Next zelda game

[TwilightKing]

Does anyone know if or when there is going to be another zelda game coming soon or in production right now?

[mikeron]

The Almighty Buck says "Yes."

[TwilightKing]

Do you know when

[Thunderbird]

Given that Twilight Princess was just released, I'd guess that another Zelda isn't currently in development...but that'll probably change at some point.

And there's no way that anyone would know when the next Zelda would be coming out at this point...I doubt even the developers would know :P.

[goKi]

All i remember reading is that the new Wii Zelda is 'closer than you think'. I see Christmas 2008 as the absolute earliest time to expect a new Zelda adventure.

[Modus Ponens]

Well, and let's not forget the obvious answer--Phantom Hourglass for the DS will be released (according to Wikipedia) in Q4 2007 in the US and EU, TBA for Australia. It's the direct sequel to Wind Waker.

[TwilightKing]

Well im just going to wait for the next wii zelda to come out not a big fan of the DS

[Darth Marsden]

Well, and let's not forget the obvious answer--Phantom Hourglass for the DS will be released (according to Wikipedia) in Q4 2007 in the US and EU, TBA for Australia. It's the direct sequel to Wind Waker.
Q4? Man... that's years away! :p

[vegeta1215]

I can't wait for Phantom Hourglass. Initially the game was going to play via all touch controls, and many people who tried it hands on (at E3 and similar events) said it was horrible that way. Hopefully Nintendo will listen to the feedback people have given them and change it or offer the option of non-touch screen control.

As for the next Wii Zelda, I'm sure Nintendo has already started planning it or even started making it. The date Goki said is a pretty good estimate of the earliest we might see it I think.

[Cloral]

Well, and let's not forget the obvious answer--Phantom Hourglass for the DS will be released (according to Wikipedia) in Q4 2007 in the US and EU, TBA for Australia. It's the direct sequel to Wind Waker.

Damnit, it seems like every day there's another game coming for the DS that I'll want. It's a system I'm going to have to pick up at some point I guess.

[Grasshopper]

The only thing I like about touch screen on PH is the map tips we can write. Not a huge deal, but lots of times I forget where I saw something in a particular room, and I can see how that could be a bit handy. As far as controlling Link via touch...just because you can, doesn't me you should. Its hard to say since I've not had hands-on with it.

I'd say a new Zelda would be much later. I would think Nintendo would opt to design a new engine for it, instead of using the same one for WW/TP. Wouldn't that cause the development time to be a bit longer?

[AtmaWeapon]

The only thing I like about touch screen on PH is the map tips we can write. Not a huge deal, but lots of times I forget where I saw something in a particular room, and I can see how that could be a bit handy. As far as controlling Link via touch...just because you can, doesn't me you should. Its hard to say since I've not had hands-on with it.

I'd say a new Zelda would be much later. I would think Nintendo would opt to design a new engine for it, instead of using the same one for WW/TP. Wouldn't that cause the development time to be a bit longer?Why would they make a new engine? That's a lot of work when they have a functional one in place already.

[Shoelace]

Yeah Phantom Hourglass is a known game that will be coming out in the second half of 2007, most likely November. Anyways, Nintendo has stated that they are making a Zelda for the Wii. And actually they have been working on it for a couple of months. That is all they said though. But I am thinking it is Four Swords for the Wii. That would be awesome because thing of the online fun! *drools*. But I say we will definitely have an answer from Nintendo in the Fall, so we know what to look forward to in 2008.

But by the way, I do think that they will make sort of a new engine for the new Zelda Zelda for the Wii. Just because of the interview with Miyamoto. He wanted to make TP perfect because it would be the last Zelda of its kind and controls. So basically it looks like they want to reinvent again.

[vegeta1215]

I remember reading somewhere that Phantom Hourglass will have one HUGE dungeon, whose sections you'll play and unlock throughout the game. Sounds like a neat idea to me, amongst other new things.

[Orion]

I'm all up for the Zelda re-invention thing. I don't know that I'll but a new Zelda if it's just another OoT with slightly different dungeons and new tacked-on story. I know if they change too much, the fans will all be in a tizzy, but eh, they've been known to do it before, so I'm hopeful. I'm thinking like, Zelda to Zelda II, or RE3 to RE4-type changes.

[mikeron]

I'm all up for the Zelda re-invention thing. I don't know that I'll but a new Zelda if it's just another OoT with slightly different dungeons and new tacked-on story. I know if they change too much, the fans will all be in a tizzy, but eh, they've been known to do it before, so I'm hopeful.I have to agree on the re-invention point. Experimentation and risk-taking can only improve the series. However, the one thing I'm specifically looking for in the next game is the exploration aspect that comes from getting new items. For instance, LttP did a very good job of this: the mirror let you run around the dark world, the mallet let you cross that bridge, etc. Twilight Princess, on the other hand, felt very restricted and linear. After finishing the seventh dungeon, there wasn't a whole lot to do except get a few hearts. Maybe it's that I play Zelda and Metroid the same way - sneaking around all over the map - but I really feel that the mobility afforded to a new item will always trump the eye candy of a new cut scene.

[Pineconn]

Yes, PH has one main dungeon, but it also has regular dungeons, of course. I don't want anyone thinking that it doesn't. ;)

As for the next console game, I hope it brings us back to the Twilight Realm and has Midna in it. There were many hints in Twilight Princess that suggest a sequel. For example, Ganondorf says, "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood," and Midna at the end says, "See you later."

(Of course, that's just another way to say bye...)

[The_Amaster]

Or is it?.....



I'm dead serious. That sounds like a comment designed to specificly cause this kind of discussion(A Rosewater comment, for those Magic players out there). the kind of thing where you wrack your brains and post like crazy trying to figure out if it was just an idle comment, or a hint at something deeper.

[Grasshopper]

Why would they make a new engine? That's a lot of work when they have a functional one in place already.

I know it was a lot of work, thats why I said it would take more time. It's just me speculating though. I only say that because with new systems, developers like to re-invent things to take advantage of hardware and features of the system. Just because a functioning one is in place, I don't see why they need to keep it. Its not like they have too. Just because something functions, doesn't mean it can't be improved, optimized, or added to.

[vegeta1215]

I read that the engine for Twilight Princess is a heavily modified version of the Wind Waker engine. It works, but who knows what it looks like under the hood. I'm sure whatever Nintendo does for the next Zelda they certainly won't have to start from scratch, but they definitely have to take advantage of the Wii's power.

You may not know this, but I read that Retro Studios re-wrote nearly the entire engine from Metroid Prime while making Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. If you play Echoes and pay attention to the details and moving things in the environment, you'll definitely notice the change.

In terms of a sequel to Twilight Princess, I highly doubt it. As much as I'd like to see more of Midna, they end the game nicely. Also, the way they ended it leaves few possibilities for a sequel.

[ctrl-alt-delete]

Zelda games come in twos. There will be a prequel or a sequel in due time.

Do not say there is not room for a prequel or a sequel, either. Nintendo always seems to make room, do they not?

[jessethe2nd]

As for a sequel...

---------If you have not yet completed the game and do not wish to know anything in relation to the ending look away now-------------------



Any one else notice how after ganandorf says " It is not over, the tale of light and shadow shall be written in blood." it flashes an image of Zant then Ganandorfs' triforce mark disappears? Then remember how Zant said that "his god would bring him back". My bet is that Zant is coming back in the next game with the former power of Ganondorf.

[vegeta1215]

Any one else notice how after ganandorf says " It is not over, the tale of light and shadow shall be written in blood." it flashes an image of Zant then Ganandorfs' triforce mark disappears? Then remember how Zant said that "his god would bring him back". My bet is that Zant is coming back in the next game with the former power of Ganondorf.

-=SPOILER=-

[Pineconn]

---------If you have not yet completed the game and do not wish to know anything in relation to the ending look away now-------------------

Any one else notice how after ganandorf says " It is not over, the tale of light and shadow shall be written in blood."

I already said that....

Anyway, I, for one, hope the next Zelda game has all the lighting/shading bugs worked out. That was really annoying in TP. Ah well, I guess I'll have to consider the flickering as a feature.

But what I really don't understand is why the Forest Temple and Goron Mines look extremely excellent, but the latter 7 dungeons' interior lighting looks terrible. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go into, say, the Arbiter's Grounds or Temple of Time, and look around. Up, down, in passageways, near doors... You'll see what I mean. Unless it's GCN-only.

[Nicholas Steel]

As for a sequel...

---------If you have not yet completed the game and do not wish to know anything in relation to the ending look away now-------------------



Any one else notice how after ganandorf says " It is not over, the tale of light and shadow shall be written in blood." it flashes an image of Zant then Ganandorfs' triforce mark disappears? Then remember how Zant said that "his god would bring him back". My bet is that Zant is coming back in the next game with the former power of Ganondorf.

sorry but you should use -=SPOILER=-

[punkonjunk1024]

sorry but you should use -=SPOILER=-

Sorry but you should suck
-=SPOILER=-

Uh, and I'm pretty frickin' excited for PH on ds. That game is gonna rock my socks off. I really like cel-shading, alot. I'm gonna play through wind waker again, and actually beat it this time. Gorgeous game, but that fucking boat... God, I hope they don't do that in the DS version. All that fucking boating around, and then having to find those scattered triforce pieces, that's where I quit.*shrug* I want to finish it now, though.

[Orion]

As tedious as it was, I don't get why so many people quit at the triforce shard part. Sure it was stupid, but it didn't take *that* long, especially considering you were almost at the end of the game.

[vegeta1215]

Yeah, I didn't think it took that long either. The only thing that really bothered me about the sailing was I had to do so much of it to get all the heart pieces left in the world that I missed. There's just so damn many of them.

[Pineconn]

Agreed. I think the only reason why people complain is because they didn't do any of it yet. As soon as I complete the Forbidden Woods, I go over to Bird's Peak Isle (or whatever it's called - it's been forever) and get the chart. Basically, I do the search ASAP.

For my last playthrough, I decided to do none of the Triumph Forks hunt until I had to, and let me tell you, it wasn't fun.

[punkonjunk1024]

I don't look up any info on a game my first time through, so I didn't have much of an idea. I'm playing through it again, because it's a really fun game. I'll just cheat when I get to the stupid triforce part.

[Cloral]

The triforce didn't bother me too much because I was already doing a lot of exploring of the world. So I already knew where a lot of the charts were before Tingle sent me the chart chart, and I got a number of them before I finished the second temple. So it wasn't like all of a sudden I had a whole bunch of treasure hunting I had to do. Plus I had tons of extra money so paying for the translations wasn't a big deal. Though I guess if you hadn't been doing any treasure hunting in the earlier stages of the game, all of a sudden having to do a whole bunch would be a pain in the ass. I guess what they really should've done is spread out the treasure hunting more throughout the course of the story.

[redmage777]

I truely hope to see an All-Star cast of features in the next Zelda game.

Majoras Mask- A lively cast of NCPs, Townsfolk went about their day to day lives. (I woulden't mind if they took this a step farther and allowed gave them the ability to like or dislike Link based on actions he can take. Gifts, Destructive Behavior esc.) And how about a little more variety with the other races? I never saw 2 Humans who looked alike, but 90% of the Gorons and Zoras did (Not even Male and Female versions.)

Wind Waker- More interactive physics (Cutting the rope bridges for example.) and stealing weapons from fallen enemies.

Twilight Princess- The basic visual direction I like, as well as the the things you can do while horseback riding. It was a game origenaly intented of Gamecube, so the next one will realy have an opertunity to show what can be done with the wii.

Another factor I was thinking about (but will not hold my breath for) letting the players choose to make "Link" a girl instead. This would provide 2 things:
1.) They are always saying how they want to make the players imagination a key factor in the game, I've talked to some girls who say they picture themselves more as Zelda or Malon then they do as Link.
2.) If its pulled off right, then it would give all players a good reason to play though a second time.

[vegeta1215]

Good post redmage777. I think it would be cool to play as Zelda personally. It certainly would change things up a bit. Something BIG has to change in the next Zelda though - the formula is getting old I think.

[Modus Ponens]

I agree with you on everything, but want to put forth a theory.


And how about a little more variety with the other races? I never saw 2 Humans who looked alike, but 90% of the Gorons and Zoras did (Not even Male and Female versions.)

I always thought of this as an example of members of one race not being good at distinguishing members of another. We're humans, so we can tell the humans apart, but as for the Zoras and Gorons, well, "y'all look the same to me."

That said, I would of course still love to see more variety in their character models.

And, oh boy, have I always wanted to be able to play as Zelda, or Malon, or Kafei, et cetera, et cetera. I think that would possibly be the singular greatest improvement that could be made upon the series. (I cherished those few brief seconds in Majora's Mask in which you do play as Kafei, and desperately wanted more.)

[Orion]

Ah, yes I've been playing Majora's Mask again recently, and I've forgotten how good a game it really is. Not only was it fresh, but the game just felt so... alive. Almost like an RPG. I would love to see something of this sort again.

[AtmaWeapon]

I honestly wouldn't mind it if they pulled a Zelda II again and made a more RPG-based game. Either way, it'd be nice to see the Majora's Mask formula somewhat revisited.

I'm not so sure I'd like to see the 3-day limit again, but suppose they made a game with a 7-day week and night/day switches like Majora's Mask, then based NPC schedules off of this week. Really what Majora's Mask did was make 90% of the NPC characters important. The number of non-story NPCs in Twilight Princess is not only sparse but very few NPCs are really worth talking to. I had to force myself to talk to everyone in Castle town because honestly most of them speak rubbish. In Majora's Mask (up until I had quite a few of the townspeople memorized) you always wanted to talk to any NPC you saw because you'd usually get a hint or advance a quest or something.

[Modus Ponens]

I simply adore both Majora's Mask and Zelda II. If there were an upcoming Zelda game that incorporated elements from both, well, shit. That would be cool.

[mikeron]

I don't look up any info on a game my first time through, so I didn't have much of an idea. I'm playing through it again, because it's a really fun game. I'll just cheat when I get to the stupid triforce part.Playing through Twilight Princess, I got stuck in the forest temple, and I had to look online to find out how to open the door to the boss key. This was despite the fact that I've seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at least 15 times.