General Zelda A Mirrored Game Mode

[Justac00lguy]

So I was thinking about game modes within the series and generally how the series can utilise them to not only extend gameplay and replayability but also to bring something fresh.

To be honest it's hard to see why such game modes haven't been used more, even though I'm not the biggest fan of the likes of "Master Quest" and "Hero Mode" I still think they are harmless as well as warranting another playthrough. My biggest gripe with the series is replayability or lack of, and quite frankly I want to see more diverse modes in the future, I did make a thread a while back raising the question of several alternative game modes but I want to focus on a new game mode here.

It's quite a simple concept and one that has been used in the likes of Mario Kart and that would be having a mirrored version of the game. Now the only time were I have seen this evident is with the two version of Twilight Princess, the GNC version was the normal version while the Wii version was mirrored. Now I'm not 100% sure on why Nintendo pushed this idea but it seems to me like they did it for the same reason I previously mentioned, to make things seem fresh. In a way I think mirroring a game is a simple but effective idea that could really push replayability. So tell me what you think of this possible idea for a new game mode? and to what extent do you think it will be effective?

 

[Salem]

It would be better of the game's harder mode would have the entire overworld altered rather then just mirrored, but I still think its a good idea to change anything of the games world just to have a different experience the second play through

 

[Ventus]

Well Master Quest in Ocarina of Time 3D was mirrored and that disorientation proved to be quite the challenge. As a master of TPGC, switching over to TPWii was also another daunting challenge in itself. But, mirroring isn't just enough - as Sroa Link detailed you have to have the entire overworld in order to create a harder "second playthrough" mode. Think about it, no heart respawn (SS Hero Mode) + altered dungeons (OoT master quest) + revamped overworld (LoZ Second Quest)??? That sounds really hard, but REALLY fun and a new experience altogether. :yes:

 

[DarkestLink]

Urgh hell no. Mirrored gameplay ruins it. Nothing is familiar and the entire fun of multiple playthroughs is taken away.

 

[Ventus]

Urgh hell no. Mirrored gameplay ruins it. Nothing is familiar and the entire fun of multiple playthroughs is taken away.

....that makes no sense at all. Mirrored gameplay is ANOTHER PLAYTHROUGH, and the fact that nothing is familiar means YOU HAVE TO REMASTER THE GAME. Which then allows you to, you know, replay the mirrored mode. :I :I :I

 

[Salem]

Urgh hell no. Mirrored gameplay ruins it. Nothing is familiar and the entire fun of multiple playthroughs is taken away.

If a something like this is implemented, it would obviously be optional.

 

[Justac00lguy]

Urgh hell no. Mirrored gameplay ruins it. Nothing is familiar and the entire fun of multiple playthroughs is taken away.

You just further pushed the notion of what replayability should bring, it shouldn't be familiar, it should feel fresh as I mentioned I the OP. Even though you and some may enjoy multiple playthroughs it doesn't mean that Zelda has replayability factors because it really doesn't, once you have played through the majority of the game what exactly warrants another playthrough rather than revisiting a game for nostalgic reasons or just simply because you enjoyed it? I'm sorry but this post just further pushes the idea of a mirrored game mode.

 

[SpiritGerudo]

What I was told was that TP was changed in the Wii version because they needed Link to be right handed (because of the whole more-people-are-right-handed-and-you're-supposed-to-swing-the-wii-mote-like-Link's-sword thing), and it was easier to mirror the game than just change Link and everything he interacts directly with. As for mirroring the game, I don't really see a point in it. Sure, I guess it would make things more interesting, but . . . I dunno. I just don't really care for it, and I don't think it would make a huge impact on replay value (at least not for me; I wouldn't really care if the game is mirrored or not).

 

[DarkestLink]

....that makes no sense at all. Mirrored gameplay is ANOTHER PLAYTHROUGH, and the fact that nothing is familiar means YOU HAVE TO REMASTER THE GAME. Which then allows you to, you know, replay the mirrored mode. :I :I :I

...No...now playing TP on the Wii made me remaster the game. Completing Master Quest on OoT 3DS? ...It just gave me that annoying headache when I accidentally went the wrong direction from time to time.

If a something like this is implemented, it would obviously be optional.

Yes...but it would also be a waste of time. I'd rather them spend that time on something useful or just release the game earlier.

You just further pushed the notion of what replayability should bring, it shouldn't be familiar, it should feel fresh

Where's the fun in that if it's not new content?

once you have played through the majority of the game what exactly warrants another playthrough rather than revisiting a game for nostalgic reasons or just simply because you enjoyed it?

Whaaaaa? ...Why else would you replay a game? Heck, why else would you play it the first time?

 

[Justac00lguy]

Whaaaaa? ...Why else would you replay a game? Heck, why else would you play it the first time?

Well maybe I worded that slightly wrong... What I essentially mean is that no Zelda game has true replayability, huge expansive games like Skyrim add replayability through sheer content, games like Fallout have multiple choices and options, changing the outcomes on each playthrough, games that are nonlinear can certainly add to replayability through the ability to change the structure on how to go about completing the game. In Zelda games one can pretty much experience what the game has to offer though one playthrough, there's no ddifferentiation on a second playthrough, therefore decreasing replayability. However replayability doesn't mean people won't replay the game, however many fans such as myself rarely replay Zelda games because I have already done and seen everything, the only reason I would ever replay a Zelda game is to re-familiarise myself or out of sheer boredom. My main point is that Zelda games tend to not have any true sources of replayability.

Where's the fun in that if it's not new content?

Well this is a pretty stubborn view, if we go by this logic then what's the point in remakes? OoT3D would be pretty redundant other wise :/ Fact is, that a mirrored game freshens up the current outlook of the game, even you mentioned it yourself that it makes you less familiar, which generally mama it gives you a less familiar experience second time round, therefore adding to replayability.

 

[DarkestLink]

Well maybe I worded that slightly wrong... What I essentially mean is that no Zelda game has true replayability, huge expansive games like Skyrim add replayability through sheer content, games like Fallout have multiple choices and options, changing the outcomes on each playthrough, games that are nonlinear can certainly add to replayability through the ability to change the structure on how to go about completing the game. In Zelda games one can pretty much experience what the game has to offer though one playthrough, there's no ddifferentiation on a second playthrough, therefore decreasing replayability. However replayability doesn't mean people won't replay the game, however many fans such as myself rarely replay Zelda games because I have already done and seen everything, the only reason I would ever replay a Zelda game is to re-familiarise myself or out of sheer boredom. My main point is that Zelda games tend to not have any true sources of replayability.

Why do things need to be different to be replayable? You make it sound like you're playing God awful boring games that you do for the sake of completing it and nothing else...

Well this is a pretty stubborn view, if we go by this logic then what's the point in remakes?

To fix flaws with the original, add better graphics, possibly better sound quality, add a new control scheme...more or less, because people replay the game. If people don't replay the game, then yes, there is no point in a remake. OoT 3DS gave us a handheld version of the game, superior controls and graphics, doesn't require a rumble pack, and has both titles on one game. Very little content was added and the only reason to buy the game is to play an upgraded version of the game. Since I've replayed OoT 3DS 12 times now, I'd say it was worth it...but if you only played it once or twice, I think you wasted your money.

Now in other cases, we have games like DK64 that need to be remade because the Nintendo 64 is ancient and that's the only system it was released on. As technology advances, it becomes harder to play N64 games. Now all I have to play is the ROM for it and that's pretty glitchy with graphical bugs and a broken sped up timer.

Fact is, that a mirrored game freshens up the current outlook of the game, even you mentioned it yourself that it makes you less familiar, which generally mama it gives you a less familiar experience second time round, therefore adding to replayability.

Actually, this is the issue that makes me less inclined to replay Master Quest on OoT 3DS. It's not familiar. It's annoying. In fact, this was one of the issues when I first purchased OoT 3DS. The Ocarina wasn't familiar. I was able to master it eventually, but it was horribly annoying.

Oh and I don't want to send the wrong message here: It wasn't the new dungeons that were a problem in Master Quest. Those were great. It was new content. But mirroring it was pointless. All it did was give me a headache and took away the familiarity that makes a 2nd playthrough so much fun. In fact, when I play Master Quest, I still play the Gamecube version due to the sheer annoyance of the mirror world in OoT 3DS.

 

[Salem]

Oh and I don't want to send the wrong message here: It wasn't the new dungeons that were a problem in Master Quest. Those were great. It was new content. But mirroring it was pointless. All it did was give me a headache and took away the familiarity that makes a 2nd playthrough so much fun. In fact, when I play Master Quest, I still play the Gamecube version due to the sheer annoyance of the mirror world in OoT 3DS.

Aha, so the issue is that it wasn't optional to play the mirror mode, it was forced, ok gotcha.

 

[DarkestLink]

Aha, so the issue is that it wasn't optional to play the mirror mode, it was forced, ok gotcha.

That was the main issue yes. And if they gave an optional mirror mode for the next game, I wouldn't get angry over it...but I just see it as a waste of development time, so I don't really welcome it either.

 

[Ventus]

That was the main issue yes. And if they gave an optional mirror mode for the next game, I wouldn't get angry over it...but I just see it as a waste of development time, so I don't really welcome it either.

Considering a simple flip doesn't take all too much time...I don't see how it could be a waste; what else can you do in the time it takes to flip every model? Not like any expansive content can be created and added to the vanilla game in that time period. :I

 

[Salem]

That was the main issue yes. And if they gave an optional mirror mode for the next game, I wouldn't get angry over it...but I just see it as a waste of development time, so I don't really welcome it either.

I wouldn't say it's a waste, maybe that's the one last thing they can add to the game before it got into bug testing or production or something. Maybe it's the only idea they could come up with given the time or something.

Think school projects/reports, you're mostly done with the project, it requires x amounts of words, but you wrote all the new ideas you could come up with so you end up sneakingly repeating yourself until you reach the required amount.

I know its a horribly convoluted analogy to use here but bear with me:S

It happened to me before