I always figured you could actually make Link deaf and/or mute and add voice acting for other characters.

Link would be given limited hearing and speaking capabilities through fairy friends like Tingle or Na'vi or maybe some magical item (ocarina, flute, wind waker). But maybe lose part or all of them temporarily in battle. That would create some cool opportunities in SFX.

Link being deaf and/or mute would uniquely emphasize the exploration of the key character trait he's bound to in every Zelda game: courage.

(Not to mention give Nintendo a good reason to never give Link more of a voice than what he already has.)

Seems like post-apocalyptic Zelda to me. But why having NPCs is such a problem for Zelda U to be more "NES-like" (whatever that means) experience?

Not sure why you would aim at the NES Zeldas...I think most people look more fondly upon Link to the Past. Anyways, I don't hate the idea, it just doesn't feel like a Zelda game to me.

I like some of it, and it's partly like an idea I've had for a new Zelda title. I like the sorta desolate, overgrown, ruin-filled world, though I would have a few people hiding in caves or whatever - like the original. The difference I would make is that I would set it as a servant of Gannon has found a way to travel through time (like rebuilding an ancient gate of time) and went back and prevented his defeat at the hands of Link. (in my version Link is the Link from the original LoZ and AoL. Gannon gets the Triforce by doing his work before Link has a chance to stop him, and now in this new game's present the almost all Hylian life is gone. Link returns from some soul-searching journey and finds the world a terrible place, but he was protected from the bad stuff - perhaps because of the mark of the Triforce on his hand. An old Impa is in a cave and gives him a wooden sword and he sets out on his solitary mysterious journey.

The big thing is I would include some periodic time travel back to pre-Gannon wrecked Hyrule where there are lively cities to interact with. In the end, Link could restore the proper Hyrule and so it's a happy ending where everyone isn't dead. It could also allow (like OoT) an old Link and a young one. I'd make the present Link a little grizzled, and the past one youthful and innocent.

This idea would work much better as part of a bigger trilogy or something, where you gradually see the world change, and this is it's final stage. That huge beast could be beast Ganon, like you said, roaming around maybe looking for you.

I wouldn't want an entire Zelda game to be like this, but maybe half of it - kinda like in OoT, when in the future, only those ghouls occupied the city...

Also, I want voice acting. For everyone but Link of course. It's holding the series back from being modern and state of the art.

I do like the idea of terrible roaming creatures, however. Playing Xenoblade and having to run from a level-99 a couple times was thrilling. As long as they are big and you can avoid them or run from them.

It sounds like a game that Team Ico would make.

Nintendo, as of late, loves doing prolonged tutorials and exposition, so I doubt it will ever happen.

I love the idea of a Zelda trilogy.  I'd make a past/future/pesent series with each one based on a piece of the triforce.  The past title could be retro, with a youthful link and green forests and blue skies.  The future title could be desolate and steampunkish with a grizzled old link.  The present would just be a modern, cool Zelda with a mature Link.  I'd save Gannon for the that present day finale, with some other cool villain in the other titles.

I just want a Twilight Princess sequel period, your description would be pretty good for a redone Twilight Realm. How's Zelda: Twilight Rising for a name? :p

Yeah, I would actually love to see a GOOD Zelda story spann over several games, and maybe even spinn off games on the handhelds (Guardians of Hyrule where you play as Zelda, or one of Zeldas agents, like Impa, anyone??). Make a true Triforce Trilogy! But maybe that's better suited for next gen consoles :P