What if Nintendo made a direct sequel to Link to the Past? What if they created a multiplayer Zelda game that worked, despite its implausibility? What if they kept 2D console gaming alive with a fantastic new 2D Zelda game? Four Swords Plus is the triumphant answer to all three questions.

You probably know that this game brings multiplayer gameplay to a Zelda console title for the first time. What you may not expect is that Four Swords Plus is a surprisingly great single player adventure. I played through the entire quest by myself before hooking up GBAs for multiplayer kicks. The Hyrule Adventure mode is very lengthy and showcases some excellent level design, with many new ideas plus some others adapted from the 3D Zelda games. Controlling four Links at once is easy. Usually one leads and the other three follow behind, invulnerable but also useless. The four available battle formations increase your fighting power but also make you more susceptible to damage. You can also split the Links up and control them one at a time, which is handy for many puzzles. Considering that the levels and enemies were really designed for multiple players, Hyrule Adventure works remarkably well as a solo experience.

…but the best way to play is with friends. The same puzzles and bosses take on a whole new meaning when you’re faced with the challenge of playing a very real, authentic Zelda game while strategizing, arguing, and probably laughing like crazy at your friends. The game is heavily cooperative, but the many competitive elements (which go unappreciated during solo play) make Four Swords Plus as much a party game as it is a serious test of teamwork.

Aside from the extensive Hyrule Adventure mode, Four Swords Plus also offers Shadow Battle and Tetra’s Trackers; the latter will not be included in the U.S. version. Shadow Battle is a huge surprise. What could have been a dry, pointless deathmatch is instead a chaotic, hilarious deathmatch that my friends have enjoyed even more than the main adventure. Thanks to the wide assortment of special weapons and excellent battle stage design, this mode draws many favorable comparisons to Smash Bros. We have played Shadow Battle for hours on end, laughing hysterically the entire time. The only thing keeping it from being its own classic experience is the limited number of levels: five, with a less-than-exciting modified version of each one to be unlocked.

Tetra’s Trackers is also better than I was expecting. This cute little scavenger hunt can be very amusing at times especially once everyone figures out the basic strategy and people start screwing each other over. The mode’s big weakness is that it is too repetitive, and new level maps do little to shake up the simple formula. It’s a nice diversion but not nearly as satisfying as Hyrule Adventure or as wacky and addictive as Shadow Battle. As much as I hate to see any game abridged during localization, the loss of Tetra’s Trackers is not a huge issue. It will be missed, but not sorely.

This game is the first truly great use of connectivity. There’s nothing gimmicky about it – playing with a GBA is built into the very fabric of the game’s design. If you’re playing with a normal controller, you even get a Super Game Boy style pop-up showing the GBA action over the main screen.

This is my second import Zelda game, and the experience was once again challenging and thoroughly rewarding. I know not a single Japanese character, but I was able to solve every puzzle but one with little or no help. It’s a testament to how intuitively these games are designed.

Four Swords Plus is such a wacky mixture of ideas and modes, I don’t know how Nintendo churned it all together into such a beautiful game. Like practically every Zelda title before it, Four Swords Plus has become one of my favorite video games. Whether you decide to import or wait it out, whether you plan to go it alone or already have a playgroup ready, do not miss out on this wonderful game.