Have the Shops Become Useless Now And...

[ChargewithSword]

if you think that way, how would you fix them so they'd be useful.


That's tough, for starters I would restrict arrows and bombs only being found in dungeons.
Make things more expensive if there are going to be a ton of ruppees and if you're forced to put them back.

That's all I can think of.

[Shawnogohma]

The only time I thought shops were useless was in OoT. In every other Zelda game, I found them to be very resourceful. Even in Twilight Princess!

[Vincent]

Shops were always reliable for me, except for in OoT. The only use for them was to buy shields. I like the one in the Faron Woods though, because you can steal from it.

[Josh]

I think they became quite useless. Especially in Twilight Princess. I think the only time I ever used it was to get the shield and hawkeye from Malo, and then a couple bombs from Barnes. I haven't ever really found the need to go to them unless it's an item I absolutely have to have to beat the game.

[Welbanks]

I also never use shops in any of them games unless i have too, usually to buy a shield, or the hawk eye and magic armor from the Malo mart, aside from that I never go in them.

And as for bombs/arrows not being able to be found anywhere other than dungeons and shops, i think that would be too annoying and tedious.

[lonely_moon]

Now that I think about it, I generally avoid using the shops, because I am a massive Rupee hoarder. I just go around breaking pots or killing enemies to get what I need. The shops are really there for convenience, so you don't have to trek a thousand miles to get a full bomb sack. I only use the shops if I really can't be bothered scavenging for supplies or when the item can't be found anywhere else (e.g. Bait in the Wind Waker or shields).

[MrMosley]

I do often avoid the shops, unless there is an item which can only be acquired through purchasing at a shop, such as the Powder Keg in MM or the Magic Armor in TP. Its too easy to just go and rack up on items by slashing bushes down in the field to waste time and rupees on shop items.

One way they could make the use of shops more frequent is just to not allow pretty much any item to be found lying in a bush somewhere. Perhaps only rupees should be found in bushes, rocks, etc., then you would have to purchase items such as arrows and bombs in the shops exclusively. Well, besides some of the dungeons or temples. Those items could also be found in there.

In a way, this would make the game more realistic. They could also make it to where you would have to buy magic potion in order to refill your magic meter. Personally, I don't see multiple magic bottles just lying around in the grass or even in pots in dungeons. I would think that potions could only be made by a witch or someone of that sort, and sold at one of their shops.

[Alter]

I've only used shops to purchase quest items, and an occasional bomb refill in the latest games. They were quite helpful in the 2D games, however. Maybe they should add a bartering feature. It wouldn't be a huge change, but it might make it a bit more interesting. If they did that, they should also set it up so that many items are rarely found in dungeons/temples. What do you think?

[Hachi]

I think they are anything but useless in the newer installments. D= Especially in WW, Definally have to go to the store often, and you even get reward points for being a repeat customer.

At first glance OoT's shops are a bit useless, but once I found out how useful they could be. In the evil that is the Water Temple, I got owned by a Like Like and lost my Blue Tunic. I totally freaked out until I realized I could buy another one at Zoras Domain.. D;

[MrMosley]

I think they are anything but useless in the newer installments. D= Especially in WW, Definally have to go to the store often, and you even get reward points for being a repeat customer.

This is pretty much what I was talking about. Everyone obviously had to use Beetle's shop in WW in order to get bait to feed the fish and have them mark the map locations. There were also the pears you had to buy to get a seagul to fly down and eat it so that you could become the seagul and complete certain important tasks within the game. These items were essential to completing the game. However, many Zelda games do not have shops with items that are essential to completing the game. In fact, in some of the more recent installments, there is maybe only one or two items that can only be purchased exclusively at a shop that is required to progress.

This is what I think they need to have more of. Various shops, rather than just one or two, which carry a variety of items, including ones exclusive to that particular shop. This would increase the use of the shops, and also make it more realistic of an adventure, as I had stated above.

[blackice_cc]

I would never say the shops were useless. Even in OoT, I used them a bit, if I was out of bombs or arrows and had spare cash. In TP, it was mostly lamp oil or a potion, but I didn't ever avoid them. Especially the Faron Woods one, where you can give the bird 1 rupee for however much you take, and still shop there later. In WW though, Beedle's (I think it's Beedle, right, not Beetle?) shop ship was extremely handy. It was around a lot of islands, it had whatever items you were low on, and was overall just perfect. Besides the fact it's the only place to get bait (as far as I can tell).
So no, the shops have never been useless.

[Kazumi]

I agree with Blackice. I have never found any shop to be useless, except maybe the Kokiri shop, after you buy the shield that is. I always use Malo Mart Castle Town Branch for everything I need. I'm usually quite lazy, and often have extremely large amounts of rupees, so I thought, I may as well use them. Something that could improve shops, would be to have many more of them. Like, maybe they could have a massive market place in Castle Town, that would have stalls that change everyday. And, for the permanent shops, maybe they could run out of items if you buy to many, and then you would have to wait for the next shipment in a few days, it would also be cool to have the shops have different items, not just set items.

I also agree that only being able to get rupees and hearts from the grass is a good idea. Except in dungeons of course, where you could find bombs or arrows or something else in chests, or maybe pots. I really think that the shops can be improved to make them more realistic and useful.

[ChargewithSword]

I too have been using the shop in TP alot, since I just want to use it rather than finding it in dungeons or grass. Besides I also want to spend the millions of ruppees you find in the game. But I never can buy lamp oil from these places because of the yellow chus who make it dirt easy to get this stuff.

[Uroboros]

I know what you mean. I only ever use(d) shops to buy better shields and stuff of that nature. After that, there was nothing I needed from the shops, especially in TP. I think that, for the next game, shops should sell a wider variety of goods-not just the usual arrows, hearts, and bombs, but some new stuff. Optional weapons, upgrades, or different clothing items would fix that.

[Amelie]

Shops were never really useful in any Zelda games for me besides Zelda 1 and TP. I remember I stopped a few times in AlttP and OoT. But mostly everything I could buy could be found by killing things. And I always had fairies in AlttP so I never really had to buy potions ^^

[Kitsu]

As aforementioned, I never found the shops to be completely useless, but I never found them to be the most useful installments, either. In Ocarina of Time, I only ever used them to purchase the shield (although I later refrained from doing this, seeing as it can be found in another place for free) and occasionally a potion if I was going up against a [relatively] difficult boss or something of the sort.
Nonetheless, I used them quite a bit, even a lot, in the later games; namely The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. I kind of liked how the ship-shop had a sort of 'reward system'.
And as Swiftblade mentioned, I liked stealing potion and lantern oil from the shop in the woods in Twilight Princess.

The only shop I really visited a bit more than the others, was the Curiosity Shop in Majora's Mask. I liked both the dialogue and random items there... Even if it was not that useful.

[Mike Pothier]

Well... shops are definitely not required unless they have a special item. I do usually make it a point to stop by a nearby shop to stock up on items before I go into a dungeon. Mostly due to laziness then anything else. Really, I could probably go through an entire game without making a single purchase and I wouldn't notice.

[Skull_Kid]

Apart from a few shop-only inventory items, the only game in wich I frequently use shops is Phantom Hourglass, to buy new ship parts, and treasure,and sometimes Spirit Gems... But yeah, I get the point, they're pretty useless, but are good for newer fans who tend to find the game harder than us, that way they have somewhere to grab supplies

[bellum]

yeah the shops were not so useful for me in OoT,maybe sometimes I would stop by the magic hags potion shop and buy a fairy or a red potion but when I'm in dungeons or other random places I can usually brake some pots to get some recovery hearts or a fairy.In PH they were more useful for me beacause I'm horrible at aiming my bombochu's and arrows and I would miss and waste more and more everytime(but now I"ma master in the art of archery for PH).I think in Loz shops were the most useful,mostly beacause I really had to buy ,myself the bombs and the candle,but I really stunk at the original loz and I had to constantly visit the shop to get a potion or something, but It gets pretty annoying having to go to the shop every 5 minutes.

[Ver-go-a-go-go]

I used the shops in OoT many times. Usually when I had beaten a boss, I'd go back and restock on fairies because I didn't know where any of the fountains were.:D

In TP, I didn't use them too much either. I bought the Hylian Shield, the Hawk Eye, and the Magic Armor, but that was about it.

[Y2K3]

Like some people have mentioned, I usually only go to the shops if it's for something that I can really only get there (eg, shield). I rarely go otherwise, cause I can usually get everything else quite easily by killing enemies/smashing posts, etc... and it's free!

[El Bagu]

The same here. I do not wanna spend rupees on something that could be found elsewhere. In WW as someone mentioned some things were necessary to purchase. I believe the same thing should be for other games (also in LoZ you had to purchase an item and probably in more games but my head would ache if I should think about them all). I believe that every game should have some items that was only to be found in shops, items that was necessary to proceed. And I believe they should be expensive!

[DvSag]

If you ask me, there are quite a few reasons shops have become useless. For instance:

1) The game isn't as hard. When you constantly have full health, and aren't dying as often, you never find the need to stock up on potions or assisting weapons like arrows and bombs.

2) Your magic meter isn't there. At least it wasn't there in TP and PH. Not having an extra meter to replenish means there's one less thing to worry about while you're in the shops.

3) Puzzles require you use more of your head, and less of your supplies. Remember in the old days when puzzles required you to find a large quiver or bomb bag just so you'd have enough utilities to squeeze by? Occasionally you'd run out of ways to obtain these necessary weapons and you'd have to run out to the nearest store before you progressed in your dungeon. Now a days puzzles only require you to shoot a handful of arrows or a pocket full of bombs, and inbetween each use they replenish you substantially.

4) Somebody keeps replenishing the pots and skulls... I'm currently playing through TP and ALttP simultaneously, and I must say the pot and skull situation has gotten weirder. I was ok back in the day when I first realized somebody kept putting the pots and skulls back into the rooms I had just ransacked and left. Feng Shui and interior decoration is very important to some people.

But it seems that that whoever is doing this job now hasn't realized that I'm stealing the things they put in their pots and skulls. I guess they just think they're misplacing these things by accident and putting them back before mom gets home and notices. If we want to spend more time in the shops, then we have to lose the bottomless free mid-dungeon vending machines.

5) These newfangled gizmos and gadgets are all self-sustaining. What I'm saying is that we need more weapons that require ammunition to use. Everything they make now has infinite uses, and that's putting stores out of business! This is also applicable to my "magic meter" portion. Let's say the Spinner needed magic to attack, and the Dominion Rod needed magic for every use, and the Iron Boots used magic to become magnetized. That would certainly make you feel the need to keep a few extra green potions in your bottles.

6) Give the items more mileage! Temples only require, like, two items and your sword for the whole time you're there. Maybe if you needed to use a few more arrows and bombs along the way to open doors and solve puzzles you'd spend more time in the shops before hand. Why did they even include the Slingshot in this game? You use it for 3 minutes after you first buy it, and then never use it again.

7) The enemy AI can be killed by your sword in every situation. Sure items make battles easier, but remember back in the day when you couldn't kill every enemy with your sword? I'm not saying make the sword useless, I'm just saying that maybe you should run into a few baddies that can't be killed the old fashioned way and require a bit of thought instead of mindless sword slashing to subdue.


On this note, I would just like to say how perfect the oil lantern is for this subject. It's got its own source of fuel, and you can't find a bottle for it every 5 steps you take so you've got to get to a shop every now and then to refuel it. The only problem is that dungeons don't have that many dark rooms, so you only really need it at the beginning of the game, in the desert temple, and at a few other small moments during the game. But boy, if the Zelda team makes more of the items like the lantern, then shops will have no trouble down the road.

Also, if they implemented useful items that broke on occasion, or made a blacksmith shop to forge your sword, making it stronger but can ultimately wear down back to its original state, then that would also give you incentive to visit stores on occasion.

[Kybyrian]

I think the shops were quite useful in a lot of the games aside from Ocarina of Time. They're more useful early on than they are later, though, because you seem to get a lot more for some reason later in the game.