Is the Legend of Zelda a... JRPG?

[King of the Sandbox]

A friend and I were just talking about JRPG's over Skype, when he asked me what my favorite was. For some reason, LoZ sprang to my head, so I said that. He proceeded to call me a blasphemer and swear that all my children will forever be born dogs.

But I kinda think I'm right.

I mean, it's a Japanese game... that's an action/rpg hybrid, right? So... JRPG?

 

[kingcom]

No its not, its an adventure game.

 

[Vangaurd227]

I think the legend of zelda is more of an adventure game then an rpg.....then again it does borrow elements from rpg's.....wow this is confusing ;_;

 

[Trent Kama]

I wouldn't classify it as a typical JRPG. It's an action-adventure game. It doesn't quite have the right concepts to be classified as a JRPG.

 

[Helios_(DEL)]

A friend and I were just talking about JRPG's over Skype, when he asked me what my favorite was. For some reason, LoZ sprang to my head, so I said that. He proceeded to call me a blasphemer and swear that all my children will forever be born dogs.

But I kinda think I'm right.

I mean, it's a Japanese game... that's an action/rpg hybrid, right? So... JRPG?

It has rpg elements in it your not wrong

 

[starwarsgeek]

You acquire multiple items and tools, using them to solve puzzles and fight bosses. Action-Adventure.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

No its not, its an adventure game.

With heavy RPG elements. Heck, you even get to name your character like in an RPG. Name me another adventure game that lets you do that off the top of your head.

I think the legend of zelda is more of an adventure game then an rpg.....then again it does borrow elements from rpg's.....wow this is confusing ;_;

Indeed.

I wouldn't classify it as a typical JRPG. It's an action-adventure game. It doesn't quite have the right concepts to be classified as a JRPG.

This is my line of thinking on this, except it does have RPG elements, including the fact that Link himself is supposed to be your "Link" into this world, to you are, by all meanings of the word, role-playing. That was Miyamoto's original concept.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

You acquire multiple items and tools, using them to solve puzzles and fight bosses. Action-Adventure.

Uhm... you DO know that everything you just described Are usually in RPG's too, right?

(I'm hoping I missed some really clever sarcasm there.)

 

[starwarsgeek]

You acquire multiple items and tools, using them to solve puzzles and fight bosses. Action-Adventure.

Uhm... you DO know that everything you just described Are usually in RPG's too, right?

(I'm hoping I missed some really clever sarcasm there.)

Item-base puzzles are rarely the main mechanic in RPGs. When they show it, it's because the game is blending RPG and Adventure.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

You acquire multiple items and tools, using them to solve puzzles and fight bosses. Action-Adventure.

Uhm... you DO know that everything you just described Are usually in RPG's too, right?

(I'm hoping I missed some really clever sarcasm there.)

Item-base puzzles are rarely the main mechanic in RPGs. When they show it, it's because the game is blending RPG and Adventure,

Which can also be said for Zelda.

BAZINGA.

 

[CorinthianRed]

It's a JRPG, but it's the best damn JRPG evar!!!
It shows all other JRGPs how it's done. I"M LOOKING AT YOU, EVERY FINAL FANTASY AFTER # 2

 

[TheEvilCheese]

Wikipedia tells me it's action-adventure. But I'd say it has heavy RPG elements myself.

 

[kingcom]

No its not, its an adventure game.

With heavy RPG elements. Heck, you even get to name your character like in an RPG. Name me another adventure game that lets you do that off the top of your head.

What RPG elements? We are talking OoT right?

Naming your character is not an RPG element. A game doing so does not make it an rpg. Also, off the top of my head. Deus Ex Invisible War, thats an adventure game with rpg elements.

Using X to solve Y is puzzle solving, it is not an rpg element, it is an element of play.

Link is the main character, he does not change as a direct result of player choice but only as a result of plot advancement. You have a better chance arguing as a jrpg but definitely not an rpg.

If you define LoZ as an rpg then every game gets given that classification which means nothing does.

 

[starwarsgeek]

You acquire multiple items and tools, using them to solve puzzles and fight bosses. Action-Adventure.

Uhm... you DO know that everything you just described Are usually in RPG's too, right?

(I'm hoping I missed some really clever sarcasm there.)

Item-base puzzles are rarely the main mechanic in RPGs. When they show it, it's because the game is blending RPG and Adventure,

Which can also be said for Zelda.

BAZINGA.

Not really. No stats, crits, leveling, ect. If it were an RPG...or even possessed some RPG elements, then something would be represented mathematically. A character being your avatar, "playing a role", or some freedom to customize your character are not enough. After all, if that were all it took, then Wii Sports would be an RPG.

 

[zehydra]

It's not technically an rpg, since the focus is not on role-playing, but rather controlling preset characters within a story. In an RPG, at least one of the characters must be customizable in several aspects.

Having a customizable name doesn't count.

 

[StBishop]

Based on the combat alone, I'd say no.

I tend to base my categorisations on games on their combat. I dunno why, but I do.

 

[Garth Gaffney]

The stereotypical RPG doesn't much up with LoZ but there are some aspects. Does it really matter if it is or isn't though? Everyone knows that LoZ is a great game series so why do we as enjoyers of the medium need to classify the games into very specific categories? We play a character and we collect items and solve puzzles etc. Obviously quite different to an FPS but you get my idea I hope.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

No its not, its an adventure game.

With heavy RPG elements. Heck, you even get to name your character like in an RPG. Name me another adventure game that lets you do that off the top of your head.

What RPG elements? We are talking OoT right?

Naming your character is not an RPG element. A game doing so does not make it an rpg.

Using X to solve Y is puzzle solving, it is not an rpg element, it is an element of play.

Link is the main character, he does not change as a direct result of player choice but only as a result of plot advancement. You have a better chance arguing as a jrpg but definitely not an rpg.

If you define LoZ as an rpg then every game gets given that classification which means nothing does.

RPG elements like acquiring better gear as you go, engaging in dialogue with several stroy-driving characters, etc.

Heck even some of the world's more famous JRPG characters, like Chrono, are mute, like Link, allowing players to imagine their own character dialogue.

And naming your character is one of the tenants of role-playing. As I said, "Link", as stated by Miyamoto, is your placeholder in this world and story. you are supposed to be playing as yourself, as Link (or whatever you name him.) Plus, if I name the character after myself, then do things as I myself would do them, am I not role-playing?

I mean, I see what you're saying, and I'm not trying to call it a straight up rpg. But it definitely has some of the trimmings.

You acquire multiple items and tools, using them to solve puzzles and fight bosses. Action-Adventure.

Uhm... you DO know that everything you just described Are usually in RPG's too, right?

(I'm hoping I missed some really clever sarcasm there.)

Item-base puzzles are rarely the main mechanic in RPGs. When they show it, it's because the game is blending RPG and Adventure,

Which can also be said for Zelda.

BAZINGA.

It's not technically an rpg, since the focus is not on role-playing, but rather controlling preset characters within a story. In an RPG, at least one of the characters must be customizable in several aspects.

Having a customizable name doesn't count.

See above about names.

Also, I've not seen a truly customizable JRPG main character... well... ever.

Feel free to correct me.

 

[kingcom]

RPG elements like acquiring better gear as you go, engaging in dialogue with several stroy-driving characters, etc.

Heck even some of the world's more famous JRPG characters, like Chrono, are mute, like Link, allowing players to imagine their own character dialogue.

And naming your character is one of the tenants of role-playing. As I said, "Link", as stated by Miyamoto, is your placeholder in this world and story. you are supposed to be playing as yourself, as Link (or whatever you name him.) Plus, if I name the character after myself, then do things as I myself would do them, am I not role-playing?

I mean, I see what you're saying, and I'm not trying to call it a straight up rpg. But it definitely has some of the trimmings.

Also, I've not seen a truly customizable JRPG main character... well... ever.

Feel free to correct me.

Acquiring better gear? Every video game ever?

Engaging in dialogue implies a 2 way conversation, in LoZ, you listen, with almost no abiltiy with respond and certainly in no more way than simply hiding that you need to hit tha A button again.

But your not imagining your own dialogue. Link does nothing, you are a mute you are not able to open a dialogue, if I imagine my own dialogue, nothing happens.

Naming your character is not a tenant of roleplaying, making decisions is the only core tenant of roleplaying, and in LoZ your only decision is what your name is which has no bearing on anything that happens. You can't play yourself in LoZ, its not possible, there is a singular solution to a problem as a result of programming, you dont make a decision you find the programmed answer. Naming link yourself does not enable you to play a game like yourself.

See you said the game was an RPG, not a JRPG, as I already had a conversation about, JRPGs are about pre-defined Player Characters for the most part. RPGs are about undefined PCs.

 

[katsumoto03]

What does it even fucking mean for a game to be an RPG anymore? It's Japanese, I'll give it that.