How about a Zelda with a music theme?

I was just thinking about how OoT played with time, but MM took that to another level. The time limit was there, you could slow down and jump through time, everything had a schedule based on time, Clock Town was even shaped like a clock, and had 12 sides.

Well, music has been somewhat important in other Zelda games, mainly just by using the Ocarina to play certain songs to trigger certain events, the songs were kind of like magic spells. What I'm thinking is that Link could travel to a land that has music as its theme.

There could be an inventory similar to MM's masks, but it's different instruments you've picked up from sidequests and parts of the main quest. Each instrument would automatically play its own song when used, so you wouldn't have to memorize 20 songs. They could have various effects like transforming Link, warping him, healing him, giving him temporary abilities, making him invisible, harming enemies, making plants grow, changing the weather, changing the time of day, etc., and the amount of magic usage would depend on the instrument.

There would be an emphasis on music in puzzles, bosses, and even regular battles. Swordplay could be based on rhythm, different enemies would have different patterns based on the battle music itself, and fighting would be kind of a rhythm game. A boss battle could be hitting certain parts of its body in the right order to reproduce a melody.

There could be a tempo changing item that slows down or speeds up the environment, based on how quickly you tap a button, that would be used against enemies or to solve puzzles.

I think the music theme would give the developers a lot of room to be creative and just plain wacky. The hilt of Link's new sword could be made out of a flute, his shield could be a drum, he could even have a sound recording item similar to the pictobox that you need to present in sidequest situations.

The buildings in town would be shaped like instruments, villagers would have names with musical references, and minigames would involve playing with bands using the instrument of your choice. The trading quest could be about a song that each person gives you a new part of, so by the end you have to play the whole thing for someone.


I don't know, this sounds pretty magical in my head, the possibilities are endless. I think it'd be a breath of fresh air for the series.

I like that idea.

Whatever happens, the series needs to move forward. The information we get about the next Zelda had better scare people a little. Remember when you read the first magazine or online account about Majora's Mask? When i read it i pretty much though to myself "WTF" so much so that i didnt even attempt to wrap my head around the game until i played it.

Turns out it was a good move on Nintendo's part. A little weird, lil creepy for its time a little uncomfortable for the Zelda series as it didn't fit in with Hyrule or any of the rules/gods/Gannon that we had come to expect.

But it was great! Yes, some people hate it and thats fine but you can't deny that it helped form future Zelda's into what they are. You might hate MM but if you like WW or PH or TP then you have to give some credit to MM.

Even if its only credit to the development team for their code work. Or any small thing that Nintendo learned off the reaction to MM. It helped form WW,PH and TP in a way.

Its time to shake things up. Make us worry again.

The Deluge thing made people worry. I think thats great... its a step in the right direction even if it is only partial or no truth.

When Zelda fans worry, I get curious. When Zelda fans are excited, I get cautious.

I think that sounds pretty cool, but what if instead of a bunch of instruments with their own songs, you had a few songs, and a few instruments. Depending on the instrument, a song could have a different effect. Like one song always does something to Link, another for enemies, another for the environment, etc. I just feel like having a bunch of instruments each with their own affect would be too much like the masks.

Originally Posted by Linktomyass

Turns out it was a good move on Nintendo's part. A little weird, lil creepy for its time a little uncomfortable for the Zelda series as it didn't fit in with Hyrule or any of the rules/gods/Gannon that we had come to expect.

Gannon-banned.

Anyway, i wouldn't be surprised if there were musical influences in the next zelda game. They appear in a lot of the games, and work pretty well.

Originally Posted by Ploo

I think that sounds pretty cool, but what if instead of a bunch of instruments with their own songs, you had a few songs, and a few instruments. Depending on the instrument, a song could have a different effect. Like one song always does something to Link, another for enemies, another for the environment, etc. I just feel like having a bunch of instruments each with their own affect would be too much like the masks.

That would kind of limit the abilities though, wouldn't it? I mean if you had an instrument for warping, it would only work on Link, so it could only play one song anyway. If they forced all instruments to play all songs, the effects couldn't be as specific.

The instruments may feel a lot like the masks, but the effects would be more like the spells in AoL, or magic items like the cape or Din's fire.

I mean, yeah, I would like some more interactivity instead of just pressing a button to use an instrument, but I haven't figured out a way for different instruments and different songs to work.

i really dont like this idea, just because it would turn me off the series
but as a spin-off, a great idea

Zelda guitar hero!

Just kidding.

Music is already an extremely huge part of the game, however having it more as a main focus (as in, even more than Link's Awakening which was just collecting instruments), this would be smart.
However, the idea might need some tweaking to move away from the "meh" some people will think.