“Why Would We Want To Play as Zelda?” Part 1: Minor Characters of Legend

[NoirSon]

RolStoppable said:

"Why would someone like to play as Zelda?" Because he is an idiot that has no clue about anything.

The Legend of Zelda has a simple, yet powerful plot. The world is out of order and a hero must raise to restore the order. There is one character who represents evil (Ganon), one who represents good (Zelda) and one who represents the hero (Link). Additionally those three are connected by the Triforce, giving each of them equal importance in the grand scheme of things. The Legend of Zelda resonates best with the audience when this plot is used, because this plot has timeless and universal appeal.

Let me digress for a short moment and say that Link should never talk in any Zelda game. That's because Link represents the player and the average gamer doesn't want to have another persona forced on them. JRPGs are loathed, because their main protagonists are emo, stupid etc. One prominent example is Emil from Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, there is hardly anyone who can identify with him or wants to identify with him. Link has no such problem, because the player gets to fill Link with their own personality. You play The Legend of Zelda to kick the evil's ass and Link never interferes with your determination and choices. The only people who would want Link to have his own personality are those who adore JRPGs.

As for feminism, let females decide if Zelda's role in The Legend of Zelda games bothers them. They will tell you that it doesn't bother them one bit and that they love the games. I don't think they would want to play as Zelda or a female Link for that matter. At least I've never heard a single female say that The Legend of Zelda needs to be shaken up in an effort to appeal more to a female audience. Zelda isn't portrayed as a clutz, stupid, worthless or a sex object, hence why there is no problem.

Forget about spinoffs where you play as Zelda, because there is really no significant demand for such a game. This is one of those instances where Nintendo should absolutely not listen to their fans. Zelda shouldn't be a sidekick either, like she's been in Spirit Tracks.

Yeah, I still choose to disagree.

My view of things stems from the fact that I've played with multiple Links across multiple games and at this point I would like to see them try something different. I'm not asking for funds or staff to be diverted from a regular Zelda game starring Link and such, I'd just like to see a game starring Zelda where she plays like a completely different character (not just Link in a dress or dressed like Sheik) going through well designed dungeons and such.

I could give a flying love making sesssion about the story or feminism, Zelda is just the only character aside from Ganondorf or Tingle that would make sense within the Zelda setting and be a draw. So if I were to see a game set in the Zelda setting where this is capable of being done, it would make the most sense for it to be Zelda, heck have it set during the 7 year gap in between the two eras of Ocarina of Time and get fan boys and girls of that game or Shiek gushing. Or do it during Wind Waker period with Tetra or brand new Zelda that hasn't even met Link or Ganon yet. Don't think it matters as long as it looks similar enough, use cameos and such to link games and it plays well enough that it doesn't blemish the franchise.

People have been clamoring for a Retro Studios designed Zelda game for years, but the truth is the politics involved would be sort of an insult to the main Zelda team if they did a full budget Zelda game and if they succeeded then you'd have issues like they have with Metriod where after a misstep aimed at expanding the brand, more people are asking for Retro Studio's Metriod (Prime or Otherwise) rather then one helmed by a Japanese team.  Slap a together a Zelda style game with Zelda as the playable character on a different budget with a talented studio like Retro and while the cries for them to do a main Zelda game probably won't go away they certainly will create a new avenue of profits and broaden the franchise. Basically, I want Nintendo to do a spin off, where an extenral developer gets a shot and will hopefully provide a different experience gameplay wise but familiar in tone. Princess Zelda as the lead is the best way to make that happen without creating another Link or resorting to having Gannondorf be the lead.

Look at it this way, it takes YEARS to make one console Zelda game, across a generation we usually get 2 when they hustle (technically 1.5). With the HD development the time needed to get a Zelda game looking good will only increase, wouln'td having a spin off featuring a different character made by a different team help? Especially if they are sharing information about development and things that were well received in one game or another. To me Link in most cases is just another voiceless avatar of my own will but even that has gotten a bit stale, so replacing him as the avatar would be refreshing and shut people that says Nintendo doesn't take chances (whether true or not) up.