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Preview  Legend of Zelda Cubed
- By Michael Loewer


May 22, 2002

Today I was able to see The Legend of Zelda Cubed on the show floor for the first time. We all know the controversy over the cel-shading as opposed to the darker original textures, but regardless of which you prefer, the current incarnation rocks. Perhaps the original would have rocked more, I don't know, but the fact remains that rockage is definitely present as of now.

Playing it was exceptionally tough, for although the lines were short all around, gamers were hard pressed to give it up. I certainly can't blame them, based on the wicked visuals I saw during my many minutes of watching. The opening screenshots included in this article do NOT do the game justice. I'm sure that Nintendo's use of nothing but ultra-expensive digital and plasma screens helped out, but the fact remains Miyamoto was correct in telling gamers that they'd be able to control their own cartoon.

The visuals are stunning. I can safely say that I have never seen aesthetics like this on any other game -- they are in a word, revolutionary. This isn't a matter of trying to make a game as life-like as possible, because any next generation system can do that. This is truly a new art form, in that the game developers were forced to have artistic talent, rather than just programming ability.



Gameplay was as solid as one would expect from a Miyamoto Zelda title on any Nintendo platform. The z-targeting is present and as natural to use in Zelda Cubed as it was in Ocarina of Time. The experience is fun, exciting, and pure, making one think back to the original Zelda and that kind of pure gaming joy. Miyamoto has combined the graphics artistically to accentuate the gameplay, instead of allowing them to overpower or take center stage. I rarely heard anyone talk specifically about the graphics alone, instead compliments were directed generally about the game. As said, rockage is definitely present.



I know people are still pissed about the cel-shading, but you're going to have to trust me on this -- people are going to be VERY surprised when Zelda Cubed is finally launched. Speaking of which, the launch date has been conservatively set at a US release in February of 2003. However, Peter McDougall and the honorable Shigeru Miyamoto both made it clear that they would make every effort to try and get it released before this Christmas.

Rockage. Lots of rockage.


EIC Michael Loewer, out.

- 5.22.2002