The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

I would only leave if only when I activated the green beam thing to the entrance

You'll be pleased to know that I figured out the Swamp Palace. Loved the boss, too! This is shaping up to overtake SteamWorld Dig as my 3DS game of 2013. Don't drop the ball now...

And Done.   
No spoilers... but I had to do the last bit twice because I missed the thing.

(hmm... maybe I should've written a spoilery thing - at least it would've made sense)

I'm about a year late, but I've started playing this and I'm really enjoying it. It's been a while since I've played a Zelda game, which is only serving to enhance my experience. I'm about to hop into the House of Gales, yet I've spent a good couple of hours wandering about exploring and getting items. The open-endedness of this is fantastic.

While I'd rather the main storyline and tasks were a bit more lined up, you're right in that it's an absolute blinder of a game. You've got lots to look forward to, Jay!

That doesn't really bother me really! I'm a pretty inquisitive player, so I seem to happen upon most of these tasks whilst progressing anyway.

Maybe so, but I'll always prefer a tight story with lots of opportunities for exploration outside that, than something that plonks you in a map and says, "Go!" More room for story and direction that way, and no need for the item rental mechanic.

I know that Jas (for one) disagrees with me, though.

Although I played it by buying all the items as soon as I could (thereby kind of bypassing one of the game's main points ), the melting into the wall mechanic revolutionises things. Another Link Between Worlds would be welcome - very welcome indeed. Enjoy it, Jay!

Balladeer wrote:

Maybe so, but I'll always prefer a tight story with lots of opportunities for exploration outside that, than something that plonks you in a map and says, "Go!"  More room for story and direction that way, and no need for the item rental mechanic.

That was more or less my opinion on Zelda before coming into this, but I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I'm enjoying this, especially considering I was never particularly fond of the original Link to the Past.

ZeroJones wrote:

Although I played it by buying all the items as soon as I could (thereby kind of bypassing one of the game's main points ), the melting into the wall mechanic revolutionises things.

That's what I've done.

I'm not fussed though - means I can do the game in whatever order I like, and saves me backtracking to Ravio.

Yup, I reckon that ALBW's a good enough game that any structural quibbles I might have had were deftly swept aside.

It's one of the only games on the 3DS that I've played with the 3D turned on as well - there was a section where I was falling from platform to platform to traverse a lava chasm and the 3D was really impressive.

So I beat this! Easily my favourite 3DS game I've played thus far - a masterclass in design and pacing and a really great experience to play through from start to finish.

The only gripe I have is that I'll never 100% this due to that bloody Endless Cucco minigame and the requirement to last 16 bloody minutes on it to max out the clock and get the reward from that. Honestly, if nobody on the dev team could manage it (as I've read), I might just disregard that and just do Hero Mode to get my little golden C on my Backloggery.

Good man! This was also easily my favourite 3ds game until MH4U arrived.

I just started hero mode last night. I have already died about 500% more than in the main game (I died once in that)

My copy has long since been traded in. Beforehand, though, it took its rightful place as my second favourite 3DS game (Kid Icarus: Uprising remains #1). Proof that there's life in the 2D Zeldas yet, coupled with a beautiful, light-touch story.

I just named it one of my games of the semi-decade!  Although I do have more gripes than Jay, the game as a whole sweeps them aside.  Beautiful.

Yeah, I'd be tempted to include it in mine as well.

Andy - Is Hero Mode just enemies do more damage, or are there harder enemies in the beginning areas?

I'd say they just hit harder, though I haven't played it in a year, so my memory isn't perfect.

Oh crap! I haven't even started hero mode yet. Whoops