Epona

[Emicon]

Well, actually, you do. To cross into Gerudo Territory, you need Epona to jump that giant gap before the bridge is fixed.

Not true. Once you have the Longshot, you can easily pull yourself over to the other side. There's a tiny wooden target hanging under the archway thingy.

I think it depends on the layout of the world that determines if we will get Epona back. If it's a huge world, then definitely. I'd be fine not having her in SS. She'll always have a special place in my heart, though.

 

[Planatoid]

You never know with Nintendo, coming ouut with crazy stuff. Maybe Epona has wings? How do you guys feel about Epona with wings? I personally wouldn't like it actually, but it might be cool i guess

 

[TreeHuggerPanda]

Well, it depends. I can't see Epona in Skyloft, but maybe Link rescues Epona on the land and can use her to make traveling easier or do a horseback battle some point in the game like in Twilight Princess. I don't know... tis is Nintendo we're talking about. They can make up anything, so let Epona have wings and become a pegasus (*sigh*)

 

[disturbed42]

But the only problem is that there seems to be energy meter that tracks your running (did anyone else notice it?). Whenever Link sprints, there's a little green Mario-like meter thing that seems to lower the longer you run.

Yeah, I saw that. Link's sprinting is obviously being limited, so he'll just go back and forth between jogging and dashing (which seems like that'd get irritating).

This is coupled with the fact that the SS overworld was stated to be smaller than TP's because they were trying to make a more condensed field. Less distances between places means less need for speedy long distance transportation, which is what Epona is usually used for.

You know that a "more condensed field" could mean larger areas, just with more places/things inserted in them. Twilight Princess had a large map, but Hyrule field was completely empty, apart from really slow monsters. Perhaps Nintendo meant that they'd put more meat into the map, rather than making it smaller. It's debatable, but I'm hoping that's what they meant.

And as for the whole Epona thing....I hope they make her as a sidequest or something like they did in OoT. You didn't need her to complete the game, but you could still obtain her (although you did need her to get the Biggoron Sword). I can see Nintendo finding a way to put Epona into the game, however, she really doesn't seem neccessary. We already know that the Skyward Sword/Master Sword is your method of transportation between sky and ground. It really all depends on how large the map is. The area in the demo at e3 seemed kinda big to me.

 

[Locke]

With a more condensed overworld, I don't see any reason to use Epona, even if one could. Even if it's bigger, there will be more in it and you won't want to speed past anything. Hyrule Field was the only thing Epona was good for, and they implied that there will be no such expanse in this game. There are other ways of jumping fences.

When long-distance travel is necessary, Link could use his Skyward Sword as "his driving force behind his traveling between lands." And I don't mean that it would allow him to fly to other locations. That would be more silly than moving solid stone blocks five times your size. They say it allows him to travel between Sky Loft and the land below. I can see Sky Loft acting as hub in much the same way as Relto contains linking books to most of the ages in Uru. Use the SS to go to SL, then use it again in a different area of SL (which would be much smaller than the overworld map) to go to the surface in a different area.

As much fun as it would be, no Epona, and no flying please.

 

[Zeanith]

Since I heard a rumor that he lives in a city in the clouds called "SkyLoft," methinks that perhaps Epona is now a pegasus or a flying dragon. Or perhaps he flies with the help of his sword, hence the title. Or his partner. But I'm fairly certain that he will fly from place to place in this quest rather than ride on horseback.

 

[The Other World]

Transportation of flight

By the breif looks of hyrule from the trailer, It looks like epona will be much needed. But I don't what means of transportation Link will have, if any. It sounds like to me, that in some way link will be able fly in some way, or have something take him up in the sky somewhere else. I ecspecialy believe this because it also sounds like there's a whole other land in the sky, so he'l have to reach up in the clouds some way..

 

[Link-182]

I think a dragon, or flying creature transportation would be cool. I still want there to be like a canoe where you can travel by river manually, like in TP but not just a mini game. Maybe even like a horse carriage taxi lol

 

[OcarinalinkLOZ]

Epone being in the game would help speed travel, but again, she isn't a major factor of the gameplay. She would be missed if not in the game and some cool fighting options could happen if she showed up in Skyward Sword (bow and arrows, sword combat ect...). I guess it depends on how she might twist the story in any way or be more influential such as in MM, but it would certainly be cool and appreciated by some fans.

 

[Ariel]

PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE:

In an interview with Aonuma, he tells how he developed the Sword controls by Miyamoto asking him to develop a mechanic that would allow Link to raise his sword skyward (that's right) whilst riding on Epona. I don't think he'd stress this unless it was important to the story/gameplay and, to me at least, it's confirmation of Epona's inclusion in SS.

 

[MOTLEYlink]

I would like Epona to be in SS but I am afraid they may not include her, Myamoto said they made the world more compact (not word for word) because he felt that TP (which had a very large field) was to big to have a deep story line. I really liked the gigantic field in TP but it took forever to get around if you wasn't on Epona. So by making the world smaller they might not feel they need to put Epona in the game =( but I can always hope so.

 

[Mixtoplix]

Oh! NO! what if they do not put Epona in this game :O
Then we have to walk!
Also no horse back fights in the game!
That is just not.........

 

[Locke]

MonsterVine thinks Epona is confirmed:

Block pushing is gone, but grass cutting, wall breaking, and pot bashing are back. Epona also returns.

–Link can even recreate your moves while aboard Epona.

–However, Link’s newfound running makes him as fast, if not faster than Epona, so Epona might be sped up to make up for this.

But if you notice, this article is a report from "earthbounding." In earthbounding's video, he mentions that what Aonuma said in Iwata Asks is what led him to this conclusion. (This is the same one Ariel mentioned a few posts back.) Aonuma's quote is as follows:

When we made The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Miyamoto-san was saying he wanted to have Link raise his sword up high while riding Epona. We tried to make it work, but we weren't able to really make it feel like he was raising his sword up in the air. That's because we didn't have the Wii MotionPlus accessory. But from what I just heard just now I think it's really important to be able to hold the sword still in a fighting stance.

This by no means confirms the presence of Epona in SS. Aonuma only said that the control originally intended for TP's Epona is now being implemented in a "fighting stance."

Do you think MonsterVine has more information than that? If so, where did they get it and why hasn't it been posted anywhere else? Or do you think what Aonuma said does mean that Epona will be in SS?

 

[Pop 360]

I think without epona its going to get a few negative comments as you can tell by this thread, :thinking:
I agree with most people she should definatley be in skyward sword!

 

[SheikahWarrior]

it would please everyone if it was like OoT where getting epona was optional, those who wanted her could get her, and those that don't wouldn't have to bother, i want epona!!!