It seems that every new Zelda game has some kind of unique item that distinguishes it from the rest of the games in the series. This time around Link finds the Minish Cap. What's strange about this hat is that on the top of it is a bird-like creature that actually talks to Link. At certain spots in the game the cap will be able to shrink Link down to microscopic size to enter a whole new realm of exploration and adventure.
The new GBA Zelda game retains some of the graphical elements seen in 4 Swords, but overall the character has changed a little to keep him from looking exactly the same. The graphics are extremely vibrant and detailed. When you see Link shrink down in size the first time you'll be amazed that you can still control him at that size while traversing the overworld. Usually he'll immediately come to a cave or an area where it will zoom back in on him so he's normal size on the screen, but the environments are huge. In one area I played he was walking around huge leaves and killing normally small insects. Think "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and you'll get an idea of the what perils the environments will hold.
I played a bit of a dungeon area as well as a town. The coolest item I came across was this jar that allows Link to suck in items and air. So, to get across an impassable river, Link could suck in a nearby rubber-like mushroom, grab it, and upon letting go of it, the mushroom would propel Link across the river. It's a very interesting item that is sure to have many puzzle-solving uses. While in the town I had to visit with every character. While talking to them, a small bubble cloud will appear above him or her showing the shape and color of the kinship stone that character currently holds. By fusing kinship stones with ones Link has, an unpredictable surprise will be unleashed somewhere in the world. In my playtime, fusing kinstones burned down trees to create new areas to explore, made a huge vine appear to reach new heights, and even produced treasure chests in other areas of the town. These kinstones have the potential to create all sorts of surprising throughout the game.
Zelda: The Minish Cap is extremely fun to play and looks to be a fantastic all-original Zelda game for the GBA. Some of the same team that created the Oracle series on the GBC are working on this sequel and judging by the way it played at E3, it's going to be one of the best GBA games yet. The new Zelda won't hit until 2005, so you'll have to wait a bit longer!
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