To me personally Zelda's story is as meaningless as Tetris' story. However in general Zelda's story matters significantly or very little depending on whom you ask. I'm sure some people care enough about the story for it to make or break a particular game for them. I would personally enjoy the series more if it still had virtually no story as in the original Zelda. I'm not sure if that's in Nintendo's best interests- I doubt it though. I would like Nintendo to experiment with a retro-style Zelda game that scaled back the emphasis on story.
Zelda's Story: Does It Matter?
- Thread starter Random Person
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Nintendo's overarching philosophy has been to place gameplay over other aspects including story and graphics. Is it a philosophy I agree with? Not entirely but I certainly respect it. There are obvious exceptions among Nintendo's patchwork, however, and these are Zelda and Metroid. If story didn't matter in those games, the company wouldn't have bothered with devising a timeline. The videogame medium has evolved along similar lines to the movie industry in recent years and this means a larger focus on realism and narrative. Nintendo has done the same with the aforementioned two franchises.
A richer story has not only fermented a more believable gaming environment but also fostered growth and emotional connection towards the characters involved. Ocarina of Time was the first truly coherent narrative present in the franchise. Sure it was cliche but it got the job done and went full circle with many prominent characters like Saria and Darunia returning as sages. Majora's Mask developed an even stronger narrative with greater losses at stake, this time the entire Termina. The next two console games may seem at odds with each other-The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess and yet they accomplished the same end of creating a more vibrant Hyrule. In both games Ganondorf was rightfully modeled off of whether or not he was sealed in the Sacred Realm or not depending on the title's placement in the timeline. After years, even centuries of punishment, he was much more pensive in The Wind Waker but where he had merely been prevented from attaining power in Twilight Princess, he was a madman maybe more so than in Ocarina of Time. Things went a bit differently for once with Skyward Sword since Zelda was Link's childhood friend adding an exciting romantic layer to the mix. Effective origin stories were told for the Master Sword, Triforce, and Ganondorf.
Nintendo has clearly outlined which way it desires the series to progress and I wholeheartedly endorse this route. I wish to be left with characters I care for and who I wouldn't mind revisiting in years to come. The company demonstrated with Skyward Sword's Wii Motion Plus controls, that gameplay remains at the franchise's core but that developing a coherent narrative is equally important. After such a connecting experience like Skyward Sword it was only fitting that the Hyrule Historia timeline was revealed at last.
A richer story has not only fermented a more believable gaming environment but also fostered growth and emotional connection towards the characters involved. Ocarina of Time was the first truly coherent narrative present in the franchise. Sure it was cliche but it got the job done and went full circle with many prominent characters like Saria and Darunia returning as sages. Majora's Mask developed an even stronger narrative with greater losses at stake, this time the entire Termina. The next two console games may seem at odds with each other-The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess and yet they accomplished the same end of creating a more vibrant Hyrule. In both games Ganondorf was rightfully modeled off of whether or not he was sealed in the Sacred Realm or not depending on the title's placement in the timeline. After years, even centuries of punishment, he was much more pensive in The Wind Waker but where he had merely been prevented from attaining power in Twilight Princess, he was a madman maybe more so than in Ocarina of Time. Things went a bit differently for once with Skyward Sword since Zelda was Link's childhood friend adding an exciting romantic layer to the mix. Effective origin stories were told for the Master Sword, Triforce, and Ganondorf.
Nintendo has clearly outlined which way it desires the series to progress and I wholeheartedly endorse this route. I wish to be left with characters I care for and who I wouldn't mind revisiting in years to come. The company demonstrated with Skyward Sword's Wii Motion Plus controls, that gameplay remains at the franchise's core but that developing a coherent narrative is equally important. After such a connecting experience like Skyward Sword it was only fitting that the Hyrule Historia timeline was revealed at last.
