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E3 2005: Explore Hyrule at Zelda Booth! - Gamecube

20th May 2005, 12:03am
Huge installation wows Zelda fans.

Visitors of E3 2005 are able to experience authentic, full-scale recreations of a Hyrule forest, castle and dungeon in a gigantic installation that's more than 100 feet long and 40 feet deep.

First stop is the forest, complete with 26-foot replicas of trees. The air is filled with the sounds of birds chirping and animals calling as day gradually changes to night. The stone-walled dungeon has flare pots and a 7-foot sword-wielding "skeleton" prisoner that scares the bejeebers out of visitors. A puppeteer using a complex setup of rods controls this more-than-life-size creation, which is based on an enemy from the game.

The castle parapet is patrolled by Link's wolf incarnation. It's actually another large puppet, mounted atop a puppeteer. An actor in an authentic recreation of Link's outfit -- complete with sword, shield, chain mail and leather accessories -- patrols the Zelda installation and the entire Nintendo booth. The skeleton, wolf and Link were all built by Michael Curry Design of Scappoose, Oregon, which won a Tony for their work on the Broadway production of The Lion King.

The installation has 38 sensors to trigger specific actions. For example, when you peer out a castle "window" (actually a five-foot plasma screen, turned on its side), bats will fly right at you. The best news, though, is that visitors will be able to slake their jones for forthcoming Legend of Zelda. Fully playable demos will be available on 33 Nintendo GameCubes set up throughout the installation.
by David Latham