Gossip Stone: Should Zelda Ever Have Media Outside of the Actual Games to Reveal Backstory/Plot?

Many modern games, particularly triple-A, story-driven titles like many of the Zelda games, are expected to have larger and more detailed stories with every new entry to the series. There is no question that some of the best Zeldas, including even the more recent gems like A Link Between Worlds, were a bit shallow on story, but since it was the gameplay and the adventure itself was what made it so great, that did not really matter. Unfortunately, Zelda Wii U, and likely many more console titles, will require a big story to be accepted by fans, especially if open world settings are going to become more common in the series again. Nintendo may be hard-pressed to make grand, impressive stories, for the sake of the game, or just for the sake of going all out with the plot, so why not try out some new ways of telling it? Some games these days take the time to use other forms of media to bridge the gap between games, or just to explain what is happening as the player goes into a game. Perhaps Zelda could do the same.

Join the discussion after the jump.

As the Zelda series, and the whole gaming industry, become more complex over the years, games must adapt to players’ expectations of newer and more interesting ways of telling a story, when it comes to specifically story-based games, of course. Were Zelda to do the same and use outside media to promote and expand on the newest Zelda story, it could not only help to expand the audience of the game/series, but for long-time fans, it could really help to give us a new way of seeing the game’s connections to the rest of the series, offering more room for plot details outside of the game itself, similar to what Hyrule Historia had. This way of thinking was what lead to things like Halo: Forward Unto Dawn, a live-action video series leading up to the release of Halo 4 on Xbox. It was a good way to telling some important story points that would later be relavent to the actual game, but it also gave Halo fans a look at a live-action version of the series that many had wanted for years, and it certainly was well-received. Now, Zelda is not Halo. There is a lot to be said in regards to making a Zelda movie/series a reality, and whether or not it is a good idea in the first place. Voice-acting has always been up for debate among fans and developers alike, and a live-action presentation of any kind would be quite hard to do well, but that does not mean it is not worth a shot. Were Nintendo to choose movies/videos as a form of storytelling between or leading up to games, perhaps it being animated in the style of the upcoming game’s cutscenes and graphics would help ease players into it. That, and maybe finding a way of telling your story without any speech at all, voiced or otherwise, could be looked int.

Now, again, Zelda in video form is tricky, so there are other options. Personally, I would like to see a new manga that could tell us a bit about the villain, the new Hyrule’s lore, new characters, and Link himself. Zelda mangas have often retold the stories of existing Zelda games, while putting their own spin on things to make it worth purchasing. After all, if you want the bare basic story of a game, play the game. Rarely, though, have any added to that actual overall story of the series, or offered a look at any brand new adventures of Link or anyone else. The closest I can think of is, again, from Hyrule Historia. The manga in that book gave fans insight as to where the legends of the ancient hero and Hylia came from, giving us some tidbits that actually related to Skyward Sword’s story, before the game’s release. I really wish that it ended up being longer, as there was a lot more that could be told, and seeing it as a well-drawn, detailed manga would be really cool.

What do you guys think? Should Nintendo use video, maga, or some other form of media to give story details/backstory leading up to the a new Zelda release? What kind of media do you think would work best? Drop a comment below!