Tag: Zelda 3DS

So for those unaware, there was a massive media event to go along with the Nintendo Direct yesterday, and at that event there was a Zelda 3DS demo. The demo itself featured an entire dungeon… and boy do we have a ton of gameplay clips and new details to share. Hop inside, and naturally be wary of potential spoilers!

Update: We have now replaced all the videos and have one video of the full demo with a great angle. Enjoy!

Update 2: We now have a second, 5 minute video, that features the sound effects and the music!

Yesterday I sparked a rather heated discussion on the merits

of 3D versus 2D Top-Down games, specifically Zelda games on a hand-held platform.

I felt that the top-down style was well suited for a mobile platform, while a

3D world makes more sense on a home console. However, what I failed to talk

about is why, truly, it’s the right time for a Top-Down Zelda game.

To understand this, one has to first understand the prospect

of top-down games in general. The Legend of Zelda on the NES was one of the

first in that style of gameplay, but we’ve actually seen recent top-down games

see a lot of commercial success.

It’s a great day to be a Zelda fan right now. We have The

Wind Waker HD arriving later this year on the Wii U, and now an all new 3DS

exclusive game, currently known as A Link to the Past 2. Yesterday I spent a

lot of time defending against some of the initial negative impressions some had

(what’s this, the “Zelda Hater” defending Zelda instead of criticizing? I

thought we didn’t do that around these parts!), but today I go into some things

that while some might have noticed, it is very likely many didn’t.

There were some interesting aspects that I feel are worth

pointing out if for nothing other than “we like to over analyze everything”.

Hey, it’s fun, and most seem to enjoy it.

Bill Trinen has slowly become one of the most likable people at Nintendo Treehouse (a branch of Nintendo of America). It’s interesting how he has slowly become a person of note, when previously he was mostly just a translation expert. That being said, he ends the debate on where A Link to the Past 2 (as Japan is calling it) truly lands in the prequel and sequel debates in terms of timeline placement.

“From a story perspective there are connections,” Trinen said, “so it does fall after A Link to the Past. And it’s set in the same world, but introduces that new gameplay mechanic. So, yeah, I guess by that definition …”

The ‘definition’ reference is the controversy that may surround over finalizing the title as A Link to the Past 2. It may make chronological sense, but it could also be a turn off in terms of marketing. The timeline placement debates are pretty much at an end.

So who’s still excited about Nintendo’s recent announcement regarding a new Zelda 3DS title releasing in time for the Holiday season at the end of 2013? Anticipation for the title is at an all-time high and considering it will feature the same overworld used in a Link to the Past I think it’s safe to say that this will be a 3DS blockbuster title! Yet who’s taken on the major role of developing this Zelda 3DS adventure?

So there was a new Zelda 3DS game announced today. Maybe you’ve heard of it. You know what I have seen in the wake of the announcement? A heck of a lot of complaining, and this time around I am going to address one complaint that is really grinding my gears. Apparently, people want a fully realized 3D world (like in Ocarina of Time 3D) on their “to go” handheld system. They don’t want 2D top down Zelda, rather, they want a robust console like experience.

My reaction? If you want a console like 3D world, and if Nintendo was to give it to you, why wouldn’t you just release it on the Wii U? I say this, because there is literally nothing the 3DS does that the Wii U cannot do better – except that the 3DS can be taken with you on the go and you need to wear glasses to experience 3D on the Wii U. Otherwise? The Wii U arguably has more functionality, and can definitely produce a much richer 3D world than the 3DS.

Now, that isn’t to say it’s not right to want to have that experience, however the question I pose is this: Why do you want it?

                        Phantom Hourglass             Spirit Tracks

A Link to the Past Sequel (Zelda 3DS)

I have seen a lot of people starting to write off A Link to the Past Sequel’s style. “It’s overdone” they say. “Weren’t we done with this in Spirit Tracks” some clamor. Sure, I get the initial impression… until you look above. The differences are rather clear when you start looking side to side. For starters, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit tracks feature a vastly different art style. Additionally, the camera perspectives are completely different. Zelda 3DS actually features a much more top down perspective, ala the original 2D Zelda games, versus the psuedo side 3D style the DS titles attempted to accomplish.

Well, that should at least end one debate today.

Sometimes it’s great to be part of the Zelda Informer community, because it’s members occasionally do something neat like above: Compile images together in order to recreate a setting in a game we have little information about to compare it directly to another game. A Link to the Past 2 truly is the same world as Reggie himself stated, and it’s shown above.

What’s additionally neat is that you can see how the art styles compare. In many ways, I think Zelda 3DS is a natural progression, but in other ways it’s creating it’s own flavor. What are your thoughts?

As all of you may be well aware of by now, there will be a new Zelda game released later this year for the 3DS. It’s a rather exciting time to hear about it because we haven’t had a new Zelda title since 2011 in Skyward Sword. Additionally, we haven’t truly had an all new handheld adventure since Spirit Tracks in 2009. 

It’s been an interesting day today, as arguably the biggest news day so far this year at Zelda Informer has happened. Nintendo announced an all new Zelda 3DS title, one that they are aptly referencing as A Link to the Past 2 in Japan, though that name is far from final (The logo is just The Legend of Zelda). Normally an event announcing a new Zelda title would be met with much fanfare, and surely there will be plenty of that ahead.

However, hopes were raised among the people clamoring for Majora’s Mask 3D to get unveiled when a certain retailer listed Majora’s Mask 3D on their site. Obviously, this didn’t guarantee anything, and surely we are a bit at fault for even making a feint connection at the possibility, but as I noted in the Q and A yesterday, I really didn’t think we would see it announced today.

Fast forward to today, and some people were naturally let down by the announcement of this title. It seems to stem from the fact it’s not a full console 3D experience, the fact it may seem a bit like retreading old ground, and simply the fact it’s not Majora’s Mask 3D. Except, this announcement actually sped up any chance of seeing Majora’s Mask 3D in the next two years.