Updated Look: Missing Link?
Since our original preview of Four Swords in September, Nintendo has come out with some more information about the next adventures of Link on the GameCube. As Jeff discussed in the aforementioned preview, the Four Swords announcement was met with little fanfare, and even some disappointment. Seemingly, all this game looked like was a re-release of the GBA Four Swords game to be played through the GameCube. No, not on the GameCube, but rather through the GameCube, as in the console will serve as a medium through which the GBAs will be played. Confused? Yeah, so was everybody else.
Well, since then, Nintendo announced some plans to release Four Swords packaged with two other games into one game called "The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures." Oy, I know, confusing.
One of the games included in Four Swords Adventures are the previously reported game Tetra’s Trackers, now called "Navi Trackers." Whether Tetra, the blonde haired pirate from Wind Waker or Navi the fairy from the N64 adventures will star in this game is anybody’s guess. The screenshots suggest its Tetra, but then why is it called "Navi Trackers?" You got me.
The other two games are Hyrule Adventure and Shadow Battle. Hyrule Adventure is the main game of the three. You can play it single-player, thank goodness, but if you want multiplayer you need GBAs. You can also probably count on other goodies being available only to those who have GBAs, although I may be wrong. Hyrule Adventure plays out more like a classic Zelda game, with Link needing to rescue hapless maidens strewn about Hyrule. In single-player you play as one Link and can command three other differently-colored Links as you trek through Hyrule. If you have friends with GBAs they can each take over one of these secondary Links and use their GBA as their controller/screen. The TV is the field map, and the GBAs are used when you go indoors. So, essentially, Hyrule Adventure can be played single-player or co-op, but instead of using the TV screen for the co-op experience, players get to use their GBAs. Or have to use their GBAs, however you’d rather phrase it. Graphics-wise, everything I’ve seen suggests that it looks like a GBA game on your GameCube, with some very minor graphical updates (like smoke).
The GBA-GameCube connectivity is being pushed so much, there’s even a Game Boy Advance Cable packaged with the game. You can’t even play Navi Trackers or Shadow Battle (a multiplayer competition wherein you compete with your friends to try to get the most swag) without a Game Boy Advance. So, if you’re one of those rare (to Nintendo, apparently) gamers that has a GameCube but no GBA, well, you only get one game. "But Jeremy, I paid for all three!" Well, don’t cry to me about it. I don’t have a GBA either.
