The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

[SIXTH-RATE SOMA]

"MASTER SWORD SLEEPS FOREVER"

 

NOT "MASTER SWORD SLEEPS FOR A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE GETTING BORED AND DICKING AROUND HYRULE AGAIN"

 

Interviewer: "So, how is the team going to explain the presence of the Master Sword? As is, it seems to completely undermine the sense of accomplishment and finality the previous game in the series offered."

 

Iwata: "That's the thing, we really don't know. *laughs* We could probably have Link dig it out of a McDonald's trash can for all it matters. *continued laughter*"

[Wraith]

How do we even know he gets the Master Sword?

[Octarine]

He's holding the Master Sword in that concept art, and in most of the gameplay footage he's using a sword that looks more or less like it.

 

I guess it could be an alternate-universe Master Sword from the Dark World or something, since that seems to be a bigger deal in this game? Uhh.

[Nix]

How do we even know he gets the Master Sword?

 

 

 

 

 

Couldn't tell you.

[Blue Blood]

I must say it's really quite odd to be seeing a new Zelda game where Link looks like that. I've just always associated that look with the old games in such a way I never would have expected to see it again.

[Salamander]

Have to be honest, though, I think Link's face in the new version looks really goofy, and not in a good way.  Misshapen, almost.  But I also thought the previous version of the art looked a little generic.  So I suppose I'm not happy either way.

 

The item shop, though, is far more interesting.  Speculation I've heard so far has been that the purple rabbit-ears character is a reference to NSMBU's Nabbit, and he steals your items and you have to buy them back; alternatively, that you collect all items from this shop, possibly being allowed to have only one at a time, but can thus do the dungeons in any order; personally I think you might get special items you can trade for each of them, but you can get them in any order you like.  Certainly, though, it actually looks like a new idea, and like the painting gimmick, actually makes me almost excited for the game again.  As does the mention of there being a "kingdom" in the other world, hopefully with proper NPCs and dialogue and quests.  That said, I personally think the rabbit character looks like a clear reference to ALttP Link's Dark World rabbit transformation.  Which wouldn't be irrelevant, as it's speculated that the item shop is in the other world version of Link's house.

[Indigo Rush]

I must say it's really quite odd to be seeing a new Zelda game where Link looks like that. I've just always associated that look with the old games in such a way I never would have expected to see it again.

 

Classic Link better not have green eyes.

 

...

 

I think it's neat to see that design return, actually. I have to wonder if that version of Link will be the next "Young/Toon" Link in Smash Bros. Maybe they'll change that up every iteration.

[Blue Blood]

Have to be honest, though, I think Link's face in the new version looks really goofy, and not in a good way.  Misshapen, almost.  But I also thought the previous version of the art looked a little generic.  So I suppose I'm not happy either way.

 

I like the first piece of art for this game a lot, but the newer one looks really weird. His nose and eyes just don't seem right. And it's hard to get an idea of Link's age now too. In first art, he looks teenage. In the second, he's much younger looking.

[Octarine]

That was always a weird thing about ALttP's Link too, though. He looked older in most of ALttP and LA's artwork, but in the Oracle games he looked way younger (not that that was necessarily meant to be the same Link at the time) and in the GBA version of ALttP he had young-Link voice clips. So I guess this is... consistently inconsistent?

 

I like that the new artwork looks pretty close to Oracle Link, since that's my absolute favourite version of the character. He does look a little messed up here, though, and the actual in-game model looks closer to the retro Link design they were using at first.

[Speederino]

Since we're on the subject, is Oracle Link officially supposed to be the same one from LttP? I mean that's what I've heard but I just can't buy into the idea inside my head. They just don't look anything alike, you know?

[Octarine]

They're the same guy, yeah. The new artwork from the GBA version of ALttP makes that Link look a lot closer to the Oracle version, if that makes it any less awkward.

[Marcello]

Maybe the two Links from the artworks aren't the same one? Aounuma said there's a surprising twist at the start,  so how about you start off as LTTP Link  and he somehow gets stuck there or something happens, then it skips to the newer Link? They also have different power bracelets on. LTTP Links has a green gem even though it was red in the actual game from when we first saw it.

Also LTTP Link might be the shop guy. Aounuma says he's suspicious. He's dressed as a rabbit. LTTP Link turned into a rabbit in the dark world. He would basically be selling the items he obtained in his adventures.

[Salamander]

I really like both of those ideas.  A new take on the Hero's Shade, perhaps.  The Dark World returns for LttP Link and he gets stuck there for centuries, robbed of the Moon Pearl and unable to use any of his items.  He patiently waits for another Link to whom he can sell all of his old legendary items to overcome the evil that trapped him there.  Possibly time shenanigans allowing him to fulfil the promise of his debut game's title and return to the past, taking with him ALBW's Master Sword to enshrine it where it will sleep forever.

 

...This is total fanwank, isn't it.

[Salamander]

Reviving this topic due to new material from today's Nintendo Direct, which alleviated some of my concerns about the game.

 

It's confirmed that the shop seen in Aonuma's Miiverse screenshot and run by Ravio (the bunny mask chap who Iwata went out of his way to tell us has nothing to do with Nabbit) lends and later sells you the usual dungeon equipment from early on in the game, allowing you to progress to and through the dungeons in the order you desire.  But there's also quite a bit of entirely original-looking overworld, cutscene, and character footage, especially towards the end... "Hilda," eh?

 

 

I found new screenshots, too.  Apparently Sahasrahla's still around, somehow, and we get our first mention of Ganon and a look at the Light World map.

 

http://nintendoeverything.com/zelda-a-link-between-worlds-screenshots-3/

 

Congratulations, Nintendo, you turned around my opinion of this game.

 

Edit: But wait, there's more!  A bunch of new art images, some of them character art, others from what appears to be a hand-drawn recap of ALttP that'll presumably play at the start of the game.  Including Link's family (parents and younger sibling?) and an Agahnim-Gerudo-looking villain from the other world.

 

http://nintendoeverything.com/zelda-a-link-between-worlds-art/

Edited October 1, 2013 by FFWF

[Marcello]

Woah, Dark Zelda!

 

And who's this punk Irene? C'mon, what happened to Maple? :-/

 

 

I'm guessing Hidemaro Fujibayashi is working on this now. We got a new Maple-like character, Link's Oracle design, the new Ganondorf is wearing the same impish shoes as the unused Ganondorf design for the Oracles, and Ganondorfo has a paintbrush staff. The Magical Paintbrush was an unused item in Oracle of Ages.

 

Can't wait for the game, it's my most wanted game.

 

 

Apparently Sahasrahla's still around, somehow,

No, it's his great, great, great, great, great, great grandson. It was shown in the last trailer.

Edited October 1, 2013 by MarcelloF

[JezMM]

The new trailer makes me really wanna try this but I've just never gotten on with 2D Zeldas in the past.  Urggg.

[Lady Soniko]

I'm in the same situation Jez, i've played all the 3D Zelda's, but 2D just can't hold my attention at all.

[Octarine]

Holy shit, a new Maple? I thought that was the longest long shot, but apparently this game exists solely to grant my wishes.

 

Clownondorf looks really interesting, and a lot more fun than the kinda-boring genuine article. Is, uh, is that a man or a woman?

 

So, wait. Ravio's got his face covered, he's dressed like a pink bunny, he's got all of Link's items and he's followed around by a little white bird? If this isn't a Hero's Shade situation, it's gotta be some other kind of explicit reference to ALttP Link, because that's just eerie.

[Wraith]

 

 

This game's artstyle has definitely grown on me.

[SIXTH-RATE SOMA]

This game's artstyle has definitely grown on me.

 

I hate the original pieces of art, but these definitely look nice. Bit more personality to them, I guess.

[Goldenlink64]

The new trailer makes me really wanna try this but I've just never gotten on with 2D Zeldas in the past.  Urggg.

 

What about Minish Cap? I heard that one was actually really good, even if you don't like 2D Zelda (I think).

[Wraith]

 

Do you guys think this might be Link's family? 

[JezMM]

What about Minish Cap? I heard that one was actually really good, even if you don't like 2D Zelda (I think).

 

Nupe, got lost interest a little bit after the first dungeon.  Not in a "this is boring" *quits" way, just in a "I'd rather play these games right now" *never plays it again* way.

[Dantemustdie00]

That Ganondorf.....

 

It's like Kefka and Demise had a child.......

[Conando]

So who is betting on this game suffering from the Zelda cycle extreme due to having a new way about items and dungeons? I'm just pessimistic I guess. I see a lot of "IT SUCKS BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME, CHANGE IT" then "THEY CHANGED IT, NOW IT SUCKS!" with Zelda.