If Link Were A Woman

[ancazur]

You're right, the original Metroid did not show Samus' gender until the end, and it certainly does help that Samus is a good-looking hero, but aren't all female protagonists "eye-candy"?

Let's face it, though, the majority of male heroes are eye-candy, too.

 

[KrazyKyuubi]

If Link were a girl? I don't really think it would make any differnece. Here's why:

First off, what kind of girl would he be? If he was like Lara Croft, I bet the game would at least a few more male buyers, and certain female ones too. I know many boys who would buy Tomb Raider if it cost a million dollars just to ogle at women...

And in which games? If he was a girl in the early games like The Legend of Zelda where Link's just a small icon, you wouldn't be able to see the difference. That might lose people's interest because they wouldn't want to play a game with the main character as a girl when you can't even see any female traits except longer hair. Now if he were a girl in Twilight Princess that would attract more interest, because of the detail...

But then you might lose some female buyers that purchased the game because Link was a man, right?

So I think it pretty much evens out. The only thing that would change would be the appeal to different genders.

And that; ladies and gentlemen, was my longest post ever. Pitiful...

 

[linebyline]

There are three reasons I wouldn't like the idea. To elaborate at all on the first two, we'd have to move this topic to the "Mature Discussion" forums, so I'll keep it brief:
1. I agree with those who say women in games are too objectified.
2. Thinking about it NOW, after over two decades of male Link, any attempt at a female Link becomes gender-swap fetish stuff.
As evidence for both points, I note that two of the female-TP-Link images relied on the more revealing Ordon clothes (sans pants!?) and the other one added a corset. (See also Ms. Aran, especially the revoltingly disproportionate Brawl version.)

Now for the third reason, it's partly that I agree with those who say the social/cultural stuff regarding the differences between male and female gender roles. But it's more than that: A woman in Link's position, even with all the same personal history, would not be quite the same person. Face it, male and female aren't interchangeable. Link is a character (albeit not an especially well-developed one in many cases) and you wouldn't just randomly make Frodo or Luke Skywalker into a woman.

That doesn't mean a Zelda-like game starring a female character wouldn't work. It would. I might even play it (I know I would in an alternate universe where the Zelda series as we know it didn't exist, but in the real world I'd probably dismiss it as a gender-swapped Zelda knock-off unless it were sufficiently different, in which case the question "what if Link were a woman?" doesn't really apply anymore.)

Ancazur, I disagree with you to a certain extent. Yes, male leads in games (as with other media) are objectified and sexualized, often in a different way than women, but it happens nonetheless. But at least in games, some of the most popular characters are exceptions: I doubt Mario or Sonic would be considered eye candy to most people. Master Chief wears armor that obscures his appearance (contrast most of the suits in the Metroid Prime series). I don't know of many playable female video game characters--certainly not many female leads (save Ms. Pac-Man)--that aren't in some way exploited as eye candy.

Anyway, to sum it up, making Link into a woman would just be wrong.

 

[Majora's Cat]

I don't think Link being a woman would really be wrong, but it would change some things in the franchise. Zelda would probably have to be a man, but story elements and gameplay wouldn't change that much (that's what I'm assuming, anyway).

 

[Mr.Verto]

I think it wouldnt change a lot, but a woman saving a princess??? Link a girl name??? Link using a dress?...(Oh wait he kinda uses one already)
What I am tring to say it wouldnt matter but it would look odd

 

[ancazur]

Link a girl name??? Link using a dress?...(Oh wait he kinda uses one already)

I prefer to call it a "man skirt."

And really, "Link" isn't a real name, anyway. So if the franchise started with Link as a woman, we'd just get used to it.

 

[Mixtoplix]

If Link were a women!!! Then he would be completely cute!!!! then I would always play Tp!!!! cause he would probubly look really cute in that game!!!! ^^

 

[Aero_Dynamic]

NOO!! Link's cool a guy!! I'm not trying to put down heroine protaganists, but I'd prefer Link a guy. Zelda would have to be a guy then... girl saving a prince sounds funny.
Zelda would be called Tyrelda!!!

 

[Majora's Cat]

Link wouldn't be that weird as a girl... he's already got the skirt for it.

 

[nintendolovebug]

ya i think it would have been the same in fans but when it comes to see who played it more i think it be boys just because she would probably be wearing sexy clothes ... but you never know... i love link i think his awesome as a male!

 

[Wolfang31]

If Link was a woman, he/she would be inferior to Samus Aran all the way. Hehe!

 

[Majora's Cat]

@ Wolfang31

I agree with you - Link's persona just isn't right for a woman while Samus' awesomeness really fits with her gender. I don't know why, but a commando space girl is quite the character.

 

[Souldier]

Rule 63# huh? At first it would be wierd or even creepy, but let's accept it, in the end all of us would get used to it and might even like the story with a she-Link. And it could be a nice and fresh element that should force the series for a new story and... Screw this!! Nintendo: I command you to make Link a Woman!!!

P.D.: Explanation: New elements for the series are apreciated and a Woman Link would make a MUST a new kind of story. All Hail NEW elements

 

[ancazur]

When you said "new elements," all I could picture was a pair of iron stilettos (rather than boots). Now those could do some damage.

 

[KratosFan]

*refers to samus from metroid and aqua from kingdom hearts*

need i say more?