Idea for a fresh Legend of Zelda.

[Rednog]

I have one have lost enthusiasm for all the "mascot" games. Zelda its usually the same story but throwing in some gimmick light/dark, masks, etc... I'd really love to something new instead of rehashing the same ideas over and over and throwing on new graphics.

Replace Zelda with any game series, and it still works. Zelda is just visible because it's old. How different is GOW I and II? COD 4 and 5? etc.

Zelda shines because it is always fun.

RPGs differ from this because they are NOT always fun.

GRINDING = NOT FUN.

The only thing even resembling Grinding in Zelda is exploration, which is rewarding and interesting.

There is a difference between a clear cut story line that will end in like Gears [I assume you mean Gears of War and not God of War](it is going to be a trilogy) and games like Sonic, Mario, Link etc that are just perpetual games with no real end.
If you were talking about Gears of War, then I personally think that there is decent amount of difference between the two. The first was mainly you running around the maps and fighting group after group. While Gears 2 had a ton of vehicle maps and random other variables thrown into the encounters.

In terms of COD 4 and 5 [World at War], I think its a somewhat poor example because war shooters are war shooters and they really don't have much other choice since they are somewhat stuck on the rails of history. But COD4 was actually a big change in the franchise considering it dealt with modern times and broke from the WWII mold.

I really didn't mention anything about RPGs but I'll take a crack at it. I personally think that lumping all RPGs together isn't really right. There are good RPGs and there are bad ones. Good RPGs don't make you grind crap out over and over. For example in Fable II you really don't have to grind out much, while there is some tedious work for money you really don't need to consistently go out in search for combat just to gain experience.

In the end my main problem like I said is that each "mascot" game is a rehash of the previous ones with a new gimmick slapped on. Heck from playing the previous Zelda games you can usually tell what the solution to a puzzle is going to be (especially apparent in the handheld versions.)
I think that there is hope for these characters put players need to stand up and demand better games because right now companies know that they can throw the same things at us over and over and we will buy it. Does Mario always have to save the princess? Hell No! Look at Super Mario RPG the princess is kidnapped and it is settled in the first five minutes and then you get onto a bigger and better story.

 

[Flying-Emu]

I'll point to Majora's Mask.

Same gameplay with new quirks, different story set in a brand new world.

This = good.

But other than that, I would think that expanding the combat system would work in Zelda's favor. The Z-targeting system was brilliant... ten years ago. They've taken a step in the right direction with the special moves you can find in TP, and the parries in WW, but I think they could do so much more, especially with the Wiimote.

NOTE: I do not endorse Wii crapperware, and in no way hope that Nintendo will destroy Zelda by pulling a Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and make us randomly wave our sticks to fix problems.

In addition, story. Take Ganon, Vaati, and Majora (reincarnated as some sort of trippy devil dog or something), have them team up and begin an invasion of Hyrule. Commence standard dungeon crawling.

BUT instead of saving the day, just as the invasion is about to overshadow the Temple of Light (final bastion of good in Hyrule), have Vaati/Ganon/Majora betray the others and commandeer the forces to claim the Triforce for themselves.

A cutscene in which Link watches as Vaati/Ganon/Majora claims the Triforce as their own. As the evil character touches the Triforce, a burst of light flies forth, engulfing Link and blinding the screen. Fade to white.

The rest shall come some other day.

 

[black lincon]

I've had the Idea that they should ditch link and get a new hero of time. my Idea involved link being reincarnated as twins, they could split the mastersword in two because there are two heroes now and with two people you could have a lot of fun puzzles that involved splitting the pair and doing two things independently that affected a larger puzzle.

Legend of Zelda:Four Swords...Its been done.

yes because 2=4 and 2d=3d. you aren't very imaginative are you?

 

[B-lockdown080]

I played with one friend so basically twins. Also 3d Zelda= 2d with Z-targeting, better graphics, and voices.

 

[black lincon]

Hmm, throwing out suggestions for a fresh Legend of Zelda comes off as a tad... blasphemous?

Turning Legend of Zelda into a grind might be a step in the wrong direction. On the other hand, it'd be inevitable if they decided to make a Legend of Zelda MMORPG.

I bet I could get some ph4t l00t butchering the Kokiri village.

That last part made me sad...

Anyway I don't think Legend of Zelda needs new gameplay. It might do well to get a new, cool story that doesn't involve saving Princess Zelda.

Oooh oooh I got one! How 'bout Princess Zelda becomes the villain! And you have to save Ganon!

or why don't we have link be a pansy and he uses a net to fight pandas! I'm sorry but your messing with the story too much for it to be a Zelda game. Link is the hero of time Zelda has the triforce of wisdom, and princess of the Hylia a race similar to medieval Europeans, and inherently good. Ganondorf is a male Gerudo(Gerudos are like amazons) and as the male Gerudo is inherently evil. you can't have them switch roles.

Now if you want to set the game at a different time and have some other ruler of Hyrule and have him be a jackass and have link or some reincarnation of him save the Hylians from their oppressive king thats fine, but needing to save Ganondorf, thats just silly.

 

[James is a nerd]

Why try to change it?
Nintendo struck a vein of gold when Miyamoto thought up the idea for Zelda.
And they have tried to mix it up before.
Remember Zelda II: Adventure of Link?
Yeah, that one didn't pan out as planned did it. It was an alright game, overshadowed by its predecesor.

In Zelda II, Link has a mana bar (or something similar) and items which allow him to use this mana for magical effects. (Eg: Turning into a Fairy to fly for a bit)
The Beam Sword made a return, but that used the Mana too.
The game was similar to something you'd expect from Castlevania.
With sidescrolling combat sequences and town sections, but it was broken up by an over-the-head view of the world map with Earthbound style random encounters.

And Nintendo decided that this wasn't the path they wanted Zelda to take, which is why A Link To The Past is a return to the original Zelda formulae with elements from the Zelda II experiment (The Magic Bar)

The same can be said for the Four Swords and Ocarina of Time and pretty much any Zelda game. They all have their own little difining point.

Zelda = Original
Zelda II = An experiment
ALTTP = The good parts from both Zelda and Zelda II mixed up with a little Duel World game play.
LA = A game set on an island disconnected with Hyrule. Princess Zelda makes no appearance, and her name is mentioned once and then forgotten.
OOT = More Duel World Gameplay (reused because its popular and worked before)
MM = Masks! Also set in an alternatw world. Nearly every NPC has their own little storyline to follow aswell.
The Oracle Series = Think Duel Games, not duel worlds.
Wind Waker = Monotonous Sailing..
4 Swords = Link has multiple personality disorder.
Minish Cap = Being able to shrink and having a hat that talks..
TP = The whole transformation thing. Also MOAR DULE WOLRD GAMPLAY!
PH = More sailing. Also new controls. Which is fun.

So Zelda will always have the same formulae, because it works. They just mix it up by adding something new into it. Or reusing something that was popular before and they hope will be again.

But having Zelda as a companion on your journey would be interesting..

 

[black lincon]

Hylia a race similar to medieval Europeans, and inherently good.

I'm seeing a slight contradiction here.

fine inherently has good intentions. Happy now?

 

[gremily]

I think all challenges and bosses should be given steroids. And some rpg elements would be kind of cool.

I want to see a serious side of LoZ that none of us seen before. Like... I don't know... Extreme super anger hulk style Link or something.

 

[KarmicToast]

Okay here we go:
First of all, Link definitely should still change into a wolf and have lots of silly attacks that aren't very well designed when the sun goes down. Also, there should be a temple that you have to keep returning to throughout the whole game and replay over and over again as you progress. There should be four links, and the game should be unplayable unless you have someone else there with you. Link should seriously also have some weird items that totally warp the games mechanics for when he isn't a wolf...like let's say a mask and a hat. The game should be cell shaded and there should be at least 3 iterations of the water temple. What do you guys think?

 

[KarmicToast]

I'm always pro-mind screws:

The game will be very smiliar in non-plot to other zeldas, but near the end stuff won't make sense, after the final boss you'll find out that link is really a dying boy in the hospital imagining the same thing other and other againg and has a dead mother named zelda (yay froid!) and his father ganon left their family.

Have you heard of the Flaming Lips musical film coming out soon called Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots? You just described the plot.

 

[Magnaflame]

You know, Zelda would be cool as a companion, but now I'm think of mixing Zelda and the new Prince of Persia, which may or may not be hideously horrible.

 

[DigitalSushi]

Throw Link, Sonic, Mario, and all the old gen mascots into a casket nail it shut and bury them alive so something interesting could come out of the gaming world...now that's an idea...

Keep Samus, though, she's earned her keep through Metroid Prime.

I concur, but could we somehow turn back time, stop Nintendo putting Zero Suit Samus into brawl and keep her fully armoured up at all times.

 

[Magnaflame]

Why?

 

[Mr. Fister]

It could be because ZSS sounds...well, you know....

As for a "fresh" Legend of Zelda, I believe that way back when, Miyamoto stated that Twilight Princess would be "the last Zelda of its kind." Of course, this was a while back and may not mean anything anymore, but I would still expect them to reinvent the series sometime soon. They can't just keep reusing the same formula over and over again, as it will eventually get stale and fans and non-fans alike will get bored. I would expect that's what they're doing with the next Zelda game. They haven't said anything at all about the next title aside from "we're working on it," which could mean that they're waiting until they've decided on where they're gonna take the series to say anything about it. One thing I do know for sure is this: Whatever Nintendo decides to do with the next Zelda game, there will be outrage.

And everyone who keeps saying that they need to stop using the same "Saving the princess" story on the grounds that it's getting stale never played Twilight Princess.

 

[GenHellspawn]

I thought that Legend of Zelda would be awesome with more RPG elements. Instead of the same old items, Link should find items in chest and places, and dungeons like in games like Fate. And there could be leveling and skill trees, if you wanted a magic using Link, then so be it, and it should be less linear, I know it already is but you're still led along the story pretty rigidly. I know it's probably not original, but if you guys will add to this idea, maybe it will grow and eventually become reality, or you can verbally assault me, your choice.

So basically, it's Diablo for 12 year olds?