the legend of zelda
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PBS Game/Show probes link between nostalgia, Zelda's success
In its most recent entry, PBS' Game/Show YouTube series wonders if Nintendo's beloved Legend of Zelda series is only so beloved due to an incessant reliance on player nostalgia. While Game/Show doesn't offer an answer to this question – the series is aimed at prompting discussion, not taking any one stance – the points it makes are intriguing. How many of you are immediately transported to the gleeful whimsy of childhood on hearing the Legend of Zelda overworld theme? How often have we seen new entries in the series directly reference prior games, much to the delight of fans? How many times can players explore the Lost Woods before the cartographers of Hyrule finally decide maybe that mysterious grove of trees isn't so lost after all? Watch the above footage, take in its arguments, then post your own thoughts in the comments below. [Image: Nintendo]
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'Hyrule Warriors' 3D action game announced for Wii U [Update: Trailer added]
Nintendo announced Hyrule Warriors during today's Nintendo Direct livestream. Gameplay video for the Wii U action game showed The Legend of Zelda's Link hacking and slashing enemies with an over-the-shoulder camera angle similar to the Dynasty Warriors series. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata stressed that the game is not a new installment in The Legend of Zelda series, but is a collaborative effort with Tecmo Koei. Hyrule Warriors, which is not the game's final name, will launch in 2014.
Zelda: A Link Between Worlds hides a crooked secret
Before we got our hands on the game (and awarded it a perfect 5/5 score), the biggest selling point for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was the 3D overhaul it introduces to the beloved world first seen in 1991's A Link To The Past. What most don't know is that underneath the new visuals, the game has something to hide. The secret to attaching 3D graphics to the top-down view most familiar to Link To The Past fans is to tilt every item in the game backwards by 45 degrees, creating the illusion of a world designed specifically for viewing at a perpendicular angle. Not just rupees and enemies, this tilting even includes the main character, who apparently spends the majority of his adventure strolling around Hyrule like a reject from a Monty Python sketch. The slant is never apparent to fans unless they go looking for it - Tiny Cartridge explains that you'd only notice it by switching to a sidelong view while Link is transforming into his 2D, painting form - but now that you know the reality, try not to let it tarnish your attempts to save the world. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds saunters onto the Nintendo 3DS on November 22.
PSA: eShop sale on Zelda games for 3DS, Wii U Virtual Console now live
The first round of Nintendo's character-themed eShop sales campaign is now live on the 3DS and Wii U eShop. Customers will be able to save a few rupees when purchasing Zelda games from Nintendo's digital storefront until November 21. For the 3DS, users can save $1.50 when purchasing The Legend of Zelda or Zelda 2 - The Adventure of Link for $3.49 each. If you're not cut out for the NES era's "Nintendo Hard" mindset, the Game Boy Color's The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX is also available for $3.99, which is $2 cheaper than usual. For the Wii U, both The Legend of Zelda and Zelda 2 are available for $3.49. Notably absent from this deal is The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and its counterpart, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, both of which are currently available on the 3DS eShop. It would also be nice to buy up The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in preparation for the incoming sequel, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, but it has yet to reach the eShop on either console. Still, if you've yet to check out the series' origins, this seems like the time!
Relax with the soothing sounds of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
We don't know how it plays, nor how it stacks up to the SNES classic it's sprung from, but if this trailer for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is any indicator, the franchise's tradition of featuring lovely, subtly affecting music is well intact. And as we mentioned last week, it even includes a special easter egg for die-hard series fans.
Zelda: A Link Between Worlds to have unlockable difficulty mode, puzzles 'clearer' in 3D
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds will etch an additional difficulty option onto its walls for players taking a second pass through its non-linear quest. Siliconera's translation of series producer Eiji Aonuma's interview with Gameswelt revealed that an additional difficulty mode will be unlocked after players complete the main game. Aonuma did not clarify what similarities it will share with Wind Waker's Hero Mode, which doubled the damage dealt to players and removed heart pieces from the game's pots and blades of grass. In a separate interview with Gamespot, Aonuma noted that the team "made some changes" to the game after Nintendo announced the 2DS to ensure it was fully playable in 2D. "We found out about the 2DS during development ... It's not that you can't play it with 2D, it's just that it becomes clearer when you have the 3D effect on." A Link Between Worlds is set to venture across the walls of North American and European homes on November 22. Europeans in need of a 3DS XL may want to consider the special edition bundle that's planned for release at the game's launch. North Americans might have the same option, but Nintendo has yet to confirm the bundle's release across the pond.
Wind Waker HD launch trailer depicts a bright, colorful world
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD makes its retail debut on October 4, bringing with it improved graphics, a handful of gameplay alterations and enough bloom effects to choke a first-year photography major.
Toon Link adds a dash of cuteness to Super Smash Bros. roster
It's official: The cel-shaded incarnation of Link made famous in games like the recent The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD will be among the fighters featured in Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo of Europe broke this news on its Twitter account, though it failed to mention any details beyond the confirmation. Toon Link will most likely play similarly to his more "adult" incarnation, though given this version's history with the Smash Bros. franchise, it's seems safe to assume that he will remain a lighter, more agile version of Link. Super Smash Bros. is currently slated for release on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS handheld at some point during 2014.
The Legend of Zelda CGI movie that never was
A pitch reel from Imagi Animation Studios for a CGI The Legend of Zelda film, proposed in early 2007 and subsequently turned down, has made its way online. It was supervised, shot and edited by animator Adam Holmes, who thankfully posted it to his online portfolio for us all to see – well, not here. Embedding has been disabled on the video. Imagi Animation Studios, formed in 2000, is the outfit that produced TMNT, the studio's first major feature release. Two years later, Imagis followed up TMNT with Astro Boy, which reportedly lost money on its initial $65 million production budget.
Bizarre Ocarina of Time mod replaces Link with Sonic the Hedgehog
Prominent streamer Vinesauce recently broadcast some The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time footage to his fans, but with a twist: Link had been replaced with Sonic the Hedgehog. [Thanks, BPMΩ.]
Zelda 3DS is now The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Following this morning's E3 Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo sneakily released the above trailer for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, the official name for the new The Legend of Zelda game coming to 3DS.%Gallery-191135%
The Legend of Zelda 3DS runs at 60 frames-per-second in 3D mode
Nintendo's forthcoming 3DS sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past may be one of the smoothest-running game to ever grace the handheld – at least as far as its performance in 3D mode is concerned – due to its ability to run at 60 frames-per-second with 3D switched on, Zelda series veteran Eiji Aonuma told EDGE. "The game runs at 60fps, while all the 3D games up till now have run at 30fps," Aonuma said. "The faster the framerate, the more stable the 3D effect, so 60fps is a big deal." Aonuma also mentioned that the game will not take advantage of the 3DS' gyroscopic capabilities, as requiring the player to tilt the 3DS could break the screen's required viewing angle.
Aonuma: New 3DS Zelda will have light and dark world
Nintendo's 3DS sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past will, like the original, feature both light and dark worlds, according to a CNet interview with franchise veteran Eiji Aonuma. How this mechanism works has yet to be revealed – no indication of it was present during our time with the game two weeks ago. Aonuma also referenced the Phantom Gannon encounter from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as inspiration for Link's new two-dimensional abilities, which allow him to phase into flat surfaces to solve environmental puzzles as an adorable hieroglyph. Which, of course, is not to be confused with an adorable hippogryph – no hippogryph-related announcements have been made as far as we are aware.
Zelda concert series returns this summer
If you missed the Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concert series last time because you were getting your Tingle costume dry cleaned, you have another chance coming. Nintendo has just announced a second season of the concert, with new material and dates in two new cities, Baltimore and Grand Rapids.The show starts touring June 6 in Atlanta, with performances through October 19. Please don't wear a Tingle costume to the symphony.
Defacing dungeons in The Legend of Zelda 3DS
Link has the ability to flatten himself and slide along walls in the upcoming 3DS sequel to the cherished SNES adventure, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Think of it as wallpaper in honor of the protagonist, or as living graffiti defacing the dungeon's interior.It's a new mechanic (likely one of several) that never felt forced in my ascent up a seven-story tower, and pushed me to think differently about the rigid environment.%Gallery-186132%
New 3DS Zelda falls after 'A Link to the Past'
Nintendo is still mulling over an official North American title for this holiday's new Legend of Zelda game, announced for the 3DS this morning. It shares a world and narrative continuity with A Link to the Past, the SNES adventure that has steeped in adoration since the early '90s. To simply call it "A Link to the Past 2" might invoke extraordinary scrutiny, just as it might trigger appropriate nostalgia."There is a '2' in the Japanese title," said Bill Trinen, Director of Product Marketing at Nintendo of America, in an interview with Joystiq. "So, yeah, I think as I described today, it's an all-new game, it is an all-new story." In his new outing, Link has the ability to flatten himself and slide across dungeon walls like a piece of living graffiti."From a story perspective there are connections," Trinen said, "so it does fall after A Link to the Past. And it's set in the same world, but introduces that new gameplay mechanic. So, yeah, I guess by that definition ..."Yup, let's go with sequel. Quick, to the timeline!
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD remake coming by Fall 2013, Wii U Zelda also in development
This morning's Nintendo Direct confirmed two new Zelda games for Wii U, namely an HD remake of GameCube game Wind Waker with improvements to gameplay and graphics, and a brand new entry that will address series conventions like "completing the dungeons in a certain order", and to "play by yourself." The Wind Waker HD remake is expected "by this fall."In the Nintendo Direct broadcast, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma said the new Wii U entry's mission statement is to "rethink the conventions of Zelda," including things like linear progression through dungeons. Aonuma went on to say the new Zelda game will take some time before it is released.We won't have to wait as long for Wind Waker on Wii U, though. In addition to visual and gameplay tune-ups, the remake features off-TV GamePad play and is Miiverse-compatible. %Gallery-177048%
Twilight Princess' Ganondorf is First 4 Figures' next expensive piece
First 4 Figures is notorious for making things we want to own, but are unable to afford. Even running a successful video game website our mom once called "a website" hardly means we can afford such lavish statues. Statues like the Wolf Link and Midna combo, this Metroid Prime gunship and Super Sonic. Today, we add another to the list: Ganondorf.The company's latest figure features Ganondorf's Twilight Princess form – well, one of his Twilight Princess forms anyway. If that's considered too spoilery in your book, then you probably don't want to click through the source link below. First 4 Figures basically recounts the whole ending of the game.Anyway, this 1/4 scale, 23-inch piece is set to launch early next year for $479.99, and you're free to pre-order right now. This Ganon also comes with two inter-changeable heads, one depicting the stoic look above, another a maniacal, laughing Ganon that'd probably just judge you for greedily spending so much money on yourself so let's just leave that one in the box, okay?
MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO
In August of 1991, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America, kick-starting what would eventually be the biggest boom in console roleplaying games. Granted, some of us had been playing RPGs on consoles like the original NES, but RPGs didn't see as big a console boom as they did on the SNES. In fact, console RPGs haven't seen the same level of popularity since the SNES. A quick jump over to VGChartz shows us that out of the top 50 games sold world-wide on any individual console, RPGs on the SNES dominated the NES, the Playstation, and even the Nintendo DS, boasting titles like Dragon Quest VI, Final Fantasy III, and Super Mario RPG. If you take into account some adventure games that should be considered RPGs, like Super Metroid and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, then you have arguably the best platform of all time for the genre. Nowadays, with online gaming and indie companies sprouting up all over the place, a 16-bit online RPG would probably sell really well, especially if it took some of the best elements from the classic console RPGs of the NES/SNES era. Isn't that right, Cthulhu Saves the World? Let's see what I can throw together from some of my favorite 8- and 16-bit games.
Legend of Zelda prototype cartridge goes to auction: $150,000 proves your loyalty to Hyrule (video)
And you thought that Nintendo World Championships gold cartridge would make a nice start to the retirement fund. An eBay auction from tjcurtin1 is offering a prototype NES cartridge for the US release of The Legend of Zelda at a Buy It Now price of $150,000, or roughly ten times more than the typical final bid that Price Charting quotes for a typical NWC cart. While it looks like an unassuming yellow chunk of plastic, it's actually a Nintendo of America copy from February 23, 1987 -- half a year before the definitive action adventure reached the US market. The game still plays and can even save its game on the still functional, industry-first battery backup. Just remember that it's not necessarily going to reveal any design secrets from Shigeru Miyamoto or Takashi Tezuka: the seller warns that he can't see any practical differences between the early copy and the (also included) shipping version. Anyone well-heeled enough to buy the prototype is therefore going solely for the collector's value. But for those determined to be the coolest kid on any block about 25 years late, there's only one way to go.
