Technology by Teens

Nintendo has been known not to try to move the hype train by itself. Instead, it relies on its loyal fanbase to spread its news, and this is fairly effective - late in a game's lifetime. It's time to start the hype train for The Legend of Zelda.

The newest installment in the franchise is produced by Miyamoto (legendary creator of Mario and Zelda) and Eiji Aunoma (director of Wind Waker).

Not much is known about this game; another part of the Nintendo mindset is secrecy. Good sources for the released information include zhq2.com and zeldalegends.net. To sum it up, this game has realistic graphics (as opposed to Wind Waker's beautiful cel shading), an expanded version of the horseback combat (a la Ocarina of Time) and a wide open world. What we know about this game is miniscule compared to what is still unsaid - the title, theme, and storyline of the game are still hidden. And to add to the mystery, who is the cloaked figure in this picture?



Besides these main pieces, the fanbase has found many tidbits scattered throughout EGM, Hobby Consolas, and the German edition of GamePro. Among those that are the most exciting:

* The difficulty of the game is up. Miyamoto has asked Aunoma to see the addition of new puzzles and difficult situations. EGM, on playing a demo of the game, noted that the battles were challenging enough to satisfy.
* There will be a waterway (a river) on the field. Link will use a canoe to navigate this river and traverse the field quickly. On the canoe, players *may* be able to use a fishing rod, a minigame similar to the pond in Ocarina. (There is definitely a fishing game incorporated.)
* Besides the boss fights in dungeons, Link will square off with boss creatures on the field and in the overworld. Shown to the reporters at EGM was an armored creature, defeated by knocking off his armor and then shelling him with arrows. Throughout the fight, players must jump over fences and defeat weaker creatures on boars.
* The world of Zelda is populated with many animals, including dogs, cats, cuccos, and bulls. Eiji Aunoma, producer, has let slip this: "We're thinking about incorporating some ideas where Link can communicate with animals, one way or another." Just as Ocarina revolved around time, and Wind Waker the wind, the animals may be the new theme of Zelda.

There's so many reasons to be excited about the new game. If the above information is not enough, take a look at the many Zelda fansites. Speculate on the many enigmas of the plot. And wait for E3, which is just around the corner.

May 17, 2005. The Hero will rise again.