What Zelda needs is a massive treasure hunt!

In Zelda games, there have always been two types of treasure: rupees and heart pieces. Rupees can be commonly found everywhere, from under rocks to defeated enemies, so although they serve as the game's currency, you don't get any special feeling when you find them. Heart pieces are cool treasures, as well as functional, but they too have lost some of their charm because of their appearance in every Zelda game.

So my proposal is that Zelda includes a Holy Grail equivalent; a treasure so rare that the sidequest to find it spans the entire game. Of course, for the quest to be worthwile, the treasure must make you feel satisfied with completing it. A magical item from the past games would be a good incentive for Zelda veterans, such as the Ocarina of Time or the Fire Rod (not exactly special, but a cool weapon never before seen in 3D nonetheless). Alternatively, it could be a new power-up that makes Link stronger, or gives him new abilities (although traditionally, this has always been rather boring).

If we go with the Holy Grail reference, the treasure could even be the TRIFORCE! In keeping with the Triforce's past actions, taking the Triforce could change Hyrule somewhat, like completing the Special Zone changed Dinosaur Land in Super Mario World. Changing the enemies or some NPCs would make an interesting twist to the game. Could we even throw a secret ending into the mix? Lots of things to think about there.

So how would we prepare the player to find the Holy Grail? First things first, DON'T TELL THE PLAYER HOW TO FIND IT! If you did that, players would just follow the instructions three months into the game's release, and finding the Holy Grail would lose its importance. At the very most, simply tell the player that the item exists... somewhere; perhaps an in-game scholar could make an off-hand reference to finding the Holy Grail.

To unlock the location of the Holy Grail, the player should be required to perform a multitude of tasks that don't become predictable when the first task has been completed. Grottos could become part of the challenge, as well as special NPC sidequests. There could also be hidden tasks that require inobvious solutions, but are hinted at by a nearby symbol. For every task that is completed, a nearby symbol begins to glow to acknowledge this, yet the player does not know why the symbols glow, of course.

When all the puzzles are complete, the structure that hides the Holy Grail opens (could be a large door, could be a hidden passage, it's up for opinion). Inside, we find a special dungeon that provides the biggest challenge, just to wow gamers with the hidden content. Completing the final dungeon unlocks the Holy Grail, that the player might use throughout the rest of the game with pride.

What do you say to this idea?

I like it. It's something that hasn't been done in a Zelda game and would breathe some much-needed life into the series. However, what would such an item be? Obviously it should be something of great importance, worth, or power. My idea would be a sword of some type, one more powerful in the magical and physical strength sense than the Master Sword.

Really, I think all any future Zelda games need to do is emulate The Wind Waker (in terms of the scale of the sidequests), Majora's Mask (in terms of the depth of the sidequests), and Ocarina of Time (in terms of the rewards of the sidequests, other than Heart Pieces and the traditional upgrades) in terms of side content, and the TP syndrome will be remedied. Having completely unnecessary items such as the Biggoron's Sword, Magic Cape, and so on that are actually worth the effort makes hunting for stuff all the more fun. Including a Trading Sequence on par with LA/OoT's is a must.

Add two or three massive secret dungeons in which these secret items are extremely helpful, and it'll really be worth people's while.

Originally Posted by LexLionHart

Add two or three massive secret dungeons in which these secret items are extremely helpful, and it'll really be worth people's while.

The items don't need to be helpful if they can be fun. The Ocarina of Time would be fun to play music, and I'm sure everyone would want to play pyromania with the Fire Rod.

Having lots of different items would inspire more variety, I admit, but there were some particularly special moments in games like Super Mario World and Banjo Kazooie, because they both had some big secrets that were very well hidden within the games themselves (and inspired a lot of online discussion). That's why I am referring to one big special item so that the player can say, "Wow! I am a super player!"

Wow. Why make it a side quest? A whole game should be developed around this! Something where you actually have to use your brain to figure out. So many Newbs would be frustrated beyond beleif.

Or they could make the prize a pointless one, such as a cow who lives in Link's home that gives him free milk whenever he wants, ala OoT. Completely useless, yes, but you still have the satisfaction of achieving something.

Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie were very successful action-adventure platformers because hunting and collecting was part of the central gameplay. Some of OoT's more successful puzzles emulated the puzzles in SM64 (Silver Rupee hunts in dungeons, for instance). I think that if Zelda incorporated more platformer item hunts and RPG-like random, hardly hinted-at sidequests, it would be more successful.

Originally Posted by LexLionHart

Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie were very successful action-adventure platformers because hunting and collecting was part of the central gameplay. Some of OoT's more successful puzzles emulated the puzzles in SM64 (Silver Rupee hunts in dungeons, for instance). I think that if Zelda incorporated more platformer item hunts and RPG-like random, hardly hinted-at sidequests, it would be more successful.

I agree. In fact, I can see the Wii remote playing an interesting role in the development of such a gameplay strategy. Combine it with a special incentive and what we create is the ultimate satisfaction in side-questing.

I think the greatest success of the Oracles games were the Rings. Added some customization and collectible flair to the games without making it feel forced (a la TWW), while offering powerups and nifty little Easter Eggs as well. I would also petition for the Shovel to make a comeback (Wolf digging didn't quite cut it; I'd like to see hidden treasure a la TWW that you dig up after finding a map to it).

Originally Posted by LexLionHart

I think the greatest success of the Oracles games were the Rings. Added some customization and collectible flair to the games without making it feel forced (a la TWW), while offering powerups and nifty little Easter Eggs as well.

I would be glad to see customisation in Zelda games, but only if all the items are readily available (I hate random item drops) and if you have the freedom to equip multiple powers (being able to equip only one ring in Oracles took the fun out of it).

I'm all for this. If Phantom Hourglass takes after Windwaker in this respect, I'll be a very happy man.

Originally Posted by LexLionHart

Add two or three massive secret dungeons in which these secret items are extremely helpful, and it'll really be worth people's while.

SECRET DUNGEONS!!!!!!!! Please, please, bring back that awesome aspect of Link's Awakening Nintendo. Yes, the series is moving in a new direction, but TRY to sneak this in somehow.

Sounds like a good idea. We can only hope something like this is implemented in the next big Zelda game.

you know wutd be great? if the "holy grail' was majoras mask. and when you wear it you can kill things just by running into them and stuff. but even npcs attack you cuz your evil and stuff. itd sweet and nearly pointless cool nontheless

If they were to make a game like that, they need to put Tingle in that game, just for the satisfaction of killing him repeatedly

I think removing the triforces from the main plotline would be nice if there were secret dungeons with 3 secret items in them that you need to get a piece of the triforce in a different dungeon, with names like courage, power, and love. And when you get the entire triforce, you have to battle a really tough boss to unlock a secret ending, and when you battle him you're like "Super Link", sort of like the Sonic games, with the 7 chaos emeralds, you know what I mean?

My idea for treasure hunting is similar: do the quest thingy you were talking about, but on a slightly smaller scale, but have lots of secret items, some weapons and useful things, some relics or statues which would go in links house, like the completely amazing figurines in LttP.

Originally Posted by Wolflink12

My idea for treasure hunting is similar: do the quest thingy you were talking about, but on a slightly smaller scale, but have lots of secret items, some weapons and useful things, some relics or statues which would go in links house, like the completely amazing figurines in LttP.

Ooh! A customisable house would be awesome! Decorate it with figurines and other stuff that you can buy in Hyrule.