Why Has Nintendo Given Up on the Magic of the Series?

[Ventus]

The last Zelda game to feature a form of controlled magic was The Wind Waker. Since then, we've consistently gotten more mechanized games, and I've counted:
Four Swords Adventures, The Minish Cap, Twilight Princess, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Link's Crossbow Training, Skyward Sword. None of those games feature a kind of controllable magic (although the cloning available in TMC could be seen as a major extension, it wasn't much a magic-controlled feature).

I've made tons of threads in the past and done some thinking aloud, but why has Nintendo seemingly given up on the magic proponent of Zelda? Do you think magic has no place in "another world" or in a "fantasy"?

 

[Justac00lguy]

Personally even though magic isnt vital to making a good Zelda game, In my opinion I like having the ability of magic in Zelda, it gives the player new variety of offensive and defensive abilities. Even though I think magic is effective it needs to be used a lot more than in the likes of the Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time, as in these games it wasn't used to its full potential! By far the best uses of magic were in the 2D Zeldas, so if the next 3D installment implements an effective magic system like the 2D games did then I will be happy

 

[Spirit]

I just think they're lazy.

Its obvious that with SS they weren't thinking about magic at all becuase they were so focused on the one aspect that they made the game for; motion control. I wasn't surprised to see the magic missing from SS but I wouldhave liked it, it would have been nice instead of the song of the hero padding near the end that Link could have gone out to do some fairy rescuing (and given us some fairy origin exposition, remembering SS was supposed to be a prequel) and thus instead of using lightning in the fight against Demise, it could have been magic and reliant on a meter to throw in some strategic use of it but...

I would like magic to return but i think nintendo are running down a more physical route with Zelda now, the focus on motion control and player interactivity with the hardware and the fact that Link is becoming a bit ore athletic with the sprinting meter makes me think that we wont see magic again for a very long time, not at least until nintendo work out the kinks with the hardware and find some clever way of using a controlled magic like the OP suggested and not having it interfere with the player and the motion of Link in combat.

Zelda is a hardware game now, has been for the last 3 games (not counting the wii TP) i dont think nintendo will integrate magic into Zelda again becuase some part of me thinks that nintendo view it as an unnecessary feather in the cap, we could have it but it'd take more time and thought to put it in so why bother.

 

[Zorth]

Baffling indeed, never understood Nintendo's logic there, it's a fantasy world, makes perfect sense to have some magic and they've done it before in small doses. Magic can even be expanded upon to open a second door of gameplay. Maybe I'm tired of constantly running around with a sword & shield and just want to save Hyrule with some magic. Turning Zelda into more of a RPG wouldn't hurt IMO.

 

[DarkestLink]

Because it was a nuisance. The magic meter anyway. It would have been acceptable if it automatically replenished like the stamina bar, but as it was, it was just unneeded and hurt the overall game experience. Either way, Link really shouldn't have much, if any, magical powers. It doesn't fit his everyday person character.

 

[JuicieJ]

I honestly don't care. The Magic Meter wasn't ever used that well outside of Zelda II, and it was used absolutely horribly in The Wind Waker. It died a slow and painful death, so much to the point that I never missed it. I actually didn't notice it was gone for quite a while in Twilight Princess. It's not surprising they've left it behind to be honest.

I just think they're lazy.

No, they just don't feel it's a necessity. And it really isn't. Besides, like you said, they've focused on the more technical mechanics as of late. I'd like to see both of these, mind you, but it has nothing to do with laziness.

 

[Mudora]

I wish they'd bring back the magic meter too! I think that there would be a lot of cool ways to implement it, especially using some of the new items they've created over the years. I'm not sure why it hasn't been apart of recent Zelda games, perhaps the Nintendo team wanted to focus more on other areas, or try new things, ex. stamina gauge and shield durability, motion control, etc. Either way, I thought the magic meter fit perfectly in the Zelda franchise, and I hope to see it return soon.

 

[Ventus]

It doesn't fit his everyday person character.

Aha! That's the thing, though, Link *isn't* an "everyday person"! He's always the chosen one! Guided by fate, he takes up the sword and vanquishes evil!!

And what hero guided by fate doesn't have augmented abilities? Nintendo tried to sterilize Link in Skyward Sword by giving him all of these arbitrary limitations, but even in the cutscenes he exhibited no discernible weariness! Sure, he got beaten around a bit, but he managed to make it clean through and through! That's grounds enough for a magic system (doesn't necessarily have to be the Meter), wouldn't you say?

 

[Sir Quaffler]

It's definitely because they've decided to go with a more physical route with the series. That's the thing I've never understood: Why does everything involving fantasy always have to have magic in it? It's not an integral part of it, just something to add to the mystique of the world. When it's used, great, but it's not a requirement. I liked using the three medallions randomly in battle in ALttP and the magic spells in OoT too. But I also liked swinging the ball-and-chain around like a boss in TP, as well as honing my skills with the Master Sword in SS.

Maybe I'm just becoming bored with series that are overly reliant on magic, they just use it to solve all their problems. It seems like they always confine themselves into what is seen as traditional fantasy, and that's boring to me. I like fictional worlds where they are able to come up with more creative means to solve problems that whipping up a "do-everything-now" spell. That's what I'm finding with the recent trend in Zelda games. Not to say that magic is entirely gone from the series, what else would you call the Skyward Strike other than a magical ability of the Goddess Sword? And the Gates of Time seem to be using some fusion of magic and technology in their design. And come on, floating islands? Totally magic right there. I just like seeing different methods of approaching situations other than the traditional magic seen in other media.

(Though I am not opposed to shooting fireballs and lightning bolts from my hands every now and again...)

 

[Castle]

While it is a safe assumption that the use of magic in Zelda has diminished because of the Big N's increasing focus on their various "unique" input methods, perhaps the Big N also realizes that they way magic has been handled in Zelda before is archaic. Few people like the magic meter. Spending rupees as a substitute isn't as ideal either. But game systems demand limits on the use of magic and other special moves. Maybe Nintendo should use the increasing standard of implementing a recharge time on magic spells. This has proven an acceptable mechanic in MMOs and action/rpgs like Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

 

[Blue Star]

I miss magic. Particularly Din's Fire in OoT; using it when enemies were surrounding you was pretty sweet. I also loved the Fire and Ice wands in ALttP.
The magic bar was obnoxious though, I'll admit.

EDIT: Oh, I probably should answer the topic's question. I think Nintendo gave up on the magic so that they could experiment with other toys and mechanisms that Link could use. But who can really say?

 

[PatheticBarrel]

I'm gonna have to agree with DarkestLink here, Link using magic hasn't fit with the stories lately. I've only just gotten the Master Sword in TWW, but the use of magic there seems kind of forced as well. Give me abilities and story that allow magic to really fit, and I'll be all sorts of happy.

 

[ZeldaFan11235]

I personally don't like magic in the game. I feel like it isn't needed for the idems that Link gets and uses in the games. I feel that it is just very annoying to have to keep from running out of magic. In OoT for example, the only things you use magic for is bigger spin attacks, light, fire, and ice arrows, din's fire, farore's wind, and Nayru's love. I don't really like these items and spells in the game. Another reason I don't really like magic in the games is that you had to find where to upgrade the magic bar. It wouldn't make me stop buying and playing the games, but I can't say that other peopple feel the same way.