Last week, Nintendo released Legend of Zelda: Link\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Awakening as one of the first purchasable titles in the 3DS Virtual Console. I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t played the game in years, and it has been really fun going back to the island of Koholint.
But it seems that the game has also caused me a bit of unexpected attention. Not long after I started playing the game, and nostalgia started to creep up on me, I felt a gentle tap on my back.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Excuse me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d asked a quiet voice.
Looking down, I saw a young boy clutching an original, chunky Game Boy system. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What are you playing?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I could see that he was eyeing the 3DS in my hands. Being such a new console, I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t too surprised that it would be unrecognizable to some.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh! It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like what you have,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I responded, glancing toward the classic handheld. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just a slightly different model.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
The boy nodded, taking this in. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have you played Zelda?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I chuckled, turning my 3DS so that my little friend could see the screen, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m playing it right now, actually.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wow, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in color!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he exclaimed, taking in the sight of the familiar Mabe Village in colors that the original Game Boy just wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t capable of. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so cool!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Very cool, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just as good in grayscale,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I nodded.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the boy replied, sounding apprehensive. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you think you could maybe help me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can try! What has you stuck?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Well, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in the forest but this raccoon guy keeps laughing at me and messing me up.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
Wow, that wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t far in the game at all. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah, right. Well, what have you tried?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everything!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said, a bit more confident from his frustration. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I tried using my sword, and going everywhere I can to find something to get rid of him, but nothing helps!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have you tried talking to him?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah, he just says something about making me lost.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No, I mean actually talk to him,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I smiled, noticing the slightly blank look from my companion. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Video game characters \u00e2\u20ac\u201c especially those who seem to be impeding your progress \u00e2\u20ac\u201c hardly ever say things just for the heck of it. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s usually a clue.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
I watched him make his way back to the forest, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He says he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sensitive to dust?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s your clue,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I smiled, watching a relieved smile grow on the boy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face. He still wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sure what the dust referred to, but he was happy to be on the right track.<\/p>\n
A few days passed without seeing him again. But then, unexpectedly, he ran up to me with a big grin on his face.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I did it!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said, showing me the screen of his Game Boy, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I got the Tail Key!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Good job! I knew you could figure it out!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he nods, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But now I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m stuck again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
I chuckled, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh? Have you tried talking to everyone?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Can you talk to the monsters?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Um\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 not really.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Then yes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said as he progressed the game to the screen he wanted me to see, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get past this door. I beat all the monsters, which usually opens the door, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still closed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah, well, remember what I said about the characters? The same thing applies to the game environment.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
Without saying anything, he looked down at his screen, trying to see what I meant. I knew exactly how his screen looked, so I continue, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153See the pattern on the floor that isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t anywhere else? And how the other blocks are arranged? It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not a random flourish, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a purpose to it all.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
He purposefully and methodically worked the controls until the unmistakable unlock chime floated into our ears, coaxing a grin from both of us.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Good job.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The next time I saw the young boy, he was a little less celebratory. In fact, he almost looked sheepish as he looked up at me. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m stuck again,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he admitted.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all right,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I encouraged, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Have you played a game like this before?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
He shook his head, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tetris and Paperboy, but this is kinda challenging.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Compared to those, it is a different sort of game, yes. So where are you stuck?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I got to the Bottle Grotto, but as soon as I walk into the dungeon, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in a room where all the doors close, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in the dark.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah right, this one is more obvious than it seems\u00e2\u20ac\u201d\u00e2\u20ac\u0153
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I tried killing the spinny thing,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he quickly added, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153and trying to find the fire stick that the manual talks about to maybe light the torches. But\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 I think I may have a solution anyway.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d His voice grew quiet and more guarded.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
He nodded, sitting closer to me so that I could watch the screen as he played, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I walk into a room and then immediately hit Select to go to the map,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I watched, my heart beating a little faster, my stomach becoming unsettled, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153then return to the game, I get teleported to the other side of the room!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d His exclamation was muted, knowing full well that he was exploiting a bug in the game.
Link was sitting unnaturally on the top of the wall opposite to the entrance. Tapping forward on the d-pad caused Link to fall forward into a room that shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t exist \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a room with four walls, no doors, no enemies \u00e2\u20ac\u201c nothing at all.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I could find a way to teleport to one of the walls that has a door to a real room, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be all set!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153How did you find out about this?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I tried to sound serious but not disappointed, even though I was.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was on a TV show,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d any pride he may have had from showing off this trick was now gone, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Someone was stuck and called the show for help.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wow,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I shook my head a bit, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t cheat. Trust me on this \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it causes more harm than good.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m frustrated! Every time I solve something, I get stuck again right away with another puzzle!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re just not used to this sort of game,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I smiled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you keep using that cheat, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll break the game\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s carefully scripted flow \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and ultimately break your ability to finish the game. You want to finish the game don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
He nodded slowly.
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have much experience with games like this, but you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get that experience unless you play them like they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re supposed to be played. And as you explore more games \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which you will \u00e2\u20ac\u201c these little tricks and hints become second nature.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153But it takes so long\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sometimes. But it gets easier as you progress, as you learn. And you will,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I reassured him, smiling confidently even though he looked doubtful. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll learn.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll learn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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