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Breath of the Wild Could This Be a Sneak Peek of ZeldaU Link?

Mangachick14

Nerdy and Proud
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Location
Behind My Computer Monitor
That's actually what I've been thinking too. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this :)

I really hope this is a sneak peek at the WiiU Link, because I'm quite fond of this design. It's the perfect balance between the SS and TP Links, both of which have been my two favourite designs.

Plus he's pretty friggin hot...
 

ILU

i luv u
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
See, I like this design because it's TP-Style with livelier colors... not so much huge-lipped, "slightly comical" SS-Link face.

I think it's POSSIBLE that they might go with this style... it's very close to the tech-demo style, but TD-Link had a very...weird face. Anyway, since both Smash Bros and ZWU will be HD and likely similar or even same engines, it's quote possible that they'd just port his model over. Or, they could just redesign him slightly like they did for Brawl (fixing up his features, hair, etc.).

My only complaint is that he STILL has that hideous hairstyle. Ugh. So much hotness spoiled (for me anyway) with an ugly 'do.
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
Joined
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Location
Akkala
Gender
Hylian Champion
My only complaint is that he STILL has that hideous hairstyle. Ugh. So much hotness spoiled (for me anyway) with an ugly 'do.

TF are you talking about? His hairstyle is absolutely gorgeous.
 

ILU

i luv u
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
TF are you talking about? His hairstyle is absolutely gorgeous.

Sorry, I've always disliked that side-parted swoopiness. I much prefer OoT Link's center part. It's just a personal preference.
 

DarkestLink

Darkest of all Dark Links
Joined
Oct 28, 2012
Not gonna say it's impossible, but I doubt it. SSB has nothing to do with canon--hell it's contradicted Zelda canon at least once with the redead trophy.
 
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Location
Minnesota
I honestly don't know how I feel about this design for Link. Perhaps the best word I could use describe it is "generic". Nothing about him stands out from the character's past iterations, except the HD rendering. I also feel his overall appearance is a little too glossy.

In my opinion, this design works as a Smash Bros fighter, but not as a playable Link in a full Zelda game. Link in Smash Bros is supposed to represent the character as a whole, so the lack of distinguishing features is a sensible choice on Nintendo's part. With Zelda Wii U, however, I want a Link who isn't a bland retool of past designs.

Honestly, I'm just tired of seeing the Twilight Princess-style Adult Link at this point. Controlling an older version of Link used to be special. It was an innovation that made Ocarina of Time standout and made using the Fierce Deity mask in Majora's Mask such a treat. Nowadays, the concept has been overused, drawing Link away from his origins as a boy hero. This transition is likely meant to appeal to the mindset that Link should be a gritty warrior. Someone who corresponds to an idealized masculinity by killing monsters and putting on a tough guy face while doing it. Although it's true Link has always been a skilled swordsman, this is not his central defining characteristic. I personally have always seen him as a plucky adventurer, rather than a fierce fighter.

Now I'm not opposed to having a realistic Zelda as the next game. Its time for Twilight Princess fans to have their turn after Skyward Sword's impressionistic art style. I'd be fine seeing a Link use the graphical style featured in the next Smash bros. However, the specific design above is simply too boring for me to accept as the next Link. I want a brand new design that distinguishes Zelda Wii U's hero from the pack.

Some features should always be a part of Link's design, such as the green cap, tunic, pointy ears and youthful appearance. These are all central to establishing Link's identity. There are, however, many different ways that this raw material can be arranged.

My personal preference is to return to a younger version of the character than what we've seen in recent 3D outings. An age-range of 14-15 seems ideal to me; not too old, but not too young either. A shorter cap that doesn't flop behind his head would also be a nice change of pace from tradition. I'm also a little tired of Link being blond, and would like to see the light brown hair of the NES era Link return.
 
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ILU

i luv u
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
I honestly don't know how I feel about this design for Link. Perhaps the best word I could use describe it is "generic". Nothing about him stands out from the character's past iterations, except the HD rendering. I also feel his overall appearance is a little too glossy.

In my opinion, this design works as a Smash Bros fighter, but not as a playable Link in a full Zelda game. Link in Smash Bros is supposed to represent the character as a whole, so the lack of distinguishing features is a sensible choice on Nintendo's part. With Zelda Wii U, however, I want a Link who isn't a bland retool of past designs.

Honestly, I'm just tired of seeing the Twilight Princess-style Adult Link at this point. Controlling an older version of Link used to be special. It was an innovation that made Ocarina of Time standout and made using the Fierce Deity mask in Majora's Mask such a treat. Nowadays, the concept has been overused, drawing Link away from his origins as a boy hero. This transition is likely meant to appeal to the mindset that Link should be a gritty warrior. Someone who corresponds to an idealized masculinity by killing monsters and putting on a tough guy face while doing it. Although it's true Link has always been a skilled swordsman, this is not his central defining characteristic. I personally have always seen him as a plucky adventurer, rather than a fierce fighter.

Now I'm not opposed to having a realistic Zelda as the next game. Its time for Twilight Princess fans to have their turn after Skyward Sword's impressionistic art style. I'd be fine seeing a Link use the graphical style featured in the next Smash bros. However, the specific design above is simply too boring for me to accept as the next Link. I want a brand new design that distinguishes Zelda Wii U's hero from the pack.

Some features should always be a part of Link's design, such as the green cap, tunic, pointy ears and youthful appearance. These are all central to establishing Link's identity. There are, however, many different ways that this raw material can be arranged.

My personal preference is to return to a younger version of the character than what we've seen in recent 3D outings. An age-range of 14-15 seems ideal to me; not too old, but not too young either. A shorter cap that doesn't flop behind his head would also be a nice change of pace from tradition. I'm also a little tired of Link being blond, and would like to see the light brown hair of the NES era Link return.

Yeti, I really agree with you about Link's design being bland. Even though he's in HD, he doesn't seem nearly as stylized or detailed as his Brawl design. I also agree that it'd be nice to give him brown hair, but it seems that his blonde is really sticking around.... maybe they'll stick with light brown like they did for TP and SS.

Aside from that, I was looking at a few screenshots that made me think that just MAYBE his model isn't complete.

Lots of hard edges and THAT MICHAEL JACKSON NOSE. :|
super-smash-bros-10.jpg


His neck/chin is doing something physically impossible. In Brawl's Link model, he didn't have this problem.
super-smash-bros-11.jpg



It even seems like some of the texture is lost, but that could be due to the change in color/brightness and is possibly a simple illusion. So I'm thinking that there are still adjustments to be made.... or at least, I hope.
 

VitaTempusN92

Hero of Time! The True Zelda Genius!
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Okay, I personally don't see anything wrong with Link's design in SSB4. Besides, if SSB4 Link is the Link that's going to be in Zelda Wii U or not, doesn't matter, I think changes will be made to him by the final version so he'll look more finished when the game is released anyways. :)
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2011
If this is a peek at Zelda WiiU, I think we're getting a sequel to MM. The shield is cleaner than TP and the tunic matches so I think it'll be between the two, maybe with MM Link all grown up (again).
 
Joined
Aug 25, 2012
Location
Indiana, USA
Do I think this is a sneak peek at Zelda Wii U Link? Eh... 50/50 at this point. It's entirely possible Skyward Sword's general graphical scheme could be reused in greater detail in Zelda Wii U, but there are few guarantees at this point. As many have pointed out, this looks like a blend between Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword. My gut is that it's just a more-realistic Skyward Sword Link, seeing as how there's apparently a Skyward Sword stage on the Wii U version of the next Smash Bros.. If Aonuma and the Zelda team really aren't that far along in development as they've claimed, they may not have a solid design for Link yet, forcing HAL Laboratory to improvise in the meantime. So my gut says no, this is not a sneak peek at Wii U Link, but it's still quite possible.

I do like the design, but I also agree it would be a bit "bland" if it really does turn out to be Wii U Link. I'm not saying Link has to wear a red cape and dye his hair black, but it would be nice to see even more subtle changes. Twilight Princess introduced the concept of mail armor beneath the tunic in addition to some awesome gauntlets. Nothing hugely different, just a few aesthetic changes. I'm looking forward to the same sorts of changes in Wii U Link, so let's hope we get something a little more detailed than what we're seeing in this Smash Bros. - which is still good, mind you, but I want more detail, know what I mean?
 
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
Location
Tennessee
Zelda Wii U = Twilight Princess Sequel!!!

I was comparing the Wii U Smash Bros Link to that of the model used for Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and the Wii U Tech Demo. The art style its self looks like a mix of twilight princess and skyward sword, leaning more toward twilight princess, but with brighter colors. The hair is a bit longer than tp, but even longer than SS link, but matches almost perfect to that of the wii u tech demo "which is supposed to be a re imagining of TP in HD"

If things go the way they have always gone, this Link is identical to how we can expect him to look in the next zelda game. The Mario model looks the same as what we seen in the Wii U 3d Mario shown off, so why can't we expect the same thing that has always happened...?

Also, the Wind Waker received its share of sequels, so why not start on its GameCube counter part with Twilight Princess and give it the same treatment?

On the gamecube we recieved a cartoony Zelda game followed by the most realistic looking game on the system. Why can't we expect the same thing on the Wii U?

If you're interested at all, I already posted about how I think a TP sequel would go and how it would relate to the series on an earlier thread about a year or so ago, but what do you guys think of this?
 

Azure Sage

March onward forever...
Staff member
ZD Legend
Comm. Coordinator
Personally, I'm not a fan of Twilight Princess at all. The last thing I want is for Nintendo to go anywhere near that game again. But a sequel isn't exactly the same as Twilight Princess... Hopefully, if we do have a sequel to it, it will be much better than Twilight Princess was. But honestly, I'd prefer Nintendo stay away from anything relating to that game.
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
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I highly doubt this will come to pass for Zelda; Aonuma recently said in an interview that he's trying to keep the looks of Zelda "unique" and away from stuff that you can grab elsewhere. So firstly this rules out highly realistic graphics much to my chagrin. Next, I do believe this also rules out a sequel to TP - most direct sequels tend to keep the same general art style (TWW > PH > ST; OoT > MM; ALttP > OoX > LA > ZeldaBLT/ALBW; TMC > FS > FSA sorta). SSB4 still is TP Link but it's also with the Skyward flair so I don't think that's a foreshadowing of what Wii U Link will look like. :I

Although I do desire a TP sequel (especially with TP art style in HD <3 )...I just don't think it'll happen.
 

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