'Zelda' returns on Nintendo 3DS

He's the star of one of the most beloved console games from the 1990s, "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," which is now playable on the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo's newly launched portable gaming system ($249.99) is capable of delivering eye-popping 3-D graphics on one of its two screens without requiring any glasses to see the effect. Along with glasses-free 3-D, the remastered classic also adds new controls, including the use of the touchscreen and built-in motion-sensor, as well as a few new challenges and a revamped hint system not found in the original Nintendo 64 cartridge. In "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D," gamers play from a third-person perspective as Link, a young pointy-eared boy who vows to save the land of Hyrule from the malevolent Ganondorf. You'll start the game performing simple tasks such as talking to characters who live in the forest, collecting heart containers and learning to use your sword. This will all come in handy as you venture out to explore exotic locations including ancient ruins, dungeons and the countryside; solve environmental puzzles; and engage in combat against enemies, be it with your sword, bow, boomerang, slingshot, bombs and other weapons. Link can also run, climb, dive, ride, fish and play an instrument called the ocarina that performs functions such as teleporting between places, calling your horse, changing night to day and opening locked doors. Gamers with a nostalgic connection to the original epic will no doubt have a blast rediscovering the magic of this well-crafted and beautifully executed remake. Not only is it a blast to play on a portable device that can slip into your pocket, but the 3-D graphics add to the colorful, detailed world. Better depth and eye-popping effects help make this remake even more immersive than the 1998 classic. While the analog stick still controls Link's motion (just like the Nintendo 64 controller), the touchscreen is used to access inventory and play some minigames, and the integrated gyroscope lets you move the Nintendo 3DS to look around the virtual world. As a special treat for those who complete the main story —" and it'll take you a few dozen hours to do so, by the way —" the Master Quest mode will be accessible, adding all-new puzzles and redesigned dungeons for an extra challenge and further replayability. Speak of the game's difficulty, in this handheld version of "Ocarina of Time" (and for the first time in any "Zelda" game), you can access hint movies if you're stuck and watch how to complete the puzzle. Simply visit the Sheikah Stone, located by Link's house in the Temple of Time, for the handy walkthroughs. Whether you're a longstanding fan of "The Legend of Zelda" games or are new to the series, "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D" is a highly enjoyable game with great graphics, smooth control and a ton of adventuring for gamers on the go.