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Welcome to the Minish Cap community! This is just an info post for those unfamilar with the game.
The Minish Cap is a Legend of Zelda game for the Gameboy Advance (also playable on the new Nitendo DS you lucky Americans). The release dates are as follows:
Japan: 4th November 2004
European: 12th November 2004
US: 10th January 2005
Australia: TBA
Be aware: this game is very short by epic Zelda standards. However there are a lot of sidequests to keep you amused long after you've completed the game. The graphics are insanely cute and the music pleasant and tinkling. Especially considering it's coming from a Gameboy. The official and concept artwork is very similar to the Wind Waker, and this was converted nicely to the Gameboy.
Story:
A long, long time ago...
When the world was on the verge of being swallowed by shadow...
The tiny Picori appeared from the sky, bringing the hero of men a sword and a golden light.
With wisdom and courage, the hero drove out the darkness.
When peace had been restored, the people enshrined that blade with care.
The Picori festival is on at Hyrule Town! Zelda and Link, being childhood friends, go together. While there, Link also has an errand to run for Master Smith, his grandfather. He must deliver a sword to the minister at Hyrule. After Link runs after a very excited Zelda and she wins him a new shiny shield they both make their way to the castle. AS part of the festival a sword fighting tournament was held, and there is an awards ceremony being held for the winner. The prize is to be able to touch the Picori Blade, which is stuck into a chest and binding it closed. The sword keeps the evil inside locked away. Yes, this is a sacred blade, given to the people of Hyrule from the Picori, or so legend has it. Four solidiers are surrounding the chest.
The winner is a man called Vaati. He enters the courtyard where the ceremony is taking place and declares his intention to open the chest and let out the evil. He quickly dispatches the guards and knocks the sword out of the chest with his magic, shattering it. A bunch of monsters are released and Zelda uses her own form of magic to protect herself, while Link uses his shield. Vaati decides Zelda could be trouble and prepares to attack her. Link throws himself in front of the Princess, but he is knocked aside, unconcious, and Zelda is turned to stone. Vaati checks the newly opened chest but finds it empty. The power he searches for is elsewhere it seems, so he takes his leave.
Some time later, Link awakens in the castle. He joins his grandfather and the King of Hyrule in the throne room. Turns out the only thing which has to power to revive Zelda is the Picori blade, which Vaati shattered of course. The King says that the Picori live in the Minish Woods, and that they will be able to repair the sword. And Link is the one chosen to do this because the Picori only show themselves to children. For this journey Link receives the blade he had brought to Hyrule Castle previously. The soliders are sent to look for Vaati.
So Link sets out and makes his way to the Minish Woods. Not long after entering he hears someone calling for help. A strange creature is being attacked by monsters, so Link quickly takes them out. The creature asks Links why he is in the woods, and gets very interested when Link mentions the Picori and Vaati. Turns out this chap had also been cursed by Vaati and is trying to break it. He goes by the name of Ezlo and tells Link that he is joining him. Because he has no legs and can't keep up with swift moving boy, Ezlo jumps onto Link's head and makes himself at home. He tells Link that the creatures they call call Picori are known as Minish to themselves, and that there is a tiny village of them in the forest. Ezlo goes on to say that there are portals scattered throughout Hyrule that were used long ago by humans to adjust their size. Using the nearby tree stump portal, Link shrinks down to Minish size and begins looking for their village in a new and dangerous big world.
Features:
The main feature of the game is Link's ability to shrink to small sizes. While this allows him to get to otherwise not accessible areas, it also makes places like puddles very dangerous. You can shrink by using portals scattered throughout Hyrule. Link appears to be the only one able to use them, but we all know he's a special case.
This is a Zelda game. Which means that most of your time is spent being distracted by the sidequests. This includes fusing kinstones. Throughout your wanderings of Hyrule you will find these half stones under bushes, on dead enemies, in chests etc. When chatting away to someone if a thought bubble appears beside them, you can press L to try see if you have matching Kinstones. If one of your halves and one of theirs match up, something good is bound to happen! This can be a chest appearing, or an inaccessible place opening up. Whatever it is, it will show you exactly where it is on the map. You can fuse Kinstones with some strange things. Like inanimate rocks. The game also takes advantage of the GBA wireless adaptor, so you can trade with other real people! How exciting.
Another fun pastime is collecting trophies. Anyone who has played Smash Bros. Melee knows how you need to have the 300 or so trophies. In the Minish Cap there are 136 to collect. No, I don't have them all yet, arg.
Characters:
Link: You, the ever courageous boy. He is sent on the quest to save Zelda because only children can see the Picori/Minish people.
Zelda: Link's childhood friend, and Princess of Hyrule. Like all the female members of the royal family she posesses the power of light. She gets turned to stone pretty early in the game and you spend the rest of it trying to save her.
Picori/Minish: Humans believe these tiny creatures only exsist in fairytales, but they are really all around them. The Minish are very helpful to humans, and do nice things while they sleep, like finish their work. The Minish live all over Hyrule.
Ezlo: He was a famous Minish sage, until Vaati took his magica cap and cursed him. Now he himself resembles a cap and stays on Links head and helps him with his journey.
Vaati: Is the atagonist. He is searching for the light force to become more powerful. He gained his powers when he took Ezlo's magiccap.
Links:
Minish Cap fanlisting
official site
the big N
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