After seeing the Tingle spinoffs.. I am certain Echos of Wisdom is mainline.. I need a shower and fairy dust to cleanse me from seeing those Tingle games.. 
Spinoff Or Mainline?
- Thread starter Tetra's Wink
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Did any of those have The LoZ in it @thePlinkoAfter seeing the Tingle spinoffs.. I am certain Echos of Wisdom is mainline.. I need a shower and fairy dust to cleanse me from seeing those Tingle games..
None of them are titled “The Legend of Zelda” if that’s what you’re asking, but neither is Zelda 2 so the point is moot.
Zelda 2 has the coat of arms from The Legend of Zelda to denote it is The Sequel and part of the legends:
Yup, and Link’s Crossbow Training has a picture of TP Link on the cover to denote that it is a sequel to Twilight Princess and “part of the legends” (whatever that means). Doesn’t stop it from being a spinoff.Zelda 2 has the coat of arms from The Legend of Zelda to denote it is The Sequel and part of the legends:
Turo602
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It's a mainline entry. Absolutely nothing indicates otherwise. Playing as Zelda is just a gimmick like any other gimmick in the series.
Well the Crossbow Training was going to use The Link render from most recent Zelda game, of it had been around Botw, he’d be in turquoise and no cap.
Zelda II is clearly not a spinoff. The fact they went out of their way ro put Zelda II was so no one was confused that it was a sequel, like how they added Jurassic Park to “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.”
I’d say Zelda is not a gimmick, playing as her is actually something some fans have wanted to do. I enjoyed being her in Smash Bros Melee.
Mikey the Moblin
if I had a nickel for every time I ran out of spac
zelda 2 is so much of a spinoff that it's the only zelda game that didn't start as a zelda game in development
It does look like Rambo Game on NES.
My point exactly. You can’t just say that something isn’t a spinoff because it has something on the box art. Zelda 2 is mainline because it expands upon the themes and ideas of the first game. Link’s Crossbow training is a spinoff because it does not.
You make good points. I still need to play Zelda II, just so I can fight Dark Link in his first appearance.
Turo602
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Whether fans wanted it or not, it's still a gimmick. Just like this is still a top down Zelda game but with clear influence from the latest 3D entries. Making Zelda the protagonist is no different than Raiden being the protagonist in Metal Gear Solid 2.
I think of it more like Mario’s Missing and Luigi’s Mansion. Which frankly the latter was refreshing, and made Mario Sunshine alluring, cuz you had to wait to play a Mario again.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
I suspect fans will be desiring to play as Link again, like how fans felt Master Chief’s absence in Halo Reach which made the anticipation of Halo 4 when you got to play John 117 again all the more epic.
Its a model that has worked well in the past.
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I'm still torn lol. People are making good points. But in my mind some games don't 'feel' like they are mainline whilst others do. For example, to me, Luigi's Mansion is so clearly a spinoff. But DKC 2, which starrs Diddy Kong instead of Donkey Kong, is clearly mainline. So it seems to depend on which series for me, which is crazy because it's a double standard lol. If you can play as Link in sections of this game, that may sway my opinion to mainline, but for now, the lines have blurred.
Wouldn’t Link’s Awakening be a spinoff? Its spoilers a dream