‘We will struggle together and grow stronger than before.’
Played with BertKnot, in preparation for our Zelda Marathon podcast.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (2002) was the result of an unexpected and incomplete development. The Capcom team, led by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, had been temporarily transferred from The Minish Cap (2004) to work on the multiplayer section of the A Link to the Past (1991) remaster. Many of the ideas were found in both games, but were primarily intended for a single-player experience. The resulting title was of questionable quality, unable to establish a distinct identity. However, the concept of a multiplayer opus for Zelda franchise was not a bad idea, and a hybrid title halfway between cooperation and competition was conceived. To demonstrate the connectivity between the GBA and GameCube, Nintendo set about developing Four Swords Adventures, which was to be a retelling of the original title, but in a much longer format. With Toshiaki Suzuki as director, the project was overseen by Aonuma and Miyamoto; the latter, in a very characteristic moment, insisted on last-minute changes to prioritise gameplay over story.
A game-design built around references
The game follows the storyline of Four Swords, and players control reflections of Link as they work together to rescue the Seven Sages and stop Shadow Link and Vaati's attacks on Hyrule. Eight different worlds, each consisting of three levels, unfold throughout the adventure. The latter always features one of the series' iconic dungeons, often from A Link to the Past, while the first two showcase famous locations from the overworld. Remarkably, Four Swords Adventures is a continuous layering of references, borrowing from The Legend of Zelda (1986), Ocarina of Time (1998), The Wind Waker (2002), and all the rest. This approach works wonderfully and has been perfectly analysed by Aonuma, who points out: ‘In bringing together the elements for the Four Swords [Adventures], [Suzuki] looked at, essentially, taking elements from the 3D Wind Waker, [...] finding ways to take elements that people who have played the newer games would then see in this game and be familiar with, in addition to taking some of the older elements from the past 2D games. [...] Four Swords [Adventures] is going to be something that will feel familiar [...] to both the old-school fans and the new-school fans.‘ [1]
The endless interplay of references allows for a smooth and natural progression, which benefits the game's arcade flavour by borrowing puzzles and mechanics familiar to veterans, but also by subverting players' expectations. On several occasions, the game throws in surprises that can catch players off guard – the Flying Tiles were particularly effective. Similarly, the gameplay mix – with side-scrolling sequences reminiscent of Adventure of Link (1987) and Link's Awakening (1993), or those set in the Dark World a la A Link to the Past – rejuvenates parts of the previous games. The boss of the sixth world is Moldorm, who will evoke painful memories for anyone who played A Link to the Past: the boss would often throw the player off the platform, and a fall would force them to climb back up several floors to start the fight again. Here, falling leads to a small side-view pit, making it easy to rejoin the action. The mix of 2D and 3D works to create fresh puzzles, which also take advantage of the two screens the player has to look at, both the GameCube's monitor and the GBA's screen. Projectiles can be fired through doors or ceilings, hitting targets that seem out of reach.
Exploration between cooperation and competition
In general, Four Swords Adventures manages to use its items wisely, exploiting them as much as possible. As with Four Swords, it is unfortunate that some items quickly become obsolete, and that players are often invited to take the same item, but the effort required to create complex puzzles that work in both multiplayer and single-player modes minimises this criticism. With several players, the linearity of the progression is never a problem, as it fades in favour of the competition between players. Moreover, the title offers levels that are more exploration-oriented – the Village of the Blue Maiden being perhaps the most telling example. The level is an excellent recontextualisation of exchange quests on a level scale: players can split up to collect clues separately and gather the information necessary to continue exploring. In these cases, the level invites closer cooperation and pushes the competitive element into the background. It is this invisible balance that makes Four Swords Adventures so enjoyable: the game always strikes the right tone to keep players engaged, and the level diversity keeps the experience refreshing.
While the final world partially abandons this approach, being a little too dense in its succession of puzzles and battles, all the levels are of a reasonable length, elegantly breaking up the action like a play. The aim is never to put players in a difficult position, but rather to reward them for their knowledge of the series' mechanics: arguably, Four Swords Adventures is a game whose optimal experience may require several players with a fairly extensive knowledge of the series. The ability to anticipate the design of the puzzles adds an exhilarating aspect to the title, and a chemistry between players who can race through the rooms to collect Force Gems. Of course, slower, more deliberate exploration is just as welcome, but this is a different, equally interesting experience.
It is also worth mentioning the presence of two other modes: Shadow Battle embraces the competitive aspect of the title, while Navi Trackers is a completely different mode, exclusive to the Japanese version – it was dubbed and was able to pronounce the players' names, which would probably have been too difficult to recreate in English. In any case, Four Swords Adventures was a love letter to a franchise that was then almost two decades old. It borrows codes that have become standards and sometimes subverts them, ambushing players with friendly mischief. The title alternates between the visual styles of A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker, depending on the sequence, while the music uses iconic themes from the franchise. If the game has few particularly memorable passages – the Village of the Blue Maiden is undoubtedly the exception – it is imbued throughout with a rare sincerity that pays tribute to the series, its creators and its players.
__________
[1] Eiji Aonuma, GDC Roundtable, 17th May 2004.
Played with BertKnot, in preparation for our Zelda Marathon podcast.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (2002) was the result of an unexpected and incomplete development. The Capcom team, led by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, had been temporarily transferred from The Minish Cap (2004) to work on the multiplayer section of the A Link to the Past (1991) remaster. Many of the ideas were found in both games, but were primarily intended for a single-player experience. The resulting title was of questionable quality, unable to establish a distinct identity. However, the concept of a multiplayer opus for Zelda franchise was not a bad idea, and a hybrid title halfway between cooperation and competition was conceived. To demonstrate the connectivity between the GBA and GameCube, Nintendo set about developing Four Swords Adventures, which was to be a retelling of the original title, but in a much longer format. With Toshiaki Suzuki as director, the project was overseen by Aonuma and Miyamoto; the latter, in a very characteristic moment, insisted on last-minute changes to prioritise gameplay over story.
A game-design built around references
The game follows the storyline of Four Swords, and players control reflections of Link as they work together to rescue the Seven Sages and stop Shadow Link and Vaati's attacks on Hyrule. Eight different worlds, each consisting of three levels, unfold throughout the adventure. The latter always features one of the series' iconic dungeons, often from A Link to the Past, while the first two showcase famous locations from the overworld. Remarkably, Four Swords Adventures is a continuous layering of references, borrowing from The Legend of Zelda (1986), Ocarina of Time (1998), The Wind Waker (2002), and all the rest. This approach works wonderfully and has been perfectly analysed by Aonuma, who points out: ‘In bringing together the elements for the Four Swords [Adventures], [Suzuki] looked at, essentially, taking elements from the 3D Wind Waker, [...] finding ways to take elements that people who have played the newer games would then see in this game and be familiar with, in addition to taking some of the older elements from the past 2D games. [...] Four Swords [Adventures] is going to be something that will feel familiar [...] to both the old-school fans and the new-school fans.‘ [1]
The endless interplay of references allows for a smooth and natural progression, which benefits the game's arcade flavour by borrowing puzzles and mechanics familiar to veterans, but also by subverting players' expectations. On several occasions, the game throws in surprises that can catch players off guard – the Flying Tiles were particularly effective. Similarly, the gameplay mix – with side-scrolling sequences reminiscent of Adventure of Link (1987) and Link's Awakening (1993), or those set in the Dark World a la A Link to the Past – rejuvenates parts of the previous games. The boss of the sixth world is Moldorm, who will evoke painful memories for anyone who played A Link to the Past: the boss would often throw the player off the platform, and a fall would force them to climb back up several floors to start the fight again. Here, falling leads to a small side-view pit, making it easy to rejoin the action. The mix of 2D and 3D works to create fresh puzzles, which also take advantage of the two screens the player has to look at, both the GameCube's monitor and the GBA's screen. Projectiles can be fired through doors or ceilings, hitting targets that seem out of reach.
Exploration between cooperation and competition
In general, Four Swords Adventures manages to use its items wisely, exploiting them as much as possible. As with Four Swords, it is unfortunate that some items quickly become obsolete, and that players are often invited to take the same item, but the effort required to create complex puzzles that work in both multiplayer and single-player modes minimises this criticism. With several players, the linearity of the progression is never a problem, as it fades in favour of the competition between players. Moreover, the title offers levels that are more exploration-oriented – the Village of the Blue Maiden being perhaps the most telling example. The level is an excellent recontextualisation of exchange quests on a level scale: players can split up to collect clues separately and gather the information necessary to continue exploring. In these cases, the level invites closer cooperation and pushes the competitive element into the background. It is this invisible balance that makes Four Swords Adventures so enjoyable: the game always strikes the right tone to keep players engaged, and the level diversity keeps the experience refreshing.
While the final world partially abandons this approach, being a little too dense in its succession of puzzles and battles, all the levels are of a reasonable length, elegantly breaking up the action like a play. The aim is never to put players in a difficult position, but rather to reward them for their knowledge of the series' mechanics: arguably, Four Swords Adventures is a game whose optimal experience may require several players with a fairly extensive knowledge of the series. The ability to anticipate the design of the puzzles adds an exhilarating aspect to the title, and a chemistry between players who can race through the rooms to collect Force Gems. Of course, slower, more deliberate exploration is just as welcome, but this is a different, equally interesting experience.
It is also worth mentioning the presence of two other modes: Shadow Battle embraces the competitive aspect of the title, while Navi Trackers is a completely different mode, exclusive to the Japanese version – it was dubbed and was able to pronounce the players' names, which would probably have been too difficult to recreate in English. In any case, Four Swords Adventures was a love letter to a franchise that was then almost two decades old. It borrows codes that have become standards and sometimes subverts them, ambushing players with friendly mischief. The title alternates between the visual styles of A Link to the Past and The Wind Waker, depending on the sequence, while the music uses iconic themes from the franchise. If the game has few particularly memorable passages – the Village of the Blue Maiden is undoubtedly the exception – it is imbued throughout with a rare sincerity that pays tribute to the series, its creators and its players.
__________
[1] Eiji Aonuma, GDC Roundtable, 17th May 2004.
How come they literally went from making one of the best cooperative Zelda games with minimal competition, to one of the worst cooperative Zelda games with constant competition? And then blend this game with ALTTP and Wind Waker to make some horrible zombie????
Alright. Flack aside, the only thing I could say is that playing this game singleplayer isn't that bad at all. But...... That's it. This game's story is really bland, and for it to come after TWILIGHT PRINCESS in the Zelda timeline (a good Zelda game compared to this) Is baffling to me. This game belongs in the timeline of trashy games. The main enemies (Eyeball Vatti, Giant Discord Mod Blue ugly ahh Gannon, and just a cringy version of Shadow/Dark Link) aren't as fun as most of the main enemies in other Zelda games, and that's all I have to say. I don't want to rant too much about this game and after playing this game more growing up, it's safe to say that i abandon this game.
Alright. Flack aside, the only thing I could say is that playing this game singleplayer isn't that bad at all. But...... That's it. This game's story is really bland, and for it to come after TWILIGHT PRINCESS in the Zelda timeline (a good Zelda game compared to this) Is baffling to me. This game belongs in the timeline of trashy games. The main enemies (Eyeball Vatti, Giant Discord Mod Blue ugly ahh Gannon, and just a cringy version of Shadow/Dark Link) aren't as fun as most of the main enemies in other Zelda games, and that's all I have to say. I don't want to rant too much about this game and after playing this game more growing up, it's safe to say that i abandon this game.
Somehow I played this authentically in 2023 with 4 people.
Game was fun, but the way they boot you out of the game with no way of saving progress if one of you disconnect, either by jerking your cable, accidentally turning off your GBA or running out of batteries(since you cant charge while playing), is such an attrocious design choice. Surely there could've been a work-around of some sort if they really tried it.
When nothing goes wrong, though, that's when you get a truly unique couch co-op experience, even if the game is a more streamlined and simple game compared to the other Zelda entries.
Game was fun, but the way they boot you out of the game with no way of saving progress if one of you disconnect, either by jerking your cable, accidentally turning off your GBA or running out of batteries(since you cant charge while playing), is such an attrocious design choice. Surely there could've been a work-around of some sort if they really tried it.
When nothing goes wrong, though, that's when you get a truly unique couch co-op experience, even if the game is a more streamlined and simple game compared to the other Zelda entries.
Now THIS is more like it. It's a blend of quick action with creative puzzles. The overpriced multiplayer is still the focus, but they also had the decency to let you play alone in this game, and it's still a lot of fun with just one player. Each level feels kind of like its own dungeon, and they generally feel unique from one another. The mix of A Link to the Past's and the GBA games' artstyles shouldn't work, but they do, likely because they added some extra visual flair using the extra power of the GameCube. All in all, a fun time. If we could get a port of this game to the Switch that didn't require you to buy multiple systems for multiplayer, that would be great.
i can't tell what's more frustrating, the obtuseness of some of these puzzles or finding 3 friends
I wish I could play it multiplayer
I never get the bother award because i am a good person
Either the most fun or most infuriating experience you'll ever have with your friends. A Parsec must play.
A lot of people frame Mario Party as the friendship-ender but there was no game closer to disbanding my friend group back in 2004 than Four Swords Adventures. When developing a game such as this I think you should decide whether you want it to be competitive or want it to be cooperative. Nintendo, unwisely, chose both, and so the four of us playing split along even lines: half trying solely to make progress in the game, and the other half going for the high score every level, at the expense of everyone else.
I was banned from ever playing this game with friends after just one session. You can imagine which side I fell on. I never saw this game to completion, but that was probably for the best.
I was banned from ever playing this game with friends after just one session. You can imagine which side I fell on. I never saw this game to completion, but that was probably for the best.
تحفة نينتندوية مدفونة بصراحة.
ما يجعلها مدفونة هو بسبب أنها لعبة جيمكيوب تتطلب وَصل 4 أجهزة غيمبوي للتحكم بالشخصيات. الفكرة فريدة من نوعها وتتبع خطى الشركة في تعزيز التناغم بين أجهزتها المنزلية والمحمولة واستغلت الميزة خير استغلال. فمثلاً أنت ترى العالم الخارجي في التلفزيون وعندما تدخل مبنى أو كهف فستنتقل شخصيتك لشاشة الجيمبوي في يدك ويظهر المكان الذي دخلته دون أن تتحرك الكاميرا معك مما يتيح للجميع حرية استكشاف المباني والكهوف (لكن ما إن تريدون التوجه لمنطقة مجاورة فسيتعين عليكم جميعًا التحرك سويًا)
اللعبة تعاونية لكن تنافسية بالوقت ذاته وهو ما أعتبره بصراحة من عيوب ألعاب نينتندو ﻷن التنافس فيها مستفز بصراحة. هناك نظام أموال تكسبه من هزم الوحوش أو فتح الصناديق وتضع لكل لاعب رصيده الخاص وهو معرض لفقدان الرصيد ويكسبه غيره. وفي نهاية كل مستوى تسألك اللعبة "من أزعجك؟" و"من ساعدك؟" لكن هناك حالات نكون فيها لم نزعج بعضًا وتَسَاعدنا كثيرًا لكن اللعبة ﻻ تتيح الخيار لذلك. وسؤالهم يؤثر على شاشة النتائج بحيث يرتفع أو ينزل تقييم اللاعب لذا قد يتحول الأمر لتخريب أحيانًا وإفساد للمتعة.
إجمالاً كانت تجربة فريدة وممتعة. لعبناها سويًا عبر خاصية نِت-بلاي في محاكي الدولفين. ورغم أنها تشوبها أحيانًا تقطيعات وتعليقات إلا أنها كانت تجربة محترمة ولم تفسد المتعة كثيرًا
ما يجعلها مدفونة هو بسبب أنها لعبة جيمكيوب تتطلب وَصل 4 أجهزة غيمبوي للتحكم بالشخصيات. الفكرة فريدة من نوعها وتتبع خطى الشركة في تعزيز التناغم بين أجهزتها المنزلية والمحمولة واستغلت الميزة خير استغلال. فمثلاً أنت ترى العالم الخارجي في التلفزيون وعندما تدخل مبنى أو كهف فستنتقل شخصيتك لشاشة الجيمبوي في يدك ويظهر المكان الذي دخلته دون أن تتحرك الكاميرا معك مما يتيح للجميع حرية استكشاف المباني والكهوف (لكن ما إن تريدون التوجه لمنطقة مجاورة فسيتعين عليكم جميعًا التحرك سويًا)
اللعبة تعاونية لكن تنافسية بالوقت ذاته وهو ما أعتبره بصراحة من عيوب ألعاب نينتندو ﻷن التنافس فيها مستفز بصراحة. هناك نظام أموال تكسبه من هزم الوحوش أو فتح الصناديق وتضع لكل لاعب رصيده الخاص وهو معرض لفقدان الرصيد ويكسبه غيره. وفي نهاية كل مستوى تسألك اللعبة "من أزعجك؟" و"من ساعدك؟" لكن هناك حالات نكون فيها لم نزعج بعضًا وتَسَاعدنا كثيرًا لكن اللعبة ﻻ تتيح الخيار لذلك. وسؤالهم يؤثر على شاشة النتائج بحيث يرتفع أو ينزل تقييم اللاعب لذا قد يتحول الأمر لتخريب أحيانًا وإفساد للمتعة.
إجمالاً كانت تجربة فريدة وممتعة. لعبناها سويًا عبر خاصية نِت-بلاي في محاكي الدولفين. ورغم أنها تشوبها أحيانًا تقطيعات وتعليقات إلا أنها كانت تجربة محترمة ولم تفسد المتعة كثيرًا
Played this to death with my brother. Had some good times but honestly can't remember much of the game.
A bit tedious, but good! A lot could be said about how this game has very unique dungeon design compared to the rest of the series, due to the fact that you can only carry one item at a time. Makes for some neat puzzles, but also for occasionally obnoxious backtracking. I found it also to be a lot better in the dungeons than in the overworld segments, which don't fit a level based Zelda game like this as much.
You don’t need to call up some friends to bring their Game Boy Advances and appropriate link cables to play this, but good lord would it help.
The second game to be released in the Four Swords Saga, but the last in the story of that saga’s timeline, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures is a bizarre Frankenstein’s monster of a game. And I kind of love it.
Featuring the original four Link sprites from the Game Boy Advance Four Swords, certain enemy sprites and environments from A Link to the Past, sprites of varying quality made just for this game (the worst goron you will ever see is in this game), and special effects from Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures can look surreal at times. It feels like the most impressive fan game that could be made at the time. This feeling is only compounded further when the adventure is parsed out into easily digestible levels (or if you prefer, multiplayer challenges) organized on a Super Mario World-style map. It’s like your friend from another class that you only saw during recess said “what if Mario and Zelda combined?? And we could all play it!” and it was real.
2004’s Four Swords Adventures does what 2002’s Four Swords didn’t do, and made the levels have a linear flow to them. Gone are the long and drawn out open air dungeons of the past. Gone are the collectible charms that make your Link playable. This time you’re playing a game set up like a zelda game, that you can also play with 3 other people, and every Link can attack and zip around like never before.
Four Swords Adventures is the first released Zelda game using a top down point of view to give Link the ability to roll. There’s no i-frames but that burst of speed is such a delightful treat, and it feels so good to do with the satisfying click of a GameCube controller’s R button. Pressing B at the end of a roll executes an immediate spin attack, which is even more fun to do. I am not exaggerating when I say this roll is one of the reasons I like this lackluster game so much.
The game is lackluster for a few reasons, most of which stem from from its identity. Four Swords Adventures is first and foremost a classic single player Zelda experience. It is also a multiplayer experience. These two things could work beautifully together, with brain busting puzzles that really take advantage of having four Links on the screen, but the combination tends to just boil down to activating four switches at once or doing color-specific things as the matching Link. The multiplayer aspect is baked into the experience, but it the actual level and puzzle design was made for one player and then made to accommodate three others afterwards. This game is completely playable solo, which is interesting, but leaves you with a handful of stale moments meant for the full four player experience.
Another victim of the single player/multiplayer styles butting heads is every level being their own contained challenge. You can’t beat a level without getting 2,000 Force Gems (there’s no rupees in this game, just triangles), and each level makes sure you can easily get that many. They’re not carried over between levels, so unless you’re doing multiplayer and want to win, there’s no real in-game reason to grind for Force Gems.
The lack of Force Gems being carried over, means they’re not a currency (except for specific and ultimately useless situations), means that the occasional village level has none of the quiet charm of visiting a village in a regular Zelda game. There’s no shopping or side quests to do, it’s just another level. But at the same time, The Village of the Blue Maiden level is a pretty fun time! I would absolutely prefer to experience that village’s puzzle if it was a village in a Zelda game and not a village-shaped dungeon in a multiplayer game, though.
Force Gems aren’t the only thing not carried over. Link, Link, Link, and Link don’t have the usual arsenal of tools here, and instead can carry only one item at a time. In multiplayer, this could in theory make each Link “specialized” for one item as needed. Maybe the red Link’s player insists on using only the fire rod because he’s red. It’s a bit of fun character theming that the game could allow, solely due to one player’s choice. At the end of the level he puts the fire rod away, to try something else next level. But that’s not the case. Most levels are built around using only a specific item or two at a time, and they’re also made with single player in mind, and gives you four pedestals with the same item needed for the level. It’s pretty rare that a level will ever accommodate four Links using a different item each.
There is a lot weighing the Four Swords experience down (I didn’t even mention how shallow the main villain is), and yet somehow I still find it enjoyable. The game feels fun to play, and the music is great as always. But maybe do a level or two a day, so the patterns don’t make themselves too apparent too quickly.
I have beaten The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (at the time of writing this), ironically, four times. I’ve mostly soloed it but I have had friends over to play it and we had a great time griefing each other.
I’m not sure if I should recommend it though. I personally really like it, but I can still see the flaws. Still a really fun time though. But I’ll tell you what, Zelda Freaks should play this game just to see that strange collection of sprites it has.
The second game to be released in the Four Swords Saga, but the last in the story of that saga’s timeline, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures is a bizarre Frankenstein’s monster of a game. And I kind of love it.
Featuring the original four Link sprites from the Game Boy Advance Four Swords, certain enemy sprites and environments from A Link to the Past, sprites of varying quality made just for this game (the worst goron you will ever see is in this game), and special effects from Wind Waker, Four Swords Adventures can look surreal at times. It feels like the most impressive fan game that could be made at the time. This feeling is only compounded further when the adventure is parsed out into easily digestible levels (or if you prefer, multiplayer challenges) organized on a Super Mario World-style map. It’s like your friend from another class that you only saw during recess said “what if Mario and Zelda combined?? And we could all play it!” and it was real.
2004’s Four Swords Adventures does what 2002’s Four Swords didn’t do, and made the levels have a linear flow to them. Gone are the long and drawn out open air dungeons of the past. Gone are the collectible charms that make your Link playable. This time you’re playing a game set up like a zelda game, that you can also play with 3 other people, and every Link can attack and zip around like never before.
Four Swords Adventures is the first released Zelda game using a top down point of view to give Link the ability to roll. There’s no i-frames but that burst of speed is such a delightful treat, and it feels so good to do with the satisfying click of a GameCube controller’s R button. Pressing B at the end of a roll executes an immediate spin attack, which is even more fun to do. I am not exaggerating when I say this roll is one of the reasons I like this lackluster game so much.
The game is lackluster for a few reasons, most of which stem from from its identity. Four Swords Adventures is first and foremost a classic single player Zelda experience. It is also a multiplayer experience. These two things could work beautifully together, with brain busting puzzles that really take advantage of having four Links on the screen, but the combination tends to just boil down to activating four switches at once or doing color-specific things as the matching Link. The multiplayer aspect is baked into the experience, but it the actual level and puzzle design was made for one player and then made to accommodate three others afterwards. This game is completely playable solo, which is interesting, but leaves you with a handful of stale moments meant for the full four player experience.
Another victim of the single player/multiplayer styles butting heads is every level being their own contained challenge. You can’t beat a level without getting 2,000 Force Gems (there’s no rupees in this game, just triangles), and each level makes sure you can easily get that many. They’re not carried over between levels, so unless you’re doing multiplayer and want to win, there’s no real in-game reason to grind for Force Gems.
The lack of Force Gems being carried over, means they’re not a currency (except for specific and ultimately useless situations), means that the occasional village level has none of the quiet charm of visiting a village in a regular Zelda game. There’s no shopping or side quests to do, it’s just another level. But at the same time, The Village of the Blue Maiden level is a pretty fun time! I would absolutely prefer to experience that village’s puzzle if it was a village in a Zelda game and not a village-shaped dungeon in a multiplayer game, though.
Force Gems aren’t the only thing not carried over. Link, Link, Link, and Link don’t have the usual arsenal of tools here, and instead can carry only one item at a time. In multiplayer, this could in theory make each Link “specialized” for one item as needed. Maybe the red Link’s player insists on using only the fire rod because he’s red. It’s a bit of fun character theming that the game could allow, solely due to one player’s choice. At the end of the level he puts the fire rod away, to try something else next level. But that’s not the case. Most levels are built around using only a specific item or two at a time, and they’re also made with single player in mind, and gives you four pedestals with the same item needed for the level. It’s pretty rare that a level will ever accommodate four Links using a different item each.
There is a lot weighing the Four Swords experience down (I didn’t even mention how shallow the main villain is), and yet somehow I still find it enjoyable. The game feels fun to play, and the music is great as always. But maybe do a level or two a day, so the patterns don’t make themselves too apparent too quickly.
I have beaten The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (at the time of writing this), ironically, four times. I’ve mostly soloed it but I have had friends over to play it and we had a great time griefing each other.
I’m not sure if I should recommend it though. I personally really like it, but I can still see the flaws. Still a really fun time though. But I’ll tell you what, Zelda Freaks should play this game just to see that strange collection of sprites it has.
this game would have a lot more of a positive standing if there was a rerelease of it that used online and not an annoyingly hard to set up system that requires up to 5 consoles simply if you want to play with a full crew. it has good multiplayer puzzles, party modes, and a good amount of content, but just isn't worth playing in terms of multiplayer unless you can handle getting, or already have, GBAs
I watch the runaway guys play this when I go to sleep
last time i played this one i yelled "i hope you get cancer" at one of my friends who wouldn't stop fucking up one of the puzzles. three years after that i got cancer so i don't wanna risk what might happen if i touch it again
One of the coolest gaming experiences that was severely difficult to experience.
I love a good co-op game. There's nothing quite like working together with a friend, family member, or significant other to complete a game in tandem. Four-player co-op is even better, but it becomes more difficult to get four consistent players for a campaign. If you manage make that happen though, it's gonna be a great time.
Four Swords Adventures is no exception. The few times I've played it with three other people, it's become one of the coolest games I've ever played. But you don't just have to get three other people, you also have to acquire four GBA-to-GC Link Cables and four GBA systems. When this game came out, that was $440 of extra hardware. Now maybe your friends all had GBAs they could bring over, but that's completely up to chance.
The game played solo is fine. It's a decent top-down Zelda experience, but the way it's segmented into levels feels odd. It's difficult to score the game overall. As a single-player campaign, it's probably a 3/5, but when you've got four Zelda fans with GBAs in hand, I'd say it's a perfect 5.
If you have the chance to experience that, don't pass it up. If you come across cheap GBAs, it might be worth picking them up just so you're prepared for the next time you've got teammates available.
If a Nintendo game ever needed to be rereleased with online co-op, it's this one.
I love a good co-op game. There's nothing quite like working together with a friend, family member, or significant other to complete a game in tandem. Four-player co-op is even better, but it becomes more difficult to get four consistent players for a campaign. If you manage make that happen though, it's gonna be a great time.
Four Swords Adventures is no exception. The few times I've played it with three other people, it's become one of the coolest games I've ever played. But you don't just have to get three other people, you also have to acquire four GBA-to-GC Link Cables and four GBA systems. When this game came out, that was $440 of extra hardware. Now maybe your friends all had GBAs they could bring over, but that's completely up to chance.
The game played solo is fine. It's a decent top-down Zelda experience, but the way it's segmented into levels feels odd. It's difficult to score the game overall. As a single-player campaign, it's probably a 3/5, but when you've got four Zelda fans with GBAs in hand, I'd say it's a perfect 5.
If you have the chance to experience that, don't pass it up. If you come across cheap GBAs, it might be worth picking them up just so you're prepared for the next time you've got teammates available.
If a Nintendo game ever needed to be rereleased with online co-op, it's this one.
OH MAN GUESS WHO'S GETTING THE BOTHER AWARD
Honestly one of the most fun and chaotic multiplayer experiences I've ever played. I will note that getting 4 players together alongside 4 gbas AND 4 link cables severely hurts it a bit but if you're like me and you can manage to get the perfect set up, it's so worth it. I've played this game with 4 players like 4 or 5 times and every single time it was always hilariously competitive. I hope they can remake this game on like the switch where it would be much easier to set up because it's legitimately so fun!
Between the Four Swords games, I gotta give the edge to Adventures on GameCube. Had several high school hangouts where this game was the focus & we had a blast. Splitting exploration of the world between the TV screen & the GBAs everyone uses as a controller was pure genius. The mix of competition & cooperation baked into the gameplay makes for a wild, silly & entertaining time each time you fire it up, particularly with friends.
bigger test of friendship than any mario party game, teen boys be out for blood like sharks if you were stealing rupees or throwing each other into random bullshit.
It's a shame that this game went so overlooked because of how much of a pain in the ass it is to get all of the equipment necessary for multiplayer.
This game is FANTASTIC. An underrated gem in the franchise. The level structure is unusual, but it's not at all a detriment. Just about all aspects of this game are great, and if you're able to get it working with Parsec, I highly recommend it.
This game is FANTASTIC. An underrated gem in the franchise. The level structure is unusual, but it's not at all a detriment. Just about all aspects of this game are great, and if you're able to get it working with Parsec, I highly recommend it.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures was originally multiplayer-only, much like its predecessor on the Game Boy Advance. However, a single-player mode was thrown in towards the end of development, and it turned out surprisingly well. Since it’s 2023 and I don’t have four GBAs, link cables, or an actual GameCube (I played this on the Wii), I played the single player version.
Four Swords Adventures has one major flaw: repetition. The same puzzles are used over and over again: push these blocks, pull this lever, stand on these buttons, blah blah blah. These “puzzles” are used so frequently that I began to wonder if the developers just couldn’t figure out any better four-player challenges and just decided to copy-paste the same ones to fill out time.
The story is a mess. It starts with Vaati reawakening and kidnapping the Seven Maidens (again), with Link drawing the Four Sword to chase him down. Then Shadow Link picks up a fucking flamethrower and starts torching entire villages. Then some undead knights come out of nowhere and tell the four Links to go fetch their pretty jewels. Then Ganon comes out of nowhere with zero foreshadowing and is revealed to be the main antagonist once again, now with an entirely new backstory… that we never actually see and is simply told to us by NPCs. There’s some interesting lore here, but none of it is fleshed out. Hell, Zelda gets abducted in the opening cutscene, Vaati doesn’t even talk, and we don’t get to see Ganon until the very end. What a waste. The game was originally supposed to have a deeper story until Shigeru Miyamoto snuck in one day, grabbed the devs by their throats, and whispered, “I don’t like stories in my games. Dumb it down for me.” He then kissed each of them on the forehead and slithered away to go hibernate until the next Mario game. Anyways, the story is both barebones and over complicated as a result of the devs trying to keep Shiggy happy.
The game certainly looks visually crisp, seamlessly integrating GBA graphics with the GameCube and including lots of cool-looking effects. The sprite-work is really good, with Ganon in particular looking more menacing than he ever has in a 2D game. However, the gamesteals borrows most of its assets and art style from A Link to the Past, which robs it of much of its identity. The music is also reused, so get ready to hear the same themes in every dungeon. On top of that, many of the bosses are watered down rehashes of the bosses from The Wind Waker, and their animations look terrible. Unlike Majora’s Mask or even the Oracle games, FSA doesn’t do anything interesting with its reused visuals to shake up player expectations, deliver a deeper story, or provide a grander adventure. I guess beating the shit out of that stupid bird again was fun, though.
On the plus side, the gameplay in general is definitely fun. Combat is engaging thanks to the formations, sword techniques, and items at your disposal, allowing Link to kick ridiculous amounts of ass in short spans of time. The final fight against Ganon is, predictably, awesome. The overworld levels are creative and fun, with lots of little quests to help the people of Hyrule and secrets hidden in plain sight. The dungeons, while often bland, get better as the game goes along, and I’m comfortable saying that the Pyramid, the Ice Temple, and the Palace of Winds are all great.
Overall, Four Swords Adventures is a lighter, more linear take on the Zelda formula that I mostly enjoyed. Its level-by-level progression was a nice change of pace that (presumably) lends itself well to multiplayer. Will I ever play it again? Probably not, but it was a fun break from the series formula while it lasted.
Four Swords Adventures has one major flaw: repetition. The same puzzles are used over and over again: push these blocks, pull this lever, stand on these buttons, blah blah blah. These “puzzles” are used so frequently that I began to wonder if the developers just couldn’t figure out any better four-player challenges and just decided to copy-paste the same ones to fill out time.
The story is a mess. It starts with Vaati reawakening and kidnapping the Seven Maidens (again), with Link drawing the Four Sword to chase him down. Then Shadow Link picks up a fucking flamethrower and starts torching entire villages. Then some undead knights come out of nowhere and tell the four Links to go fetch their pretty jewels. Then Ganon comes out of nowhere with zero foreshadowing and is revealed to be the main antagonist once again, now with an entirely new backstory… that we never actually see and is simply told to us by NPCs. There’s some interesting lore here, but none of it is fleshed out. Hell, Zelda gets abducted in the opening cutscene, Vaati doesn’t even talk, and we don’t get to see Ganon until the very end. What a waste. The game was originally supposed to have a deeper story until Shigeru Miyamoto snuck in one day, grabbed the devs by their throats, and whispered, “I don’t like stories in my games. Dumb it down for me.” He then kissed each of them on the forehead and slithered away to go hibernate until the next Mario game. Anyways, the story is both barebones and over complicated as a result of the devs trying to keep Shiggy happy.
The game certainly looks visually crisp, seamlessly integrating GBA graphics with the GameCube and including lots of cool-looking effects. The sprite-work is really good, with Ganon in particular looking more menacing than he ever has in a 2D game. However, the game
On the plus side, the gameplay in general is definitely fun. Combat is engaging thanks to the formations, sword techniques, and items at your disposal, allowing Link to kick ridiculous amounts of ass in short spans of time. The final fight against Ganon is, predictably, awesome. The overworld levels are creative and fun, with lots of little quests to help the people of Hyrule and secrets hidden in plain sight. The dungeons, while often bland, get better as the game goes along, and I’m comfortable saying that the Pyramid, the Ice Temple, and the Palace of Winds are all great.
Overall, Four Swords Adventures is a lighter, more linear take on the Zelda formula that I mostly enjoyed. Its level-by-level progression was a nice change of pace that (presumably) lends itself well to multiplayer. Will I ever play it again? Probably not, but it was a fun break from the series formula while it lasted.
Beating every Zelda in timeline order 7/20:
I had never played this one before, and Four Swords Adventures surprised me a lot. Coming from Four Swords, I wasn't looking forward to playing this, but this is just a purely fun experience. Condensing 2D Zelda into a focused, segmented level-by-level game creates a beautifully paced, wholly fun experience. Playing single-player might not be the way the game is meant to be played, but it works remarkably well and using the four links in puzzles and combat is a lot of fun. Speaking of puzzles, there were a lot more than I was expecting that really required some out-of-the-box thinking. I especially enjoy the levels that are a condensed area that you have to talk to people and trade weapons to progress through. Pretty much every level was fun, the bosses were unique and enjoyable, even when borrowed from Wind Waker. My only real complaint is that you're not going to get anything terribly interesting in the story or the locales offered. It's pretty standard Zelda fare. And it's pretty easy, since the Force Fairies are completely broken.
It feels really good to thoroughly enjoy something that's as fun and rewarding to play as this. I only wish I had played Four Swords Adventures sooner. I was missing out.
I had never played this one before, and Four Swords Adventures surprised me a lot. Coming from Four Swords, I wasn't looking forward to playing this, but this is just a purely fun experience. Condensing 2D Zelda into a focused, segmented level-by-level game creates a beautifully paced, wholly fun experience. Playing single-player might not be the way the game is meant to be played, but it works remarkably well and using the four links in puzzles and combat is a lot of fun. Speaking of puzzles, there were a lot more than I was expecting that really required some out-of-the-box thinking. I especially enjoy the levels that are a condensed area that you have to talk to people and trade weapons to progress through. Pretty much every level was fun, the bosses were unique and enjoyable, even when borrowed from Wind Waker. My only real complaint is that you're not going to get anything terribly interesting in the story or the locales offered. It's pretty standard Zelda fare. And it's pretty easy, since the Force Fairies are completely broken.
It feels really good to thoroughly enjoy something that's as fun and rewarding to play as this. I only wish I had played Four Swords Adventures sooner. I was missing out.
Pegando de tudo que Four Swords fez, 4SA traz uma variedade maior de fases, com algumas ideias incríveis de gameplay e de quebra-cabeças que fazem uso dos itens e da bagagem de Zelda do jogador.
O mal dos Zeldas multiplayer é também seu maior trunfo: a genialidade da cooperação. E 4SA é um dos jogos mais criativos da série, apesar de ficar devendo em alguns quesitos relacionados ao design de chefes e ter a tremenda dificuldade em organizar e configurar toda a parafernalha necessária pra se jogar em 4 pessoas, com 4 Gameboys Advance e 1 Gamecube.
Com um misto de desafio envolvendo ação e solução de enigmas e quebra cabeças, 4SA é um jogo que se destaca acima de tudo pelas mecânicas e pelo level design, que consegue sempre se reinventar de maneiras diferentes e divertidas.
O mal dos Zeldas multiplayer é também seu maior trunfo: a genialidade da cooperação. E 4SA é um dos jogos mais criativos da série, apesar de ficar devendo em alguns quesitos relacionados ao design de chefes e ter a tremenda dificuldade em organizar e configurar toda a parafernalha necessária pra se jogar em 4 pessoas, com 4 Gameboys Advance e 1 Gamecube.
Com um misto de desafio envolvendo ação e solução de enigmas e quebra cabeças, 4SA é um jogo que se destaca acima de tudo pelas mecânicas e pelo level design, que consegue sempre se reinventar de maneiras diferentes e divertidas.
played this on parsec in a vc and was one of the most fun and rage inducing vc's. the game itself is a decent zelda but playing it with friends is definitely the way to go
Almost 20 years after its release, playing Four Swords Adventures has only recently become a plausible endeavor. In The Ancient Days, in order to play this game in "the real way" that the developers intended, one would need access to the following:
-A TV in a location suitable for four prospective players
-A Nintendo Gamecube
-A copy of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
-Three other local human beings of comparable skill, compatible schedules, a consistent and persistent interest in playing a 15 hour long Zelda game to completion, and a modicum of amicable chemistry amongst themselves and with you (So we had might as well give up right now)
-FOUR(!!!) working Gameboy Advances
-Enough batteries (or charging solutions) to sustain those four GBAs for 15 hours of play
-FOUR(!!!) rare and expensive GBA to GCN cables, of which I personally saw exactly ONE in the entire decade between 2000 and 2010.
Now we have Parsec, Dolphin, and Discord, and we can play this very fun and very cool co-op game.
Oh did you want like, actual criticism? Uh... the more puzzly levels can be huge pace breakers in a way that isn't really great for an otherwise fast-paced thing like this. It would also benefit from some system that could warp a lagging teammate to the screen boundary that all three other players are pushing against, trying to move on and patiently waiting. Generally though, this rules. Great fun.
-A TV in a location suitable for four prospective players
-A Nintendo Gamecube
-A copy of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
-Three other local human beings of comparable skill, compatible schedules, a consistent and persistent interest in playing a 15 hour long Zelda game to completion, and a modicum of amicable chemistry amongst themselves and with you (So we had might as well give up right now)
-FOUR(!!!) working Gameboy Advances
-Enough batteries (or charging solutions) to sustain those four GBAs for 15 hours of play
-FOUR(!!!) rare and expensive GBA to GCN cables, of which I personally saw exactly ONE in the entire decade between 2000 and 2010.
Now we have Parsec, Dolphin, and Discord, and we can play this very fun and very cool co-op game.
Oh did you want like, actual criticism? Uh... the more puzzly levels can be huge pace breakers in a way that isn't really great for an otherwise fast-paced thing like this. It would also benefit from some system that could warp a lagging teammate to the screen boundary that all three other players are pushing against, trying to move on and patiently waiting. Generally though, this rules. Great fun.
I had so fun playing this, even in single player. A really good 2d zelda.
game is fucking awesome, my friends hate it, but they don't understand true craftmanship
A great idea that only the 1% can experience. Single player is still okay but lacking.