Miyamoto: Super Guide Could Open “Pandora’s Box” for Zelda

Normally, you would never see a Mario-related image in a news post, but Miyamoto is up to his old tricks again. He had a little 90 minute meeting with a bunch of gaming enthusiast to talk about the new Mario game coming out soon for the Wii. Before he even got started talking, he noted this:

“Hello. I think today I’d like to take advantage of what little time I have today, so I won’t be taking any questions about Zelda. (Laughs) “

So, one would figure no more Zelda talk the rest of the presentation right? That is what I thought, too, until I stumbled upon this:

“Obviously people will buy a game and if they can play through to the end they’ll do that. Some will buy a strategy guide, some will go online for hints, and all we’ve done is incorporate it in some way inside the game itself. We were able to create it for this game because we set out to make it specifically for New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and I think it depends on the priorities for other titles whether it may or may not make it in those games. We can’t really promise that it’ll be in every game from now forward, but at the same time there are some types of gameplay that are suited to a system like this. We’ll evaluate the titles on a case-by-case basis. Let’s use Zelda as an example, introducing it opens up a Pandora’s Box: do we solve the puzzles, do we show how to solve it in order to make them understand it, do we show the whole solution? It can be a difficult system, but we do see some value in it.”

This was all in response to the question: “Do you think the Super Guide is a form of cheating, and do you think it can be applied to any game?” It’s definitely a interesting thought. Obviously, we talked about Super Guide being in Zelda before, but now Miyamoto mentions it himself. Zelda Universe appears to have jumped the gun in all but saying this feature is making it’s way to Zelda. Well, if you read the quote above, you can see that the chances it is in at least the next Zelda is pretty slim.

However, it is worth talking about? First off, let me explain how the system works. Super Guide essentially shows you how to beat a certain part of a given level. It goes as far as allowing the computer to actually play for you, meaning the Super Guide can come in and save the day during the hardest part of any given level. However, this isn’t something you can just use all the time because you want to.

You may use the system only after failing a certain amount of times. It is available for the entire game, not just certain puzzles as some suggest. However, you have to fail at the puzzle by dieing, multiple times, before it gives you the option of using the guide. In a sense, they were able to make Mario harder while still allowing casual players to beat the game. It’s a neat concept that I am looking forward to seeing in action when the game comes out.

Miyamoto states that it is difficult to implement in a Zelda title, which to me makes it unlikely we see it in one any time soon. Personally, of course I want it. It can make Zelda harder, and allow my sister to still beat it. However, it is difficult to instill in the series. It works in Mario by dying multiple times at a certain area in the level. In Zelda, often times when you are stuck on a puzzle you are not dead, so how can the system know if you really need the Guide or not? The idea is you can’t just use the guide at a whim, you need to work on the puzzle for yourself and only after failing at it does it give you the option to use it. Thats something that is very difficult to put into a Zelda game… but Miyamoto may indeed find a solid way to do it, who knows.

Read the rest of the presentation along with the Q and A session at IGN.