What Changes to the Series Would Ruin Zelda for You?

[TreeHuggerPanda]

I'm a rather open minded person, so it will be very hard for me to begin to hate the Legend of Zelda series because I relatively grew up playing the series. Changes that would ruin the series for me, however, would be a very weak and feeble plot and having Link fall in love with a character other than Princess Zelda.

One of the things I love the most about the Legend of Zelda series is, of course, the plot. As a writer, I love to write about loose ends in the story than never get answered or continuations from the ending of a game. Having a weak plot that is a very generic "hero defeats baddie, hero saves princess" is a very cruel thing to a writer because there's nothing fun about it. Legend of Zelda always amazes me when it comes to plot. There's always our silent hero, strong willed princess, and even more individualistic characters! That's what makes the plot interesting. If any future Zelda games only sum up with Link, Zelda, and a baddie, I would be lost for words and maybe even ruin the series for me.

The last reason is quite childish- if our silent hero falls in love with any other character other than Zelda herself, that will ruin the whole series for me. As a major ZeLinker, I always am counting on Link to fall in love with my favorite character, Princess Zelda. Why do I support ZeLink? Because their stories about how their fates intertwine are always more interesting and appealing to me than the other characters than people mush Link with. Nintendo always makes sure Link doesn't really fall in love with any character, which is fine by me, because that leaves me an open spot to write about it. But if Nintendo says "this is how it ends. Link falls in love with character x," I will loose my interest in the series. I don't mind if Link falls in love with Zelda, of course, but it would tick me off if he does with any other character. So far, any girl that Link at least shows interest to has a weaker background, in my opinion, of course. I like strong characters with a complex conflict and personality. Zelda passed the test. Link has also (although he's more on the complex conflict side since he doesn't seem to show a lot of personality from not talking). Ganny belongs to mandym. Therefore, in my confused/sick/random mind, Zelda and Link belong together. Any other character who becomes Link's lover, however, will be detested by me.

 

[Ventus]

Well, one thing that would ruin Zelda for me is a game that is more realistic than Twilight Princess is, and another Midna-type character being introduced as my sidekick/aide. I seriously do NOT want another one of those. Something else that would ruin it is technology. Spirit Tracks I actually loved because it kinda DID feel like a Zelda game, but I don't want race cars in a fantasy-themed series like Zelda. Am I the only one who feels this way? I think not.

 

[SheikahSoul]

That day when Nintendo decides to go American-cartoon Loz and come with the famous but horrible qoute: "Well, excuuuuuuuse meeee princess!"

 

[matersword]

if the technology gets too advanced would piss me off because there arent that many games where you use a sword and shield and a bow and arrow and that stuff thats one of the reasons i love the series

 

[SuperSilly]

You know, I think there are some things which could make The Legend of Zelda seem less like The Legend of Zelda to me, but I’m not sure there’s too much that could outright ruin the series for me aside from a major overall drop in quality of the games. I guess the following could ruin it for me in the sense that it might not seem as much like a Zelda game to me.

Drastically altering the gameplay is one thing that could definitely take something from the games for me. I'm talking very drastic, as in, changing it to another genre entirely or something like Tetris or pinball. Changing it so that there is no semblance left of adventure gameplay would definitely take from the series for me. There's often a certain sense of, I guess, freedom, despite how linear the paths often are, due to this adventure style gameplay. If that freedom were to be removed I think it would take a lot of magic away from the series.

Inserting mountains of needless gore/violence just for the sake of having them would be something I'm not sure I'd consider in spirit with the series, and could take lots of magic away from it for me. If Zelda turned into 300 I don’t think it would be a step in the right direction.

Those are the most major changes I that I think could negatively affect my enjoyment of the series. Actually, I could even enjoy some of these changes if done well, but I think such changes, especially the more drastic ones, could easily take some of the magic away for me.

 

[illmatic]

-Technology being a major presence in the game, such as guns and vehicles. Spirit Tracks was alright because it's a handheld game and not taken seriously, but if trains appeared in a main Zelda game, I would be angry.

-Link talking. I know some fans have asked for this in the past, but I prefer him to be mute. It really gives you the sense that you are playing as Link. Plus you just know the voice acting will be bad and we won't like the chosen voice for Link. I don't think I would mind as much if they added voice acting to the other characters and townspeople, but Link talking is a no-no

-Ability to customize your character beyond clothing. This isn't an MMORPG, you are playing as Link, not a created character.

 

[sigurd]

For me there is a lot of things that would ruin zelda for me.

One is no music, link with no music is like link with no sword

and another thing is multi sword,shields,tunics etc....

 

[Azure Sage]

and another thing is multi sword,shields,tunics etc....

... They've had multiple swords and shields and tunics... in OoT, TP, and any other ones I'm forgetting.

 

[Seth]

... They've had multiple swords and shields and tunics... in OoT, TP, and any other ones I'm forgetting.

ALttP, MM as well. That has been in the series a LONG time.

 

[Jedizora]

If there were sections that had link without the sword, if they took away the Zora's the triforse, let lik talk, or really, just to much change.

 

[Akiranon]

I'd have to say that the current Zelda formula hasn't really changed a lot over the years. The core formula; adventuring in a big overworld while being driven by a strong storyline is still there. In fact, if anything, the series has only really evolved over the years. The biggest changes happened when the series made the switch to 3D when they released Ocarina of Time. Evolution over Revolution. A lot of people complained about how Twilight Princess was a lot like Ocarina of Time, but it makes me wonder what they want to play in the first place. A Zelda game is a Zelda game. It's almost become a genre on its own. It's not going to have any breathtaking changes. And that's not a bad thing at all...

What would really mess up the series for me, however, would be a remake of the old games. I know everybody wants a remake of A Link to the Past, but that's the one thing I really DON'T want to see. I want Nintendo to further enhance the Zelda core by adding new innovations, I don't want them to rehash some old game in 3D. That's just lazy work, if I'm completely honest. Another thing that would reallly grind my gears would be if they made it into a traditional RPG: if they distance themselves from the basic Zelda foundation. Too big of a change isn't good. I see no problem in the fact that Nintendo only evolves the Zelda games, and doesn't revolutionize them.

Somebody else brought up the subject of Zelda taking place into a futuristic setting. It reminds me of that fake Zelda screenshot somebody made once (I don't remember the title of the game). A lot of people called it bull, but a ton of people were actually really interested in it as well. Maybe that's something Zelda needs. A new setting, but still the same basic foundation. I know a lot of people would not like to see this, because they believe Zelda belongs in an old setting. But if I'm honest, I really would like to see Nintendo's official take on this. Maybe it would indeed be that breath of fresh air that everybody needs. Maybe it would be like Wind Waker: Hated when it first came out, loved over time...

tl;dr: I don't want to see Link with guns. No thank you, sir. But a futuristic setting is not completely bad.

 

[Atheistbigred]

Im a hardcore fan of the series, die hard even so i dont think anything will kill my love for the series if they released one bad game. However if they just did a whole 5 years worth of horrible games i would stop playing the new games and still cherish the old ones.

Just like everyone else guns would kill it for me, i prefer close combat with a sword rather than shooting from a distance, Bows and crossbows are fun are fine but guns would end it for me.
Another thing that would end for me is if they made it just like "Final Fantasy" or "WoW", i would have to denounce my days of playing Zelda and deny ever being a fan, I hate those kinds of games, they are just boring i would rather explore, solve puzzles and kick some butt Zelda style.

 

[Unlucky Monkey]

That day when Nintendo decides to go American-cartoon Loz and come with the famous but horrible qoute: "Well, excuuuuuuuse meeee princess!"

Just watched a compilation of this horrible quote on Youtube. Haha, these crazy American Cartoons. An American flavoured Zelda, that would definitely ruin the series.

 

[angelkid]

There isn't much They could change that would put me off the series. I would say I would hate a Zelda game without Link, but I LOVE Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and that is essentailly a Zelda spin-off without Link. I would say I wouldn't like a Zelda game without Zelda, but then again there is MM, LA and even TP is mostly without her for the game. However, if they were to modernise the series I would have some serious doubts, but let's face it, that's not going to happen we have about as much chance of Link blasting away Bowser with an AK-47 then we have of seeing a drunken kiss between Mario and Bowser.

Something else that would put me off would be the eradication of side-quests. If we were given a Zelda game and effectively had to go from Temple to Temple with nothing else at all to do except travel between Temples, then I would quit the series. I have always maintained that Temples are infact my least favourite part of the Zelda games, that's not to say I don't like them, just to me, they take a backseat to storyline, sidequests and secrets.

However, it wouldn't really be one big change that would truly devalue the series for me, more a line of little things. There are certain things we take for granted in the Zelda series, the little things that make it Zelda, and changing too many of these things would see a lot of fans leaving the series:
The loss of a health bar (I.E Link being unable to die); the loss of heart pieces and containers; getting rid of the empty bottles; no appearance from established species such as Gorons or Zoras, no ultimate weapon(s) (for example the Master Sword, Mirror Shield, Magic Boomerang, Light Arrows ETC). I could go on, but if multiple recurring Zelda themes are taken away from the series that will be the end of it for me.

 

[ironknuckle1]

My answer is very similar to others. That is if they added voice acting or made it into a modern era game it would be ruined for me. Voice acting would ruin it for me because I have my own ideas of what each character sounds like and unless the acting was truly fa nominal I would most likely disapprove. A modern era Zelda would ruin the series for me, because it would strive from the entire mysticism and fantasy of the Zeldarian world.