In the Spirit Tracks demo from E3, we saw that Link has a Phantom as a sort of sidekick during the dungeon demo. The Phantom can fight, follow Link around, help him complete puzzles and it follows him from room to room.

What would you think of a Zelda game where Link had a fighting sidekick with him for most of the time? A sidekick that doesn't just give advice, but actually helps Link in combat.

The sidekick could have their own Hearts, Magic Meter, attacks, and equipment. Link could even give his ally some of his own items to use in combat.

The player could determine the sidekick's actions in combat, such as making the buddy stay close to Link, fight close up or stay back to use distance attacks. The buddy would follow Link in the overworld and the dungeon (except for minibosses and bosses). Any Rupees they picked up would go to Link, and any Hearts or Magic Jars that Link doesn't need goes to them.

Over the course of a game, Link could find special Heart Containers to increase his buddy's health, or Link could upgrade the buddy's Magic Meter. He could find the sidekick better equipment so the sidekick does more damage or gets new abilities to use. Link could even

Here's an example of what I was thinking:
Link has a Hylian soldier as a sidekick. The soldier has a sword and a bow he can use. The player is fond of swordfighting, so they make the soldier use his bow in combat. Link could then give the soldier Fire Arrows and the sidekick would use the Fire Arrows as long as he had magic.

Maybe Link could even have a wide selection of sidekicks. He could choose to be followed around by a Hylian soldier, a Zora warrior, a Goron champion or a mysterious wizard. Each could have their own strengths. The Zora sidekick would be necessary for a water-themed dungeon because he can swim well, while the Goron would be good in a melee. And the wizard could be equipped with Link's spells, allowing him to cause mass destruction.

Having fighting sidekicks also brings up co-op possibilities.

Would having a fighting sidekick be a cool idea in Zelda? What are your thoughts?

__________________
I am not going to be on this site for about a month (not that it matters much) until I get Spirit Tracks and beat it. (I don't want the plot spoiled, after all.) But I'll be back!