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A Link Between Worlds Finding Important Upgrades In Dungeons

In A Link Between Worlds, several superior versions of equipment like the Blue and Red Tunics as well as the Hylian Shield were found in dungeons. In Zelda games prior, upgrades like these were usually obtained by completing sidequests in the overworld.

I don't know about anyone else, but this took me aback, especially the revelation that the Hylian Shield was in Turtle Rock. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it added more incentive to scour every corner of the dungeons, but it also reduced the number of overworlds tasks, which were sparse as is.

Anyhow, what do you all think about the decision to include these key upgrades in dungeons?
 

Terminus

If I was a wizard this wouldn't be happening to me
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Honestly it's a bit annoying. With such an open overworld, I'd normally plan to get everything I could before tackling dungeons. Unfortunately, several key items (Titan's Mitt, Master Ores) were unobtainable without nearly completing a given temple, which took away the illusion of being able to explore from the get-go.
 

Twilight King

The Actual Hero of Time
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I think it was Nintendo's way of mixing everything up. We'd been given the ability to go to the dungeons in any order so, in theory, we SHOULD be able to go after what we wanted right away. The problem with this is that many others, like myself, are fans of development outside of the dungeons. Basically, I mean that the world is changed because of your actions, not just how you perform in dungeons. In games like TP, you do sidequests in order to change the landscape, get a new path to Hyrule castle (2, technically), and to get new armor. ALBW is an amazing game, but this is one of the reasons why it wouldn't work as a 3D game.
 

tysonrss

Keyblade Master
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Location
OH, USA
Well, A Link to the Past did the same thing, so...

I really don't know how to respond to this. A Link Between Worlds repeats many of its father's tricks, so I think it's only natural to have EXPECTED this from it. I know I did.

That's no excuse. We live in a different time where you expect games to deliver a lot of content so that the player gets the bang for his buck. ALBW is a good game, but it's lacking in many areas that could have made gameplay much richer.
 

JuicieJ

SHOW ME YA MOVES!
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That's no excuse. We live in a different time where you expect games to deliver a lot of content so that the player gets the bang for his buck. ALBW is a good game, but it's lacking in many areas that could have made gameplay much richer.

Ex...cuse me? I wasn't aware a HANDHELD game heavily formatted after an SNES classic recreating a design choice that was perfectly fine and not shallow in the slightest was a bad thing.

Geez, are Zelda fans really THAT picky???
 

tysonrss

Keyblade Master
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Ex...cuse me? I wasn't aware a HANDHELD game heavily formatted after an SNES classic recreating a design choice that was perfectly fine and not shallow in the slightest was a bad thing.

Geez, are Zelda fans really THAT picky???

Of course it did. Take a look at the hardware differences. 3DS is much more powerful than a SNES, so therefore it's capable of offering a lot more than the SNES could. That being said, ALBW should have had more content than it did. Just because its prequel is an old game doesn't mean that the current game should follow in its footsteps. That's a betrayal. I'm not saying it's a bad game because it definitely isn't, in fact I felt like I was playing the classic games again (Oracles, ALttP, Awakeining, etc), but I just feel the more content the more rewarding experience I would have.
 

JuicieJ

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Of course it did. Take a look at the hardware differences. 3DS is much more powerful than a SNES, so therefore it's capable of offering a lot more than the SNES could. That being said, ALBW should have had more content than it did. Just because its prequel is an old game doesn't mean that the current game should follow in its footsteps. That's a betrayal. I'm not saying it's a bad game because it definitely isn't, in fact I felt like I was playing the classic games again (Oracles, ALttP, Awakeining, etc), but I just feel the more content the more rewarding experience I would have.

How convenient of you to completely ignore everything after what you bolded in my quote.
 

JuicieJ

SHOW ME YA MOVES!
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I read the whole post. Should I have responded to every little detail?

Yes, because your response made nothing I said any different. I guess I'll have to elaborate.

It's true, the 3DS has a lot better hardware than the SNES. Well, guess what? A Link Between Worlds used it. In fact, it used it very well. The entire game is 3D rendered despite being in the top-down style. This allows for LOADS of design choices that wouldn't have even been possible in A Link to the Past. Things like seamless floor transitions in dungeons (specifically the Tower of Hera), dropping down to moving blocks below you inside Death Mountain, the Fire and Ice Rods hitting flying enemies while in midair, Wallmasters hitting switches located above you, certain cuccos flying over you in the Cucco Rush mini-game, etc. etc.

The problem is you're looking for content in the wrong places. As I already said, ALBW is a handheld game. In case you weren't aware, handheld games are designed for quick bursts of play -- 15-30 minutes of time sunk in per session. It's better for it to follow the style of quick pacing that it does. It's better for it to make the design choices it has. If this were Zelda Wii U, it'd be a completely different story, but it's not. It's Zelda 3DS.

I don't get why people seem to follow the mentality of "bigger is better". For a handheld, it's often best to think smaller. By no means does that mean to skimp on the gameplay side of things, but... well, ALBW doesn't do that whatsoever. It offers noticeably superior gameplay in comparison to ALttP, and VASTLY superior gameplay to most other modern titles (the GameCube games particularly). It takes a pretty spoiled attitude to ask for the kind of stuff you are out of a game like ALBW -- not to say you're acting spoiled as a PERSON, just as a Zelda fan.
 

tysonrss

Keyblade Master
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Yes, because your response made nothing I said any different. I guess I'll have to elaborate.

It's true, the 3DS has a lot better hardware than the SNES. Well, guess what? A Link Between Worlds used it. In fact, it used it very well. The entire game is 3D rendered despite being in the top-down style. This allows for LOADS of design choices that wouldn't have even been possible in A Link to the Past. Things like seamless floor transitions in dungeons (specifically the Tower of Hera), dropping down to moving blocks below you inside Death Mountain, the Fire and Ice Rods hitting flying enemies while in midair, Wallmasters hitting switches located above you, certain cuccos flying over you in the Cucco Rush mini-game, etc. etc.

The problem is you're looking for content in the wrong places. As I already said, ALBW is a handheld game. In case you weren't aware, handheld games are designed for quick bursts of play -- 15-30 minutes of time sunk in per session. It's better for it to follow the style of quick pacing that it does. It's better for it to make the design choices it has. If this were Zelda Wii U, it'd be a completely different story, but it's not. It's Zelda 3DS.

I don't get why people seem to follow the mentality of "bigger is better". For a handheld, it's often best to think smaller. By no means does that mean to skimp on the gameplay side of things, but... well, ALBW doesn't do that whatsoever. It offers noticeably superior gameplay in comparison to ALttP, and VASTLY superior gameplay to most other modern titles (the GameCube games particularly). It takes a pretty spoiled attitude to ask for the kind of stuff you are out of a game like ALBW -- not to say you're acting spoiled as a PERSON, just as a Zelda fan.

I've already agreed that the game is very good, and I share the sentiments that it's better than some of the modern games (something I wouldn't have thought of saying if I didn't have the game). But just think, wonder if we had some sidequests that gave up different items or maybe even upgrades to the items. Wonder if we had sidequests that developed some of the characters development? (Hello, sages anyone???). To me, the game sped things up too quickly. It doesn't even take 2 hours to complete the first 3 dungeons and get the Master Sword. I just feel like things were TOO fast paced. I like the feel of things being fast paced but not to the point of the story line advancing too quickly. I mean for ****s sake, we barely got to see Yuga do anything. He doesn't even have proper character development. We no longer live in an age where it was okay for games to have little character development and quick storylines. We live in the 21st century where expectations are greater to keep us entertained. Heck, I feel that the Oracles game had better character development.

Please tell me why it's such a bad thing for me to want to have more out of A Link Between Worlds.
 
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snakeoiltanker

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I don't get why people seem to follow the mentality of "bigger is better". For a handheld, it's often best to think smaller. By no means does that mean to skimp on the gameplay side of things, but... well, ALBW doesn't do that whatsoever. It offers noticeably superior gameplay in comparison to ALttP, and VASTLY superior gameplay to most other modern titles (the GameCube games particularly). It takes a pretty spoiled attitude to ask for the kind of stuff you are out of a game like ALBW -- not to say you're acting spoiled as a PERSON, just as a Zelda fan.

Couldnt have said it better myself, this game lacked NOTHING! It was better than ALttP in every way (and ALttP was my all time favorite game). I wouldnt call this a complaint, but i do wish the Master Ore was all in the over world, adding to the whole "you can power up before tackling a dungeon". i also agree that this HANDHELD game has been better than the past three console titles! Also so there IS a Red tunic, let me guess its in death mountain aint it, cuz i havent found it yet!
 

Justac00lguy

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Ex...cuse me? I wasn't aware a HANDHELD game heavily formatted after an SNES classic recreating a design choice that was perfectly fine and not shallow in the slightest was a bad thing.

Geez, are Zelda fans really THAT picky???
Even though that explains why, it doesn't really justify whether it was a good decision to put it in.

To be honest, I wasn't bothered by it really; although, did I think it would have been better to have included said items within the overworld? Yes. The items that were included in the dungeons were rather easy to find. It wasn't as if you completely went out of your way or stumbled upon a significant challenge. I applaud that Nintendo gave more of an incentive to explore within the dungeons, but due to their generally linear design, they were rather easy to find.

The reason why I would have preferred to have these time obtainable within the overworld is that I thought the actual world was missing something: side quests. I think such quests really add to the game and they just add a bit of diversity and choice - something which Majora's Mask executed greatly. Having these items apart of mini quests would have given an even bigger incentive to explore (though I do think this game fid rather well in that aspect)

It wasn't anything bad by any means it's just that I would have much preferred these items to be a part of some sort of quest - just so it adds that little something extra to the game.
 

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