Lazy Lazy Nintendo.

[angelkid]

I was running through the world of MC the other day and I realised something, almost every character, even the small un-important ones are just recycled from other games. At first I thought that this might actually have something to do with the timeline placement of this game, because I thought that most of the characters were from OoT. However, I then realised that they are from other games aswell (mainly WW.) So, Why do you think nintendo did this? Just pure laziness? Or was there some other reason?

A list of recycled characters (off the top of my head.):
-The builders (OoT)
-Big goron. (OoT)
-Anju the cuccoo (spelling?) lady (OoT)
-Malon and Talon (OoT)
-Dampe (OoT)
-Beedle (WW)
-Goron mercheant (WW)
-The children (WW)
-Tingle (MM)
-Ankle, Knuckle and Dave Jr (WW)

[Vincent]

I wouldn't go quite as far saying that they're lazy. Maybe they just feel that people like those characters, and they want to have them included as many times as possible. For MM though, using all the same character models was meant to be, in my eyes. If Termina really was a parallel world to Hyrule, then the same people would be there.

[Volvox]

I dunno, I for one like Beedle, it might have been some laziness, but then again what Swiftblade said makes sense.

[Axle the Beast]

I don't personally think of it as laziness. I don't know if you've realized, but this happens in quite a few Zelda games. The Oracles games did the same.

It's just the reuse of characters. It could be due to laziness or it could be because they like the characters and like to use them again. I personally believe it's the latter, and frankly I enjoy it when they reuse characters as well.

In this case, it was also a chance to take all these characters and put them into sprite form, although I can't really say if that influenced the decision or not.

What I can say is that it does make things easier on them, so that may have an effect on them deciding to do this. I wouldn't necessarily call them lazy because of it, though.

[knowlee]

I don't see it as laziness myself either. I just see it as a way of Nintendo reusing the characters to see how they'd act in different situations and environments. MM would be a major example of this.

[MrMosley]

Nintendo has been known to reuse well known characters in the Zelda series, even if it doesn't necessarily make sense. Now when it comes to MC, obviously you are going to have people disagree about its placement in the timeline, and some are going to use these characters as some sort of evidence towards where it might go. But the fact is, they are just known characters.

Another big thing is the art style for the game. MC had an art style that was a cross between ALttP and WW (with obviously more WW than ALttP). So, your going to have a lot of characters with similar looks, even identical looks, because people are used to seeing those characters associated with that art style.

Tingle is a good example of a well know, rehashed character used in various games; Although, I have heard that his apparent immortality comes from Rupees (explained in TRR). I would assume that the same reason could be used for all of his Tingle-like friends as well, if you wanted to get technical about things.

[Bodo]

I don't think it's laziness either. I think it's an effort to link the games together--not in a timeline sort of way, but in a visual sort of way. Things to make longtime players of the games point and say "aha!"

[Petman1325]

I think it is not due to laziness. I mean, look at Majora's Mask. A lot of the character models are recycled (Apparently, the Link model had more polygons and textures added to it). Sure, some think of it as lazy, but, they were given their own backstories. I mean, Tingle has been in almost every Zelda since Majora's Mask. Then again, may I remind you that Capcom made the Minish Cap. Capcom is not Miyamoto or Nintendo. I think it's alright to use different character models or such as long as you change the name and backstory, and also as long as you don't go too far.

[ShellShocker]

Yes, Nintendo does use characters that already have existed in previous games but I really don't think this is due to laziness. I believe it is because many of the current fans of the Legend of Zelda already liked those characters a lot, so Nintendo decided that it would be a good idea to bring back these characters to the fans for them to enjoy again.

Such characters aside from the main ones: Link and Zelda, are also reused in many games, such as Epona, Tingle, Beedle, Dampe, and Anju. Keeping the characters doesn't really make Nintendo lazy, because of the fans liking various characters that are repeated, including Link and Zelda.

Also don't forget all the other new characters that were introduced in this game. Such as Swiftblade the Swordmaster, Link's Grandfather and the Ghosts. Lots of fans liked the new characters that joined the series too, and many of the new characters that appeared solely in The Minish Cap haven't really appeared after that.

If Nintendo were lazy, they would of probably used Swiftblade again, except they used the new Undead Warrior in Twilight Princess.

So no, I don't think Nintendo are lazy.

[Immortal_One]

I never thought they were lazy, I just thought the recurring and reminiscent characters were part of the entire "time paradox" the series was built on. I always just assumed that characters that reminded me of previous characters were just the spirit of that character embodied in what would fit the time frame of that game.

[Akiranon]

I thought it had to do with the whole 'Termina is a parallel world to Hyrule' thing. And to be honest I didn't really mind it all that much. In fact, I really liked seeing familiar character, but with proper backstory this time.

[Waker of winds]

Nintendo Knows that some characters are quite popular, like Tingle, so that's why they reuse him. But for the other characters... well, let's just say that they're like the trademark of the series, so maybe that's why they use them different games.

[basement24]

I don't believe it's laziness. If you have well established characters who have minor roles, I would say to use them to bring a sense of familiarity to a game. I know it messes with timelines and the like, but it's a good method of making people feel "at home".

This could have been done on purpose to make sure people knew thiss Capcom developed game was still in the world of Nintendo's Zelda games. Last time they sublet out the series to a 3rd party, we got the CDi games. They might have wanted more familiar characters for the fan base to keep them comfortable in the world while still having new characters to flesh out the main story. Just a thought.

If it were laziness, wouldn't it be more on the part of Capcom than Nintendo...? Just sayin'! :P

[DisappearingMist]

I enjoy it when characters are reused. I feel like I have a connection with the characters from a past game, even if they are different. I loved seeing Malon again, since she's one of my favorites :) Nintendo probably does it partly out of laziness and partly because fans love the characters!

[Master Kokiri 9]

I was running through the world of MC the other day and I realised something, almost every character, even the small un-important ones are just recycled from other games. At first I thought that this might actually have something to do with the timeline placement of this game, because I thought that most of the characters were from OoT. However, I then realised that they are from other games aswell (mainly WW.) So, Why do you think nintendo did this? Just pure laziness? Or was there some other reason?

A list of recycled characters (off the top of my head.):
-The builders (OoT)
-Big goron. (OoT)
-Anju the cuccoo (spelling?) lady (OoT)
-Malon and Talon (OoT)
-Dampe (OoT)
-Beedle (WW)
-Goron mercheant (WW)
-The children (WW)
-Tingle (MM)
-Ankle, Knuckle and Dave Jr (WW)

Hmmmm... well they all appeared in the neutral/adult timeline at least once. I think I may have a potential answer to this. Nintendo possibly put them all there to try to give timeline investigators (like myself) a hint that it may possibly be on the adult timeline. If you think about it all of them appeared early on in the adult timeline or on the neutral timeline leaning towards it. However this might not mean much of anything. I think that this may be a small indication that Minish Cap might be somewhere on the adult timeline.

EDIT: Sorry I accidentally put child instead of adult on the end.

[Steve]

I find it to be someone laziness on their part, and it really contradicts itself because you have a balance of proof for it being the first game, as well as being on the Adult Timeline. Personally, I think the situation is no different than with Majora's Mask, where they just decided to reuse characters, and build a setting and plot around it.

[Silver]

There is those characters and also Din, Nayru, and Farore from Oracle of Seasons/Ages, them being there could mean that MC is before OOX or after. The idea that reused characters in various Zelda games is quite fun. Familiar enemies,faces, tactics to beating them or just the feeling of "WHOA! It's Arrghus from Link to the Past!" Or at least that's how I felt! Nintendo does have a way of reusing NPCs, but still giving a feeling of awesomeness!

[sign of table]

I was running through the world of MC the other day and I realised something, almost every character, even the small un-important ones are just recycled from other games. At first I thought that this might actually have something to do with the timeline placement of this game, because I thought that most of the characters were from OoT. However, I then realised that they are from other games aswell (mainly WW.) So, Why do you think nintendo did this? Just pure laziness? Or was there some other reason? TMC was Capcom, actually. Capcom likes to reuse stuff (hell look at OoX)

[hsb39]

I really like the reuse of characters, it's a bit like an easter egg. Also, it is implied that Link and Zelda are different Links and Zeldas that just travel down the bloodline, could it be possible that this is the same for these characters? (Also, a lot of people say that MC was before the split, so that easily fits in if they appear on both timelines).

[Cucco Lady Anju]

I like how they reuse some of the characters [like Anju the Cucco lady and Beedle]. When it comes to OoT characters being reused it's like "Oh, I remember when I had to go find all those Cuccos/do that sidequest for the stupid sword" and stuff like that.

[SirenOfTheSea]

I don't think its laziness. Many game developers reuse characters from certain game series into newer games of those series. Zelda is definitely a good example. Then again, they could have been trying to take characters from the 3-D games into a sprited, 2-D form. Plus, many of the characters reused were loved by the fans (I, personally, hate Malon), so using them again is a just a little easter egg.

By the way, I noticed many people blaming Nintendo, when, in fact, CAPCOM developed The Minish Cap, the two Oracles, and the two Four Swords games. Nintendo just supervised while working on bigger games for the Zelda series.

[Navi]

The beedle and the children do seem quite lazy and Nintendo could have done quite a bit of work on them. But IMO I wouldn't call them lazy. They just need to think over a few things.