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Ocarina of Time - Update!
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Developed By: Nintendo
Release Date: November 1998
The countdown is on for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The release date of Nov. 23rd cannot get here quick enough! The latest intel from Nintendo's development crew confirms that this title will be every bit the epic adventure originally promised. Link's journey will begin as a young lad in elvish attire as he has a chance encounter with Princess Zelda and learns the importance of protecting the Triforce. Upon gathering three sacred gems, Link will draw the Master Sword, a mythical item that propels our hero seven years into the future, in which Hyrule has fallen into total ruin. The titular ocarina will prove vital in enacting reality-warping spells, but it is actually the Master Sword that forever alters Link's timeline.

New information surrounding the game reveals the world will be packed with a huge variety of areas with novel enemy types. Haunted graveyards, for example, introduce a frightening flavor to Link's adventure, with eerie foes like the Poe and the horrifying ReDead endangering progress. Much care is being put into the combat stylings with new sword fighting moves like the mighty Swing Cut and the Beam Attack. Using these moves will deplete Link's Magic Meter, depending on the amount of power used in the swing. Ocarina of Time is shaping up to be Nintendo's most ambitious adventure thus far and a signature entry on N64. Expect to see a full review as soon as we can get our paws on it!


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Tail Concerto
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Developed By: CyberConnect
Release Date: Summer 1999
Sensing the promise of success by joining in with the fun of 3-D action-adventure games, newly founded developer CyberConnect has partnered with Bandai to produce a PS-exclusive in Tail Concerto. This title follows an anthropomorphic dog named Waffle in a race to stop the nefarious Black Cat Group from harnessing a dangerous crystal for evil purposes. Waffle is a member of the Kingdom Police atop the floating archipelago of Playlia, a charming and stylized environment. He pilots an animalistic mech suit complete with floppy, mechanical arms, a bubble gun, and a collection of quirky gadgets. A welcome change of pace from traditional swords and spells!

Animated sequences are plentiful and engaging, leaving us quite impressed. Navigating the islands to capture enemy felines and take on giant bosses appears enjoyable from early footage, though we may be waiting some time for a regional variant. According to Bandai, an English version will be available next summer.


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Jet Force Gemini
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Developed By: Rare
Release Date: TBD 1999
Having solidified a reputation for themselves as a powerhouse of N64 development with Diddy Kong Racing and Goldeneye, Rare is preparing to embark on its next venture with an ambitious, fully 3-D shooter called Jet Force Gemini. In this sci-fi adventure, players will command three heroes, Juno, Vela, and Lupus (a boy, a girl, and a dog) each equipped with unique abilities and weapons. Swap between the trio at just the right time to progress without a hitch. Engage in hectic firefights rife with huge explosions, then cool down with stealth-focused areas and puzzle solving.

Rare is making it a point to focus hard on their multi-player mode. Two players can work together in a cooperative play against enemy combatants, or duke it out in a split-screen game of hide-and-seek (and eliminate!) in an assortment of deathmatch stages. The graphical design of Gemini is coming along nicely with realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows to compliment the polygonal characters and environments, though we will wait for the final product before passing judgement. Expect to see more on the progress of this cart as we await its launch sometime next year.


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Tales of Destiny
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Developed By: Wolf Team
Release Date: Autumn 1998
Namco is ushering in a new phase of their work on the upcoming localized release of Tales of Destiny, the studio's first role-playing adventure for the PlayStation. This entry will be fully translated and available on U.S. shores in the near future, the first for a company better known for its contributions to the fast-paced action and fighting genres. Its previous role player Tales of Phantasia was exclusive to the Super Famicom in Japan, favorably reviewed by our team as a high-ranking entry with mind-blowing special effects for the time.

Now, Destiny will allow a far wider audience to take part in the expansive world dreamed up by Wolf Team. The plotline of this RPG is led by Stan Aileron, a young stowaway who accidentally finds himself in a quest to save the world. Not much to differentiate this one yet, but we trust in those wolves to deliver! Destiny will utilize a visual aesthetic strongly reminiscent of the heights of the 16-Bit era, with detailed pixel graphics and shading effects. Animated cutscenes will add further variety throughout Stan's journey, an exciting addition considering Namco's reputation for admirable cinemas.


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