Ah Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda’s first fully 3D adventure. Many N64 owners could argue for hours about how not only is OoT the best game on the system, but the best in the LoZ series. Like it’s early incarnations, OoT received a Master’s Quest, or second quest, for the unsuccessful N64 add-on, 64DD (disk drive). For those of you who are unfamiliar with this term, it’s basically the same game, just with some variations. Well, finally after a couple years of sitting around going unappreciated, Nintendo decided to release the Master’s Quest, along with OoT, as a bonus disk for pre-ordering The Wind Waker.

    The only other LoZ games to get a master’s quest, that I’m aware of, were both of the NES versions. While the original LoZ’s Master’s Quest was remarkably more difficult then the original version, the Adventures of Link’s quest was remarkably easier. Don’t even know if it would qualify as a Master’s Quest. So with the others getting mixed difficulty changes to them, I wasn’t sure what to expect from OoT’s. With the original difficulty being as easy as it was, it could only get more difficult, right? Well, yes and no. MQ’s difficulty comes in a different form than the others. It lies in the puzzle solving and what not, instead of monster difficulty.

    All of the dungeons have been changed. Not their layout, but how you proceed through them and the puzzles within. The only exception is the Deku Tree, which uses added monsters to make it more difficult. Unfortunately, these changes leave areas of some of the dungeons to be, well, useless. Take the Fire Temple for example. After spending quite a bit of time on the upper floors, and a near death experience I might add, I found absolutely no purpose to them. Extremely frustrating it was. But luckily there’s the Spirit Temple. This dungeon makes the whole game worthy of playing. One of the best-designed dungeons I have ever played, not only in the LoZ series, but in general. But alas, outside of the dungeons the game is exactly the same. From heart pieces to skulltulas, everything’s just like it is in the original version of OoT.

    Since the GC and N64 use different controllers, adjustments needed to be made. “Z” targeting is now “L” targeting. And the C stick now performs the function of the old C buttons. This is where you’ll need to adapt. The X, Y, and Z buttons can be used when normal items are concerned. But since none of these buttons perform the task of Up C, the C stick is going to become method of choice where the ocarina is concerned. Everything else handles like before. I would have liked to see the D-pad have some use though. A couple times I found myself trying to do stuff with it. The adjustments are minor and don’t affect the gameplay at all.

    The graphics were not upgraded to be on par with GC standards, but they were improved to more then the 64’s. The changes can’t even be appreciated to there fullest without breaking out the ol’ 64 and poppin OoT in. Then and only then will you realize the glory that is this bonus disk. The graphics are so much clearer then the original. They’ve even smoothed out some characters, the main characters anyway, and the environments, the edges aren’t all jagged. Colors have become more vibrant and alive, so much brighter too. Some of the effects, like Valvagia’s hair, seem a lot nicer looking. With the face-lift done, the graphics are able to hold up and won’t lessen the experience.

    I didn’t notice too much of an improvement in the sound quality. For all I know, they didn’t do anything to the sound. The ocarina still doesn’t produce the best music, but some of the later songs aren’t bad at all. Navi is still really annoying with her perpetual “listens” and “looks.” All the songs from the original OoT are still contained within MQ. All are still catchy and pleasing to the ears.

    Ocarina of Time: Master’s Quest is a must have for any Legend of Zelda fan. Or maybe for some odd reason you missed out on the 64 and never had the chance to play OoT the first time. Well now would be a perfect time to experience one of the best adventure games made. Plus the fact that it was free makes it that much sweeter.