Daily Debate: Should Link Ever Be Fully Customizable?
Posted on June 11 2018 by Kat Vadam
Choosing a weapon, a shield, and a region-special outfit isn’t really uncommon for the Zelda series. Breath of the Wild took it up several notches, allowing for a full inventory of various weapons, armor, clothing, and even certain abilities and “powers.” Link did not even need to be wearing a tunic and boots. In fact, when I played, he mostly sported the fully upgraded, dyed black Sheikah suit: an outfit that not only looked cool, but provided a certain ability that I found very useful.
That got me thinking…
What if Link could be completely customizable? I’m talking Dragon Age-Dungeons and Dragons-Skyrim-completely customizable. Special abilities, skills, outfits, gender, race, body build, facial structure, the whole package. What would it do to the game play and story of The Legend of Zelda? Something I considered is that it might help the players immerse themselves a little more, to see a character that looked like them or felt like the person they wanted to be. To feel like they are slashing bad guys and playing the role of the hero suddenly makes the game more real.
Yet, then again, Link is just so…iconic. The blonde haired, not-quite-elf-in-green Hylian boy or teen that everyone knows and loves.
What do you think? Should we ever have a game where everything about Link is customizable? Let us know in the comments below!
Kat Vadam is a mother of one, proud cat mom, and wife to someone far nerdier than she could ever hope to be. She also works by day as an analyst, writer, and editor. Here at Zelda Dungeon, she is the Head of Social Media and a copy editor, though she still enjoys occasionally writing things. Someday, she plans on giving up all her worldly possessions to move to the forest and become best friends with a korok. Were it so easy.