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General Zelda Is the Legend of Zelda Losing Steam?

Joined
Nov 25, 2012
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Monkey Island
I think most of us agree Zelda peaked at the N64 days, about 15 years ago. But is it in danger of falling into obscurity/losing all but its most loyal fans? Say ZeldaU and Zelda 3DS are just so-so Zelda titles...how dangerous would that be to Zelda's existance?

I think Zelda will always have the most loyal portion of its fanbase--the hundred thousand or so of us who'll stick with it to the very end (if there is an end). But I really hope it pulls an OoT and grabs the attention of the whole gaming community with the upcoming ZeldaU. The series just isn't as popular as it used to be...SS sold a decent amount of copies, but if you think about how many years of production went into it, and compare it to much smaller-scale games that've sold many more...and Skyrim, which also spent 5 years in production but sold I-don't-know-how-many-more copies than SS...when I look at the statistics, I feel like Zelda might be in some trouble.

What do you think?
 

JuicieJ

SHOW ME YA MOVES!
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It was in the GameCube era, yeah. The DS games and Skyward Sword have each consecutively picked up the pace, though. As of now, it's just below where it was in the SNES and N64 days. I expect Zelda 3DS and Wii U to reach a higher status than that.
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
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Fans commonly criticize the likes of Call of Duty for not changing much between releases, but the Zelda franchise is just as much a victim of the stale-disease. The fact of the matter is, every Zelda game is so similar to the previous one nowadays that the general public just isn't interested in them. There's a number of other factors to play, but I'd say the similarities of each "new" installment is the primary repulsive force. I wouldn't be surprised if "loyal fans" just hopped off the series altogether, assuming Z3DS/ZU were bad, because Nintendo isn't doing any true game changers. The big N is putting more force into HOW we do the same ol' same ol' instead of how to CHANGE the same old stuff.

Heck, I myself was close to quits, and I might still be if Z3DS is made of the same fluids that SS, ST and PH were. :I
 

Kirino

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Fans commonly criticize the likes of Call of Duty for not changing much between releases, but the Zelda franchise is just as much a victim of the stale-disease. The fact of the matter is, every Zelda game is so similar to the previous one nowadays that the general public just isn't interested in them.

Zelda changes way more with each new installment than CoD. No question about that. Many people even criticize SS for being too different.

Anyways, SS was fantastic, and TP and ST were also great. With Zelda U and Zelda 3DS, I don't see it losing steam at all.
 

Ventus

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Zelda changes way more with each new installment than CoD. No question about that. Many people even criticize SS for being too different.

"way more than CoD" does not mean "changes a lot more in the grand scheme of gaming". I don't care how different SS is to OoT, or MM to LoZ, every Zelda game has the same basic gameplay and plot structure since ALttP and it hasn't changed a bit. Get a random gamer from the big pool gaming has, and I guarantee you'll hear a lot of "I'm playing a game very similar to the one I played before" in reference to the series. Zelda needs widely varying stories and new ventures in the gameplay department both in gaming as well as in the series (read: not HOW you play the game, but WHAT YOU'RE DOING in the game). UI changes are welcome, and there are so many concepts the series hasn't even tried to grasp that could potentially make it sale FAR MORE than what it's doing now.

EDIT: What Zelda is doing now may make great games, but it's stale as far as consumers are concerned. Zelda needs to go beyond its unnatural borders and create -- not experiment -- system-selling, copy-selling entries. Nintendo COULD but they're conservative.

EDIT2: Charts for proof: Skyward Sword sold but 3.6million copies according to VGCharts. Comparatively, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the Xbox360 alone sold about 6.99million as of now. Come on, tell me Zelda is doing fine again.

Anyways, SS was fantastic, and TP and ST were also great. With Zelda U and Zelda 3DS, I don't see it losing steam at all.

Were those games fantastic according to sales? Or were they just great games?
 
Last edited:

Sir Quaffler

May we meet again
With the general populace... sadly, yeah. I don't even know why, and it really saddens me to see that people would rather run around shooting brown people in the face (looking right at you CoD) than going on an epic adventure across fantastical lands. I just don't care for the way modern gaming seems to be going nowadays, I just don't understand the mindset most gamers seem to have nowadays...

Within our own circle, though, most definitely not. These last two Zelda games have really got me excited for the series again, and instead of only playing OoT and MM for the umpteenth time while wistfully wanting Zelda to get back to the "good ol' days", now I believe these ARE the good ol' days born anew, and it only looks to be going better from here on out. I fully expect the subsequent Zelda games to be as good or hopefully even BETTER than ST and SS.
 

Igos du Ikana

Maldorok
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Uhhh, I don't really you can say Zelda has peaked yet, because it isn't over; there's still more to come. Saying the Legend of Zelda has peaked already is like saying a person is a legend before he/she is dead. Anyways, I don't even think the next two games, no matter how awful they will/can be, will be decisive for Nintendo. Even though there was only one Zelda before Zelda 2, fans still had faith in Zelda. Also, the series isn't any less "popular", there's just a more diverse group of gamers, and more gamers in general. So, I think Zelda will be fine, unless of course the next 4 games are bad, then we can say goodbye.
 
For me personally Zelda has been in trouble since WW, WW was the last game i really felt for and enjoyed and that was ten years ago now. While i do really enjoy TP it didnt make me feel anything for it, i just play it and not much more happens with me. Really, to me Zelda is a 6 game franchise to me but those games are the best ive played in my life, so im loyal and ten years later im waiting for another game i'll thoroughly enjoy, here's hoping 3DS and WiiU are two such titles..

As a whole the Zelda franchise will always get glowing results from the press and media but i dont thin the majority of gamers out there care about Zelda, it just isnt the flavour of the month everyone wants, and hasnt been for quite some time now, i dont think the franchise is going to fall into obscurity but unless ZeldaU throws itself at what the majority wants then it isnt going to make many new fans to give nintendo he sales they really want. But thats the thing with Zelda, it is so unpredictable that any game could be the next greatest thing.
 

JuicieJ

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EDIT2: Charts for proof: Skyward Sword sold but 3.6million copies according to VGCharts. Comparatively, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the Xbox360 alone sold about 6.99million as of now. Come on, tell me Zelda is doing fine again.

And yet... Skyward Sword won G4's Death Match and IGN's Player's Choice Game of the Year award. Tells you something, doesn't it?

Were those games fantastic according to sales? Or were they just great games?

I don't know, ask my above statement.
 

Justac00lguy

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It definitely seems that way...

The last 2 releases were some of the poorest Zelda games to date in my opinion, I could go into my many problems with these games but i'll just keep it simple and say that these last 2 games never really felt anything Special! They were good games Yes but in terms of Zelda...No, it seems that instead of moving forward with the series Nintendo always take a detour, Skyward Sword felt like it was more of an experiment in many ways!

The motion controls, the comabt, overworld gameplay, less emphasis on Dungeons, Graphical style Ect. I waited a long time for what I was hoping to be the best Zelda game and SS just didn't do it for me! I just hope Zelda Wii U takes a step in the right direction and finally moves the series forward :)
 

Kirino

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"way more than CoD" does not mean "changes a lot more in the grand scheme of gaming". I don't care how different SS is to OoT, or MM to LoZ, every Zelda game has the same basic gameplay and plot structure since ALttP and it hasn't changed a bit.

So? That's what most successful series do. That's what makes it a series. I don't expect Zelda to do something revolutionary with each new installment.

Ventus said:
EDIT2: Charts for proof: Skyward Sword sold but 3.6million copies according to VGCharts. Comparatively, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the Xbox360 alone sold about 6.99million as of now. Come on, tell me Zelda is doing fine again.

Zelda is doing fine. 3.6 million is still very good. Better than the vast majority of games. Better than WW.
 

DarkestLink

Darkest of all Dark Links
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Oct 28, 2012
It kinda lost steam in the Wind Waker era, but with games like TP, SS, PH, and ST, Zelda is at an all time high.
 

ihateghirahim

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I don't think Zelda is to blame. I think it's just the general public's rejection of the Wii. The Wii has so many great games from some of nintendo's best franchises. Critics and loyalists love the console, but the public is too obsessed with the next COD, Halo, Batman, Elder Scrolls, and whatever cheap COD ripoffs are out there. Some of these games have quality. but they can't beat the amazing nintendo franchises. I guess the public has abandoned nintendo, and Zelda has to pay the price. I only hope the Wii u can win back some of the lost boom. Then again, the Play Station outsold the N64, but the N64 is considered the vastly superior console by anyone I've met. I guess Zelda will continue to thrive despite not selling as well as other games on other consoles. We love it, and millions will continue to enjoy it for years to come.
 
Zelda's in a safer position than many videogame series. Sales are solid, critic ratings are at the same level as 15 years ago, each game tries to differentiate itself and contribute original ideas to the franchise.

While all of the above are true, I'd like to see Nintendo take more risks with Zelda. Mario flew into space, Fire Emblem introduced zombies but few exceptions Zelda has stuck to the formula introduced in A Link to the Past-three dungeons, plot twist, several more dungeons. That needs to go. Majora's Mask is rising as a cult classic because it presented a darker, more involved narrative with numerous sidequests. Nintendo took a successful gambit with the Wii and Wii U after the unsuccessful Gamecube and it paid off. It's time to apply that same reasoning to software. Cut out Zelda for awhile, introduce a robust multiplayer mode, offer a dungeon creator and level sharer for extended longevity to alleviate longer development periods.

Also, Zelda fans need to be more open minded. Generally gamers look most fondly upon the title they played when they were ten years old. In 10 to 15 years, there will be a lot more Zelda fans praising Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword for embarking them on Link's journey.
 

Castle

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Really the only thing I can compare the Zelda series to is itself. Comparing Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess and Windwaker to the likes of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask and A Link to the Past yes I can say the series has experienced a bit of a decline. Compared to other long running video game franchises (especially one as old as it is) well... there is no comparison. Zelda is still leagues ahead of the likes of pretty much every PS3/360 franchise this gen and long running franchises such as Tomb Raider in terms of quality (largely considering the quality of such franchises tends to drop drastically at part 2.)

But, if I were to compare the Zelda series to itself then Zelda is its own worst enemy. ZeldaU is going to make it or break it for me. Nintendo and Zelda are among the last video game franchise I am holding out on. If ZeldaU fails to impress then I'm done.
 

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