Zelda game with playable female?

[MW7]

I think they should make a game with the option for both genders. Zelda is a game that appeals to both males and females, and there is little reason for Link to be one gender or another. One problem may be if the story relies on a romantic connection between Link and another character, but that could be solved by altering the other character as well or just making Link gay/lesbian if you pick a particular gender. The overall story of the series doesn't necessitate a male Link at all because usually it's a different Link in each game, and there is no reason why a chosen hero would need to be male just because all the previous ones were male. Link being male up to this point is a relatively inconsequential detail. It's not like James Bond - he has a major characteristic of being a womanizer.

 

[ZeldafreakCJM]

I have a hard time imagining any story where any character couldn't actually be any gender, especially if you're already changing the dialogue.

Likewise, I wouldn't consider the consistent design of a character inconsequential, but that's just me. Similarly, I think in terms of looking back there'd be a huge problem if you could change Links gender as many games like to specify his gender up front when legendfiying him.

 

[2MooglesGaming]

@Matt The idea of Link getting captured and rescued by Zelda sounds amazing. That needs to be a game so badly.

 

[HeroOfTime]

I very much appreciated the teamwork in ST, how Link needed Zelda to help him solve many of the puzzles. I don't think that the idea of Zelda saving Link would make much sense, unless it was some sort of minor thing near the beginning when Link is weaker than later on. Link isn't a wuss, and needing Zelda to save his butt all the time would totally kill the game for me. You guys have to realize that she's raised as royalty, it wasn't until after 7 years of training with Impa that she became a great fighter in OoT.

And I don't think that having a game where you play as Zelda would work very well. I know of many, both male and female, who would be majorly turned off of the series if the main character were someone other than Link. Changing a loved, established game just to make it less sexist would totally suck for me.

Basically, I'd like to see some thing more like ST, where the hero works along with the princess, and they need each other to win the day. I do think that she should have a more important role than just shooting the bad guy in the end, but having her as the main character in one of the major games would change the franchise too drastically.

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

I think they should make a game with the option for both genders.

No. Why? What would be the point? What possible actual reason other than "progress" can you give for this? Go play Elder Scrolls, or Fallout or Fable if that's what you want.

Zelda is a game that appeals to both males and females, and there is little reason for Link to be one gender or another.

Mario is a game that appeals to both males and females. Metroid. Halo. Bayonetta. Uncharted. Why don't we just change all of them. They're all enjoyed by both male and female. Let's just switch it up. Why don't we just have amorphous blobs. That way no one will get upset about the sex of the character.

One problem may be if the story relies on a romantic connection between Link and another character, but that could be solved by altering the other character as well or just making Link gay/lesbian if you pick a particular gender.

This is exactly the kind of BS gaming doesn't need. Keep your politics out of gaming. We don't need gay or lesbian characters. There's no gameplay rationale for this.

The overall story of the series doesn't necessitate a male Link at all because usually it's a different Link in each game, and there is no reason why a chosen hero would need to be male just because all the previous ones were male. Link being male up to this point is a relatively inconsequential detail. It's not like James Bond - he has a major characteristic of being a womanizer.

Except that there is canonical precedent for Link remaining male and Zelda remaining female. I ask again, why not make a Prince Zelda? No one is clamoring for that, are they? No, because it would be stupid. Not only stupid, but nonsensical. The spirit of the One who carries the essence of the Triforce of Courage is always a male. The One who carries the essence of the Triforce of Wisdom is always female. That is canon, and until Nintendo changes it, it will remain canon. Link is male canonically. It is consequential.

 

[Stitch]

How would an option to pick a male or female character to play ruin anything? If you think the main character needs to be a male you can play as a male, if you don't care you can play as which ever choice you want. This is like the whole blond James Bond incident all over again, except here you can actually choose to have a blond James Bond.

 

[Polychrome]

How would an option to pick a male or female character to play ruin anything?

Because contrary to what Kotaku may think, Link is not an avatar.

Think of it this way. In a game where you have a character creator, it's like playing a DnD game where you set your own character and rules. You decide who your character is, what their likes/dislikes are, what their family is, what their beliefs are, what their job is, what their appearance is, etc. You are then expected to act that role.

Legend of Zelda is like having the Dungeon Master create a character *for* you. (The DM in this case would be Miyamoto.) You don't decide who this character is, BUT you are expected to act in character and become the role that someone has set for you.

They are different experiences and have their own types of fun. I play Legend of Zelda to play that "set" role. If it's just a "default" character in a character creator, that takes that particular bit of fun away. I already have games like Skyrim, Pokemon, MMOs, Dragon Age, etc to be "myself" in a game. I play LoZ for the different experience, as do many others.

All that said, I think Aonuma would replace Link with a character creator if he thought he could get away with it. But if I remember right, he has stated that the dev team is pretty set that Link be his own character. My personal suspicion has always been that Link is a weird representation of Miyamoto, as it was his childhood exploration that inspired the series in the first place. (And he's left handed.) With that particular baggage, I don't think the character can or should change.

 

[Stitch]

Because contrary to what Kotaku may think, Link is not an avatar.

Think of it this way. In a game where you have a character creator, it's like playing a DnD game where you set your own character and rules. You decide who your character is, what their likes/dislikes are, what their family is, what their beliefs are, what their job is, what their appearance is, etc. You are then expected to act that role.

Legend of Zelda is like having the Dungeon Master create a character *for* you. (The DM in this case would be Miyamoto.) You don't decide who this character is, BUT you are expected to act in character and become the role that someone has set for you.

They are different experiences and have their own types of fun. I play Legend of Zelda to play that "set" role. If it's just a "default" character in a character creator, that takes that particular bit of fun away. I already have games like Skyrim, Pokemon, MMOs, Dragon Age, etc to be "myself" in a game. I play LoZ for the different experience, as do many others.

All that said, I think Aonuma would replace Link with a character creator if he thought he could get away with it. But if I remember right, he has stated that the dev team is pretty set that Link be his own character. My personal suspicion has always been that Link is a weird representation of Miyamoto, as it was his childhood exploration that inspired the series in the first place. With that particular baggage, I don't think the character can or should change.

I don't see how being able to pick between male and female characters would change how that role is set. You could have the exact same character development and story. The only thing that would change is minor design decisions and pronouns. Plus if you really think that Link needs to be a male you could play Link as a male. And people who would prefer to play as male or female could play as male or female. Would you have a problem if the Dungeon Master gave you a set character but told you that you could pick the gender?

 

[Deleted member 81859]

Link isn't an avatar. His various incarnations are important throughout the series. While I'm not saying that it's impossible for Link to be incarnated as a girl, I'm saying that's all it will ever be: a female link. Link's a character, not an avatar. He shouldn't change.
It would be cool to play as Zelda someday, but I just want people to stop demanding change because of their SJW needs. That's my thoughts.

 

[Wolf Sage]

I wouldn't mind playing as a female Link, and it's not because of some Sacajawea thing--whatever the heck that means (seriously, internet culture wut?). I just think it'd be kind of cool and would make for some interesting plot elements that just can't be accomplished with a male Link. I prefer the male Link, though, because that is what I am used to. A game starring Zelda would be nice; I'd play the crap out of that. Make it happen, Nintendo.

 

[Farore's Chosen]

I very much appreciated the teamwork in ST, how Link needed Zelda to help him solve many of the puzzles. I don't think that the idea of Zelda saving Link would make much sense, unless it was some sort of minor thing near the beginning when Link is weaker than later on. Link isn't a wuss, and needing Zelda to save his butt all the time would totally kill the game for me. You guys have to realize that she's raised as royalty, it wasn't until after 7 years of training with Impa that she became a great fighter in OoT.

And I don't think that having a game where you play as Zelda would work very well. I know of many, both male and female, who would be majorly turned off of the series if the main character were someone other than Link. Changing a loved, established game just to make it less sexist would totally suck for me.

Basically, I'd like to see some thing more like ST, where the hero works along with the princess, and they need each other to win the day. I do think that she should have a more important role than just shooting the bad guy in the end, but having her as the main character in one of the major games would change the franchise too drastically.

Well, there are these things called spin off games, where side characters have taken a fully playable role with varying success. eg Super Princess Peach, Mega Man Zero Series, Shadow the Hedgehog, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and the like.

Link and Zelda are part of an established lore, however. They are both Hylian. One a Princess and one a Male Hero. He is not an avatar of the player, but his own character. Period, the end! Gender bending them is like catering to cliche fanfiction and political waah waah BS.

Plus its a slap to the face of fans and females, because apparently, Zelda isn't good enough to take a pre established female and make her playable.

There is nothing wrong with shaking up the formula and letting Zelda take an active role a little more often. Peach again, has been doing this off and on since the 80s.

I'm a chick and have been playing Zelda since the beginning. If Zelda gets a female character, it had better be a pre established character and not something as flat out ******** and pointless as Linka.

I like the Hero just as HE is.

 

[Deleted member 81859]

I wouldn't mind playing as a female Link, and it's not because of some Sacajawea thing--whatever the heck that means (seriously, internet culture wut?). I just think it'd be kind of cool and would make for some interesting plot elements that just can't be accomplished with a male Link. I prefer the male Link, though, because that is what I am used to. A game starring Zelda would be nice; I'd play the crap out of that. Make it happen, Nintendo.

SJW=Social Justice Warrior
Like feminism 'nd stuff.

 

[Aku]

Maybe instead of a playable option, Link should be just female for a game. It could be simply a peasant girl who is inspired by the 'real' Link of Legends, and when danger comes, decides to put on the iconic green tunic and start fighting. (It turns out that she's actually one of the long lost members of the Zelda bloodline.)

There is a difference between mindless PCism, and actually doing it in such a way that it actually can add a nifty twist.

 

[ZeldafreakCJM]

^I'm still not sure if the option is worse or if the female incarnation is worse.

Really though, I think they should just not do anything fem Link related, PCism or not, no sense in changing an iconic character, when there's already a billion and one female characters to pick from, and plenty of people who love said iconic character the way he is.

 

[HeroOfTime]

Well, there are these things called spin off games, where side characters have taken a fully playable role with varying success. eg Super Princess Peach, Mega Man Zero Series, Shadow the Hedgehog, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and the like.

No need to be patronizing here. I'm just saying that I don't think it be very successful. I mean, the name is The Legend of Zelda, but Link is really the face of the franchise. Majora's Mask did really well, even though it didn't have Zelda in it, but to me it always felt like there was something huge missing to it. You've got your kick-butt Zelda in super smash bros, but I don't think that a major Zelda game where you play as only Zelda would work very well.

Link and Zelda are part of an established lore, however. They are both Hylian. One a Princess and one a Male Hero. He is not an avatar of the player, but his own character. Period, the end! Gender bending them is like catering to cliche fanfiction and political waah waah BS.

I love this. Not saying anything against being gay or agender here, but I think that changing loved characters simply to be "politically correct" is just the stupidest thing on the face of this earth. If there was some gameplay reason, that would be different, but honestly...