Zelda Wii U

As Zelda fans, we have undoubtedly been subject to the greatest variety in art style and graphics in a single video game series. We’ve seen 2D, cel-shaded, 3D, 2D cel-shaded, realistic, impressionistic, and variations of those listed. People always have very different opinions on which one is the best and why. So that’s what I’m here to discuss. I shall explain each art style or graphics implemented by each game, and then you can simply pick which one is your favorite. Don’t let your opinion go unheard!

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Pandora’s Tower is an action RPG platformer from publisher Xseed Games, and an article arose over at NintendoEnthusiast which shows a nice comparison between it and The Legend of Zelda. Titled, “Zelda Can Learn A Thing or Two From Pandora’s Tower”, it contains some very interesting points. More after the jump!
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It’s set to be a great couple of years for Zelda fans. Not only have we got The Wind Waker HD being released on the Wii U later this year, but we also have two original games on the 3DS and Wii U, the latter of which we will probably get a glimpse of at this year’s E3. It’s a lot of work for anyone to take on, even for Aonuma’s talented team of developers at Nintendo EAD. In a recent interview with Kotaku, Nintendo of America’s Bill Trinen shed some light on how the Zelda development team functions in such demanding times, revealing some fascinating info on the workings of how Zelda games are made. Hit the jump to find out more.

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According to the European website The Hut, The Wind Waker Wii U is set to be released on October 15th.

Although the game is expected to be released in the Autumn, the retailer has it coming out much sooner than expected.

This listing seems a bit unlikely for several reasons. Jump inside to find out why we think this is just another case of a retailer jumping the gun.

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Alex Plant at GenGame recently published an article on the upcoming Zelda title for the Wii U and Twilight Princess. As the article points out, Twilight Princess was seen as a return to form after the departure that Wind Waker was, and the Wii U title has the potential to be the same thing after the experimentation of Skyward Sword. Hit the jump for the article and some thoughts on it. Read more…

It’s fairly common for retailers to use placeholder names for games that have yet to have official announcements. Usually this isn’t really noteworthy, but in this case it’s just so bad it’s kind of hilarious. Walmart is currently taking pre-orders for Zelda Wii U, but they aren’t quite calling it Zelda Wii U. Instead, they are labeling it as Zelda 2 (RPG) (Wii U).

I kid you not, that is actually what they are calling it. Why Zelda 2? If this is Zelda 2, what is Zelda 1, Skyward Sword? They also specifically have the (RPG) tag next to it, when most recent Zelda games are usually not labeled in that genre. Is the RPG name only attached to it because Zelda 2 is associated with Adventure of Link, which was an RPG? Really the whole thing is meaningless, but kind of hilarious. Shame on you Walmart, but thanks for the laughs.

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Among the many new features included in Skyward Sword was a refined inventory system. The addition of the Adventure Pouch made for some interesting choices when it came to resource management. The beginning of the game started the player off with four slots to fill with extra items, and that amount is doubled by the end. But that is about the peak of the Adventure Pouch’s significance: something extra. While the customization of Link is something that could lead to many creative opportunities, I do not believe that Skyward Sword tapped into this concept to its fullest potential.

The intrigue of the Adventure Pouch can be attributed mainly to its limiting nature. Having a finite amount of space in which to carry items forces decisions to be made regarding which items will help out the most upon departing from Skyloft. This allows for a variety of different experiences to be had and thus increases replay value, which is always something to aspire to. Since the core of Skyward Sword’s gameplay did not always actively make use of this feature, however, it is often overlooked and hardly seen as a limitation. While you acquire more items that can be placed in the Adventure Pouch over the course of the game, you also acquire more slots in the pouch with which to store them. Although not a direct result of this, more important decisions involving the Adventure Pouch are made near the beginning of the game. Towards the start, while you only have four or five available spaces, your items are also weaker and less reliable.

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Are you still wondering why Nintendo chose to remake one of GameCube’s greatest titles, The Wind Waker, for its most recent console, Wii U? Nintendo sure left a lot of Majora’s Mask fans isolated when revealing that this HD remake would be the next Zelda title to release and considering the original game, after 10 years, still does not look outdated many do wonder if The Wind Waker really needs to be remade.

Legendary games designer Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed in an interview with news publisher ABC as to why The Wind Waker was indeed the chosen Zelda game to be remade for Wii U. He explains in this interview that the visual style for The Wind Waker was a strong reason as to why Nintendo was so ambitious and details as to what they can expect this updated version to bring to gamers’ attention.

Are you interested in what Mr. Miyamoto said particularly about The Wind Waker for Wii U and why they chose to remake this Zelda title? If so, then click the jump below and find out!

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Undoubtedly, one of the most exciting experiences when playing any Zelda game for the first time is reaching the boss of a dungeon. In fact, I intentionally avoid looking ahead when new game news surfaces regarding bosses and strategies to defeat them. I like to be completely surprised, and analyze the beast, briefly admire the scope of imagination poured into its creation, and quickly change gears by figuring out how to take the sucker down. However, it is not uncommon for the series to recycle bosses from previous games. This can be both disappointing and exciting. Seeing an old boss can make players lose faith in the Zelda team’s ingenuity, and make for an underwhelming battle, as you already know the monsters’ moves and weaknesses (Oracle of Seasons, anyone?). On the other hand, seeing an old boss recreated can leave players feeling pleasantly nostalgic, and impressed with how the Zelda team has managed to breathe new life into a familiar foe, and set up an entirely new and unfamiliar battle requiring intriguing methods of strategy to overcome (My personal favorite being Gleeok from Phantom Hourglass).

The release of Hyrule Historia has further encouraged fans to speculate the inner workings of the Zelda stories, including character development. Too often are bosses labeled as simple, mindless monsters, simply standing (usually on four legs) as a barrier between you and the prize of the dungeon. Occasionally, a boss will be given a brief backstory to build anticipation and further develop the game’s story, but nothing more is divulged after the monster’s defeat. I know I am not the only Zelda fan out there that would love to see old bosses again not only for the simultaneous experience of new and old gameplay, but also for further development into their backstory. With that, I give you the six bosses that I would personally love to battle again, given they create a little more hype provided by in-game exposition. (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD)

Hit the jump to see the list!
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Zelda equipment is some of the most interest and exciting parts of a Zelda adventure. Whenever I received equipment in any Zelda game, I would always be excited to try it out and see how it’s applied. But something that really intrigues me and many others is the equipment lineup for the Wii U. The lineup is something that many look at before they buy a game in the Zelda series. Today, I will describe some expected, wanted, and even unwanted items equipment for the New Zelda game for the Wii U (any items not mentioned are not definite on my terms).

Click the jump to read more!

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Our friend and ally, GenGAME writer Alex Plant, once again shares with us yet another Zelda game containing five features that he thinks Nintendo should consider keeping for the upcoming Wii U title. This time for his third installment he covers Majora’s Mask, a game that often evokes a love/hate response from many Zelda fans.

It’s true, Majora’s Mask is not known for being a grand epic adventure in Hyrule but instead a more personal, character developing, endless three-day journey in a new foreign land (where everyone looks oddly familiar). Although there are many to choose from, the five points of this game that Alex chose to recommend for future use are: new playable characters, day & night schedules, memorable story arcs, new settings, and a non-traditional villain.

Hit the jump to read more!

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The Wii U GamePad is really cool.

That was the first thought I had when a friend of mine unboxed the device and we set about playing on Nintendo Land, passing it around to perform different tasks in the different games’ mini-game environments. The idea of a screen (sometimes hidden from view of the other players) being able to influence the game was a powerful concept, paired with the increased functionality of the device as a whole. While Nintendo Land does show off some of the function and uses of the GamePad, that fourth dimension that the Wii U offers has a lot of possibilities that have yet to be explored.

One of the big questions we ask ourselves is what kind of functionality is the GamePad going to serve us in the upcoming, mysteriously shrouded Zelda Wii U title? With new peripheral hardware at their disposal, Nintendo is keenly aware of the impact that the GamePad can have on any of their heavy-hitter IP’s. They know it as much as anyone; if they want to sell the console, they’ll have to sell the GamePad. How do you want the GamePad to influence the game? Let’s take a look at what we know so far about what can be offered, and what we don’t.

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As reported by GenGAME, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of The Legend of Zelda franchise, was recently interviewed by Time Magazine in which he discussed The reasons why there has been a lack of quality software for Wii U, including why there has not been much information on Zelda Wii U, or a firm release date on it. When questioned on why there were few games at the launch of the Wii U that starred Flagship Nintendo characters he answered with the following.

“If you look back at the launch of Wii, we were able to prepare a game like Wii Sports, which at the time was clearly a new game, and launch that alongside a Zelda game. With the Wii U, we took a similar approach by launching Nintendo Land as well as a Mario game — though we’re working on Zelda for Wii U, that’s going to take us a little big longer.” He goes on to say that the the development process for the Wii U is much more complex and demands far more resources than that of the Wii due to the new hardware, and that there is a great amount they still have to learn so that they can utilize the full potential of the system to make the best experience possible.

Hit the jump for more!

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Magic has had quite an interesting relationship with the Legend of Zelda series throughout its history. While elements of magic have always been at least thematically present in Zelda games, magic itself has not always been a part of Link’s arsenal. Link has only used magic in The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and The Wind Waker. Its implementation within the different games has been fickle to say the least, and its usability has seen several alterations. The success of magic as a gameplay element has also been varied, which may be a reason for its recent demise.

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Many people consider Ocarina of Time to be not only the best game of the Zelda franchise, but also the best game of all time! With the announcement of a new Zelda game to be released on the Wii U comes high expectations and pressure to find out which direction Nintendo plans to go next. GenGAME writer, Alex Plant, goes into greater detail about features from the Zelda franchise that belong in the new Wii U title by covering games individually in an ongoing series.

In this article he writes how some of those expectations can be met by exploring strengths held sacred in Ocarina of Time, beginning with how the game possesses a triforce of these three essential elements making a near-flawless balance: Gameplay, Content and Story.

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Another new discussion video, this time about Zelda Wii U! I’m sure most of you are familiar with the recent news on the subject, about Nintendo wanting to “rethink the conventions of Zelda” and their two examples of what they want to change. This video covers my thoughts and reactions to their sentiments, as well as my hopes and concerns for Zelda Wii U. Enjoy! You can watch the video here or check out the embed after the jump.

Here’s the video about The Wind Waker HD that I did last week, as well as the old Zelda multiplayer article I wrote, if you’re interested in them (since I mentioned them in the video). Also, not to spam links, but I realized shortly after recording the video that Alex Plant of GenGAME wrote an article conveying similar sentiments to my concerns about Nintendo potentially thinking that making the dungeon order open alone makes the game non-linear enough. He probably worded it more eloquently than I could in this video, too. Haha. Ultimately I’m very hopeful for this game, but I don’t believe that’s it’s impossible it could disappoint. After all, Skyward Sword managed to be disappointing even though it was an enjoyable game. Still, Zelda Wii U should be awesome!

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As much as we love them, it’s hard to deny that most every game in the Zelda franchise follows a highly formulaic structure. Start off in a small, cozy village, something bad happens, get a sword, collect three major items, a plot twist happens, collect a few more items, final dungeon, Ganon, game over. Usually the boss fights at the end of the dungeon require the item you just found to complete. The slingshot is ignored as soon as Link gets the Hero’s Bow. I’m not being critical, of course–after all, it’s the Zelda formula that holds up the games we all know and love–but we have to accept that innovation is required in the franchise to ensure that it avoids stagnation, and apparently Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma agrees.

In the most recent Nintendo Direct, Aonuma announced that the team working on Zelda Wii U was considering a non-linear dungeon structure and some sort of multi-player feature. Freelancer Brett Phipps has had his own say on IGN, suggesting that Zelda Wii U could learn a trick or two from From Software’s Dark Souls, the open-world spiritual successor to 2009′s PS3 exclusive Demon’s Souls. What features of the notoriously difficult RPG does Phipps think that the upcoming Zelda title should appropriate? Hit the jump to find out!

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One of the things that Eiji Aounuma has promised about the upcoming brand-new Zelda title for Wii U is that non-linearity will return to the forefront of the adventure. This announcement has been met with cheers from fans who have been craving a freer system than has been available in recent games. An article on GenGAME by Alex Plant discusses why this is necessary, and why non-linearity isn’t just about the order you beat the dungeons in.

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In every video game development process, hundreds of ideas are thrown around. Many are developed further and from those a select few make it into the final game. The Wind Waker was certainly no exception; entire dungeons were removed from the game in the process.

In light of the recent announcement of The Wind Waker for Wii U, the folks at our sister site GenGAME have already gotten their thinking caps on to talk about what Nintendo could do with the re-release of this classic favorite. In one of their articles, Alex Plant talks about the potential for the game to be a complete “Director’s Cut” of the original. Jump inside to read more!

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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed during this morning’s Nintendo Direct presentation that Zelda Wii U is currently under development with the series’ producer Eiji Aonuma also giving a glimpse into the art style of this highly anticipated game for Nintendo’s brand new console. Very few actual details were given, but Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma did gave us a few tidbits!

Make the jump to find out more!

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A lot of Zelda fans have asked if Retro Studio needs to be the frontrunner in creating a title in the series considering Nintendo may need to change the popular franchise’s direction to better suit the Western appeal. The opposition to this idea think Zelda would be ruined if taken outside of Nintendo EAD’s grasp.

Our sister site-GenGAME-has once again written another Zelda article which should intrigue your interest on the subject being discussed. GenGAME has given five reasons as to why Nintendo’s Western developer, Retro Studios, needs to take over the reins in regard to the Legend of Zelda series and why they should be trusted to develop a fantastic title for the franchise. This is a well-written article not worth missing out on!

Click the jump and read GenGAME’s five reasons on why Zelda needs to land in the hands of Retro Studios!

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The Wii U has been in stores (or not if you’re trying to get your hands on a Deluxe Set) for about a week now. We’re getting a sense of what it can do, but the true potential of the system remains (hopefully) untapped as of yet. The Zelda series is a go-to title for Nintendo to show off what their consoles can do. In that spirit, the folks at GamesRadar have compiled a list of what they want to see from a Zelda title on the Wii U. Take a look after the jump.

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Nearing the end of their “Countdown to Wii U” series, our sister site GenGAME recently posted an article discussing the possibilities of a multiplayer Zelda game for Wii U. They touch on Four Swords Adventures‘ gameplay and how its requirement for multiple systems would be solved with the Wii U GamePad, but there is also a question of what other possibilities could exist for future Zelda games. Some of their suggestions are quite intriguing, and you can check it out after the jump!

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Our sister site GenGAME has posted an article stating why they think Nintendo has taken the Legend of Zelda series into consideration when designing its upcoming home console, Wii U. GenGAME heads into detail about how the Wii U GamePad could be implemented, whether Zelda Wii U should be like Battle Quest, the idea of an in-built notebook, different types of controller options, graphic design, and plenty more!

Would you like to know more about GenGAME’s thoughts for Zelda on Wii U? If so, hit the jump for more info!

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We know that Nintendo will eventually announce Zelda Wii U and at some point give us some taste of what we might be in store for. More likely than not, that information will not come until June at E3. With that date being so far away, it seems impossible to not speculate on some of the more general aspects: timeline placement, gameplay mechanics, and graphical style. Kotaku has offered up what they feel Zelda in HD could look at, and I have to say I couldn’t be more shocked.

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Many of us have been waiting for even a sliver of information about “Zelda Wii U”: a title, a screenshot, a release date, anything. When Nintendo’s big Wii U presentation came and went without a single word on the next Zelda title it seemed that we’d have to wait until next year’s E3 to get any kernels of information.

Either EB Games knows something no one else seems to know, or they have decided to take a wild stab in the dark, because they’ve just listed “Zelda Wii U” for pre-orders along with a price and general release date…

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Some fans have been asking for the Zelda series to be handed over to another studio to get a brand new, fresh take on the franchise. The studio that comes up time and time again is Retro due to their frequent involvement in other major Nintendo franchises (Metroid, Donkey Kong). When asked if that could ever be a possibility, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto stated that while he would have no issue with Retro working on a Zelda title in the future, they cannot at this moment because they are too busy on their current “big project.”

So if not Retro, who then can give the franchise a brand new vision that some fans feel it needs? Our sister site GenGAME says “Monolith Soft” and explains why.

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It may seem too early to be speculating about just what Zelda Wii U will be like as Nintendo didn’t even show us a piece of concept art let alone a trailer at this past E3, indicating that it is at least several years off. Not so, according to a new post at Wii U Daily. According to their Nintendo source, the game will be out in 2014. And their “very trusted source” has a lot to say about some of the finer details.

Make the jump to hear all about them!

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1Up has written an article on their opinions of which game developers should tackle which upcoming games entitled “Where Do They Go From Here?”. In it, they mentioned they would like to see Supergiant Games, the creators of the hit game, Bastion, take a go at making a 2D Zelda title, despite the high budget Wii U Zelda game coming out within the next couple of years. Bastion’s main focus was on the heart-wrenching storyline and it would be nice to see story take the center stage in a Zelda game. The timeline is confusing enough as it is, and I’m positive it wasn’t planned like that, so Supergiant’s change of pace might be a relief to our insane timeline. Check out what 1Up said after the jump!

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 News for another Zelda remake has been on everyone’s mind lately, thanks to the help of Operation Moonfall. Nintendo has hinted toward both a Majora’s Mask and A Link to the Past. While Miyamoto himself has stated he would love to see A Link to the Past on the 3DS with the ability to play it in 3D, Nintendo has also mentioned that if enough fans want Majora’s Mask remade, they may give us what we want. Neither game has been confirmed until a recent interview with Miyamoto by IGN where Miyamoto mentioned that one was going to be made, but wasn’t sure at the moment of which and with the 3DS already out and the Wii U just around the corner, for what system it would be best to remake the game for.

Make the jump inside for the full quote from the interview.

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Have you been wondering what the boss battle will be like in Battle Quest, the mulitiplayer Zelda mini-game within Nintendo Land for the Wii U? Thankfully some fans at E3 just happened to record a video of a three-player boss battle and the outcome. Check out the footage here after the jump!

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We were all hoping for some Zelda news at E3: a trailer, a title/logo, a piece of concept art (like we got to herald Skyward Sword three years ago), something, anything. Unfortunately we didn’t get a peep out of Nintendo about Zelda Wii U.

However, the folks over at EW managed to interview Shigeru Miyamoto about Zelda Wii U, and we learned some surprising information! Contrary to earlier assurances, Miyamoto hints that the Zelda game in development for Wii U may not include motion controls after all. Make the jump to read for yourself exactly what Miyamoto had to say.

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If you kept up with Nintendo’s conference at E3 earlier today or checked out the news here at Zelda Dungeon recently, you would have noticed the one mention of a Zelda related game in the new Nintendo Land. Not much was shown during the keynote, so Kotaku took some time to try out the demo and captured some gameplay for us to see. He goes into detail about the first official high definition Zelda themed title. Hit the jump for more information and to check out some videos.

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Quite a few people have uploaded a video which purports to be a trailer for an HD remake of Majora’s Mask. More likely than not, this is simply fan-made, but if it is then it is incredibly well done! If it is real, it’s absolutely amazing and has me super excited, however I’m not getting my hopes up as it was not shown during E3. It looks to be for the Wii U, but I think it’s more likely to be for the 3DS if this actually happens. Be sure to make the jump to check out this cool teaser trailer!

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It has come and gone, Nintendo’s E3 conference has just ended and we have nothing new to report on the status of Zelda Wii U. Has Nintendo forgotten about our green-clad hero? Certainly not! Hyrule is well represented in NintendoLand in the form of BattleQuest (more on that in just a bit!). But there was no mention of an actual Wii U Zelda title, nor a 3DS Zelda title.

So why was there no mention of the two Zelda titles being worked on right now? Make the jump to find out why we think that may be the case.

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