the main attraction and allure of this game is quite out of character for this hallowed franchise. As the name so cleary implies, this adventure shines the most with four people playing at once. Granted, you will get a sizeable charge marching through the dungeons by your lonesome, but this title is designed with the intent of having players communicate to solve puzzles and get rowdy as the competition rises.

Much like Square Enix's Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles release, you do have the option of using the GameCube controller in single player, but a Game Boy Advance is mandatory for multiplayer. I really didn't see the reason why I had to use my GBA in Crystal Chronicles, but it does make sense for this game. The TV screen is essentially the
overworld and main area. All four players can interact here, and the screen will pan out and zoom in depending on where the characters are in relation to one another. When one person enters a cave or house they will disappear from this screen. At this point, the person needs to look at their GBA. As odd as it is to have to look up at the TV, then down at your handheld, it grants each player freedom to do as he or she wishes and not stay huddled up together. Of course, the Internet does the same thing, but until Nintendo realizes what this is, it looks like we're going to have to tolerate the GBA/GC connectivity gimmick.

If you do happen to have four friends who are Zelda fanatics and GBA owners, you are going to have the time of your life playing this game. The majority of puzzles revolve around all four characters working together as a team. You may be asked to throw switches at precisely the same time, stand together to pull a large lever out of a wall, or coordinate attacks against a dungeon boss.

As an avid Zelda fan that counts the days before each release, I walked away from Four Swords with mixed feelings. I love the retro gameplay, unforgettable melodies, and gorgeous visuals. However, with the quest broken up into stand-alone levels, the design feels more Mario than Zelda. Losing all of your hard-earned items and Heart Containers at the end of each stage is even more defeating. Outside of the brilliant gameplay, Zelda has always struck a chord with me for being a seamless adventure where anything was possible. Chopping the quest up kills the buzz and aura that surrounds it. I also found that many of the stages didn't offer enough action, especially when you have four people questing together.

All told, as a Zelda game, it doesn't come close to reaching the towering peak of brilliance that this series has established over the years. It's definitely shot from the same cannon, but it's a different type of game. While I can still picture the perfect Zelda multiplayer game that doesn't sacrifice the integrity of the series, Nintendo has chosen to move in a different direction where gimmicks take center stage. Questing with friends is an enjoyable experience, but it's also one that will have you longing for something much deeper.

Concept:
Classic Zelda gameplay that stresses teamwork among four players

Graphics:
Mouth-watering Link to the Past-styled graphics and Wind Waker-esque effects

Sound:
You'll be humming these tunes until the day that you die

Playability:
Words cannot describe just how ingenious some of the puzzles are. The boss fights will also hit home with fans of the series

Entertainment:
A great party game, but nowhere near as complex as a typical Zelda adventure

Replay:
Moderately High

Rated: 8 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner
Issue: June 2004

2nd Opinion:
Four Swords Adventures is so many things at once that finding the right words to describe why I love it and hate it all at the same time is difficult. For example, I love the old-school 16-bit-styled graphics combined with the punch of today's particle effects and the gaudy number of enemies the GameCube can process on the screen at once. However, my enjoyment of the title is greatly hampered by the whole connectivity aspect. Why give me this gorgeous full adventure and then have the gameplay switch back and forth between the two screens, basically forcing the player to use a GBA (or at least look at a little window that pops up onscreen if you play without one)? For one, I find the whole thing annoying, and more importantly, none of the switching back and forth actually makes the game any better. All my complaining aside, it is a pretty fun multiplayer experience. However, I think the game would have been better if it just stuck with the classic Baldur's Gate multiplayer formula, and created a better, more far-reaching Zelda quest.

Rated: 8 out of 10
Editor: Andy McNamara


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