3D Dot Game Heroes: First Impressions

AveryZoe

May 14, 2010

Ah, the memories! You remember the good old days, don't you? Rushing home from school to pop your Legend of Zelda cartridge into your Nintendo for what was sure to be hours of fun, then popping the cartridge back out and blowing furiously on it before popping it back in with the fervent hope that this time it would work. You do? Dude, you are so old, but I've got good news for you. Now you can relive those days in surprisingly accurate detail, and all in 3D. And you don't even have to blow a cartridge--bonus! 3D Dot Game Heroes is released, and it's time to go back to those glory days, and maybe share them with the younger generation at the same time.

3DDotGameHeroesSide (21K) So grab that disc, pop it into your PS3, and get ready for some...wait a minute...what?!? Sony made a Zelda game? Can they do that? Apparently they can, and though they never come right out with the magic "Z" word, Zelda fans will definitely find enough similarities to absolutely love this game. It's Zelda-in 3D, and that just about sums it up. Sure, there a few differences, and they definitely add to the playability of the game. Essentially, though, this is the Zelda you remember. In fitting homage to retro games everywhere, the look of the game is very pixelated, making you feel like you're right back in your parent's basement. The water is cool--all sparkling and gleaming--and those plants are everywhere. Aahh--the plants. You've got to cut every one you know--there might be something really cool under one of them. But as soon as you change screens, they all magically reappear, feeding your paranoia that you totally missed the one with the really good stuff. Good times, good times.

One feature that adds a bit of fun to the game is your choice of character. You can choose who you want to play as, and there are tons of different characters available. And when I say different, I mean it--you can play as characters ranging from a knight, to a dragon, to a skeleton, to even Santa Claus. Santa Claus? Really? Hmm, ookaaay. If you can't find a character you like amidst the many choices, you can even create your own. That alone has the potential for hours of fun, particularly among kids. I had to pry the controller out of my 11-year old's tightly clenched hands, after declining his kind offer to just, "watch me play for a while." If you feel like sharing, your kids can definitely play this game. The controls are simple and fairly intuitive, and the game does a good idea of leading you through it while letting you wander aimlessly as much as you want at the same time. And, since it's basically Zelda in disguise, there is absolutely no objectionable content. Fun and G-rated? Not so easy to come by now-a-days.

The story is simple but engaging. You are the Chosen One (of course you are), and you must free a legendary sword from a stone, find the six mystical orbs, save the kingdom, etc. All of the standard features are there that you'd expect--towns to wander aimlessly in, people to talk to who always have something to say (not necessarily something useful to say, but whatever), forests to wander, inns to sleep in. You don't gather hearts for your power--it's apples instead, so that's totally different--apples are red and round, and hearts are...oh, um, never mind.

Once you find the Legendary Sword, you can of course use it to slay countless enemies that reappear every time you accidentally leave a room. If you remember back, in the original Zelda, your sword could shoot if you had full life. The Legendary Sword does not shoot, but it IS freakin' huge. It just about covers the screen when you have full life, but that isn't so easy to maintain. The other weapons and accessories you can acquire are about what you would expect: a boomerang that can stun your enemies but does little damage, a wooden bow, a magical tablet and a shield.

This game is definitely recommended to Zelda fans young and old. It is really quite engaging, and it is both alike enough to the original--why change a great thing? And different enough--the extra features really add interest to the game. If there is any complaint about 3D Dot Game Heroes, it is that the extreme pixelation can drive you insane with trying to figure out what exactly you are looking at. Is that a crab or an intricate jello mold? My brain hurts. One of the best things about this game is the price: it is currently selling for $34.99 at Amazon. Don't have any extra cash to drop on games right now? You can request it at Goozex for a mere 800 points--quite low for a new release.

Of course, the biggest controversy with this game is that it's an obvious Zelda game. The thing is--who cares? Atlus isn't really trying to hide the fact in any way, and isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Think of this game as a fitting homage to the favored game of old, rather than as just a cheap knock-off. It's a fun game, and if you are a Zelda fan, you will not be disappointed. If you aren't a Zelda fan, then why did you buy it in the first place?

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