Gamers waited, they drooled. Nintendo pushed back the release date. How would they tide the community over and make extra money in the process? Simple. Bring “Ocarina of Time” to the GameCube. Oh wait, but not only that, bring the community the original and the version never released in the United States. How could they sweeten it? Make it free, but only to preorders of “The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.” Wow, looks like Nintendo was successful, and how can you go wrong with a timeless game that has been hailed as the Game of The Year by so many publications?

    Now, be warned, Master Quest, nor its half-brother (the original Ocarina of Time) has no graphical enhancements. Yes, the polygons are crisper and the game runs smoother, but only due to the power of the machine it runs on. Nonetheless, not many will be disappointed because OoT was one of the most beautiful games of its time. Another myth to debunk: Master Quest doesn’t provide any extra weapons, items or, in short, anything of much use. That being said, let’s take a look at the game as if one had never played the original.

    Master Quest proves to push the player until either he gives up, or finds himself relishing the new item so difficultly earned. You’ll find a perfect mixture of action, puzzles, and mini-quests (which can sometimes involve more steps and be more difficult than some of the main quests). In fact, its surprising Nintendo was able to fit SO much on the tiny cartridges available at the time.

    As mentioned earlier, the visuals were some of the best (before the RAM expansion) to hit the Nintendo 64 console. It isn’t GameCube quality, but graphics don’t make the game anyway, and Nintendo would not have had the time to give everything a new coat of paint.

    The music, being an integral part of the gameplay, is excellent, even to today’s standards. Each area has a specific tune that adds to the overall theme of that area. In fact, this editor was lucky enough to get the soundtrack, and I still find myself addicted to the Gerudo Valley theme.

    The game also boasts a ton of dialogue (which can get lengthy, especially if you’ve gone through this before) and helps to shape the story. It’s best to go around and talk to every villager and creature in sight, just to get the full story and see some of the links between the NPCs (non-player characters) and the events. In addition to some of funniest interactive NPCs (one word: chickens), the mini-games are some of the most enjoyable parts of the game (a second word: masks).

    Master Quest also enjoys one of the most innovative control schemes, although there can be some problems. Since the GameCube controller is vastly different, Nintendo had to practically reinvent the controls of game. Changing the C-button controls of the game to the C-stick was a big mistake though. It’s not that difficult to use, but moving a joystick in only one of four directions can prove to be a pain, especially in tight, pulse-racing moments. Otherwise, every thing works well, thankfully.

    So what is the biggest pull of the game? Time travel. Yes, the Ocarina of Time is a real instrument that allows Link to either travel to the dark, ravaged, future Hyrule(where he is 17) or back in time to a simpler time (where he is 7 years old). You will have to travel back and forth several times (after completing the main quests of the “little” Link) in order to complete quests in Adult Link’s time. It also allows you to go back and revisit certain parts of the game and obtain extra bonuses (such as more hearts) that you may have skipped because you were on a mission to get that Dodongo.

    All in all, Ocarina of Time: Master Quest rightly earns the spot in one of the BEST games to date. This editor, for one, would be willing to bet that the majority of gamers would rather play this outdated game rather than 90 percent of the crap being pumped out today.

    With that short summary, those new to the series should be able to determine that if you haven’t played Ocarina of Time, either find a way to get your hands on this disk, or play your friend’s old N64 copy. For those that have played Ocarina of Time, what does Master Quest offer you? Sadly, not much more is supplied to tide you over. For the most part, the dungeons have been changed a bit, and a few extra monsters may pop up ( i.e. – baby gohmas in the first dungeon). The biggest difference may be increased difficulty (since you haven’t been through most of these dungeons before). Still, it’s Ocarina of Time on your GameCube, free and probably eBay fodder in about five or six years when collectors will be bidding sixty dollars for your “mint, original” version of the disc.