Final Score: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is out today and it's become no secret that it's not one of Shacknews' favorite entries into the series. It's certainly not bad, but it does feel like one of Link's weaker adventures. But are we alone in that sensation? Today, we take a look at five of the best reviews from across the internet, including two from Nintendo-focused publications, and learn that, yes, we may be outliers on this one, albeit having raised a few points that most outlets appear to agree with. One thing's for sure, the game does appear to be better off without the waggly motion controls of the old Wii version and is very well worth re-discovering.

Shacknews 7/10: "On the whole, these improvements make Twilight Princess HD the best version of the worst modern Zelda game. That said, even a mediocre Zelda game is still pretty fun. If you can get past its tonal oddities and paint-by-numbers structure, it's a good game, but not a great one. I enjoyed it as a cultural artifact, but replaying it made me appreciate that this direction for the series was temporary."

US Gamer 4/5: "A decade on from its original release, Twilight Princess has undeniably lost some of its original appeal, which was defined in part by its being a bigger, prettier Ocarina of Time. Nevertheless, its elaborate dungeons have held up just fine over the years, and it's an undeniable pleasure to explore. This high-definition re-release may not do much for its reputation in the long run, but it's worth revisiting nonetheless."

VentureBeat 90/100: "I still don't like Twilight Princess as much as adore Wind Waker, but it was a lot easier to appreciate it as a fantastic game with this second playthrough. Twilight Princess succeeds largely because of its fantastic dungeons, and the HD enhancements are enough to give fans an excuse to go riding through the plains of Hyrule once more. Sure, playing as a wolf is dull, and the new 'dungeon' is a disappointment. Yet Twilight Princess HD is worthy of any fan of fun and adventure."

Nintendo Life 9/10: "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is an excellent addition to the Wii U library. We do acknowledge that it's a series entry that has its critics, with them often citing a lack of revolution from the Ocarina of Time template, in particular. Those that feel that way have little incentive to revisit it on Wii U, but this writer certainly feels that it stands on its own as an accomplished game - opinions, when it comes to a series as immersive and demanding as The Legend of Zelda, are everything. Beyond that, what we have here is an attractive remaster with some nice additions, encompassing improved controls, visuals and enjoyable extras for fans. It's a deep, involving 30+ hour adventure, which draws the player in with plenty of honesty and soul; we're certainly glad this one has come to light."

Nintendo World Report 9/10: "Regardless of whether Twilight Princess is on GameCube, Wii, or Wii U, it is an absolutely fantastic adventure. Replaying the game now made me remember why that is. The dungeons, of which there are numerous, are some of the best in the series. Arbiter’s Grounds and Snowpeak Ruins are especially incredible, but truth be told, I can’t think of an underwhelming dungeon in the bunch. While every Zelda game has noteworthy dungeons, I don’t think any single game is as consistent or magical as Twilight Princess. The way each dungeon makes use of different items and weapons in unique ways is wonderful, and you can see the kernels of Skyward Sword’s deliberate focus on blending dungeons and the overworld together developing here."

Polygon 8/10: "Sitting down to play Twilight Princess HD, I was struck by how little I remembered about the original. I think in 2006 I consciously tried to overlook and ignore its worst traits, focusing on its surface-level innovations — its gritty art style, its motion controls. In doing so, I never got a complete picture of the truly worthwhile Zelda adventure Twilight Princess represented: one that was flawed, yes, but also strange, bold and exciting. Twilight Princess HD is about as straightforward as remakes come, but it finally presents that picture with exacting clarity, warts and all."

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?