Previously Underutilized Items You'd Like To See Better Implemented In The Future

[A Link In Time]

One of the most common complaints about the contemporary Zelda games is the poor use of new items. This was especially true of Twilight Princess with the spinner and its all too obvious rails as well as the Ball & Chain and Dominion Rod which suffered from almost no use after their respective dungeons.

The question this thread asks is simple: Would you like to see these previously not well applied items return and what ideas could Nintendo implement to improve such tools?

I’d personally love to see the Ball & Chain and Sand Wand from Twilight Princess and Spirit Tracks return, respectively. Both received too little game time and could be further expounded upon. Perhaps Nintendo could incorporate special doors which only the Ball & Chain could penetrate as well as tougher foes more easily defeated through such heavy equipment. Regarding the Sand Wand, I’d love to see more block puzzles like in the End of Earth Station from Spirit Tracks.

That’s it from me. Do you have any ideas on how previously underutilized items could play a larger role in Link’s future adventures?

 

[JuicieJ]

The Whip was pretty underutilized in Skyward Sword. We couldn't aim it anywhere we wanted to, and it generally wasn't used for any kind of advanced puzzle-solving. We saw it work well in Spirit Tracks, though, so we know it can work. I'd like to see future 3D games treat the Whip right.

 

[Hero of Time]

The Spinner. It's my favorite item in the entire Zelda series, and I'd love to see it return in a future game and be used for more than just completing the dungeon it's found in.

Additionally, I'd like to see the Grappling Hook again. The Hookshot is cool - and I wouldn't mind if we saw both in the same game again like in WW - but I think the Grappling Hook should return. Perhaps we could even see a Double Grappling Hook like the Double Clawshots in TP and SS so the player could grapple onto another ledge while swinging on one.

 

[DarkestLink]

I love the Spinner and Ball and Chain, but you could never bring them back without under using them. The spinner gets old and quick. The ball and chain is not meant to be used....at least not as a puzzle. It's like arrow variants. It's a weapon. Not a tool for a puzzle.

 

[Ventus]

Hmm, I'd love to see the following items return:

Fire, Ice, Light Arrows
Spinner
All Spells
Megaton Hammer

The items above are great ones; they have purposes either high or low that they eloquently serve. However, I feel they didn't get enough screentime. With the upgrade system introduced in Skyward Sword, new life could be breathed into these items. With varying ways to solve puzzles, these items would shine ever so brightly! That's just me, though.

 

[Curmudgeon]

The canes and magic cape from LttP on the condition they get some functional upgrades. Roc's feather.

 

[Shadsie]

I think if Nintendo got creative with the Dominion Rod, we could see some seriously cool things. Imagine Link with Colossi-type statues at his beck and call, or making lion-statues at the gates to Hyrule Castle get up and behave as his personal pets/attack-creatures! --

-- I haven't seen all of the anime "Tiger and Bunny" but I recall the first or second episode dealing with a kid who could control statues and was reaking havoc through the city the story is set in because he was discriminated against and didn't think he had a cool power - yet he wasn't realizing that he could use his power to great effect. He spent part of the episode he was in riding around on a giant foo-dog if I recall correctly, and that was a pretty cool image. (The anime is about superheroes with corproate sponsorship but powers are random and appear randomly in people who are born with it). I could see something like that happening with the well-hated Dominion Rod in Zelda - take the "crap power" and make it awesome... all it takes is a little imagination.

I'd also like to see various magic spells return, particularly some of the stranger ones from Adventure of Link. Yes, I want to see 3D Link subjected to being turned into a Fairy to sneak around, reach high places and wedge himself thorugh keyholes. Fairy Link was hilarious AND useful. This power could go over very well in one of the more comedic-themed titles.

 

[Xinnamin]

Spinner reworked as a hoverboard type transportation item. Would still have puzzle solving potential based on what terrain it can cross, as well as being a more general fun item than it was in TP. The lack of rails was the whole reason the item saw no use, but unless the entire world is ruin-focused or something I can't see how they would have added more rails without it seeming forced.

 

[Nine-tailed Fox]

This may seem pretty useless, but I'm gonna have to say the Hawkeye from Twilight Princess. I really enjoyed using that thing to snipe throughout the game, yet it was never required (that I know of anyway). I think it could have been used for so much more.

 

[Spirit]

I used the ball and chain a hell of a lot, but it was my choice to do so because hitting things with it is just so much fun. So i can see who it was underused. Like a previous comment said though, it was a weapon and was probably used as much as it could be, the only other thing it could really do was knock down walls.

I like Shadisie's idea with the Dominion Rod, i'd like Link to be able to control the big, small and colossal, maybe Zelda could give us The Last Guardian before The Last Guardian if the Domiion Rod comes back and her can control towering statues with it, that'd be pretty cool.

Personally I'd like to see the Deku Leaf come back. I'm aware it wasn't underused in Wnid Waker and was pretty primary because Link only had a few weapons in that game and Deku Leaf was one of the ones which actually doubled up, but i don't think we've seen everything that the Deku Leaf can do, especially if future Zelda games implement the upgrade system, i think a lot of cool things could be done with the Leaf.

 

[Not Take Mirror]

Some items that could be utilized more outside the dungeon:

Spinner (TP)
Ball and Chain (TP)
Mogma Mitts (SS)
Whirwind (ST)
Mirror Shield (OoT)

 

[Draymorath]

Wait, the Ball and Chain was underused? I used it all the time..... However, I'm completely with you on the Dominion Rod.

 

[JuicieJ]

Wait, the Ball and Chain was underused? I used it all the time..... However, I'm completely with you on the Dominion Rod.

It's underused in the core game design. I used the Whip a lot in SS. Doesn't mean it was required to be used a lot.

 

[Draymorath]

It's underused in the core game design. I used the Whip a lot in SS. Doesn't mean it was required to be used a lot.

Well, I never really noticed that before. I only just realized it was underused because I used it a lot. If I had only used it when needed I would've noticed.

 

[Zorth]

Since everyone has already mentioned the items I thought of I'm going to be a bad boy and mention "Magic", yes I think magic was underused not just in the games but in the entire series and would love to see it come back giving more options how we can use items and probably give life to the ones that aren't that useful after their dungeon.