Daily Debate: What is the Best Method for Revealing a Zelda Game?

A couple days ago I started a bit of a storm when I stated that Tri Force Heroes‘ method of revealing itself was better than Zelda U’s. Of course, this is pure opinion and most of you were pretty quick to jump down my throat about it. However, I feel like the conversation itself got lost as I wasn’t talking so much about the quality of what we saw, but the method of delivery. Let me phrase this in a way that makes this make more sense for this debate.

There are different ways of unveiling video games. We’re going to set aside the aftermath and follow up (such as interviews) and focus squarely on a reveal – the first time we are made aware of a title coming our way. Not a one off mention that “it exists” in an interview, but a full-on press-like reveal – be it at E3, on YouTube, or whatever delivery method is chosen. Here is how I categorize the various type of reveals we see:

• Teaser – No gameplay, footage might be CGI or a cutscene, and it well…teases. Zelda U and Final Fantasy 7 Remastered fall into this category.
• Trailer – Mixed reveal. Could have a combination of gameplay and other elements in play, like CGI. Most of the Zelda game reveals in the internet era have used this method, including Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, The Wind Waker, and virtually all top-down games.
• Gameplay Trailer – This is a trailer that features gameplay for more than 75% of the full length of the trailer. It’s trying to literally show the game off. Tri Force Heroes falls into this category.
• CGI Trailer – This would include things like the Star Wars: Battlefront reveal from EA. It’s a trailer, but it’s entirely CGI and not from the game, even if it is “in-engine.”
• Still Image – Game is revealed with a one or more still images. This could include a logo, such as when Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS was announced or just a supposed in-game screenshot.

There may be other methods of revealing a game not listed here, but these are the most common. Today’s debate is centered around which of these five methods you think best reveals a Zelda game. In my editorial comparing the reveal of Zelda U and Tri Force Heroes, which did admittedly go a beyond the reveal, it’s fairly obvious I prefer Gameplay Trailers for a reveal. I feel like a trailer gives us the best idea of what a game actually is – and if the game is looking good, it’s going to justifiably get us excited. I feel like teasers can (and have been in the past) a bit of a stretch of the truth, as the games generally never end up looking as good as the teaser, or what they show never makes it into the game. CGI Trailers I think look gorgeous, but should be used for extra promotion after a reveal in my honest opinion. You need to sell the fans of the game on the game first, then market it to everyone else later.

Still images are my least favorite of the group, because, while it’s nice knowing something is in production or that something will soon be going into production, reality is they give us the least amount of information. They also generally signify a long wait. I am however okay with just a normal trailer, which often contains a mix of cut scenes, game play, hype building (blades will bleed), and even CGI at times. The main reason I am good with that type is we still get to see glimpses of the game. It may not be as informative as a Gameplay Trailer, but it’s equally exciting to all audiences (it’s virtually the best of all worlds in my opinion).

The question now is…what method do you prefer?

Oh, and I know I seemed to upset a number of people with my last editorial and that’s partly my fault – I mis-framed the conversation a bit. One fan even went so far as to call this site unhealthy:

“I have friends that were trying to get interested in Zelda, and they came to your site and abandoned their interest because of how many negative articles you have. You’re not healthy for the Zelda community.”

I feel terrible if I am responsible for anyone truly not giving the series a try simply because I have an opinion that maybe didn’t flow with somebody else. That being said, just in case the person who is abandoning the series is reading this, just know that I (and the staff) at ZI absolutely adore this franchise and you’re really going to be missing out on some wonderful experiences. It should also be noted that no, we don’t post a copious amount of negative material. Our last negative article was in April. We’ve had twelve positive ones since, and you can fact check that yourself if you are curious. I feel strongly that Zelda is the single best video game series on the planet. However, I won’t apologize for offering some criticism of Zelda U’s reveal method. Just know I am still immensely excited for the game and can’t wait to slap it into my The Wind Waker themed Wii U.