Since the debut of The Legend of Zelda in 1987, all of Link's games have been the stuff of legends -- universally appealing adventures that emerged as beloved triumphs of gameplay, presentation, innovation, graphics and fun. In the ninth entry in the series, Link debuts on GCN with a fun new look, but the game is still serious about adventure. The series' classic mix of sword-swinging action, perplexing puzzles and stirring story lines remains intact while the new toon-rendered graphics enable the characters of Link's world to be the most lively and expressive personalities gamers have ever seen. Emotions hit a fever pitch when Link witnesses his sister being snatched up by a giant bird. Embarking on an epic voyage to locate his sister, Link unravels a mystery that deftly blends unique, stylized graphics and effects with the much-heralded mechanics of the gaming milestone, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Toon Rendering Whoa! Is that Link? Sound familiar? This was the reaction many people had when they first saw the new look of The Legend of Zelda. Called Toon Rendering by the development team in Japan, this visual style makes it very easy for players to immediately feel a deep connection with Link and other characters in the game. Link's facial expressions -- especially his large eyes -- convey a wide range of emotion in real time. As Link reacts to things that happen in the game, the player can relate as he or she experiences the same reaction. This deep connection between the player and the game is a crucial component of the game play experience.

Conducting the Wind Link's quest to rescue his kidnapped sister takes place in an ocean setting with many islands to visit. Link travels from island to island on his small sailboat, which is actually a very important character in the game. The wind itself is equally important. The wind is what powers Link's boat, and Link can control the direction of the breeze by using his Baton to conduct music. This produces an innovative control configuration in which the player uses the Control Stick and the C Stick together to conduct the wind.

The GBA Connection In an innovative twist, The Legend of Zelda for Nintendo GameCube will take advantage of the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable. By using the cable to connect to a Game Boy Advance (no software necessary), players will gain access to new items and features. Recent screen shots from Japan highlight one of these new features, which is currently being called the "Tingle-ceiver." After connecting with the Game Boy Advance, the game's Tingle-ceiver is activated. The Tingle-ceiver displays a map on the GBA screen, and enables Link to use a "Tingle-Bomb" which would not be available otherwise. The resulting explosion is visible both on the GBA screen and the Nintendo GameCube screen, and a new path is opened. This is just one example of the benefits gained by connecting with the GBA (no GBA software is necessary to take advantage of these features). Stay tuned to nintendo.com for even more information as news continues to pour in from Japan.