Control Scheme Idea for Zelda 3DS

***First off this is a repost from a response that I wrote for a poll on Zelda Universe not too long ago. This explains why some you may not understand some parts however you should be able to make pretty good sense of it. I hope you enjoy.

After I read this post think I must have sat for about ten minutes just staring at the screen pondering this question. What control scheme would I like? It's a question that I've often pondered, but not in great depth. I've thought a whole lot now about each category and would like to share my opinion. However I won't only share which control scheme that I like the best. No, no, that would be too easy. I'm also going to tell you why I don't think that the other's should be used. So basically this comment will be Deal or No Deal style, starting with the control schemes that I would not like seen and ending with my favorite.

Alright, well here goes nothing. Alright, let's start with DS-style. Yes, although it may be to the dismay of some reading this is the first style that I would not like to see in Zelda 3DS. It's not like I dislike this style. In fact I quite like this style. However, I would like to see something newer, and this style did get old after some time for me because I played both of the DS games quite frequently. However there are other schemes that's I'd like to see better.

The next category to go is going to has to be the "other". Now of course this does bring up some very interesting ideas. Actually there are so many interesting ideas. Infinite ideas! o_O Unfortunately, I'm too uncreative to figure out many. I actually think that I would really enjoy a game with controls in this category, but it would have to be a really good idea, of which I can not think of even with much pondering.

So which is the next to go? Will it be the hybrid or the traditional control? Well after much thinking (like a half hour), I realized that the next to go was *insert dramatic pause here* tradition control! *readers gasp loudly* Contrary to the majority of what the other votes are going towards at this time, I feel that this is not the way to go, and I truly do love this scheme (now that I think of it, I enjoy most of the schemes quite a lot). I grew up with it for Din's sake! I can still remember Saturday morning playing Ocarina of Time with my cousin, but this is not a time for a trip down memory lane. The reason that I don't want this scheme is because I love it so much. It's kind of like how I might always get the #2 meal at McDonalds so often that I never even think to try anything else out on the menu, but one day, I get a #4 and fall in love with it. I think Nintendo needs to try out new things so that we can fall in love with it! Let's face it, this control scheme is the best, but I feel it's time for something new! So without further ado...

***MY ACTUAL VOTE/IDEA STARTS HERE***

So I guess anyone actually taking the time to read the top half of this has figured out that my vote for what I would like to see as the new Zelda 3DS control scheme goes to (feel free to make a drum roll where ever you are at this moment)... A HYBRID! At the beginning of my deep thinking this actually came out towards the bottom of my list for my potential vote, but then I thought about it really hard , and, BAM! it hit me! I thought of how a hybrid style game could do everything that the 3DS was made for!

Imagine this: You're exploring a mountain in your traditional 3D style. Suddenly you see the slightest bit of something peeping up over the edge of a cliff that's some ten feet above your reach.You think to yourself, "What could that be?" With a quick hit of the "Up" direction on the D-Pad, the whole Zelda world is flipped up to an isometric point of view! Now you can see what's on the cliff from the new perspective. You notice that the cliff also pops out because of the 3D! Anyways you notice that what you saw on the cliff was just a tree stump. However you realize that there is a root prominently sticking out from the stump. This is a perfect spot for for your grappling hook to grab on to! Still in the stop down view you target the root and use the touch screen to propel the grappling out of the screen because of the 3D and onto the root. Subsequently you scale the cliff, watching the 3D slowly adjust as you climb, and BOOM! You're now on top of that area you could not previously get to! You switch back to the traditional 3D perspective by pressing "Down" on the D-pad and keep going.

This mechanic of switching between a traditional style and the DS style could offer so much to the gameplay! Maybe switching to a isometric view would allow you to see a pattern on the ground that you must the draw on a door to unlock it. Maybe there would be a pattern on a little area in the wall that you would only be able to see in a traditional 3D perspective! Just think about how the 3D effects would look in this game as you switch to a isometric view. The hills would gradually pop out, cliff above you would protrude a lot more than other things around you! It would be absolutely gorgeous!

Now as for the how I think this would be controlled. Your items, sword, and actions would be controlled by the ABYX buttons just like in Ocarina of Time 3D. You would navigate menus and maps with the the touch screen like in Ocarina of Time 3D as well. Also some items could have to be used with the touch screen as well as with the standard controls. For instance, you could assign the bow to the X button, and then press this button while in an isometric viewpoint to have a display of your bow come up on the touch screen. Simply pull back on the string and let that arrow fly! To put the bow away, you would simply press the X button again. In a traditional 3D view, you could use the bow just as you do in Ocarina of Time 3D, once again being able to choose between the motion controls or the standard circle pad. The upside to using items in an isometric point of view is that you could use item while walking because you would not be using the control stick to use the item. The targeting and shield would once again be controlled by the R and L buttons.

This has been my [very long] vote/ideas for what the control scheme should be for Zelda 3DS. If you took the time to actually read this, you are awesome! Please leave your feedback because I'd love to find new ways to make this idea even better! I love you all!

-BRS

My control scheme:



The touchscreen can also be used for things other than item storage. Swiping left or right on the screen brings you to other menus, such as equipment or maps. With a Circle Pad Pro, one can use a free camera similar to that of the GameCube Zelda games. The HUD resides entirely on the bottom screen.

There will also be an option to change the button layout. This alternate layout will change the sword button to B and the context-sensitive button to A.

By the way, context-sensitive means that the button action will change according to the situation.