I think that there's a place of cartoony Zelda games like Wind Waker, but I do love the art style of Twilight Princess which is one of the prettiest games of last gen IMO.

I want the next Zelda to look like it was animated by Pixar like Pixar's Brave. Characters look like cartoon but the environment looks a bit more realistic with more decals and details.

God NO!! That's the last thing we need and I have faith that Nintendo won't do that. O r rather I hope they don't.

I have mentioned Zelda + Skyrim before and got rebuked because I didn't explain what I meant clearly enough.

When I refer to Skyrim it is the atmosphere of the game that I am highlighting. A darker, more dangerous world for Zelda.

It is true that this draker world can probably be created without "realistic" graphics but I do think that these graphics would help.

I'd like to see them mimic the feel and look of the Majora's Mask trailer, just with an older Link instead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blwR9rroBU0

That's fine is it not? It's still very clearly a fantasy world, yet it very eerie at the same time. I would like to have a Zelda game that "feels" that epic and dark pretty much all the way through. 

When I think of a realistic Zelda, this trailer is what comes to mind.

Something like X would be OK.

Something like callofdoody and battlefield wouldn't.

I agree Nintendo needs to make a realistic game to show the console power if they want 3rd party support and it would also be good to make people stop thinking Wii U is not a serious gaming device (even though I think it is ridiculous that some consider realistic graphics the most important thing in a game). But I really like the fact that Zelda always surprise us with new art styles and Nintendo should keep like that to please long time fans.

Actually, I believe Metroid is the best game to do this, because it has a different audience that gives more importance to realistic graphics and also FPS or TPS are very good to show graphical power.

Meh. For me Zelda has been great regardless of the graphical style. Let the great minds at N do their thing..

The only reason why it should have realistic graphics is this:

Realistic graphics look like shit 2 years later. Artistic does not.

So by bringing out an art style-ish game like SkywardSword or Wind Waker earlier and then a few years later a realistic Zelda doing so will make the realistic Zelda look dated day1. (Twilight Princess looked OLD day1. Wind waker looks still better than TP)

So if they want to make a realistic and art style-ish Zelda they should do the realistic one first.

Making art style-ish games also helps hide the fact that hardware is dated after a while.

It's this simple: a cartoon Zelda U would only appeal to their established audience.

A darker semi-realistic Zelda U would capture thousands of gamers who would otherwise never touch Wii U.

The Wii U needs all the help it can get. Making its main Zelda a toon one would be a monumentally stupid business decision. Then again, they're been making a lot of those lately, so it wouldn't surprise me.

If there is an ounce of intelligence left in Nintendo's management, Zelda U will look Twilight Princess esque.