Author Topic: LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review  (Read 4357 times)

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Offline King of Twitch

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LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review
« on: June 06, 2013, 03:55:08 AM »
Blades will bleed, heads will ache!

For all its faults, the Virtual Boy had some saving graces. Its 3D effect was pretty nifty, its controller was a precursor to the controller we wish we had for Wii, and it had a great Zelda game too. If you have never played it, you are missing out on a cult classic that many (regretfully) looked over in favor of, understandably, not giving themselves a terrible headache.

Sacred Shield takes place in the Zelda timeline before the events of Link's Awakening and Ocarina of Time, but between the Oracle games and after Link to the Past. If that doesn't make sense to you, let me explain: at the outset of SS, Gannondorf enters the Sacred Realm and splits the timeline into four separate entities represented by Legend of Zelda, Adventure of Link, Link's Awakening, and a fourth one. In three of the timelines, Ganon destroys the Sacred Realm and steals the Triforce, but in Sacred Shield's, Link defeats him and must find a way to save the world in the other three timelines. The result is the Zelda timeline we all pretend to know and understand today.

The first thing the game gives you is the Sacred Shield, a red shield imbued with the power of the Triforce. This thing can block some serious stuff: Octorock rocks, Stalfos swords, and other stuff. When you need it, it's right there after pressing the B button--this game has great controls, a classic Miyamoto staple. When you hold the shield, it defends Link from taking damage and you know what they say about a good defense! The best offense is a good defense is the phrase I'm looking for. I'm sorry to say, but one thing it can't defend against is the feeling that you've just wasted $180 on a portable system that only adds 3D visuals and little else. Don't you just hate that feeling?

Familiarity is a constant feature of this game. Along the way, Link comes across bigger and better items and magic that you'd find in any other Zelda. There's the red potion, the red fairy, the red hookshot, the red tunic, the Red Rod of Rauros (don't go there), and lots of other ones. Each dungeon is a remixed version of those seen in previous games. Link has to go back through each classic dungeon with new items found in Sacred Shield's "Good Hyrule Timeline" and with a red filter applied to everything. Red walls, red text, red landscapes...it's like reading Nintendo's latest quarterly.

If you can find it, Sacred Shield was one of the Virtual Boy's best. It took the duality formula from Link to the Past and crossed it with material from the other previous games. Best of all, Zelda will make so much more sense after playing this. I know I did.
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Offline UncleBob

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Re: LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2013, 03:59:31 AM »
You had me excited thinking someone had made a really good Zelda homebrew for the VB.
Just some random guy on the internet who has a different opinion of games than you.

Offline Stratos

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Re: LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2013, 11:45:02 AM »
I was laughing the whole way through this review. I applaud you good sir.
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Offline pokepal148

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Re: LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2013, 09:28:01 PM »
 
Quote
I'm sorry to say, but one thing it can't defend against is the feeling that you've just wasted $180 on a portable system that only adds 3D visuals and little else. Don't you just hate that feeling?
You trying to say something Zap?

Offline Stratos

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Re: LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2013, 02:16:41 AM »
...And I'm STILL laughing about this review.
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Offline King of Twitch

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Re: LEGEND OF ZELDA: SACRED SHIELD--VB Review
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2013, 07:31:19 PM »
Quote
I'm sorry to say, but one thing it can't defend against is the feeling that you've just wasted $180 on a portable system that only adds 3D visuals and little else. Don't you just hate that feeling?
You trying to say something Zap?

ahahaha
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