Daily Debate: Can the Zelda Series Justify the Return of Magic Spells?
Posted on January 08 2018 by Michaela El-Ters
Ocarina of Time was among one of the first Zelda games I played on the Nintendo 64, and seeing the casting animation for Din’s Fire the first time was a really cool experience. The game incorporated the magic spells into the narrative and puzzles sparingly, but their practicality was so great that I found myself using them quite often throughout my play through, and I looked forward to seeing more variety in later installments. But while the series has expanded greatly over the years, magic spells haven’t been featured in the same way (with random items like the Magic Armor in Wind Waker being some of the closest we’ve gotten to full-fledged spells coming back), and it wasn’t until I replayed Ocarina of Time recently that I realized how disappointed I was over that fact. Maybe it’s because of how few spells there are that make me wish for more, but I do think including more would be easily justifiable.
While I’d love to see a larger variety of spells for Link to wield in future games, I also think it would be ideal for Zelda to be able to cast similar spells. Within the main series itself, Zelda is rarely seen fighting alongside Link, and in the handful of times that she has done so, it often involves wielding the Light Arrows or using her sealing magic. In order for the magic spells to gain a stronger foothold within the series, I not only think they need to return and include more options, I also think having another character with the abilities to use these spells would offer a breath of fresh air to the series in a way that doesn’t involve dramatically changing the formula or aesthetic. What about you, which magic spells do you think should reappear in the Zelda series? Let us know in the comments!
Feature art by Skuldier
Michaela El-Ters is a Senior Editor for Zelda Dungeon. She is also an Senior Writer for Boss Rush Network, and writes blogs and streams games on Objection Network. Her favorite Zelda game changes with the seasons, but the series as a whole is near and dear to her heart.
