The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (Nintendo DS) Second Opinion Review

The story begins abruptly (almost lazily) as Princess Zelda and Link check on the mysterious Four Sword, said to have sealed away the wind sorcerer Vaati. Zelda says she feels the seal weakening, and sure enough, Vaati appears and kidnaps the princess to make her his bride. Like all good video game villains, he inexplicably ignores Link and makes off with Zelda, leaving Link to grab the Four Sword that defeated him in the first place. The blade splits Link into four, and the adventure begins. The story isn't the most original or well-thought-out, but it does set things in motion and give good reasoning for the base mechanics of the game: Link is split into copies that must work together to defeat enemies and solve puzzles. Maps and puzzles themselves change depending on how many Links are present.

Added to the DS port is the ability to play alone. Players can pick a second Link, even choosing his colour, and, at the press of a button, can switch between the two. When performing tasks like pushing blocks or pulling apart enemies, the other Link will automatically appear and do his part. It's a big enhancement for a port - something we don't see out of Nintendo very often; like A Link to the Past before it, the game isn't simply emulated, but enhanced with new sounds, new mechanics, and the wise decision to allow for single-player gaming. Those playing with others via wireless will find incentives to work together, but also to compete, as rewards are doled out to the highest-performing Link.