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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Eiji Aonuma (director) Shigeru Miyamoto (producer) Yoshiyuki Oyama (character design)
Engine	Heavily modified version of the The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker engine.
Platform(s)	Nintendo GameCube, Wii
Release	Wii Version November 19, 2006 December 2, 2006 December 7, 2006 December 8, 2006 GameCube Version December 2, 2006 December 12, 2006 December 14, 2006 December 15, 2006
Genre(s)	Action Adventure
Mode(s)	Single player

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (ゼルダの伝説 トワイライトプリンセス, Zeruda no Densetsu Towairaito Purinsesu) is a video game in Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series, for the Wii and Nintendo GameCube. Originally planned for release in November 2005, Nintendo delayed it so that the developers could add more content and fine-tune the game. The Wii version was released on the console's launch date November 19 2006 in North America and December 2 2006 in Japan, and subsequent versions will follow on the other Wii launch dates, which are: December 8 2006 in Europe, December 7 2006 in Australia, making Twilight Princess the first Zelda game to debut alongside the launch of a Nintendo console. The GameCube version will be released on December 12 2006 in North America, December 14 2006 in Australia and on December 15 2006 in Europe, and in Japan on December 2 2006.

At the Nintendo E3 2006 Press Conference, President of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime described Twilight Princess as “...by far the best Zelda game we’ve ever made.”

Twilight Princess is the first game in The Legend of Zelda series to be rated T by the ESRB, for animated blood and fantasy violence.

Story

Template:Spoilers The game begins with Link living in Ordon village, working as a ranch hand. He is asked by Rusl, the village's blacksmith, to deliver the Ordon Sword to Hyrule Castle. Before he can begin his journey, Link, the mayor's daughter Ilia, and Rusl's son Colin are ambushed by a group of monsters. Ilia and Colin are kidnapped, and Link is knocked unconscious. Upon awakening, he pursues them, only to be pulled into the Twilight Realm, transformed into a wolf, and imprisoned in a castle. An imp-like creature named Midna helps him escape from his cell, and the two join forces.

Link and Midna travel through the castle until they meet another one of its prisoners - Princess Zelda herself. She explains that a member of a race known as the Twili is trying to merge the Twilight Realm and Hyrule to make them into one land of darkness. In order to defeat the king who rules over twilight, Midna is searching for a sacred weapon called the Fused Shadow that she can use to defeat the evil king and save the Twilight Realm. However, Midna cares nothing for the fate of Hyrule.

During the quest to assemble this weapon, it is discovered that the Twili are a race of beings who were banished to the Twilight Realm by the gods of Hyrule. The Twili were interlopers with great magic who went to the holy Sacred Realm in order to establish dominion over it, causing a war to break out in Hyrule. After these sorcerers became too powerful, the goddesses sent three light spirits to seal away the beings' magic, and sealed the beings themselves away into another realm known as the Twilight Realm. The goddesses created the Mirror of Twilight, a device to banish beings into the Twilight Realm (though it can also be used to enter the realm normally).

After many trials, Link and Midna re-assemble the Fused Shadow. However, the king of the twilight, Zant, appears, and curses Link by embedding a stone into his forehead causing him to be trapped in his wolf form, and injures Midna almost fatally. Zant leaves, and Link rushes Midna back to Hyrule Castle to seek aid from Princess Zelda. At Hyrule Castle, Princess Zelda reveals that the only way Link can return back to his normal form is to find the Master Sword. Midna's life is fading away, and Zelda, upon realizing that Midna can save Hyrule, sacrifices herself to save Midna. Midna and Link then venture deep into the Sacred Grove, and obtain the Master Sword.

Midna explains that the only way to save Hyrule and stop Zant now is to find the Mirror of Twilight and use it to confront Zant with the Master Sword. However, when Link and Midna reach the Mirror, Zant had already broken it into four fragments. Only one fragment of the Mirror of Twilight is present. The ancient Sages who guard the Mirror appear, and reveal that an evil man named Ganondorf was sealed into the Twilight Realm after he was captured by the Sages. The Sages reveal that only the true ruler of the Twili could destroy the Mirror of Twilight, and that Zant was only powerful enough to shatter it.

Link and Midna venture out and recover the fragments of the Mirror of Twilight, reconstruct the mirror, and use it to warp to the Twilight Realm, where Zant rules in the Palace of Twilight. Link and Midna confront Zant and finally learn that Zant was actually in line to become the true Twilight King, but was passed over. When Zant was passed over in the choice for ruler, he went into a crazed rage, and was approached by the spirit of Ganondorf, who selected him to be a vessel for his power and help him regain his previous power. It is revealed that Midna is the true Twilight Princess, and was overthrown by Zant and turned into an imp using Ganondorf's power.

Link defeats Zant, who claims that as long as Ganondorf lives, he will revive Zant. Link leaves and returns to Hyrule to save Zelda. The castle is engulfed by a barrier erected using Ganondorf's power, and Midna uses the Fused Shadow to break it. Link and Midna infiltrate Hyrule Castle and reach the top throne room to find Ganondorf sitting at the throne, and Zelda's lifeless body suspended above him. Ganondorf possesses Princess Zelda's body, and fights Link. Link wins the battle, and Midna then uses the Fused Shadow to purge Zelda of Ganondorf. He then turns into a beast-like form, Ganon, and attacks Link. Link defeats him, and Midna returns Zelda's soul to her body. Before the three of them can celebrate, Ganon's soul appears. Midna warps Link and Zelda to safety in Hyrule Field, and then tries to destroy Ganon using the Fused Shadow.

As Link and Zelda appear in Hyrule Field, they turn to Hyrule Castle and see a giant explosion eminating from it. They then see Ganondorf on horseback, holding Midna's helmet — he has defeated her. Princess Zelda uses her magic power to summon the light spirits. The spirits bestow upon her the Light Arrows, and then Link and Zelda re-appear in Hyrule Field on Epona and battle Ganondorf. Ganondorf falls in battle, but rises one last time to challenge Link to a one-on-one sword duel. In the end, Link defeats Ganondorf with the Master Sword. As Ganondorf stands impaled, the Triforce symbol fades from his hand. As this happens, Zant's neck snaps, killing him.

Now that the threat made by Ganon is over, Hyrule and the Twilight Realm are saved. Additionally, the curse that Zant put on Midna using Ganon's power has been lifted, and Midna regains her true form. After Link and Zelda are reunited with her, they travel to the Mirror of Twilight, to see Midna off before she returns home. Before Midna warps away, she shatters the Mirror of Twilight with a tear, forever sealing off the road between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. Link is then seen riding away from his home town after staking the Master Sword in the Sacred Grove. Template:Endspoiler

Gameplay

Footage from the game was originally shown at E3 2004 in the form of a short trailer, and was shown afterwards in several other trailers. It features a stylized, naturalistic art style (similar to, but more advanced than, that found in Ocarina of Time), rather than the cel-shaded look that The Wind Waker exhibited — although it still makes use of cel-shading effects, using a very heavily modified version of The Wind Waker’s engine. In a further departure from The Wind Waker, Link is once again a young man, as opposed to a child, as in the latter part of Ocarina of Time, Link's Awakening, A Link to the Past, and in Adventure of Link. The game also takes on a darker tone, rivaling that of Majora's Mask.

A number of rumors about the game were confirmed at E³ 2005. The official title, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was announced. (The title was actually first revealed in a pre-E³ scan from Game Informer.) It was explained that Link would transform into a wolf when entering the "Twilight Realm," a mysterious void that has ensnared Hyrule. This is not a wholly separate place like the Dark World in A Link to the Past, but an evil transformation that slowly spreads across Hyrule.

The game falls chronologically about a hundred years after Ocarina of Time, though the reference to being before The Wind Waker has been ommitted in recent interviews with the developers. Interviews and a playable demo exposed many new details, such as Link beginning the game as a ranch-hand, Link battling on horseback, changes in the horse controls from Ocarina of Time, thematic differences between dungeons, and so on.

In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Link learns more moves than in any other Legend of Zelda game to date. For every move that Link has in his humanoid form, he also knows a counterpart move in his lupine form. When an enemy is on the ground, Link has the option to finish them off. When done, Link plunges his sword in the fallen enemy. Link can communicate with animals in wolf form as if they were people. When transformed into a wolf, Link’s senses (smell, sight, and hearing) are also raised quite significantly. With these abilities come some disadvantages. While he is a wolf, Link cannot utilize any of his items, or open any doors until he learns this ability.

There is no extensive voice acting in the game. The characters still laugh, scream, and make other such noises, just as they have in previous installments on the Nintendo 64 and Nintendo GameCube.

Weapons and Items

Template:Spoilers Link first acquires a wooden sword (as he did in the original The Legend of Zelda) but later upgrades to the Ordon Sword (a regular metal sword) and then the Master Sword. In the Palace of Twilight, the Master Sword is upgraded to the Light Sword. Link obtains a wooden shield early in the game called the Ordon Shield. Although this can catch fire (similar to the Deku Shield in Ocarina of Time), Link can replace it with the metallic Hylian Shield, which does not catch fire. Once an enemy is defeated the player can sheath the sword in a cinematic fashion; this also happens during cinematics that take place following boss battles.

The Slingshot also returns from previous installments of the series. Link obtains this item early on in the game so that the player can get accustomed to aiming with the Wii Remote.

A Lantern and Lantern Oil are also in the game, which is a first for a 3D Zelda game. Lanterns can be refilled by certain shopkeepers, and lantern oil can also be held in a bottle.

The Dominion Rod (found in the Temple of Time) is used to bring statues with holes in them to life, allowing Link to control them.

The game features many classic Zelda armaments, some with new twists, such as the Gale Boomerang. This novel version of the series staple can create a small whirlwind capable of picking up items, including lit bombs, and delivering them to other locations, such as to an enemy or back to Link.

The Iron Boots also return, which can now be used in conjunction with magnetic surfaces to lift Link to new heights. They are also used for purposes outside dungeons. For example, they are first used to prevent the player from being knocked off Death Mountain by rolling Gorons, and are also used in a sumo wrestling match against the Goron Elder.

Link has three types of bombs available: bombs (standard bomb), water bombs (bombs that can be used in water), and bomblings (bomb with legs, similar to Bombchu).

The player can combine items such as the bombs and arrows to create bomb arrows, among other items. This recalls a feature of Link's Awakening for the Game Boy, in which the player is able create an explosive arrow by simply equipping the bow and bombs and firing both at once. This is now a fully documented ability which the player must use to progress in certain areas, whereas in Link's Awakening it was more of an easter egg.

Twilight Princess also introduces a new version of the Hookshot called the Clawshot. This item functions similarly to the Hookshot, except that Link can hang from the fully retracted claw when he has reached his destination, and when hanging from a ceiling he can extend or retract the chain to move upwards or downwards (reminiscent of the Grappling Hook item in The Wind Waker). Later, he acquires a second Clawshot which he wears on his other hand, creating a pair dubbed the Double Clawshot, which allows him to transfer from one Clawshot point to another and access previously unreachable areas.

There are four different outfits for Link: The original outfit he starts in, the green "Hero" tunic, another Magic Armor that makes Link invincible (though it quickly drains rupees while equipped and will make it heavier for him to walk once he runs out of Rupees) and a Zora Armor (with flippers and diving mask) that lets him breathe and swim freely underwater, yet increases the damage taken from fire and ice hazards. The Zora armor is a gift from the late Zora queen for saving her son.

Classic items such as Potions and Bottles also return. Red potions restore 8 hearts of health, while the more expensive blue potions restore all hearts. A new item that can be held in bottles is bee larva. They can be obtained from beehives Link knocks down and also from select shops. They can be used as fishing bait, or to eat and regain a quarter of a heart. While eating them, Link is said to have a "horrible, but hilarious" face.

In wolf form, Link receives a "sense" ability which is somewhat similar to the Lens of Truth from previous games. Also, using the sense ability, Link can track down certain characters by following their scents with his enhanced senses. As a wolf, he is also able to find and dig holes to find new passages and uncover buried items such as hearts and rupees. He can also search for Poe's Souls in his wolf form, which can only be seen when using his wolf senses. Finding 60 Poe's Souls completes one of the side-quests in the game.

The Master Sword makes a return, after its previous absences in Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, and Majora's Mask. It is much longer than it was in the previous games and also glows with a white aura, similar to the re-awakened Master Sword from The Wind Waker. A screenshot showing Link fighting a Darknut with the legendary sword is one of the first Wii screenshots of the game, and is viewable on the official Wii website. Also, at the end of a trailer released on November 1 2006, Link is shown pulling the Master Sword out of a pedestal in a derelict building, which in the game is revealed to be the Temple of Time.

The Spinner is a large top-like object which he uses to move over the floor and bash into enemies. It is also used to ride along tracks in Arbiter Grounds and other locations.

One of the new items is a ball and chain, a heavy ball at the end of a chain which Link uses to hit enemies and break through weak walls. Using this item slows his movement however, though when carrying it, it works like a shield.

Golden bugs roam around Hyrule. Catching these bugs and giving them to a girl who thinks she's a princess will get the girl to upgrade your wallet and give you some rupees.

A heart container now consists of five heart pieces instead of four. Thus, extending your life meter will become more difficult.

Ooccoo is a character present in most dungeons. When discovered, she behaves as a warp item, much like Farore's Wind in Ocarina of Time. She will let you set a warp point inside a dungeon, then warp you outside; and, when you're ready to return to the dungeon, you use her again and she will warp Link back to the warp point previously set. Oocoo's existence is explained later in the game when it is revealed that she is a member of the Oocoo species which lives in the City of the Sky. She requires Link's help to return to the city. Once there, she finds out that a giant dragon is terrorizing the city, and requests Link's help in defeating this beast.

Characters

Enemies

Template:Spoiler

Enemy AI is more advanced than in The Wind Waker.

Staple enemies such as Keese and Moblins return. Another classic enemy in the Zelda series, Stalfos have appeared in numerous screenshots and trailers. A Stalfos is a walking skeleton, usually equipped with a shield and sword, and in most cases can still be defeated by blocking their attacks and counter-attacking quickly before they can defend themselves. Darknuts return, as well. They are more powerful, both offensively and defensively, than those in previous installments. Removing their armor exposes their bodies and leaves them open to attack, but also makes them very agile and adept with the broadsword (which is actually their secondary weapon). Beamos make a comeback in Twilight Princess. They are now stone blocks with red eyes with spinning heads, which shoot beams of fire. The reptilian Lizalfos (and/or Dinolfos) return from Ocarina of Time. These foes make appearances in a number of different places, and fight with swords, shields, axes on their tails, and some wear a sort of skull helmet. Skull Kids make an appearance in Faron Woods's Sacred Grove. Skulltullas return with an overhauled appearance, now black with white stripes instead of being white. They now drop from their webs and attack Link on the ground.

Poes return, and Link may collect their souls for trade. Link also encounters fire breathing lizards, which have the liking of a Dodongo from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Other returning enemies include Deku Babas, Stalchilds, Tektites, Wolfos, and Bokoblins. The Moblins and Bokoblins only appear in the game riding giant boars. All of these returning creatures have a new darker, more mature, and more detailed look and feel. Some returning creatures are given more abilities, or lack there of. One such example are the Redead Knights of Arbiter's Grounds. While retaining the freezing scream of the Redeads present in both The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, these new creatures attack with swords and have armor, traits that were not present in the previous incarnations.

There are several new enemies as well. Shadow Beings borne from the Twilight Realm attack Link in various locations. They fall from portals in the sky from the Twilight Realm. When they attack in groups, if one remains, it will revive all other beings, requiring Link to kill the last two at the same time. When a group is defeated, their portal can be used to warp. Shadow Insects must be destroyed in the twilight. They carry "tears", which restore power to the light spirits, purifying the land of twilight. A giant fly is fought at Lake Hylia as the last insect. There are new enemies called "Wolf Stalfos" which attack Link in several trailers. They look like skeletal wolves, and are another form of Stalfos. The "Wolf Stalfos" appear at night when traveling across Hyrule field.

Races

Goron

The Goron race has returned in the latest installment of the Zelda series. Not only are they much taller, they retain many of the same features as the Gorons from past Zelda installments, only differing in that they now have a more rock like appearance with a rocky crust that can be seen on their head and back areas, and also wear tribal markings on their skin. Early on in the game they serve as enemies that attack Link upon noticing him, but it is possible to knock a Goron off balance by first blocking the attacks with a shield, or by dodging them, until the Goron begins to lose balance. The player can then strike the Goron, causing it to curl up and allowing the player to use it as a spring to reach higher areas. Using this method the player can get from one place to others which are normally unreachable. The Gorons are found around Death Mountain near the beginning of the game, and later around Kakariko Village once the player has obtained the second Fused Shadow.

A fatter Goron featured in early game artwork serves as a Mini-Boss in the second dungeon guarding the Hero's Bow. This Goron is noticibly different as it is larger than most Gorons (albeit not as large as Biggoron featured in Ocarina Of Time) and also features large pieces of metal grafted onto its back and arms.

Notable Gorons from Twilight Princess:

• Darbus (the boss of Goron Mines)
• Gor Coron, the Goron elder
• an armoured Goron who serves as a mini-boss.

Zora

The Zora people also make a comeback. They live along Zora River and Link plays an important role in helping the Zora with multiple tasks. The warriors of the Zora tribe now carry spears and wear distinct, fish-shaped helmets.

Notable Zoras from Twilight Princess:

• Ralis
• the Queen Zora spirit

Sheikah

Though the name is not directly stated, Impaz is known to be a Sheikah because she said she was named after the one who made the Hidden Village (OoT Impa) and is in the same clan as they were. It could also be assumed the shaman of Kakariko Village is a Sheikah, as he has the characteristic cheek bones and lips that Impa, a fellow Sheikah, had. During Ocarina of Time, many Sheikahs also resided in Kakariko Village, although that was some time before the events of Twilight Princess.

Gerudo

The Gerudo species as a whole do not return, but Ganondorf does, and he is a Gerudo. The desert to the west is also known as the Gerudo Desert. Also, the barmaid, Telma, who is featured prominently in the story greatly resembles the Gerudo women of past games, although neither she nor anyone else makes any comment about her connection with them, ancestral or otherwise. Whether or not the Gerudo still exist is not known.

Twili

The latest race to be added to The Legend of Zelda series is the Twili. Both Zant and Midna are members of this race, which was sealed away in the Twilight Realm long ago. They are the descendants of a group of mages who defied the gods and attempted to take over the sacred realm. As a result, they were banished for their actions.

Oocca

Another new race, the Oocca, are said to be an ancient race that created the Hylians. They live in the City in the Sky which Link visits in order to find the last shard of the Twilight Mirror, before entering the Twilight Realm.

Ooccoo is the member of this race that aids you in all of the dungeons. Her main goal is to go back to her sky city after finding the keeper of the "Dominion Rod".

Bosses

Dungeons

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There are a total of nine dungeons in the game. Almost every dungeon contains a mini-boss, and later on a boss with which to battle.

Forest Temple

Boss: Twilit Parasite: Diababa

Located in North Faron Woods in the Faron Province, the Forest Temple is actually a giant tree. Prior to Link first entering the Forest Temple, a number of monkeys have been captured and imprisoned by the malevolent forces currently residing within the temple. The miniboss to this dungeon is a monkey larger than the other monkeys who resembles a baboon, and throws a boomerang at Link while jumping on the 5 pillars located in his room. Link frees and uses the help of the monkeys and the Gale Boomerang found there to defeat the boss, Twilit Parasite: Diababa.

Goron Mines

Boss: Twilit Igniter: Fyrus

Similar to its appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Death Mountain has now been mined by the Gorons that reside there. When Link first comes to Death Mountain, the Gorons have become defensive. However, after winning a sumo wrestling match with a Goron elder, Link is finally granted access to the lava filled mines. Within, Link must locate a bow and arrows, as well as three Goron elders holding pieces of a key that will grant access to the boss of the mines, which is the Goron patriarch Darbus. Darbus has been transformed by the second fused shadow into the Twilit Igniter: Fyrus.

Lakebed Temple

Boss: Twilit Aquatic: Morpheel

Located at the bottom of Lake Hylia, hence the name, the Lakebed Temple is a holy place to the Zora race. After obtaining the Zora Armor, which gives Link the ability to breathe and swim underwater, Link is able to visit the Lakebed Temple. After obtaining the clawshot, Link is able to navigate the Temple, defeat Twilit Aquatic: Morpheel, and obtain the third and final Fused Shadow. In the past, the Temple was known as The Water Temple, and was seen in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Arbiter's Grounds

Boss - Twilit Fossil: Stallord

Located in northeastern Gerudo Desert, the Arbiter's Grounds contains an ancient chamber housing the Twilight Mirror. Resting in the second basement of the dungeon is a lone sword tied down by a number of ropes. Upon cutting the ropes that hold the sword in place, it appears to come to life. By switching to the wolf and using your senses, you see that it is being wielded by a ghost in a blue cloak and a face that resembles a goat skull, very similar to the skulls worn by some of the Zealots from the game Resident Evil 4. After obtaining the Spinner, Link is able to find, and ultimately defeat, Twilit Fossil: Stallord. Once Link has finished the dungeon, however, he finds that the Twilight Mirror has been shattered. Arbiter's Grounds shares a similar theme to the Forest Temple of Ocarina of Time in which Link must defeat four Poes before he can continue his quest through the dungeon.

Snowpeak Ruins

Boss - Twilit Ice Mass: Blizzeta

Snowpeak Ruins is the home of two yetis: Yeto, and his wife, Yeta. Their mansion contains three floors, a small church, and a tower. Most rooms are covered in ice, due to the icy locale. It's tower contains the bedroom of Yeto and Yeta. Here Link battles Yeta, who has been possessed by the power of a Mirror Shard and transformed into the boss Twilit Ice Mass: Blizetta. After defeating Blizetta he receives the first shard of the Twilight Mirror.

Temple of Time

Boss - Twilit Arachnid: Armogohma

Although time has passed, and much of the structure has been lost, this place still greatly resembles the Temple of Time from Ocarina of Time. The player must, however, travel backwards in time to enter because of the extensive damage to the structure. Link obtains the Dominion Rod within the Temple, which allows Link to control certain statues. Within the Temple, he defeats Twilit Arachnid: Armogohma and recovers the second shard of the Twilight Mirror.

City in the Sky

Boss - Twilit Dragon: Argorok

The City in the Sky is home to the acient Oocca race of bird-like creatures. Set high above the ground, it most likely floats above Lake Hylia. To reach the city Link must propel himself by use of a giant Ooca cannon, found under Kakariko Village. It's buildings are eight floors high, but many only contain one or two rooms. Within the temple, Link gains another Clawshot, which allows Link to use a clawshot while attached to a surface with the other one. Twilit Dragon: Argorok, a dragon-like creature terrorizing the city, shares abilities and characteristics which resemble those of the dragon Valoo from The Wind Waker.

Palace of Twilight

Boss - Usurper King: Zant

After gaining all four shards of the Twilight Mirror, the portal to the Twilight Realm opens in the Mirror Chamber at Arbiter's Grounds. After entering the portal Link can reach the Palace of Twilight. There are three parts of the palace; first Link enters the right wing of the palace, and later the left wing. After collecting two Sols, the Master Sword gains the power to repel Twilight, and defeat the boss, Usurper King: Zant.

Hyrule Castle

Bosses - Ganon's Puppet: Zelda, Dark Beast: Ganon, and Dark Lord: Ganondorf

Hyrule Castle is helmed by Ganon. Ganon takes control of Princess Zelda's body, and Link fights her. Ganon is then transformed into Dark Beast: Ganon. Once he is defeated, Midna tries to destroy him using the Fused Shadows. Ganon survives, and fights Link on a horse using Zelda's Light Arrows. Finally, the Dark Lord: Ganondorf, duels Link in what many Zelda fans consider to be one of the best boss battles ever in a Zelda game. When Ganondorf is defeated, Light is returned to Hyrule and the game ends.

Music

Music once again plays a role in Twilight Princess. While Link does not carry a musical instrument of any type in the game until well into the game, he can pick grass from certain patches and whistle with it to call an animal, either a Hawk or Epona (later on, an instrument shaped similarly to the grass used to summon Epona is given to Link and has the same effect as the aforementioned grass). Also, while as a wolf Link can howl near the same patches, to the same effect. When Link is in his wolf form, there are "listening stones" located around the world where, after Link howls a certain pattern shown a few times, a golden wolf appears and jumps somewhere else in the world. Link must then change back to his human form and find the wolf to learn a hidden sword technique. The songs howled by Wolf Link are songs learned in previous games, such as the Oath to Order, and Song of healing from Majora's Mask and the Minuet of Forest from Ocarina of Time.

In a first for the Zelda series, at least part of the soundtrack has been orchestrated as opposed to using MIDI. The fact that Nintendo has decided to use mostly MIDI for the soundtrack, however, has been a point of criticism. Koji Kondo, the lead composer for the game's soundtrack, originally stated that he "would really like to push for" the music to be orchestrated. Part of the full soundtrack is received when a Nintendo Power subscription is purchased (the subscription also comes with a game guide for Twilight Princess). The tracks are as follows:

1. The Legend of Zelda Orchestra Piece 2
2. Hyrule Field Main Theme
3. Ordon Village
4. Kakariko Village
5. Death Mountain
6. Midna's Theme
7. Ilia's Theme

Development

Speculation regarding a realistic Zelda game on the Nintendo GameCube goes back as far as the summer of 2000. During the 2000 SpaceWorld convention, Nintendo unveiled the GameCube along with some demos for Luigi’s Mansion, an unnamed Metroid game (later to become Metroid Prime), Super Mario 128, an unnamed Pokémon game (Pokémon Colosseum), and a Zelda demo where characters Link and Ganondorf fight.

When Nintendo unveiled a trailer for what would become The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker during Space World 2001, fans were shocked by the change in direction the Zelda series was taking on consoles. After the game was released in 2003, most criticism of the new style disappeared, as both reviews and word-of-mouth ratings for the game were positive. Many thought this acceptance (and the news that a “sequel”, tentatively dubbed The Wind Waker 2, was being built on the same engine) signaled that the next Zelda console game, (not counting Four Swords Adventures) would continue in that style. (The Wind Waker 2 in question would later go on to become The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS).

The game was believed to be scheduled for release in November 2005, until August 16, 2005, when Nintendo announced it would be released some time after March 31 2006, because the development team needed more time to work on the game. In February, Reggie Fils-Aime stated in an interview on Spike TV that Twilight Princess would be released in the Fall of 2006, well past the expected spring or early summer release but still in time for the holiday shopping season. This delay of Twilight Princess caused a large number of fans to speculate that Nintendo was actually planning to release the game for the company’s new console, Wii. However, Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo’s Vice President for Corporate Affairs, confirmed that it would indeed be released on the GameCube: “...we feel a commitment to the GameCube owners who’ve been patiently awaiting this new Zelda title, and don’t want to force them to wait and buy a brand new system in order to play the game.” At Nintendo’s pre-E³ 2006 press conference, Reggie Fils-Aime announced that two versions would be released simultaneously in the Americas: one for GCN, and one for Wii.

On September 14, 2006 and September 15 2006, Nintendo officially announced the release dates of Twilight Princess. The Wii, along with the Wii version of Twilight Princess, was released first on November 19 2006 in North America. Both the GameCube and the Wii version launched simultaneously in Japan on December 2 2006. Europe and Australia saw the Wii-version launched on December 8 2006 and December 7 2006 respectively, while the GameCube-version will be launched on December 15 2006 and December 14 2006 respectively. The GameCube version will separately be released in North America on December 12 2006. This makes Twilight Princess the first Zelda game to be released in the Americas before being released in Japan.

Link's costume takes on a much more lifelike appearance than previous installments, with plainly seen woven tunic, a hat that seems to be stitched together that makes it seem more hand made, the iron boots, and mail, to give extra protection during melee battles. His white under clothing also has stitches and appears baggier to make them look less like "white tights."

Returning in Twilight Princess is the fishing mechanic from the popular Ocarina of Time mini-game, which is inspired by a fishing mini-game in Link’s Awakening. Unlike the fishing in Ocarina of Time, Link is be able to take his boat to different areas to fish.

The cloaked figure, first revealed in the opening of the third official trailer released by Nintendo at E3 in 2005 is Zelda, wearing traditional funeral robes and bears a rapier at her side. On this cloak there is also shown a Sheikah symbol.

According to statements from Nintendo, such as translator and localization manager Bill Trinen, it took the Twilight Princess game testers an average of 70 hours to beat the game on the first run-through. He stated that he was working on his second play-through of the game and even knowing what to do, where to go, and skipping cut-scenes, he had logged about 27 hours to make it about two thirds of the way through the temples themselves - and that didn't account for any of the side quests or time sinks like fishing.

Twilight Princess on Wii

British publication NGC Magazine claimed, in December 2005, that when the GameCube version is played on Wii, the player will be given the option of using Wii’s unique controller; and it was not suspected that two versions of the game would be released. Reggie Fils-Aime denied these claims, stating that across the board, GCN games played on Wii would not be compatible with Wii's controller. Nintendo of France Director of Marketing Mathieu Minel stated in a subsequent interview with Jeux-France that Twilight Princess would include Wii controller functionality one way or another, but Nintendo quickly requested that this be removed from the interview. In the end, however, Shigeru Miyamoto himself was reported to have confirmed the Wii controller functionality in an interview with Nintendo of Europe.Time reported this also soon after.

Finally, at E³ 2006, Nintendo announced that there would be two versions of Twilight Princess released: one for Nintendo GameCube (release set for December 12 2006), and one for Wii (released on its launch date, November 19 2006). The Wii version uses the "point-and-click" of the Wii Remote as a "fairy" cursor, for accessing its menus, and for using various tools such as Link's bow, Clawshot, and fishing rod also; it uses the Nunchuk attachment for movement. Despite speculation about fully motion-sensitive sword control, the version shown at E3 2006 used the B button for sword attacks; however, it was revealed two months later by producer Shigeru Miyamoto, in an interview with Japanese publication Nintendo Dream, that the Wii version of the game had undergone major changes to the control scheme since E³, and would now allow players to swing the controller for sword slashes. Due to this modification, Nintendo also made alterations to the game's aiming controls: In the E3 version, players aimed the bow with the Wii Remote, then actually shot out arrows using the D-pad; but with the sword attacks changed to utilize the Remote's motion sensitivity, the B button could be used for other functions instead; most items are equipped to a D-pad direction using the item screen (-) and when that direction button is hit, the item is switched into the B button for easier use. A jab with the tilt-sensitive Nunchuk will cause Link to perform one of his secret moves, shield attack, and to use Link’s “spin attack”, the player swings the Nunchuk horizontally. The built-in speaker on the remote will be used for sounds like the bowstring being drawn and released, as well as the classic “Zelda chime”.

By comparison, the GameCube version uses a control scheme similar to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, with the B button used for sword attacks, other items mapped to the X and Y buttons, the L button for lock-on, and the C-stick used for manual camera control.

Shigeru Miyamoto had said in an interview that the only differences between the GameCube and Wii versions of the Twilight Princess are technical (as described above). The Wii version also displays in a 16:9 (wide screen) format in 480p, where the GameCube version plays only in 4:3.

In the Wii version of Twilight Princess, Link, usually left-handed, is right-handed. Miyamoto stated that the entire game had been flipped horizontally. He noticed that players preferred using their right hands for the free-hand sword, but by that point, all the maps, bosses and models had already been designed with a left-handed stance in mind. The "simplest" solution was to invert the entire game. There is no mode for left-handed people, with Link being traditionally left-handed. In the GameCube version, Link remains left-handed because it was not inverted along with the Wii version. Consequently, the maps and player guides for the two versions are mirror versions of each other.

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Reception

Since release, the game has universally garnered positive responses in the printed and online media. In their video review of the Wii version of the game, the US portal of IGN claimed it was the greatest Zelda game ever created, beating Ocarina of Time (itself often featuring in lists of the greatest games of all time).

Some reviewers have nevertheless criticised some aspects of the game's design. GameSpot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann complained about the feeling of "tacked-on" Wii controls and out-dated graphics, a consequence of the game being designed primarily for the older GameCube platform (he still awarded the game 8.8/10). However, most reviews have praised the Wii version's controls and its art direction, while being understanding of the similar graphic fidelity between the Wii and Gamecube versions.

At Game Rankings, a web site that compiles game reviews and averages reviewers' scores, Twilight Princess has achieved an average of 95.4%, making it the 11th highest-reviewed game ever and the highest reviewed Wii game so far. This figure is not yet final, as a number of -mostly European and Australian- reviewers have yet to publish their reviews.

At Metacritic, another review aggregate site, Twilight Princess has recieved an overall average of 95 out of 100, just 4 points fewer than Ocarina of Time.

Sales

During its first week of sales, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess sold 454,000 copies in United States, and 139,011 during its first two days in Japan.

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External links

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess official site
• Template:Nintendo.com
• Title screen video
• Pre-launch trailer
• Fall 2006 trailer
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Reviews at Metacritic.com
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Reviews at Gamerankings.com
• Game page at Nintendo.com for Wii version
• IGN coverage
• GameSpot coverage

• The Legend of Zelda games
• GameCube games
• Wii games
• 2006 computer and video games
• Shapeshifting in fiction