Wind Waker is Still the Best Zelda, and You're Surprised?

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

Wind Waker is Still the Best Zelda, and You're Surprised?

I like Zelda for being nice, straightforward good-versus-evil fairy stories with functional combat and controlled open-world pseudo-Metroidvania exploration mechanics. I don't like Zelda when it gets up itself.

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[Evonisia]

I predicted the "*gasp* Yahtzee likes a Nintendo game" thing as soon as I stopped watching the video. It's why I said Wii U specifically (though it probably shouldn't count, it's a Gamecube game).

And a quirky dance off ending in a Zelda game? I'd like to see that, if only for the novelty.

 

[ImBigBob]

When I heard about Link to the Past 2, my first thought was "This should have been about a middle-aged Link who's out of shape and jumping at the opportunity to reclaim his former glory."

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

You had me at zelda, but lost me at rockin all over the world. Which, i guess would be the whole article, so that's a success on your part.
That version of zelda seems fairly comparable to the clash of the titans style, resist the gods story. At first anyways.

Also, surely any jaded critic needs some good foundations to base their critisisms on? Like my interpretations of all fps's since perfect dark on the n64. Aside half life's, but they are really still only campaign based foundations to work from as apposed to curious contents.

 

[Grach]

I'd like a Zelda where the main character is a Zora or something like that (and don't throw the name Majora's Mask to me, I mean a full game).

And frankly, Zelda: A Link to the Past 2 just looks WAAAAY too samey to the original. I know it's a sequel (to a game released 12 years ago), but come on, not even Half-life 2 is that similar to Half-life.

 

[moosemaimer]

Usually the problem with "reluctant everyman" stories is as soon as the protagonist is confronted by their first encounter with either the Big Bad or "mystical destiny" or whatever, they do a complete 180 and decide to take on their new mantle in the course of about 8 seconds, nearly always shouting about avenging someone. You never see the protagonist get into a screaming match with their divine recruiter and stomp off, trying to cut out the birthmark with a penknife or something. Make a game out of that, trying to outrun the forces that are hunting you down, while staying away from groups of conscripts who might recognize you from the day your village was burned down. Have the ultimate goal be starting a new life in occupied territory without anyone the wiser.

 

[Chimichanga]

You know, a Zelda title that resists status quo would probably get me interested in the series again.

When I heard about Link to the Past 2, my first thought was "This should have been about a middle-aged Link who's out of shape and jumping at the opportunity to reclaim his former glory."

Or Hell with it, maybe something like this - game protagonists who are not shimmering youthful paragons of human physical excellence.

I mean, it could even be used as a possible metaphor for Nintendo itself.

 

[Dragonbums]

section he seems to be naturally great at everything with no apparent effort.

Now that you mention it, it would be cool if you have the choice to decide what kinds of stats Link will be good at. Will he be a warrior? A mage? Is he more adept at close range, or long range?

 

[ImBigBob]

You know, a Zelda title that resists status quo would probably get me interested in the series again.

When I heard about Link to the Past 2, my first thought was "This should have been about a middle-aged Link who's out of shape and jumping at the opportunity to reclaim his former glory."

Or Hell with it, maybe something like this - game protagonists who are not shimmering youthful paragons of human physical excellence.

I mean, it could even be used as a possible metaphor for Nintendo itself.

That's kind of what I was going for.

 

[Enlong]

I do hope that they really do manage to do what they say they want to do with Link Between Worlds and the upcoming Wii U title. That is, rethink series tradition.

As to whoever is forcing this destiny thing? I think they actually managed to address that in Skyward Sword. The final curse of the demon king is that people in Zelda's bloodline and with Link's "spirit" will always be made to fight guys like Ganondorf. Presumably, some climactic title will involve breaking that curse and letting the destiny thing die.

Oh, and thanks for informing me about Linkstagram. That's just the right blend of funny and stupid.

 

[themilo504]

I always found the hero destined to defeat evil a odd trope in video games, mostly because the destined hero seems to die a lot, also why does the world need to know that there?s a hero who?s going to vanquish evil? that?s just asking evil to find and kill the aforementioned hero.

 

[Ace Morologist]

I think a cool Legend of Zelda game would star Zelda herself as the green-clad hero doing all the stuff to save her kingdom. And Link is a right-hand minion of Ganon terrorizing the land. Link was supposedly chosen by fate, but in his first big heroic calling (to free Zelda from some thing or other), Zelda proved more capable and freed herself first. This left him aimless and adrift, which made him susceptible to Ganon's influence.

Zelda, meanwhile, winds up with the task of defeating Ganon's generically evil scheme and getting through to Link so he'll help her at the end the same way Zelda helps Link at the end of Ocarina of Time.

I'd play it.

--Morology!

 

[PrimePowerOn]

I do hope that they really do manage to do what they say they want to do with Link Between Worlds and the upcoming Wii U title. That is, rethink series tradition.

I totally echo this opinion, glad someone else said it. I'm glad Nintendo is still willing to use the handheld platform as a place to experiment. Maybe some ideas will trickle UP into the Wii U.

I've always liked Wind Waker as well. Tho, I also like cell shading, because I like cartoon-esque looking characters. I like the clean no black outline character design too (see Samurai Jack for a good example.)

Conversely, I'm sad to see they've decided they have to "be careful" with the Zelda series.

Also, I think it's odd that everyone uses GATTACA as a stand in for the concepts of Eugenics. I rarely see someone write the word Eugenics. GATTACA comes up twice a week. Weird.

 

[Brian Tams]

I really can't wait for Nintendo to remake Majora's Mask, just so Yahtzee can play it (or at least review it, since he may have played it. I doubt that he's played it, since he said in his Ocarina of Time 3D review that he had never played OoT).

Anyways, the game is really different in terms of story, everything from the fact that Ganondorf's name is never mentioned, and Zelda shows up once in a brief flash back. They rarely, if ever, refer to Link as the "Hero of Time"; he's just a capable guy who gets mixed up in the affairs of Termina.

Hell, his motivations for starting his journey are different; instead of being told he's some mystical hero of the land and needs to save everyone, he instead gets mugged, and pursues the thief because he wants his stuff back, which then leads to him getting cursed and turned into a Deku, which adds more motivation of wanting to get turned back to normal.

Not only that, but I can't remember the last Zelda I played where Link fails as much as he does. If you count the mugging, Link epic fails three times at the start of the game, which is what sets up the long term motivation.

Anyways, its my favorite game, and I want Nintendo to hurry up and remake it so we can get Yahtzee's opinion on it.

 

[rednightmare]

I'm still holding out hope for this:

http://dresdencodak.tumblr.com/post/47724463171/inspired-by-anita-sarkeesians-video-game-tropes

The characters seem more interesting, the gameplay more fluid, the magic focus would be a nice change, the world seems more interesting, esspecially politically and it even has a female protagonist, because why not at that point?

 

[moggett88]

I've actually argued the point on these forums that you don't necessarily need to play as Link/Courage to fit into the Zelda mythos. I think it would make an interesting change if instead you play the embodiment of Power; since destiny dictates that Courage and Wisdom team up to defeat you, they do so off the bat, before Power has done anything wrong. You spend the game evading them and building your strength before finally deciding either to be the monster they expect you to be or to die peacefully and unjustly at their hands.

Or, you play as Wisdom; Power has pre-empted the usual plan and kidnapped Courage as his starting move. As the less battle-capable Wisdom, you stealthily move through Hyrule, solving puzzles and gaining the knowledge you need to sneakily infiltrate Power's lair and stab him in the back.

It doesn't have to follow the same formula to still be a Zelda game.

 

[manastrudel]

I think I would like a different kind of zelda game but what you described is basically something closer to a post farm destruction harvest moon and I'm not sure I would be into that.

 

[Drake666]

*snips*

You're right, I forgot how much that game was different from the others. It was pretty good, but the masks collection was pretty much worthless

Still, good game, different mechanics and more interesting characters.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

Can Yahtzee become the writer of the next Zelda game? ... I would like to see a Link Ganondorf teamup.

 

[MCerberus]

I still like the N64 games as a whole. As a kid they were fun adventure yay! Now... dear lord act two of OoT is a kick to the gut. And that damned owl kept twisting the emotional knife.

Majora's mask is depressing and explores a whole lot of themes without them bogging down the narrative. Just the residents' finally confronting their own mortality was just...