The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Encyclopedia
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, known as in Japan, is the twelfth game in The Legend of Zelda
of video games, developed by Capcom
, with Nintendo overseeing the development process. It was released for the Game Boy Advance
in 2004
in Japan
and Europe
and 2005
in North America
and Australia
. The Minish Cap is the first original single-player The Legend of Zelda adventure to be released for a handheld platform since The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
in 2001
.
The Minish Cap is the third Zelda game that involves the legend of the Four Sword, expanding on the story of Four Swords
and Four Swords Adventures
. A magical, talking cap named Ezlo can shrink Link to the size of the Picori, a thumb-sized race that live in Hyrule
. The game retains some common themes of previous Zelda installments, such as the presence of Gorons, while introducing Kinstones and other new gameplay features.
The Minish Cap was generally well received among critics. It was named the 20th best Game Boy Advance game in an IGN feature, and was selected as the 2005 Game Boy Advance Game of the Year by GameSpot
.
and Four Swords Adventures
. The Picori, also called Minish, are a race of tiny creatures that bestowed a young boy with a green garment, a sword, and a shining golden light many years before the game is set. There are three types of Minish: Town, Forest, and Mountain.
The quest begins when Link is chosen by the king of Hyrule to seek the help of the Picori after Vaati had petrified
Princess Zelda
. Link was chosen because only children can see the Picori. On the voyage he rescues Ezlo, a strange being resembling a green cap with a bird-like head, who joins him and can make Link shrink to the size of the Minish. Although it is not revealed at first, he and Vaati were once Minish (Picori)—Ezlo a renowned sage and craftsman and Vaati his apprentice. Vaati became corrupted by the madness and hatred of men and took a magic hat Ezlo had made for the humans in Hyrule. The hat grants any wish made by the bearer, and Vaati wished to become a powerful sorcerer. He then turned his old master, who had tried to stop him, into a hat. With the help of Ezlo, Link retrieves the four elemental artifacts and uses them to restore the Picori Blade to the Four Sword, capable of defeating Vaati.
After Link restores the Four Sword, Vaati turns Hyrule Castle into Dark Hyrule Castle—the final dungeon in the game. Link fights Vaati just before he can drain Zelda of all her Light Force. Link defeats Vaati after engaging in a fight that consists of Vaati changing forms. When Link and Zelda flee from the collapsing castle, they meet Vaati as he again changes form for the final battle of the game. After the battle, Ezlo returns to his original form. He finds the cap of wishes he created and gives it to Zelda, granting her a wish. The cursed people are cured and the castle is turned back to normal. The hat overflows with the power of life and disappears. Ezlo gives Link a new hat and tells him that he enjoyed traveling with him, then leaves just as the door to the Minish world closes.
The Minish Cap retains the general gameplay features that were present in previous Zelda installments. The main protagonist, Link, must navigate several dungeons to obtain an item or enhancement at the end of each dungeon that is pivotal towards the quest. Each of the game's "bosses
" are defeated using the item acquired in the boss's dungeon. The game also includes multiple "side quests"—optional tasks that are not part of the main quest but rewards for completion are beneficial to the gamer. Recurring characters in the Zelda series make appearances and some form part of side quests; for example, Tingle
and his brothers must all be contacted by the player to earn a reward.
The Minish Cap features a number of enhancements that benefit from the more powerful Game Boy Advance platform. The game's camera angle is much closer to the ground, allowing more detail. In the overworld
and in dungeons, the game replaces the traditional item interface of the handheld Zelda games with pictures associating items or actions with buttons, similar to the item interface in 3D titles like Ocarina of Time
and The Wind Waker
. Enemies include familiar creatures from the Zelda universe, such as the Keatons. Link can also perform special actions present in the 3D Zelda games, such as rolling while running. The game introduces three new items: the Mole Mitts, the Gust Jar, and the Cane of Pacci. The Mole Mitts allow Link to burrow through particular materials that serve as obstacles, the Gust Jar is used to suck in nearby items and substances, and the Cane of Pacci overturns whatever it hits. The game advances the combat system from previous handheld installments by allowing Link to learn new sword techniques throughout the game, some of which are techniques from previous games and some of which are new.
Kinstones are special artifacts which Link can find throughout his quest. Kinstone pieces are fragments of a medallion. In order to successfully form a complete Kinstone, two pieces of the same color and with complementary notches must be used.
Kinstones are ordered by color to signal their rarity and the type of reward gained by fusing—the rarest kinstones offer the best rewards. All fusions are optional and serve as side quests, except the golden kinstones which are used to advance the story. Link can attempt to fuse Kinstones with any character or object that holds a Kinstone piece, indicated by a thought bubble.
-based sidequest, similar to that in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
. The player can collect "Mysterious Shells" like those found in hidden areas in Link's Awakening, which sometimes appear when defeating enemies and can also be found or bought in different locations throughout the world. These can then be used in a gashapon
-like machine in Hyrule Town to obtain figurines of characters, enemies or locations that Link has encountered in the course of the main quest. New figurines only become available once Link has met or killed the subject of that figurine. Each figurine has a short description revealing information about the game, that particular enemy's weaknesses, or the series in general. The chance of winning a previously uncollected figurine from the machine can be increased by spending more shells at once, with an increase of 1% per shell. Collecting every figurine unlocks a house in Hyrule Town that contains treasure, a Heart Piece, and the Sound Test.
After Capcom
and its scenario writing subsidiary Flagship had finished developing Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
for the Game Boy Color
, they began work on a new Zelda game for the Game Boy Advance
. Work on the title was suspended to allow the teams to focus on Four Swords
, but in February 2003 Shigeru Miyamoto
and Eiji Aonuma
announced that development of what would later be called The Minish Cap was "well underway". Nintendo launched a Minish Cap website in September 2004, showing concepts of Link's shrinking ability.
Unique in the Zelda series (Apart from the Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword released in 2011), the game was released in Europe
an territories before North America. The main cited reason for this was the Nintendo DS
: with the European DS Launch scheduled for Spring 2005, Nintendo Europe pushed to make Minish Cap its handheld Christmas "killer app". Conversely, Nintendo America held back on its release so not to "cannibalize" the DS market.
. The Triforce SP is matte gold in color, with a Triforce logo stamped on the lid, and the Hyrule royal family crest printed on the lower right face.
Aside from these Zelda Limited Edition Paks available in store, Nintendo created the Limited Edition Collector's Box, which contained The Minish Cap, the golden Triforce SP, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat. Only 300 boxes were made worldwide and each one is certificated. These Collector's Boxes were not for sale in stores anywhere, but could only be won or bought in the Nintendo Stars Catalogue for 15,000 stars. Also, one of these is in the Nintendo World Store signed by Shigeru Miyamoto himself. As a launch promotion, Nintendo Europe also produced seven 24-carat gold plated Game Boy Advance SP consoles, with six given away to people who found a golden ticket inside their Triforce SP package, and a seventh as a magazine promotion.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
of video games, developed by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
, with Nintendo overseeing the development process. It was released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
in 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and 2005
2005 in video gaming
-Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship....
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The Minish Cap is the first original single-player The Legend of Zelda adventure to be released for a handheld platform since The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are two action-adventure games in The Legend of Zelda series, co-developed by Capcom and Nintendo. They were released on February 27, 2001 in Japan, May 14, 2001 in North America, and October 5, 2001 in Europe for Nintendo's Game Boy Color...
in 2001
2001 in video gaming
-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
.
The Minish Cap is the third Zelda game that involves the legend of the Four Sword, expanding on the story of Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords known as in Japan, is an action-adventure game co-developed by Nintendo and Capcom and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and the ninth installment in The Legend of Zelda video game series...
and Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords known as in Japan, is an action-adventure game co-developed by Nintendo and Capcom and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and the ninth installment in The Legend of Zelda video game series...
. A magical, talking cap named Ezlo can shrink Link to the size of the Picori, a thumb-sized race that live in Hyrule
Hyrule
The fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being , and was created by Japanese video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.-Hyrule:...
. The game retains some common themes of previous Zelda installments, such as the presence of Gorons, while introducing Kinstones and other new gameplay features.
The Minish Cap was generally well received among critics. It was named the 20th best Game Boy Advance game in an IGN feature, and was selected as the 2005 Game Boy Advance Game of the Year by GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
.
Plot
The plot of The Minish Cap revolves around the backstory of Vaati and the birth of the Four Sword, which were important elements of Four SwordsThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords known as in Japan, is an action-adventure game co-developed by Nintendo and Capcom and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and the ninth installment in The Legend of Zelda video game series...
and Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, released as in Japan, is the eleventh installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on March 18, 2004; in North America on June 7, 2004; in Europe on January 7, 2005; and in Australia on April...
. The Picori, also called Minish, are a race of tiny creatures that bestowed a young boy with a green garment, a sword, and a shining golden light many years before the game is set. There are three types of Minish: Town, Forest, and Mountain.
The quest begins when Link is chosen by the king of Hyrule to seek the help of the Picori after Vaati had petrified
Petrifaction in mythology and fiction
Petrifaction, as definied as turning people to stone, is also a common theme in folklore and mythology, as well as in some works of modern fiction.-Historical:...
Princess Zelda
Princess Zelda
is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. The name has applied to every female member of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link...
. Link was chosen because only children can see the Picori. On the voyage he rescues Ezlo, a strange being resembling a green cap with a bird-like head, who joins him and can make Link shrink to the size of the Minish. Although it is not revealed at first, he and Vaati were once Minish (Picori)—Ezlo a renowned sage and craftsman and Vaati his apprentice. Vaati became corrupted by the madness and hatred of men and took a magic hat Ezlo had made for the humans in Hyrule. The hat grants any wish made by the bearer, and Vaati wished to become a powerful sorcerer. He then turned his old master, who had tried to stop him, into a hat. With the help of Ezlo, Link retrieves the four elemental artifacts and uses them to restore the Picori Blade to the Four Sword, capable of defeating Vaati.
After Link restores the Four Sword, Vaati turns Hyrule Castle into Dark Hyrule Castle—the final dungeon in the game. Link fights Vaati just before he can drain Zelda of all her Light Force. Link defeats Vaati after engaging in a fight that consists of Vaati changing forms. When Link and Zelda flee from the collapsing castle, they meet Vaati as he again changes form for the final battle of the game. After the battle, Ezlo returns to his original form. He finds the cap of wishes he created and gives it to Zelda, granting her a wish. The cursed people are cured and the castle is turned back to normal. The hat overflows with the power of life and disappears. Ezlo gives Link a new hat and tells him that he enjoyed traveling with him, then leaves just as the door to the Minish world closes.
Gameplay
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
" are defeated using the item acquired in the boss's dungeon. The game also includes multiple "side quests"—optional tasks that are not part of the main quest but rewards for completion are beneficial to the gamer. Recurring characters in the Zelda series make appearances and some form part of side quests; for example, Tingle
Tingle
is the video game character of the eponymous Tingle series. He was originally part of the The Legend of Zelda series, first appearing in Majora's Mask, released in the year 2000. Since his first appearance, he has appeared in each installment of the series up through Spirit Tracks, except for...
and his brothers must all be contacted by the player to earn a reward.
The Minish Cap features a number of enhancements that benefit from the more powerful Game Boy Advance platform. The game's camera angle is much closer to the ground, allowing more detail. In the overworld
Overworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
and in dungeons, the game replaces the traditional item interface of the handheld Zelda games with pictures associating items or actions with buttons, similar to the item interface in 3D titles like Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
and The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
. Enemies include familiar creatures from the Zelda universe, such as the Keatons. Link can also perform special actions present in the 3D Zelda games, such as rolling while running. The game introduces three new items: the Mole Mitts, the Gust Jar, and the Cane of Pacci. The Mole Mitts allow Link to burrow through particular materials that serve as obstacles, the Gust Jar is used to suck in nearby items and substances, and the Cane of Pacci overturns whatever it hits. The game advances the combat system from previous handheld installments by allowing Link to learn new sword techniques throughout the game, some of which are techniques from previous games and some of which are new.
Kinstones
Kinstones are ordered by color to signal their rarity and the type of reward gained by fusing—the rarest kinstones offer the best rewards. All fusions are optional and serve as side quests, except the golden kinstones which are used to advance the story. Link can attempt to fuse Kinstones with any character or object that holds a Kinstone piece, indicated by a thought bubble.
Figurines
The Minish Cap also features a figurineFigurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
-based sidequest, similar to that in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
. The player can collect "Mysterious Shells" like those found in hidden areas in Link's Awakening, which sometimes appear when defeating enemies and can also be found or bought in different locations throughout the world. These can then be used in a gashapon
Gashapon
is a Bandai brand trademark widely used throughout the world for their capsule toys. It is also referred to as ." Both gashapon and gachapon are Japanese onomatopoeia, made up of two sounds: "gasha" or "gacha" for the turning of a crank on a toy vending machine, and "pon" for the sound of the toy...
-like machine in Hyrule Town to obtain figurines of characters, enemies or locations that Link has encountered in the course of the main quest. New figurines only become available once Link has met or killed the subject of that figurine. Each figurine has a short description revealing information about the game, that particular enemy's weaknesses, or the series in general. The chance of winning a previously uncollected figurine from the machine can be increased by spending more shells at once, with an increase of 1% per shell. Collecting every figurine unlocks a house in Hyrule Town that contains treasure, a Heart Piece, and the Sound Test.
Development and promotion
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
and its scenario writing subsidiary Flagship had finished developing Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are two action-adventure games in The Legend of Zelda series, co-developed by Capcom and Nintendo. They were released on February 27, 2001 in Japan, May 14, 2001 in North America, and October 5, 2001 in Europe for Nintendo's Game Boy Color...
for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
, they began work on a new Zelda game for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. Work on the title was suspended to allow the teams to focus on Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords known as in Japan, is an action-adventure game co-developed by Nintendo and Capcom and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and the ninth installment in The Legend of Zelda video game series...
, but in February 2003 Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
and Eiji Aonuma
Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer and video game director. He currently works for Nintendo, and has overseen several installments in The Legend of Zelda series of video games.-Education:...
announced that development of what would later be called The Minish Cap was "well underway". Nintendo launched a Minish Cap website in September 2004, showing concepts of Link's shrinking ability.
Unique in the Zelda series (Apart from the Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword released in 2011), the game was released in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an territories before North America. The main cited reason for this was the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
: with the European DS Launch scheduled for Spring 2005, Nintendo Europe pushed to make Minish Cap its handheld Christmas "killer app". Conversely, Nintendo America held back on its release so not to "cannibalize" the DS market.
Legend of Zelda Triforce Game Boy Advance SP
In Europe, the game was available either as a standalone packaged game, or as part of a special pack, which included one of only 25,000 limited edition, Zelda-themed Game Boy Advance SPGame Boy Advance SP
The , released in February 2003, is an upgraded version of Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. The "SP" in Game Boy Advance SP stands for Special. The SP was marketed at US$99.99 at launch. In September 2004, Nintendo lowered the price to US$79.99...
. The Triforce SP is matte gold in color, with a Triforce logo stamped on the lid, and the Hyrule royal family crest printed on the lower right face.
Aside from these Zelda Limited Edition Paks available in store, Nintendo created the Limited Edition Collector's Box, which contained The Minish Cap, the golden Triforce SP, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat. Only 300 boxes were made worldwide and each one is certificated. These Collector's Boxes were not for sale in stores anywhere, but could only be won or bought in the Nintendo Stars Catalogue for 15,000 stars. Also, one of these is in the Nintendo World Store signed by Shigeru Miyamoto himself. As a launch promotion, Nintendo Europe also produced seven 24-carat gold plated Game Boy Advance SP consoles, with six given away to people who found a golden ticket inside their Triforce SP package, and a seventh as a magazine promotion.
Reception and awards
| Publication | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 1UP.com 1UP.com 1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009.... |
A | |
| EGM Electronic Gaming Monthly Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis... |
A+ | |
| GamePro GamePro GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and... |
4.6 out of 5 | |
| GameSpot GameSpot GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which... |
9.1 out of 10 | |
| IGN IGN IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment... |
9.0 out of 10 | |
| X-Play X-Play X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits... |
5 out of 5 | |
| Awards | ||
| IGN IGN IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment... |
20th best GBA Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... game. |
|
| GameSpot GameSpot GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which... |
Best of 2005–GBA Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... Game of the Year |
|
| GameSpy GameSpy GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current... |
Editors' Choice 2005 2005 in video gaming -Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship.... GBA Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... Game of the Year. 2005 2005 in video gaming -Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship.... GBA Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... Adventure of the Year. |
|
| Nintendo Power Nintendo Power Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was... |
2005 GBA Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... Game of the Year. 24th best game on a Nintendo Nintendo is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel.... console. |
|
In general, the game received positive reviews from acclaimed sites and publications. IGN praised the game for continuing the legacy of the successful series, while GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also praised the game for this aspect, saying "Classic Zelda gameplay and flavor will please fans". The graphical style especially—which continues the whimsical style of Wind Waker—was welcomed by most reviewers. The music of the game was commended by most sites; GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
stated that "Even the music is outstanding, featuring some of the highest quality tunes to ever come out of the GBA's little speakers". Despite the criticism of the dungeon lengths, 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
praised the dungeon design, proclaiming it as superior to that of other Zelda games.
The main criticism of the game among reviewers is the length of the game. Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
says that "It's too short", while RPGamer
RPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
state that "The typical player can fly through the game's six relatively short dungeons in about ten hours". There are also various other complaints from reviewers: IGN claims that the kinstone system is overly repetitive; Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
criticises the game's visuals on a Game Boy Player
Game Boy Player
The is a device made by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube which enables Game Boy , Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance cartridges to be played on a television. It connects via the high speed parallel port at the bottom of the GameCube and requires use of a boot disc to access the hardware...
, and RPGamer details the game's low difficulty level as a disadvantage. Despite this, IGN's Craig Harris liked the way that the ability to become tiny had been incorporated to create fresh puzzles in the Zelda series. He continued to comment that "It's an idea that's so well-conceived that I'd love to see worked in the series' 3D designs somewhere down the line".
The Minish Cap won the Best Game Boy Advance of 2005 by GameSpot over such finalists as Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, known in Japan as , is a tactical role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance published by Nintendo. It is the eighth game in the Fire Emblem series, the third and final game in the series to be released for the Game Boy Advance and the second game in the series to be...
and WarioWare: Twisted!
WarioWare: Twisted!
WarioWare: Twisted!, known in Japan as is a video game for Game Boy Advance by Nintendo. The game is of a variety and puzzle genre. It was released on October 14, 2004 in Japan, May 23, 2005 in North America, and May 19, 2005 in Australia. It was not released in Europe, despite having been...
; GameSpot labelled it as "the Game Boy Advance game we remember the most". In March 2007, the game was ranked as the 20th best Game Boy Advance game by IGN. In the acknowledgement, IGN commented that "The inclusion of the ability to shrink and grow was explored to some really good results." The game was ranked 47th in Official Nintendo Magazine's "100 Greatest Nintendo Games" feature. Minish Cap received an average score of 92 percent from Gamerankings, a site that compiles media ratings from several publishers to give an average score.