General Zelda 3D Zelda: Does The Beetle Render The Boomerang Useless?

[A Link In Time]

While some items like the whip were underused in Skyward Sword, the Beetle was Link's most versatile tool after the sword and shield. Not only could it activate switches and pick up rupees like a boomerang, but also drop objects such as bombs. With a versatile all-in-one, is there still room for the boomerang in Link's arsenal or is it effectively replaced by the beetle?

 

[Ventus]

I'd say the beetle is a one and done because I don't see motion controls returning. Well, that's my hope anyway; I want the boomerang to return again and again. lel

Anyway, the Beetle is undeniably slower than the Boomerang, so the boom is not totally obsoleted.

 

[DarkLink17]

The Beetle is pretty slow, but you can always upgrade it at the Bazaar to increase it's speed.
While the Beetle does have more uses, I still find the Boomerang an iconic Zelda item, and therefore it should still be used. If motion controls are here to stay, I don't mind if the Beetle returns, but the Boomerang should at very least appear in the next 3DS title.

 

[Justac00lguy]

I like the idea of the Beetle for sure, it's much more convenient and it adds a sense of challenge when retrieving such objects/hitting buttons etc. not to mention it's rather fun. However, the boomerang is such an iconic item in the series, maybe not to the extent of others but it's appeared in most Zelda games and to be honest not seeing it again would feel quite strange.

However, I can see this manual control returning in some sort of format, think about the Gale Boomerang, this was definitely an interesting twist and I'm sure this could be manually controlled much like the Beetle. Though I do feel the Beetle just seems like the better choice since it worked quite well in Skyward Sword.

Would this leave the Boomerang useless though? Hmm I'd have to argue with that, the Boomerang is much more of a quick way of grabbing items as well as stunning and fending off certain enemies. If it's one thing that the Beetle lacks it would be its efficiency and it's use in combat. Maybe the Boomerang could be an alternative way of retrieving items in plain sight, the Beetle would go for a more advanced route, although the Boomerang could be made much more prolific in combat. I look at a game like Ty the Tasmanian Tiger , which used Boomerangs as it's main form of combat, and there's potential there - maybe building off the concept of mixing in elements with items, much like the Gale Boomerang.

 

[A Link In Time]

the Boomerang should at very least appear in the next 3DS title.

As several people on the Internet have noted, Zelda 3DS has the same number of item slots as ALttP so there's no reason to believe the boomerang and the rest of the SNES game's arsenal won't make a comeback.

 

[Ventus]

I like the touch about combat application that mah G justac00lguy noted; the Beetle is a strictly non-combat item unless there are external devices (e.g bombs) laying about, and even then it is still hindered thanks to its speed but the boomerang is a fast-traveling, highly efficient item in the heat of battle. So no, the boomerang is NOT obsolete.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Not until I can use the beetle the same way I use the boomerang in TWW combat.

 

[Mellow Ezlo]

I love the boomerang. I love the Beetle, too, but I think it was a one time thing. The boomerang is probably my most used item in quite a few of the Zelda games, since it is so useful in combat. The Beetle is slow, and can't specifically target an opponent, so it is not effective in combat.

The boomerang is definitely the preferred weapon in my opinion. I like them both, but the boomerang is more agile, and there for much more useful as a combat item, and less tedious to grab things with.

 

[JuicieJ]

I love the Beetle, too, but I think it was a one time thing.

I doubt it. It was one of the most creative and useful items the series has seen yet. It's not something that would easily be tossed aside.

 

[Beauts]

I prefer the Beetle over the boomerang, which I found inaccurate and usually only useful in like on dungeon. I don't see a need for it to return.

 

[Salem]

I loved both, they're both really cute weapons. None of them renders the other useless.

 

[HylianHero]

I would so much rather have the beetle than the boomerang. The beetle was, as the OP said, Link's most versatile tool, possibly ever. The beetle was used in ways in which the boomerang could never be used. The beetle represents the best of SS to me: a fun, intriguing item, controlled by WM+, with many different uses and good upgrades. However, without motion controls, I don't see the beetle coming back in its full glory. It most certainly won't be included in games like A Link Between Worlds, so its next possible appearance would be in Zelda WiiU, if ever.

 

[Yeti]

It's hard to say. I definitely see the Boomerang returning in the series. As others have said, it is very iconic. However, it also varies a lot in usefulness between games. On the other hand, I'd love to see the Beetle become a recurring item in the series, even if it was slower and generally less accurate than the boomerang.