#game-review #finishedgame2022 # The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap `="![]("+this.imgURL+")"` ## Data: - Console: `=this.Console` - Play Status: `=this.Status` - Start Date: `=this.start-date` - Finish Date: `=this.finish-date` - Clear Time: `=this.clear-time` - Total Play Time: `=this.total-play-time` ## Tiering: `=this.Tiering` it's weird because there are parts of the game that I really am frustrated by, but goddamn it I also really really really like this game a lot It's not a love-hate thing, it's just that this game has a lot of "that part"s. # Playthrough Notes - Streamed it, first little bit with Jillian. - Banter made navigating the maze of the world much more tolerable when I was lost. # My Thoughts - [[Gripes About the World in Minish Cap - It's too much like a Maze at Times]] - [[Kinstone Pieces Make Minish Cap's World Feel Alive]] - [[My opinion on the Dungeon Design in Minish Cap varies Because there is no uniform design style in the game]] - [[The lived-in world of Minish Cap is fully-realized via recontextualization of spaces]] ## General Thoughts about Minish Cap's Gameplay Game moves pretty quickly, all things considered. It doesn't take long to get to the Deepwood Shrine, and it's really fast between the end of the first dungeon and the start of the second one, which I also really appreciate. The game knows it's a Gameboy Advance game and the gameplay is easily chunk-able. I also feel like after having played bits of both Oracle of Seasons and oracle of Ages, the level design matches fairly consistently. This is, of course, because of the team at Capcom being roughly the same one since the previous two games. I admire that this feels like the natural progression, and it's curious to see how the handheld Zelda game design eventually will eventually change into the Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks design with a greater focus on puzzles and space rather than simply being just a top-down 2D game. ## Castor Wilds in Minish Cap mostly feels like a maze, which makes it feel tedious, but also I like mazes, so I am conflicted This is probably both my favorite and least favorite part of the game. You have this space that is quite literally a maze, but it doesn't initially present itself as such. The lack of a minimap really hurts this space since some of the upper areas look like you can enter them from specific places. I genuinely cannot tell you how to get through this space without just feeling it out and going places you haven't been. The paths tangle over each other and it's confusing. I don't like revisiting this place more than once or twice through playthrough. The first time you go here it's fine, but later parts of the game aren't as fun I guess. ## Fortress of Winds is the most MAZE-like dungeon in Minish Cap This dungeon is the epitome of "Find the Path" as outlined by Game Maker's Toolkit author, Mark Brown. There is a central room with like 5 doors, and each one takes you to different sections of the dungeon. It's very easy to get lost in the space if you're not certain of what needs to be done. It's a place where you can spend a lot of time if you're not prepared for the dungeon layout overall. The Fortress of Winds has the best boss in the game where you use the Sword, Bow and digging Claws all in one to fight the Nintendo "floating hands" boss. you shoot the "eyes" in the hands and then you have to shrink down and enter the boss's head where you then dig to find the column that you need to slash. It's a dynamic and fun boss and an excellent step up from the first two bosses. It's probably the best Boss in the game the more I think about it. # Favorite Moments / Memories - Love me some Temple of Droplets just all the way through. # What were you doing when not playing this? - In French class in eighth grade in free time since this was the longest period of the day, playing on my 3DS - Playing on stream with a friend of mine, discussing her love life, nuclear physics, and shitposting. # Relevant Links - A lovely review of this game: https://www.backloggd.com/u/Cadensia/review/732506/ ## MAP!  ## Heart Piece Guide https://www.zeldadungeon.net/wiki/The_Minish_Cap_Heart_Pieces