In many of the Zelda titles, animals such as chickens, Cows, goats, pigs, dogs, cats and seagulls can be found often serving the same purpose as in the real world. My question is do you like the fact that real world animals are used or would you like to see more fantasy animals? Personally I'd like to see new animal life forms. I thought the remlit in Skyward Sword was a good idea as although it is similar to a cat it is very different from what we get here and helped give even more of a fantasy feel. I'd like to see a more creative approach to how animals are handled in the series and see something a bit more out of the ordinary.
Real World Animals in Zelda
- Thread starter Dio
- Start date
I always thought that having animals around was a neat addition to the series. Especially the ones that come after you with an unquenchable blood lust if you attack them, like the cuccos, and the pigs in The Wind Waker. As for whether the animals should be more creative like the Remlits, I personally wouldn't mind it if they were to stay normal animals. Actually, a mix of both would be fine by me. It would also be nice if there were a lot of different kinds of them in the game, too. A little variety couldn't hurt. I would like a wide selection of critters to mess with. =)
JuicieJ
SHOW ME YA MOVES!
There should be tigers that attack people like in Far Cry 3. :bleh:
- Joined
- May 14, 2011
Like what Azure Sage said, animals were a great addition to the Zelda Universe such as the amazing Cuccos to the horses and so on. Animals gives the surrounding areas a breathe of fresh air such as the Chain Chomps in Mabe Village to the Dogs in the Castle Town Market when it is night. While there have been more realistic animals in Zelda, I don't really care if there are more normal animals than fantasy animals or the other way around. As long as there are animals, it is fine with me. While Remlits were a nice addition to the animals of Zelda, there are other fantasy animals such as the Loftwings, Chain Chomps in LA, and Keatons. The fantasy part for animals in Zelda can be seen throughout the various characters such as the Photographer in LA, the Naked Hippo from LA, the Red and Blue Snakes with Vasu from OoS and OoA, Mad Batter, etc.
Well, there was ONE tiger in the Zelda Universe, but I am sure you wouldn't be enjoyed by that tiger.
JuicieJ said:
Well, there was ONE tiger in the Zelda Universe, but I am sure you wouldn't be enjoyed by that tiger.
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2011
I was thinking about this the other day, kind of. Not about the style of included animals but having animals at all. It made me think that having a lot more wildlife, stylised or not would help ZeldaU feel more like a world if there was activity going on besides you and enemies...
On the stylistic thing, i can't see Zelda ever being wholly photorealistic, Nintendo like to design things a bit too much for us to ever see real-world-like locations like Farcry that you could go outside in our world to find. So if more animals are to be dropped into future Zelda games then most likely they'll be stylised to fit the theme and art style of the games like the seaguls and pigs in WW and they'll probably have gimmicks like the Rabbits in ST and the Remlits in SS. But i'm all for a bit more outside activity in the overworld animal style.
On the stylistic thing, i can't see Zelda ever being wholly photorealistic, Nintendo like to design things a bit too much for us to ever see real-world-like locations like Farcry that you could go outside in our world to find. So if more animals are to be dropped into future Zelda games then most likely they'll be stylised to fit the theme and art style of the games like the seaguls and pigs in WW and they'll probably have gimmicks like the Rabbits in ST and the Remlits in SS. But i'm all for a bit more outside activity in the overworld animal style.
Fede-hime
All about the treasure
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
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- The S.S. Linebeck
Animals do indeed give ZeldaU more depth. They give an indication that there is actual life going on around Link while he's on his quest. Cows, horses, and cuccos in OoT and MM. A hint of the farm/ranch life that's happening elsewhere.
A mix of fantasy and real world animals would be best. I kind of liked the moinks from ST. Stupid cow-pigs getting in the way of my train. Yet somehow they fit right in with ZeldaU. Though I always wondered how they came to be. Random mutation? And do they taste like a combination of pork and beef?
A mix of fantasy and real world animals would be best. I kind of liked the moinks from ST. Stupid cow-pigs getting in the way of my train. Yet somehow they fit right in with ZeldaU. Though I always wondered how they came to be. Random mutation? And do they taste like a combination of pork and beef?
Akuhime-sama
What's Life Without Adult Humor?
I'd like to see more of both real animals and fantasy animals.
you could look at it like this; The real animals give you a sense of familiarity, and the fantasy animals give you surrealism.
The known animals are familiar to the real world, and the fantasy creatures are unknown.
The combination of the two could give one the feeling that this fantasy world could be possible in real life, and helps the player connect with the game, in a new way.
er- It sounded better in my head xP
you could look at it like this; The real animals give you a sense of familiarity, and the fantasy animals give you surrealism.
The known animals are familiar to the real world, and the fantasy creatures are unknown.
The combination of the two could give one the feeling that this fantasy world could be possible in real life, and helps the player connect with the game, in a new way.
er- It sounded better in my head xP
Shadsie
Sage of Tales
I like having real world animals thrown into the mix. It gives Hyrule and surrounding lands and/or dimensions a little more of a connection to our world. Of course, having fantastic animals around (Remlits, Loftwings, cow-pigs, dragons, etc.) is great to show "this is a fantasy world" but when you overdo it and have fantastic animal counterparts for every niche, you can get to wonder why anything resembling humans is even there...
Take Pokemon, for example. It's a fun universe, but it tends to get annoying not seeing much in the ways of normal animals around, too (there are a few, fish at least, from what I remember seeing). It's especially jarring when you know that Pokemon are technically a single species. I read an article on Cracked the other day making fun of this, proclaiming that Pokemon were really invading aliens who'd come to wipe out and replicate native speices. You can really get that feel when humans are the only things on the planet that are "normal" and don't have superpowered prize-fighting abilities. Even more so when there are human-like Pokemon. I'm hoping that if I ever watch the anime again or play any of the new games, I'm going to see a cat in it and you have the option of asking an NPC what kind of Pokemon it is and they say "No, just a cat."
Watching the Star Wars movies gets like this, too. You can't have normal cows even though you have Earthlike humans in the galaxy far, far away. Nooooo! You have to have giant cow-pig-tick-things. And desert wooly-creatures that give blue milk.
I think any fantastic universe that doesn't explicity have rules or narrative devices *against* mundane animals can benefit from having a few around. One of my favorite things to do with Twilight Princess Link was to enjoy playing fetch with puppies and cuddling cats. (Then asking their opinions in sacred wolf form). See? The mundane can be *made* fantastic without turning cows into wandering tick-things.
Take Pokemon, for example. It's a fun universe, but it tends to get annoying not seeing much in the ways of normal animals around, too (there are a few, fish at least, from what I remember seeing). It's especially jarring when you know that Pokemon are technically a single species. I read an article on Cracked the other day making fun of this, proclaiming that Pokemon were really invading aliens who'd come to wipe out and replicate native speices. You can really get that feel when humans are the only things on the planet that are "normal" and don't have superpowered prize-fighting abilities. Even more so when there are human-like Pokemon. I'm hoping that if I ever watch the anime again or play any of the new games, I'm going to see a cat in it and you have the option of asking an NPC what kind of Pokemon it is and they say "No, just a cat."
Watching the Star Wars movies gets like this, too. You can't have normal cows even though you have Earthlike humans in the galaxy far, far away. Nooooo! You have to have giant cow-pig-tick-things. And desert wooly-creatures that give blue milk.
I think any fantastic universe that doesn't explicity have rules or narrative devices *against* mundane animals can benefit from having a few around. One of my favorite things to do with Twilight Princess Link was to enjoy playing fetch with puppies and cuddling cats. (Then asking their opinions in sacred wolf form). See? The mundane can be *made* fantastic without turning cows into wandering tick-things.
I hope Nintendo will introduce pet system in future Zelda game. With this system, these animals will have their own ability to help Link in his quest. For example; horse (Epona) for riding, Cow to produce milk, Cucco to produce egg, some fantasy animals to help Link in his fight, etc....