YES! buh-bye cel shaded CRAP

E3 2004: Legend of Zelda Reborn
Nintendo maniacs, the wait is over. Link has grown up and he's back to
kick some a.s.


May 11, 2004 - It's been four long years since Nintendo unveiled its
Space World 2000 demo of Legend of Zelda. The realistic take on the
action-adventure franchise, which showcased a brief fight sequence
between an older, meaner Link and a downright evil looking Gannondorf,
was shelved less than a year after its unveiling so that Nintendo
could instead pursue the cel-shaded Wind Waker style. But Nintendo
fans never forgot about that brief trailer that showed so much
promise.

And, as it turns out, neither did Nintendo.
Today at its pre-E3 event in Los Angeles, Nintendo dropped a
earth-shaking bomb. Not only has it secretly been working on a brand
new Legend of Zelda title inspired by its famous Space World 2000
demo, but the game is very far along and looks absolutely drop-dead
gorgeous.

As the lights dimmed and the brief trailer for the game rolled, press
on hand seemed unsure about what to expect. But when the music kicked
in -- an homage to the 1998 Ocarina of Time movie spot -- the crowd
went wild. (The new Legend of Zelda trailer actually features the same
song from composer Basil Poledouris, who orchestrated Conan The
Barbarian.) What followed was an awe-inspiring display of cutting-edge
graphics and an overall crowd reaction that approached a pure state of
euphoria.

The footage showcased a detailed adult Link as he rode his horse
across an expansive Hyrule, did battle with a number of different
enemy types including a Moblin, Bokoblins and multiple Lizalfos. In
one stunning scene, the sun set as dark riders advanced over the
horizon. In another, Link battled against a gigantic fire boss. He
also explored the forest, seemed to solve puzzles in a dungeon and
more. The visuals, featuring what is hands-down the best Link model
ever designed and a host of impressive technical feats such as
advanced lighting and shadow effects, crisp textures, and impressive
draw distance, to name a few, made Nintendo fans' eyes roll in their
heads.

After the display ended and the crowd settled, Nintendo designer and
director Shigeru Miyamoto took the stage and addressed lucky
attendees. "I am not Link, but I do know him!" he joked. "Even after
18 years the Legend of Zelda never stops changing and this game is no
different. We are now taking you to a world where Link has grown up --
a world where he will act different and look different. In order to
grow, Link must not stand still and neither will I. Thank you and
goodbye."

The game, simply titled Legend of Zelda (and not Wind Waker 2), is set
for release on GameCube sometime next year.

IGNcube will have footage and screens of the game available for
download very soon. Because we love you.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/513/513375p1.html