Let’s talk about stories.

To those of you familiar with my article work on this site, you will know that I have a deep passion for storytelling, and specifically, story structure. I’ve written about the monomyth — or, as it is more commonly called, the “Hero’s Journey” — and how this literary phenomenon is reflected within the Zelda series. I’ve talked at length about Joseph Campbell’s theories and their pertinence to both the series and video gaming at large. It is safe to say that most of my work here has been an exploration of storytelling in the Zelda series, and I would venture to say that I am one of the most ardent defenders of the series in this respect.

That said: Nintendo, it’s time to step it up. Gaming has evolved, and on the whole, the medium is maturing at a rate far faster than you are. Storytelling in games has reached new heights, with behemoth titles like Journey (another game I’ve talked about here) and BioShock Infinite doing some exciting things with the medium in ways both new and conventional. Games aren’t just about gameplay anymore; they’ve turned into a versatile and powerful storytelling medium. And, Nintendo, you’re being left behind.

But not all is lost. Long have you been the titan of gameplay, the company that manages to make games fun even when their stories are inane or razor thin. You can retain that crown while moving forward into gaming’s new future as a storytelling giant. You have the perfect opportunity sitting in front of you, too: A Link to the Past 2.

This is a call to arms. This is a humble, but passionate, pitch for pushing your own storytelling forward, Nintendo. Today, I am going to talk once again about the Hero’s Journey, and how you have a wonderful chance to use this new game, this new chapter in a legendary franchise, to tell a fantastic story that you’ve already been telling. You just didn’t know you were telling it.

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Each Zelda tale is rich in puzzles, enemies, and overall solid gameplay. However, I have recently realized that my favorite Zelda games tell (what I perceive to be) the best stories in the lore. Maybe the writer in me makes me bias to liking one Zelda game over another based purely on this factor. It’s tough to justify this; video games should be enjoyable based mostly on how much fun you have actually playing the game. Stories are important, for sure, but I would argue that the most important aspect of any game is an enjoyable gameplay experience, story coming second or third. Some of my all-time favorite video games tell barely any story at all: TMNT: Turtles in Time, Super Mario Bros. 3, Donkey Kong Country, etc. But Zelda is different. I’ve always enjoyed writing and found storytelling fascinating; Examining everyday people handling larger-than-life problems. The Zelda series has, time and time again, excellently recycled the story of an average boy stepping up, embracing a daunting destiny, and saving the world. Hit the jump to see which Zelda games I feel have best told the tales of our favorite hero (in order of release).

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The Zelda franchise has a long history of being incredibly versatile, borrowing disparate elements from many different series such as God of War, Darksiders, and Goof Troop. Lately, however, the franchise has stalled a bit, failing to bring any exciting new elements to the table. But the gaming industry overall has never been more diverse; there are so many series that Zelda can look to for inspiration, and perhaps the most exciting one is Call of Duty.

Frequently selling millions of copies, Call of Duty is undoubtedly the most successful franchise in the industry, and for good reason. More so than any other series out there, Call of Duty’s developers understand how to craft exciting experiences for all who play the game, regardless of their skill level or familiarity with the genre. As its sales numbers illustrate, the Call of Duty series is clearly better than any of the modern Zelda titles, none of which have sales that hold a candle to even the weakest selling entry among the recent Call of Duty games. So naturally, the question is, what can Zelda take from Call of Duty in order to appeal to a more widespread audience?

There are three specific aspects of Call of Duty that Zelda would do well to learn from and assimilate into the stagnating series formula: cinematic action, a microsession and multiplayer focus, and Skinner Boxes.

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Well hey there guys! New mailbag! This time around we’ve got a pretty wide variety of questions. Zelda Wii U is touched on, as is the Zelda timeline of course — because both of these are fairly recent news — but most of the rest are pretty diverse, ranging from topics like the proper title for a Zelda fan, to what aspects of Twilight Princess we’d like to see again. So hopefully this is a refreshing mailbag! 14 questions in all. Enjoy! You can watch the video here or check out the embed after the jump.

Questions and timestamps:

(00:24) – If you could have Nayru’s Love, Farore’s Wind, or Din’s Fire in real life which would you pick?
(01:07) – Who would win in a fight between Ganon, Demise, and Majora?
(02:04) – Which Zelda game has the best graphics in your opinion?
(03:01) – There are Whovians, Potterheads, and Sherlockians… what’s a Zelda fan called?
(03:09) – Do you think Zelda Wii U is going to have The Wind Waker’s art style?
(03:54) – Nintendo’s going to “re-think the conventions” of Zelda’s gameplay, but what about its story and characters?
(04:52) – If the characters in Skyward Sword are humans, why do they have pointy ears?
(05:32) – If Hylians started human life on the surface, then where did other human races come from?
(06:11) – Will new Zelda games try to fit in the timeline, or will they just go off on their own?
(06:53) – Would a futuristic Zelda game work or would it be a flop?
(08:19) – What aspects of the original NES Zelda game did you like and dislike?
(09:25) – Is Dragon Roost Island from The Wind Waker Death Mountain from Ocarina of Time?
(09:34) – Do you think the Wolf Form, Hidden Skills, and Hawk from Twilight Princess should return?
(10:53) – What would you think if you were in a future Zelda game, or there was a reference to ZD?

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Zelda lore is truly unique.

After over 25 years, we finally have a clear-cut timeline, and some very basic facts laid out: There are three Triforce pieces, several heroes, several princesses, and a monstrous succession of villains bred by hatred. But for every question each new game answers about the series’ lore, more questions arise. How does this world work? What is its history really like? How much of what we see in each Zelda game can we trust, when the series is mired in apparent contradictions that only sort themselves out through a convoluted timeline?

Compare to The Elder Scrolls, with its lore that rivals that of Middle-Earth in its clarity and richness. Its political factions constantly vying for power, its supernatural elements played against a fairly realistic world in both aesthetic design and complexity. Compare to Halo, a series in a much less story-driven genre, which nonetheless boasts several books and a cohesive backstory to its faceless main character. There are countless game franchises that develop their backstories in a linear way, reminiscent of (and sometimes similar to) that of books, movies, or television shows.

The Legend of Zelda is different. At face value, its looks like high fantasy, with its large cast of characters and its rich history. But it plays out more like a fairy tale, and people both familiar and unfamiliar with the series could probably point out the framework of most Zelda stories. There’s always a villain — if not Ganon, then an analog for Ganon. The villain is often trying to seize some relic, usually the Triforce. The princess is often, but not always, kidnapped or put in some kind of peril at some point in the story. Link, of course, fulfills his role as the hero and saves the day.

If Zelda is a high fantasy series in the tradition of Lord of the Rings, how does this repeating story make any kind of sense? Furthermore, why are the different iterations of Hyrule so dramatically different in terms of geography?

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Hey guys, new mailbag! This one’s got an extra large number of viewer opinion questions, where I want to hear what you guys would say more than usual. There’s four of those. The rest, as usual, cover a wide variety of topics in the series, although again we have a particularly large number of future Zelda questions and just general design questions. There’s 13 questions in all. Enjoy! You can watch the video here or check out the embed after the jump.

Questions and timestamps:

(00:19) – What is the hardest Zelda game in your opinion?
(01:10) – What is your favorite Ocarina song in Ocarina of Time?
(01:53) – What is your favorite sidequest from any Zelda game?
(02:48) – Which style of Zelda do you like better? Cartoony The Wind Waker or realistic Twilight Princess?
(04:00) – Would you like to see a Zelda span over a long period of time, where Link gets taller?
(04:25) – What do you think about getting to choose your weapon at the beginning of the game?
(04:52) – Do you think the developers would be willing to change the story and make it more sophisticated?
(06:12) – Do you think in the future Nintendo will make a game based around the Goddesses or the culture of Hyrule?
(07:19) – Do you think Zelda games should have regions or just an open map?
(08:05) – If the Master Sword is enchanted to destroy evil, how come the Biggoron Sword is stronger?
(08:13) – Why did Navi leave at the end of Ocarina of Time?
(09:05) – How old is Vaati? Is he Toon Link’s age or is he a lot older?
(09:54) – Do you think that Arbiter’s Grounds could be a “remodeling” of the Spirit Temple from Ocarina of Time?

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A Link to the Past arguably had the best opening sequence not just of any Zelda game, but of any video game. It introduces the player to the controls, the lore, the world, and the level design, and does so seamlessly while pushing Link forward through a rapidly-progressing story. Several pivotal things happen in succession, but they all make sense and set the tone for what’s to come.

It’s the fastest-moving section of the game, and not only did it do a good job of setting things up, but it was a precursor to modern action games which start in medias res. Like Star Wars, it thrust its main character into the middle of a story that was much larger than he was — but it did so artfully.

It was the first Zelda game with a real introduction, and it started things off with a bang. Subsequent Zelda games would have wildly different beginnings, from the mostly docile Link’s Awakening to the bizarre Majora’s Mask to the (sometimes painstakingly slow) Skyward Sword, but none would ever reach for the frantic, quick, perfect pacing of A Link to the Past. No Zelda game since lacked a lengthy introduction sequence. The formula was in place, but there was plenty of room for variety within that formula.

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Zelda is a quest by definition. It features a hero or protagonist working at a goal. The intent may be of various nobility. There is an antagonist, many obstacles obstructing the path to the goal, and in nearly every game thus far, there has been an underlying theme of maturity and coming of age. Self-knowledge is gained as the character progresses through the storyline and upon completing the quest, he/she will typically experience an epiphany regardless of whether or not the protagonist’s intents come to fruition. So The Legend of Zelda fits smugly in the elementary mold but doesn’t do anything extraordinary to set itself apart from other hackneyed “save the kingdom” scenarios.

Story is an important element in the composition of a video game, although not always vital. But once a story that takes itself seriously is introduced, the areas where it lacks will be amplified. If the story is going to be present, it should connect the segments of gameplay seamlessly and shouldn’t serve as a barrier between the player and the game. Zelda has done decently enough in terms of plot, but there are times when the games feel stinted and stale due to a lackluster sequence of events almost as if its dragging its feet. Make the jump to read more!

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Throughout the Zelda titles, there are a select few supporting characters that stand out to me as particularly strong. I’m not talking about major characters like Zelda, Midna, or Marin, who I would consider main characters, but the denizens who populate the surrounding areas of Zelda games.

Malon and Talon are certainly standouts. They’re integrated well into gameplay, as they’re introduced in the main quest, but several subsequent in-game quests allow their characters to develop further. Win Epona from Ingo and Lon Lon Ranch starts to shape up–wake up Talon in Kakariko village and he returns to the ranch, eager to turn over a new leaf (though his commitment is questionable).

What strikes me about these characters is both their seamless integration with larger events in Hyrule–Ganon’s evil directly affects them–and the simultaneous development of their own individual but intertwined plotlines. Malon, Talon, and Ingo probably have very few lines, but few would forget their personal stories.

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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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What is more important, gameplay or story? Eiji Aonuma, producer of many Zelda games, thinks the answer is gameplay. He was quoted in Hyrule Historia saying that while developing the games, he was more focused on pleasant controls in a 3D world, comfortable stylus controls, and an easy way to swing your sword using the Wii Motion Plus, while story elements came second to that. The Missing Link over at Zelda Universe recently wrote an article on why Aonuma is wrong and that gameplay is not more important than story.

He reflects back on his time in Hyrule, which he calls his home away from home and how he has enjoyed every Zelda experience. He also discusses how recent Zelda games have not been doing it for him as much as others because of lack of story. With his focus being on Skyward Sword, he feels that Zelda is falling behind its competitors in terms of story and as a result it is affecting the players experience with the games and their emotional connection to characters and plot. Of course, many are quick to disagree saying things like it shouldn’t have a deep story because it is a game designed for everyone and adding a lot could alienate people, or Nintendo knows we will buy the game anyway, while others say that the series and its most recent games do have a good story. In the end, he hopes that story is made a primary focus and that it will help make a truly, artistic masterpiece. After the jump you can preview the article, but make sure to head over to Zelda Universe to read it all.

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Again this mailbag, we have a number of non-Skyward Sword questions and a few only partially related to the game, so it seems like things are starting to return to normal a bit. What’s probably a relief to those who haven’t played the game yet is very few of the questions involve spoilers for the game. Anyway, 14 questions in all. You can view the video here or check out the embed after the jump. Enjoy!

Questions and timestamps:

(00:10) – What is your idea of a perfect Zelda game?
(01:49) – What is your favorite instrument in the Zelda series and why?
(02:41) – If all of the Links from the series had a face off, which one do you think would win?
(03:34) – Do you think that Zelda games have become too easy?
(04:29) – Do you think Zelda would still be great if its creators were not involved?
(05:10) – What’s your opinion on the Oracle games, and would you like to see something like them again?
(05:57) – Does Ganon turning to stone in TWW mean that he’s gone and won’t appear on the Adult Timeline again?
(06:42) – Do you think that the City in the Sky from Twilight Princess is Skyloft from Skyward Sword?
(06:49) – Do you think the Guardians in the Silent Realm have anything to do with TP’s Sages?
(07:12) – What is your favorite song in Skyward Sword?
(08:04) – Were the Goddess Cubes in Skyward Sword dissappointing to you at all?
(09:01) – Why is Link’s claim to the title hero questioned by Impa after the Earth Temple when he’s late?
(09:14) – Why do you think they didn’t add a swimming segment to the Tentalus boss battle?
(09:40) – What did you think of the story in Skyward Sword overall?

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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the latest addition to the legendary franchise and is widely considered to be one of its best games yet. Ever since its debut trailer at E3 2010, it’s been one of the most highly anticipated games in history. Fans were eager for a revolution in the series, and once the trailer was seen, many of us knew we had gotten what we asked for. During the wait, the hype for the game only grew and grew, and the hype surpassed that of the game’s predecessor, Twilight Princess. It took 5 years for Skyward Sword to release – the longest development period for any Zelda game – so it was only natural that it was so highly anticipated. But did Skyward Sword live up to its sky-high expectations? Read on to find out.

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One of the more anticipated elements of Skyward Sword, prior to its release, was the plotline. Many of us were curious about what sort tale this prequel would tell, especially with Nintendo’s promises of it dealing with elements from Ocarina of Time. Later information released about the game implied major connections to Twilight Princess, and potentially to The Minish Cap, so naturally this made fans more excited and many, including myself, began to theorize about what might happen in the game. When Nintendo promised us Majora’s Mask-like progression in the town of Skyloft, many of us also anticipated much more character depth, and we also became interested in the game’s main characters when we were told about the game’s school setting and shown the game’s primary antagonist, Ghirahim. Now that the game’s come out, it’s the perfect time to really go over the story and see how it compares with the previous games of the series.

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The folks over at IGN have released their special Zelda Spoilercast where they talk entirely about the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The crew at IGN talks pretty extensively about the storyline, changes to the timeline, the games ending, and much more. If it isn’t clear enough, this podcast will completely spoil the storyline for you. After talking initially about the story, the crew takes live calls from fans. It’s a pretty good listen for any Zelda fan. These particular IGN folks are core Zelda fans so this isn’t just a casual podcast. They talk extensively about the Zelda lore and make plenty of references to the rest of the series. Make the jump to take a listen.

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