How Would a Zelda Game Where Both Link and Zelda Are Playable Work?

Having Zelda, or any female character for that matter, playable in a mainstream Zelda game is a wish that a notable number of Zelda fans have held for quite a while. Opponents to this have a number of arguments: that Link is the main character, that he has been defined as male throughout his various incarnations, that making him female would come at the cost of Zelda as a character, that Zelda was already playable in Spirit Tracks, that the last time Zelda was playable the games she was in were horrible and a number of other arguments. While I agree with a number of these arguments I believe there is a compromise possible: have both Link and Zelda playable at the same time. But how would such a game work? Join me on this thought experiment after the jump!

First off would be the controls. Having Link haul Zelda around throughout the entire game (or vice versa) would be a bit of a hassle, so she’ll have to follow him around. Having to babysit her all the way through the game would not be fun either, so Zelda has to be able to fight, either as herself or in her Sheik disguise. With the two of them being able to move around on their own you’ll want the ability to switch between them. The Wind Waker did something like this with the Command Melody, but playing it every time was a major hassle, even in the Wii U remake. So by being able to switch between them with the press of a button (of which the Wii U tablet and the pro controller have far more than the Wii or the GameCube, so no button sharing is needed!) like was done in Spirit Tracks will be desired. Navigating the environment will be next. How far can Link and Zelda be apart? Will they have to stay close together because of a magical bond between them installed for plot reasons? Or will they be allowed to roam as far as they want?

Related to this is how the other character acts when not directly controlling them. Having something like a simple radial menu pop up when holding a button with options to give the other character certain directions like follow/wait, fight/run away, interact with object, perform action X when I do something and other such things will likely suffice.

Second would be the things they do together. For rendering reasons it would be best to make them enter building together so that the system isn’t overloaded with things to do. In the same vein, require them to open doors in dungeons together to pass through, have them stand on each other’s shoulders to climb tall obstacles (and if Link helps Zelda climb a large block, she can pull him up). Riding Epona together would be possible as well with a double saddle, but it would require her to be a pretty big girl to carry both Link and Zelda at the same time (they might not be that heavy, but still). Finally, the option for one to catch the other as they fall from a great height and prevent falling damage this way would be a neat addition.

Next up would be puzzles. Having puzzles that require two people to be solved are not new in the series (Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker and Spirit Tracks all did it), but being able to control both characters in quick succession would allow for some interesting, fast-paced puzzles. And the series classics like block puzzles (including big ones that require both Link and Zelda to move them), more complex mirror puzzles and series of switch puzzles can greatly expand the puzzles that would otherwise have gotten a bit stale.

When it comes to things like combat however things get interesting. It would be possible to have Link and Zelda be mostly the same in their fighting style, but it might be a lot more interesting to have them be different. We’ve seen Zelda fight with her sword in Hyrule Warriors, but if she were to be disguised as Sheik and using a matching style there could be quite the difference. Link with his armor, sword and shield would be a more durable fighter, staying in place and weathering the attacks of enemies while returning their blows would be contrasted by Sheik and her rapid movement, quick blows and swift dodges. She’d deal less damage than Link this way, but with her speed and possibly elaborate moves ala the Helm Splitter and similar attacks she can attack enemies in interesting ways and possibly set them up for Link to deliver a killing blow. Of course, things like combo attacks would be possible as well like for example having Sheik vault off of Link, he strikes the enemy from the front while she strikes them from the back. Enemies will have to be more frequent, powerful or skilled to give the two heroes the same challenge that a single hero would with weaker enemies.

On the subject of moves, will the duo control the same? Or will a Sheikah-trained Zelda be able to move faster, climb things quicker and jump farther than Link? Another option would be for the differences between the two to be even greater, like have Zelda be able to walk across tightropes (Link will have to hang from them and climb across more slowly), she’s able to climb things that Link cannot, interact with Sheikah Stones and perhaps even do modest wall runs. This would make her a trailblazer that opens up paths for Link. On the other hand, Link can have superior physical strength and do things like pull heavy levers, lift certain objects and push things that Zelda cannot do. This makes them depend on one another and lays the groundwork for interesting puzzles and other challenges. Maybe with certain items they can use them together, like Link throwing the grappling hook around a branch, putting an arm around Zelda and swinging across a pit with her. Other options include Link carrying Zelda on his back while he’s wearing the Iron Boots and walking underwater against a stream so that Zelda can come along, or shooting bombs in mid-air to explode them near a particular target.

Another object of interest would be how to handle items. One option is to give both Link and Zelda access to a common inventory where they hold their bow, clawshots, bombs, iron boots and so on. From here they equip items to their inventory and make them accessible at the push of a button. Of course, if Zelda has the bow Link cannot equip it and vice versa. Another option would be for Link to haul their stuff around and give items to Zelda to equip puzzles and fight enemies as needed. This will keep her light and able to move around acrobatically, but puzzles will have to be planned out in advance and you’ll need to look closely at the puzzle ahead and how to solve it. Potions can be kept as powerful single-use items, or have them split into two portions that only heal half. Fairies can stay as they are, but this makes them valuable resources that can be used by only one character.

Magic makes for another interesting subject. Zelda having access to it can be a given, but Link might not start out with the ability to use it, or even have access to it at all. This will make magical items (fire/ice/light arrows, possibly things like the medals from A Link to the Past) exclusive to Zelda. This will force certain roles in solving puzzles and fighting enemies upon her, requiring some more planning in these encounters. Magic might become available to Link later in the game, perhaps as the reward to the trading sequence that grants Link access to magic, making certain parts of the game more interesting.

On the subject of story, there needs to be a reason for Zelda to travel alongside Link. These options can be numerous but there would need to be a reason that people don’t constantly recognize her. This can be either the above-discussed disguise or have her and Link teleported to a far-away land where they have to find a way to get home and stop a great evil. On the other hand, she’d be able to speak for the duo and interact with people, allowing for some more in-depth interaction with the various NPCs you meet. She can talk with Link as well of course, and while he might not say a lot back it can still allow the building of a bond between them that obsessive fans will interpret as incontrovertible evidence that they are in love.

On a darker note, having Link and Zelda work this closely together can allow for one darker thing they share: the Game Over screen. If one falls and there are no healing items available you’ll be treated to a screen where Link or Zelda cradles the other’s lifeless body in their arms, either holding them tightly or letting out a silent scream of agony as the image fades to black and only the words remain there.

Of course, with both Link and Zelda playable it is possible to play the game with two players in a relatively simple drop in/drop out system where a player can join and leave whenever they want. This allows players to share the story with their friends, family members and loved ones, or to engage in cooperative speed runs and challenge runs. Doing so online would be more difficult bordering on the impossible, given Nintendo’s policies regarding online play and communication between players doing so. Plus, localized coop would be in line with Miyamoto’s initial vision for The Legend of Zelda where players had to cooperate to find all the secrets (or even finish the game at all), and how better to do this than have two players go through the game together?

What do you think? Would it be possible to have a game where both Link and Zelda are playable? Or would you rather just play with Link to avoid the hassle of dealing with Zelda as well? Or do you have other ideas about how a coop game could work? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!