Nintendo Gives Answers to Link Having a Voice!

[DARK MASTER]

For me, Christmas is the most obnoxiously disgusting time of year. All these repugnant fools gather around their tall bushy green sticks singing carols and laughing. Their tears of laughter burn my skin, like a cloud raining acid. It’s nauseating!:sick: But perhaps I’m just a surly individual. However, my feelings toward this are irrelevant for this thread. So instead of showering you with meaningless rhetoric, I’ll offer a more intellectual substitute.

Debate of Link Having a Voice​

Voice acting for Link has always been a highly debated subject between Zelda fans. I’m going to try and offer you both arguments for and against Link having a voice.

Note: The following statements do not reflect my true opinions of this matter.

​

Pros of Link having a voice: Link is not a customizable character in terms of aesthetics. So if he isn’t fully customizable, why not give him a voice? In Skyward Sword, Link already had an animated mouth, so why not just give him a voice? Nintendo has the resources.

Cons of Link having a voice: The voice acting for Link in the 1989 animated cartoon and in the Phillip’s CD-I games, Link had an absolutely atrocious voice. If Nintendo was to create a voice for him it may be a complete disappointment, as in other franchises.

Will Link Ever Have a Voice?

I recently attended a gaming/anime convention as a V.I.P. member and I had the opportunity to privately speak with Charles Martinet. I’m guessing you have no idea who this person is. I can confidently assume you already possess his work. He’s the voice of Mario, Luigi, Waluigi, Wario, etc. He first voiced in Mario's FUNdamentals, but didn’t become famous until Super Mario 64. At this point he’s a famous video game voice actor. He’s voice-acted in numerous Mario games, as well as other popular series, such as The Elder Scrolls franchise.

We engaged in a very interesting discussion about Link having a voice. He gave me insight for Nintendo’s opinion on the matter. Zelda fans, we may finally have an answer. Charles pictured Link having a British voice, sort of like the aristocratic Prince Façade from the 1989 Zelda cartoon. Charles was inspired to directly ask Shigeru Miyamoto to which Miyamoto replied, “Thank you, but Link will never have a voice.” Link will never have a voice as long as Miyamoto is at the company. Perhaps after his retirement, Nintendo may re-think their decision, but until then, Link will never have a voice.
I hope I’ve answered this long debated question.

Autographs​

The next step on my agenda was to acquire autographs for my friends/acquaintances at ZeldaDungeon.net. I was successful at getting most of them because I was a V.I.P. otherwise there were limitations. Sadly, I did miss a few autographs for a few people, such as my good friend ZTB.

This is a picture of Charles Martinet holding my autograph.

Below is a list of customized Charles Martinet autographs that I was able to obtain.

List of Charles Martinet Autographs​

DARK MASTER King of Rare Selda's!

Mases

Axle the Beast

Djinn

Atheistbigred

Jason/Barinad

Ganondorf

ToonLinkGaming

Princess Nicole

Korp

Athenian200

Tyler

ZeldaMusicLover

Note: If you would like them mailed to you, please contact me privately.

I hope you have enjoyed this thread. It was very difficult to conjurer. Please Leave a comment letting me know your opinion.

 

[athenian200]

Wow, thanks for the Autograph, Dark Master. ^^

I always found Mario's voice somewhat amusing, although I did not know where it actually came from. It seems that this guy had some knowledge that might actually lay that question about whether we'll see voice acting to rest. It was certainly nice of him to make all those autographs for you, though! I hope you remembered to thank him for that, and the information.

Anyway, Merry Christmas. I only hope you get to meet more famous people in the video gaming industry. Who knows, maybe one day you'll get to talk with Miyamoto himself.

 

[ZeldaFan11]

That was a really great post:yes: if the rep system came back i would totally give you alot lol. your a great info. finder thingy lol.
But anyways the autographs seem awesome! must have taken a while to write them all lol. and i wonder how link will sound with a brittish accent lol, pretty legit if you ask me.

Great job DARK MASTER. ...just great.

 

[Ganondorf]

I had to come in to say my two-cents. I forget where it was stated, but I remember about three years ago there was a debate about Link having a voice and I think Miyamoto said that he simply would never have a voice because it was part of Link's character for the player to imagine it for themselves, and to play Link as they want him to be. Their head-canon, I suppose, for a lack of a better term.
Also, I love the autograph by the way, though I already told you that. I'm going to have it framed eventually.

 

[A Link In Time]

Darn you, Miyamoto. I want Link to have a voice. Can't believe you actually spoke with the voice of Mario, DM! Nice! But a British voice? No way.

 

[Kaleb Dampf]

Link deserves a voice. Mario had a voice from day 1, and here we are at 25 years, and Link STILL doesn't have a voice of his own. Shame on you Nintendo, the games would sell higher if there was voices to go along with the game cut-scenes.

 

[Kikirini]

I can't quite imagine Link having a British voice, but... I guess that guy would know better than me.
I always hear Link's grunts and cries in games, I just imagine his voice from that xD;

 

[Ronin]

I'm glad Link has no voice. It would ruin the immersion and independence we experience through Link's adventure, which is supposed to be purely sensory and not depending on one organ: the ear. This goes for NPCs as well. Hearing them talk would interrupt the connection between player and protagonist no more/less the same. :yes:

 

[TheDarkTriforce]

Hmmmm...I think nintendo would be playing with fire. hell they may make a beta/prototype with a level with link talking....ANYWAY the most we'd ever get would be a "yes" from link and the shouts and grunts that he gives out and the only awearness of the audience link has ever given was when he nods at the camera in skyward sword.AND FINALLY the player would NOT fell like link because of the fact you use your own name the fact that your in control of link and the felling that you are the hero. A a voice would TOTALLY OBLITERATE THAT WHOLE FELLING!!!...NO LINK YOUR NEVER GOING TO GET A VOICE.http://zeldadungeon.net/forum/images/smilies/link_sad.gif

P.S. Mario is the same mario. all the links are different(with exceptions)

 

[Deeds]

Great post Dark Master. I really don't want Link to have a voice, Link's voice can be in our imagination. Even if they did make a voice, there would only be a few people who actually like it. Mario has a voice because he isn't as much of a mystery as Link is, he is just a plumber with an italian accent. The question is, who knows what Link is? I want that question to stay forever.

 

[Lord Vain]

Charles Martinet is at the top of the "Most Legendary Men in Video Gaming Voices" list and nobody can say otherwise, because it’s pretty dang true. Also, that's awesome and quite generous of you to get autographs for yourself and some of your friends on here kudos to you, DARK MASTER. As far as Link having a voice goes, well, I could go either way really :/ However, since he hasn’t had a voice for as long as I can remember, Nintendo might as well keep it up that way.

 

[FunFunIsland]

Giving Link a voice would be awful! Link is always everyone's silent hero!

 

[pokewarrior2000]

Link deserves a voice. Mario had a voice from day 1, and here we are at 25 years, and Link STILL doesn't have a voice of his own. Shame on you Nintendo, the games would sell higher if there was voices to go along with the game cut-scenes.

Link shouldn't have a voice unless it's one of those parts where they ask him a question like in Skyward Sword when Zelda asks him how she looks but other than Link, everybody else should have a voice.

 

[zellinkda]

nice! me personally, i won't ever want voice acting. ever. it doesn't fit the zelda spirit, of link being entirely silent, and i guess i don't want to leave that. on the other hand, i sometimes hear words or responses in my head for link that could be used. my happy median decision: no voice acting, just text box talking, like the other characters and townsfolk. how does that sound?

 

[DeletedUser9]

This is cool. Thank you DM! And aw god, this is hilarious, he still spelled my name "Axel". :xd:

For the record, just because Miyamoto says it won't happen, doesn't mean it won't. Miyamoto isn't absolute at Nintendo, especially not anymore, and the way I see it, this will never be an issue with an "answer". No one's looking for an answer when they discuss this. They're just talking about it. I still think Zelda would be fine with or without it, but I wish they'd stop having the characters' mouths actually move if they're not going to do it. <.<