Legend of Zelda, The: Twilight Princess
© 2006 Nintendo of America
Your mission is to free the land from the dark shadows, in this one-player fantasy adventure that features rich 3D graphics which could be from a Lord of the Rings game. We tested both GameCube and Wii versions, although our ratings apply to the GameCube version. Testers found both to have the identical storyline, with seemingly endless problem-solving opportunities. Note that the GameCube version of this game was originally created for release late 2005, but was delayed until the Wii's release, along with the Wii version. In the game, your mission is to steer a young farm boy (named Link) as he travels through the countryside looking for a mysterious girl named Midna (aka the Twilight Princess). As you might expect, many predictable gender stereotypes lurk in the boy-hero storyline, although Midna is cast as being clever, with plenty of personality which was noted by our female testers. Violence is typical for the genre, with plenty of sword fighting, arrow shooting and fishing. In the Wii version, this is done with the Wii remote and Nunchuk controllers, and is especially fun. There are puzzles to solve and innovative weapons to find. Testers, two girls (both 11) and one boy (15) found the Twilight Princess to be easier to play than Windwalker (the previous version), and especially liked all of the horse riding options in the game. They also liked the ability to change into a wolf. Just make sure you have a memory cartridge to save your games for the GameCube. Note that both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller are required for the Wii version. Despite the lack of mulitplayer options, this game is actually worth spending $50 for, according to our enthusiastic testers, as long as you have the time to invest in it.
$50, GameCube*, Wii*
Teaches: problem solving, logic
CTR Rating: 94%