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Content review for this game:
Pertaining to content listed in the upper left corner of this site.

Violence: Like most Zelda games, the story follows the main character, Link, as he tries to save the princess Zelda from the Evil Ganondorf. The overall violence consists of combat, and results in overall cartoon-like animations and reactions when you or enemies are hit. Link has access to many devices throughout the game that function as partial weapons, but his main weapon of choice is his sword, with a shield to protect him from incoming blows. You use the B button to swipe, and continue to do so, which results in simple combos until you defeat the enemy. The downed enemies then fall to the ground and disappear. The only visible damage is when you or an enemy are hit, which results in you or the enemy's body flashing bright red for a split second each time. And other than the last boss, and one other area before that, you only fight monsters.

Mild blood: The ESRB didn't mention this in their rating, although it's extremely mild. When you defeat the very last boss he coughs up a very small amount of green blood. That's it. Very mild stuff.

Mild suggestive themes: The ESRB didn't mention this either. There are the great fairies (that give you powers), who occupy cave-like structures, which are semi-hidden throughout the game. When you enter one of the caves, you go up to a round fountain, stand in the circle that is in the middle of this fountain, and play a song that summons the fairies. These fairies come up out of nowhere and laugh in a very strange male/female tone. They have what appears to be flesh colored jumpsuits on, with ivy vines entwining the suit. They have red hair, large chests, and frankly, look somewhat like male cross dressers. Wait, now remember: this game was made over a decade ago, so all of the objects that are supposed to be round in this game, including their chests, instead appear completely triangle; the overall appearance is low-res and undetailed. So it's actually not offensive in the least, in fact, it's entirely comical. A couple of the main female characters also have decent sized chests, but the appearance is the same; completely unrealistic.

Content-wise: This game is suitable content-wise for 7+, and even 6- in some areas. It is possible for kids in this age group to run around certain areas and explore. Just don't expect them to really beat any part of the game without major help. Also, this game is a bit spooky, with undead monsters that moan weirdly, and then try to straddle your character and suck on your life-force. There's also ghosts, graveyards, and some strange bosses; the overall atmosphere is pretty eerie. Some younger kids might get a little spooked.

Difficulty-wise: This game is very deep, with a large overworld, non-linear gameplay, hard bosses, and complex dungeons. The main pattern of the game is set somewhat like an RPG, and early on has your character gain his equipment, and then set out for the main quest. You then traverse the overworld, locate each dungeon and make your way to its core, while fighting enemies and solving puzzles. When you come to the end you fight the boss and receive your reward. That's pretty much the core structure of every Zelda game. Many of these dungeons and bosses are quite hard, and even the game mechanics are pretty complex, an example being, the button interface is completely customizable, which means you have to go into a menu and assign the wanted item to a button every time. All these issues can and will frustrate and stump a younger audience.

Fun for: This game is best suited to kids 10+, and adults. Most of the gameplay elements take time and patience. Kids 10+, and even some adults could get stuck on later bosses, or need to use a guide for some of the later dungeons.

Closing comment: This is one of the better games in video game history, and rightly so, as it was the first 3D Zelda game. And not only that, but the graphic style, gameplay and story are all near perfect. Even by today's standards this game stands the test of time. There really are no negatives, other than the fact that this game's graphics can't be compared to today's. Content-wise, it does have a spooky/eerie atmosphere, so I don't really recommend playing parts of this game with kids 6- in the room. Kids 7+ could play elements of this game, but most of the gameplay is a bit over their heads. Difficulty-wise, kids 10+ and even some adults could have a hard time, especially in later areas. So, I recommend this game for ages 10+.

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