Lasting Impressions

By Steve Dixon

Here's the scenario; some sad tragedy occurs and causes Zelda 64's production to be delayed. It takes them a full year to get back on track, and OoT is released today with no changes to the game it's self. Would it still be a hit? Let's break it down and find out, shall we?

Graphics:
This is one aspect of Zelda that is still unrivaled. In 1998, the graphics were considered great. Even with new systems like the Dreamcast and new games for the N64, Zelda's graphics would still be considered extremely good. The fog is minimal, the characters are exceptional, and the whole package is top-notch work.

Sound:
A good soundtrack and so-so effects. What else can be said? As long as there's ALTTP music in the game, you can't go TOO wrong...

Control:
Another area where Zelda still shines is Control. Innovations like Z targeting caused a small revolution in the field of game controls.

Game Design:
By all means, it's still an epic. This is still one of the great games ever. The greatest? No. There have been better, but not very many. One aspect of the game that would result in gripes would be the glitches, which have taken a life of their own on the Internet.

Overall:
It would be a hit, sell millions of copies and have hundreds of websites worship it. But it wouldn't be as amazingly engrossing as it was in 1999. The simple reason is that technology has come a long way since then, as have consumer's expectations. The game would be above average, but little more.

And that's the bottom line. Zelda would be a solid game if it were released today, but not a truly great one. Was I harsh? Maybe. Biased? Possibly. Right? I think so.