When the Wii Zapper was announced at E3 2007, it was revealed that there would be a game with the new peripheral. Few would have guessed that Nintendo would style the game around the immensely popular Zelda series, and even less would have guessed it would be styled on Twilight Princess. But, here we are, and Link’s Crossbow Training is here!

First let me make it clear that this isn’t a new iteration of the Zelda series, and nor is it meant to be a standalone game. It has been designed as a demo for the Zapper, and on the whole, does just that. It teaches you how to control the Zapper, and helps you see how good this new peripheral really is. The levels are all designed around the target shooting premise, with you gaining more and more skill with the Zapper as a result. Overall, the game is fun, simple, and very trigger-happy.

The game is split into three modes – Single Player, Practice and Multiplayer. Practice mode is basically just the levels from Single Player so you can give them a go before trying the Single Player mode, so you will probably end up in Single Player the most. This has nine different levels, each of which has three challenges, with the result being you earning a medal and the next level if you hit a certain score. The levels on the whole are diverse and interesting, and remind you of how great Twilight Princess really was. First up you’ve got your standard Target Shooting mode. These modes are set in various areas, such as the Goron Mines, or Ordon, and see you firing at various targets as the camera pans around. This is your basic target practice, but fun nonetheless. Next up we’ve got Defender mode, which sees you pivoted to the spot. You move around by pointing the Zapper near the edge of the screen, and fire at enemies. These can be tricky, but if you keep an eye on the radar, you will be able to complete them. The best of this lot is the Carriage Defence, which takes your right back to that epic battle on Hyrule Field. You are on the back of the wagon and have to fire at the oncoming enemies. It is great fun and makes you want to do Twilight Princess all over again. Finally, we have Ranger mode which could be made into a standalone game. This sees you take direct control of Link using the control stick, and infiltrating Moblin Encampments, the hidden town, and even the Temple of Time itself. These are brilliant levels, as you can actually explore the areas of Hyrule at your own pace and fire at everyone about.