The Wiire

E for All 2007: Link's Crossbow Training Impressions
By Shawn White / October 20, 2007



Shawn White, Senior Editor

The Legend of Zelda has been an important franchise for Wii. Twilight Princess bolstered the new console's launch significantly and proved from the onset that Wii could handle long adventure games. Now, one year after said launch, Nintendo has called in the Hyrulian hero to bolster the release of the Wii Zapper peripheral in the form of Link's Crossbow Training.

Zelda aficionados may decry the use of the franchise for such a purpose, but here is a relieving thought: just as Four Swords Adventures on the GameCube represented an amusing and brief distraction (as opposed to an evolution of the series) so, too, does Link's Crossbow Training. From a marketing standpoint, it's brilliant: the brand will help sell the Wii Zapper, more casual gamers might take interest in the series since the demands of a full-fledged adventure have been removed, and veterans can have get their Zelda fix while enjoying a shooter that's fun in its own right.


Link, auditioning opposite Kevin Costner, for the role of Robin Hood.

The demo at E for All provided most everything gamers can expect from the game when it releases on November 19. I started with the first level, which contained three stages from Twilight Princess: Ordon village, Gerudo desert and the Arbiter Grounds. Ordon village places players in the first-person perspective and has them simply shoot at targets that appear on-screen. The Gerudo desert makes Link visible (and stationary) in the third-person perspective, with Stalfos swarming him from all sides. The final area, the Arbiter Grounds, allows players to move Link using the analog stick and defeat Bobokins.

The Wii Zapper worked well in the first two stages, but I found moving with the analog stick in the third area to be somewhat awkward. Whether this was a result of inverted axis, my decreasing mental and physical acuity after three grueling days on the show floor, or simply unpolished controls is uncertain. The controls overall felt responsive, with the weight of the Wii Zapper and click of the trigger corresponding nicely to the motions of the in-game crossbow.


Left your Iron Boots at home? Just shoot the Goron in the crotch!

The other stages I played saw Link shooting Gorons in the groin, giant balloons over Hyrule castle, water-bound enemies while speeding down Zora's river and flying creatures from the Bridge of Eldin. The goal of all of these stages is to rack up as many points as possible. The game adds some challenge by including distraction targets that deduct points, enemies that will attack Link and non-target items that can be shot for extra points. I found myself settling into a rhythm of shooting pretty quickly, which resulted in a gold medal and a feeling of satisfaction.

I hope that the final product will include some tantalizing extras like expansions on the crossbow, or maybe the ability to use the item in Twilight Princess for those with save data for both titles. Even if not, and the game focuses purely on high scores in the available stages, Link's Crossbow Training should provide a pleasant distraction for casual players and Zelda fans alike. At 19.99 USD, the pack-in might just make the Wii Zapper worth purchasing.
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Rob Galbreath, Editor-in-Chief

When Majora's Mask came out, gamers criticized the game for reusing the same engine as the ever-popular Ocarina of Time. Such is certainly not the case with Link's Crossbow Training, as the Twilight Princess engine provides a wonderful look back at Hyrule with an entirely new method of play involving a new peripheral.

Link's Crossbow Training is clearly not a full-fledged game. For Nintendo to suggest a 19.99 USD Wii title, the same price as the Brain Age games, there has to be something behind it. Certainly: it's to sell the Wii Zapper. The Wii Zapper has proven itself as a worthwhile purchase, and I will gladly turn any naysayer around after playing a bundled demonstration with such a remarkably low price.

The Wii Zapper's analog stick is certainly complicated to use, but I'd venture to say that's an easy learning curve. On first try, I managed to defeat all of the enemies while running around and shooting. It's really a lot easier to just use the analog stick, get into a place you want to fire, let go, and aim the stick to the enemies. The downtime is very much realistic for anyone who owns a crossbow. You need to situate yourself, make sure your aim is good, and then begin to fire.

Still, I managed to strafe while shooting. It may take a good time to master, but people will get it. PC gamers may have a fit to know that they can't run around like The Flash and shoot everything down like Kid Icarus, but it will probably take just as much time learning how to do so on the Wii Zapper as it did with the mouse and keyboard combination. Switching hands also proves to be very helpful, finding which should be on the analog and which can operate the trigger.

As I said, Link's Crossbow Training is a trial game, and a great one at that. It shows how to utilize everything the Wii controls have to offer. You need to pull the arrows, shoot as fast as possible, and manage to defeat any enemies coming your way. Although a quick shake of the Wii Remote to reload the crossbow would have been nice, like every third-party developer managed to discover, some gamers might appreciate being able to shoot without concern.

For 20 USD, you really can't pass this bundle up. If Nintendo charged 40 USD, I might be slightly concerned, but half of that price is phenomenal for something you'll reuse over and over again.

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