(Spoiler Warning)

When I was a wee lass I would sit for hours and watch my brother go on massive quests, through dungeon, field and forest to defeat enemies and restore peace and light to the kingdom of Hyrule.  It was high entertainment and I would be swept away in the adventure.  I think it was more thrilling then any sort of movie or television show because of the personal relationship I had with the hero.  When he held that remote in hand, my brother took on the power of Link and his real life force was closely tied to the heart containers at the top of the screen.  Each battle he fought was a testament to his bravery and made him that much more heroic in my eyes.  And that was all in 2D…

Recently I got my hands on a Nintendo Wii, more specifically the game Zelda; Twilight Princess.  A most brilliant piece of technology that allows you to take one step further into the game world with the tactile immersive sensations that the controllers provide.  When I draw the sword I really have to swing my hand behind my shoulder, when I cast the fishing rod I really have to arch the line.  I have yet to experience the bow and arrow, but I assure you, I am ready for its awesome power.   The brilliant simplicy of the age old hero’s quest combined with the interactive technology of the Wii is a killer combination.  For the past few days I have been completely addicted, drawn into the 3D fantasy realm where I am the hero (even though the game often refers to me as ‘He’).

They really do their part to make you feel the hero.  At one point I was even dubbed ‘Hero Sent By The Gods’.  I’ll admit I jumped up and did a little dance, feeling extra brave having just defeated a big boss in the Forest Temple.  Although hero’s quest, RPG style games are not for everyone I have highlighted a few components which I believe make them irrestable to those prone to sprawling role playing adventures.

Challenges: Why play a game without challenges?  (The answer is no one would).  The point of a game is overcoming specific challenges within a defined space.  I like the challenges of Zelda because the game is not just about shooting things.  It also makes you use your brain and solve puzzles to gain access to rewards and new play spaces.  Exploration of the environment is also a challenge with hidden items and check points.  There are also some interesting side challenges, such as one I have recently encountered that involves Sumo Wrestling.   The complexity and variety of the games challenges keep it interesting and although I have to admit to cheating here and there when particularly stumped, there is nothing like the feeling of satisfaction that comes from overcoming a challenge by the strength of your own brain power.

Rewards: Rewards are such an integral part of any game.  Players must feel like they are gaining from what they are doing and that their progress will lead to greater ends.  The reward system within Zelda has multiple layers.  The first layer is comprised of the smallest group of rewards and these can be generally found throughout the environment of the game.  Actions such as digging in the soil or breaking clay jars can produce smaller reward items such as rupees or hearts.  The second level would be things that can be found throughout the environment but are not so easily accessable, like light bugs or heart pieces that require exploration to unearth.  The third level of reward comes from completed tasks, which is, as it should be.  Layered thoughout the dungeons are various levels of rewards from small keys, to large keys to useful objects to add to your cache.  The fourth level comes from boss killing (as per usual) and the fifth and dare I say, most important level comes from the over-arching narrative and main drive of the game.  As per usual the game requires that you rescue a certain princess (I will avoid the remark about medieval sexism here) and restore light to Hyrule.  This, being the prime reward, drives every action in the game.  The layered effect of the rewards ensures that players are consistantly satisfied while being driven by the main narrative to the final outcome of the game.

Controls: The game is perfectly tailored to the interactive Wii controls.  The metallic clang of the sword being drawn works in a perfect symphony with the sweeping motion of your arm.  There is a stunning amount of movement and fighting capability crammed into the simple, yet elegant, control interface.  And hidden skills are locked into the game to be uncovered by the adventurer throughout the heroic journey.  The controller often rumbles at the approch of a large enemy bringing you that much closer to the game space.  Overall the effect of the interactive technology is immersive and exciting, drawing you into the world of Zelda, for better or worse.

Freedom & Interaction: One of my favorite parts of the game is not the creepy dungeons and the fighting of giant bosses, but the exploration and the unlocking of game levels.  The interaction with various characters in the game is what drives my involvement.  Early in the game I was charged with the rescue of some children from the village.  My character was established to have a relationship with the people of the village who, of course, fret when the children go missing and look to the hero for help.  As much as I am not a huge fan of children, because of my relationship with the village and my place in this fantasy world I immediately and without hesitation take up the call to action and rush to their aid.  Now, there is the element of being forced by the game into this quest, but at the same time the feeling of relief I felt upon finding the children safe was not forced by the game, it was all mine.  Freedom is another element which I think is integral to games of this nature.  Generally speaking there is only a certain amount of freedom we, as the hero, are afforded.  But they at least provide the illusion of it as they ask yes or no questions and allow us free exploration of the spaces we have opened through game play.  It is important, to a certain extent, to feel a sense of agency, uninhibited by the constructs of the game, it allows for more realism and a deeper sense of victory when a space is opened to exploration.

I have outlined above a few of the reasons I believe that games like Zelda are successful.  As our technologies become more complex and immersive I believe that these games will become more and more in demand.  They are even becoming, as I mentioned in a previous article, high entertainment.  Everyone wants a little adventure in their lives and for those who do not want the risk of going out into the world to find it, the 3D world of Wii can stand and deliver.