Never before has Zelda included required+very difficult mini-games (sumo training, jousting, sumo match, etc). While I enjoy the main game, and the control scheme is pretty intuitive, these mini-games make me feel like I'm playing something other than Zelda. That's actually one of the reasons I am enjoying this game so much. Every once in a while it gives you a break from the "traditional" play and has you do something unique. This added a much welcomed challenge for me, which never got to the point where I was turning the game off in frustration. Sure it may take a few tries to win the jousting game, but that's what made winning it so satisfying. I don't feel that it took anything away from the main game.
The Zelda scheme has always been get item, use new item to beat dungeon, use new item to get to next dungeon, repeat. All sidequests/mini-games have been optional. That's what puts all the past Zelda's in the 'epic adventure' category of games. Z:TP falls in to the classic RPG category. While both are enjoyable, they should not be confused and Nintendo should not have moved Z:TP from epic adventure to RPG. So you'd rather it be a cookie cutter Zelda game, just like the 9 others that you played? In that case I suppose you would be a little dissapointed. I, on the other hand, get bored with games that don't offer anything new. Thats why I bought a Wii in the first place. Twilight Princess is loaded with references/similarities to previous zelda games (particularly OoT). To say that it changed too much is a little ridiculous.
I'm really not sure I understand your point about categorizing. Making sidequests optional qualifies a game to be an 'epic adventure', while forcing them qualifies as an RPG? Any game that requires as much real-time action as Z:TP could never be labled a "classic RPG" in my book. Zelda is adventure all the way.
Of course! How did we miss it? The ADD/ADHD meds are secretly designed to increase monoamine oxidase A levels! All the pieces are comming together...
Henchman: Sir, we have discovered a problem with the medication. Evil Boss: Problem? Didn't we prove that it helps to prevent distractions? Henchman: Well, yes. But, now none of these kids want the shiny new toy. Evil Boss: My God! Do you have any idea what this will do to Christmas season?! Something must be done about this.
Thank god I got out of phone support, but it did get me some laughs from time to time...
User: Hi, I'm a new employee and I'm trying to log in, but I'm not able to type in the password that I need to use. Me: OK, so you think there's something wrong with your keyboard? User: No, I don't see the key for this symbol I need to type. Me: Oh, what symbol do are you looking for? User: Well, it looks like an upside down, lower-case 'i'. Me: (Long pause, as I visualize what she is talking about) That symbol wouldn't happen to be an exclamation point would it? User: Excla- Oh! Yeah that could be. Let me try it. Yup, that worked, thanks!
Similarly, a co-worker had reset a woman's password to a simple word followed by the number 4, and told her that it was all lower case. The phone was silent for 20 seconds before she asked him how to type a lower-case 4. Ah, those were good times.
Slashdot Mirror
Gov't Torturer: Thanks. BTW, you might want to avoid the "mystery meat" at the cafeteria.
Didn't the article say something about the food in the cafeteria being bad? Hmm...
Of course! How did we miss it? The ADD/ADHD meds are secretly designed to increase monoamine oxidase A levels! All the pieces are comming together...
Henchman: Sir, we have discovered a problem with the medication.
Evil Boss: Problem? Didn't we prove that it helps to prevent distractions?
Henchman: Well, yes. But, now none of these kids want the shiny new toy.
Evil Boss: My God! Do you have any idea what this will do to Christmas season?! Something must be done about this.
Thank god I got out of phone support, but it did get me some laughs from time to time...
User: Hi, I'm a new employee and I'm trying to log in, but I'm not able to type in the password that I need to use.
Me: OK, so you think there's something wrong with your keyboard?
User: No, I don't see the key for this symbol I need to type.
Me: Oh, what symbol do are you looking for?
User: Well, it looks like an upside down, lower-case 'i'.
Me: (Long pause, as I visualize what she is talking about) That symbol wouldn't happen to be an exclamation point would it?
User: Excla- Oh! Yeah that could be. Let me try it. Yup, that worked, thanks!
Similarly, a co-worker had reset a woman's password to a simple word followed by the number 4, and told her that it was all lower case. The phone was silent for 20 seconds before she asked him how to type a lower-case 4. Ah, those were good times.