Zelda Races: The Minish

It’s hard to think of a race–save maybe the Hylians and Twili–who are more prominently featured in a single game than the Minish.

These diminutive, mouselike, easily underestimated creatures are pitched as explanations for a number of things that never really had to be explained. I don’t think most gamers questioned how rupees ended up in bushes or jars, or exactly what was going on in Hyrule at a microscopic level. But the Minish bring a new depth to the world of Hyrule without compromising any of our previous perceptions. After all, there’s no requirement that they’re present for all future entries in the series–it’s enough that they exist at a single point in the timeline.

But what an impression they leave! They built some of the most interesting locales in the series, and make The Minish Cap’s “gimmick” feel like so much more. Their perspective manages to be entirely distinct from the Hylians’ experience of Hyrule, but their role is still evident throughout. They’re inherently endearing, with cute character design that fits right in to the line of The Wind Waker-inspired art styles. Their interaction with the world at large, which the player experiences through Link, repurposes what would otherwise be a conventional Hyrule into something entirely new. Until you’re shrunk down to size, it can be hard to see Hyrule the way the Minish do, but every small vine, every crack in the wall, offers a new opportunity. They can even communicate with animals; common cats become a threat and uncooperative dogs move over for Minish who probably understand them better than Hylians do. In short, they probably represent every child’s dream, which is wish fulfillment in the grand Zelda tradition.

The most unfortunate thing about the Minish might be that we never see them again, which is strange but expected. Their race, by its nature, probably couldn’t fit comfortably into the story of any future entry without bringing back The Minish Cap’s distinct gimmick.

That said, it might be for the better, too. The Minish Cap–from its story to its art style to its basic game design to its creativity with the Zelda formula (with brand new items and new twists on sidequests), is worthy of having this race as a centerpiece.

What do you think of the Minish and their implementation in The Minish Cap? Would you like to see them again? Share your thoughts below.