Zelda Wii and a 'broader audience'.

Many of you, and myself, waited for weeks for E3 2008 to finally come. We waited in sweet anticipation, and begged for a new Zelda title for the Wii. What we got was a list of 'casual' titles, videos of old people and toddlers playing on the Wii and an anouncement. An anouncement of a new Zelda game. That was much less than most of us had hoped for, but we still knew that a game would be made.
But then, in early june, the unthinkable happened.

" We want this next Zelda title to appeal to... to a much broader audience than any game before." Shigeru Miyamoto, from an IGN video interview.

When I heard those words, my hopes shattered. I knew that the next game would be a minigame collection with a hub known as 'Hyrule', and that, if I bought it, I'd be controlling a very young link as he whacked the cartoon-like and lovable enemies with large hammers. I had a (mental) siezure. The game would be terrible, horrible.
But then, concept art surfaced. It was certainly not what I expected. It showed an older Link, looking very similar to the Link in Twilight Princess, behind a girl that seemed to be the bastard child of the Master Sword and the Fairy Queen from the Wind Waker. I didn't know what the poster meant in the slightest. Soon afterword I went to a dave-and-busters-esque arcade run by Steven Spielberg and SEGA. They had one arcade game there, made by SEGA, about a young, newly married couple that battle hordes of giant insects and other small, but now large, creatures with automatic shotguns that have limitless ammunition. I noticed, however, that one of the protagonists was female. Suddenly I knew what Miyamoto's then-cryptic words meant.
By a broader audience, he didn't mean Grandma and Little Johnny. He meant girls. Know I understand why a girl was featured so prominently on the piece of artwork for the game. I predict that the next Zelda game for the Wii will have two playable protagonists, Link, and the girl on the poster. This, actually, seems like a pretty good idea. I imagine Link and that girl doing a co-op battle, battling hordes of bokoblins that are surrounding the hero and heroine.
Or maybe, maybe, instead, the girl would just be an important, but tragically unplayable, character and would not battle with you, preferring instead to be another Navi or Midna.
I hope it's the former.



Your thoughts?

I did'nt think of what Miyamoto said in the interview like this at all o.o Like you, I assumed it would be a very easy, dumbed down Zelda game which would appeal more to casual gamers than hardcore Zelda fans. But your theory has made me think of what he said in a different light. I certainly hope that something like this is being developed.

I hope so too. With Metroid: Other M, all the third party survival horror games and fighting games, and Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo seems to be losing intrest in the casual genre. Thank god.

Originally Posted by Valhelm

I hope so too. With Metroid: Other M, all the third party survival horror games and fighting games, and Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo seems to be losing intrest in the casual genre. Thank god.

Why the hell would they lose interest in the casual games? It's done far more for them than any of you "hardcore" have done...

And why are the "Casual games" in their own genre?

If anything, Mario Galaxy 1 is a prime example of what would happen if one of Nintendo's main franchises began to appeal to a "wider" audience.

You people sicken me. "Casual" doesn't mean "watered down". It means "accessible". "Casual" doesn't mean "low quality", Super Mario Galaxy proved that.

I have high expectations for the next Zelda, because it's being made to appeal to a wider audience.

Nowhere, I think you should notice, did I say that 'casual' games have lasting appeal, Double A.
And, I sicken you by not liking 'casual' games? People are allowed to have their own preferences, last time I checked. I too, have high expectations for the next Zelda. Also, Super Mario Galaxy really isn't a 'casual' game. It has a storyline, is not rated EC, is high quality, and most of all, is fun.

Originally Posted by Valhelm

Nowhere, I think you should notice, did I say that 'casual' games have lasting appeal, Double A.
And, I sicken you by not liking 'casual' games? People are allowed to have their own preferences, last time I checked. I too, have high expectations for the next Zelda. Also, Super Mario Galaxy really isn't a 'casual' game. It has a storyline, is not rated EC, is high quality, and most of all, is fun.

No, you sicken me by automatically assuming that alll casual games are bad, that they're not allowed to have a story, and can't be high-quality. The definition of "casual game" is not "bad game" or "lacking story". The true meaning is "accessible game", one that is easy to pick up, hence "casual".

Casual games can have lasting appeal, but to the right people, and this group of the "right people" vastly outnumber the "hardcore". Heck, the original SMB had no story, so therefore it's casual, aaccording to you. If they gave Wii Sports a story, would it be "hardcore"?

The only thing which makes a game a "casual game", by definition, is its accessibility. Super Mario Galaxy is one of the most accessible games out there.

And what is "EC"? Where I come from, the rating system is different.

It means Early Childhood. That was just me trolling. I'm sorry if I offended you. Well, to me, I decide if a game is casual by if it has an opening cutscene. That's why I think it's not a casual game, because it has a pretty long opeing cutscene.

Zelda already has a huge fan girl following. I know, all my friends (who are girls) and I are hardcore Zelda fans. My aunt once called Zelda a girly game...though I find that offensive. xD Nintendo new pholisophy is that they need to stop focusing on a small group and try to do things that would welcome new people. Just look at this the Wii has tons of players and yet only a small percent of those people play Zelda. I don't think this has to do with casualizing or feminizing everything...just make a wider appeal.

You see, though, that the really high selling ones are mostly casual games.

Originally Posted by Valhelm

You see, though, that the really high selling ones are mostly casual games.

6 Best Selling Wii games:
Wii Sports
Wii Play
Wii Fit
Mario Kart Wii
Super Smash Bros Brawl
Super Mario Galaxy

See? Your "hardcore" games do sell. Twilight Princess is eighth place

^ Wii sports really shouldn't count. Its packaged with the system, so of course its gonna sell best. By the way, if SMG is 6th and TP is 8th, whats 7th?

There is a diffrence between making a game that "appeals to a wider audience", and making a casual game. With the former, its a hardcore game that is also accessable to casual gamers. A casual game is something strictly designed for casual players.

I see no problem with taking a few steps to make a game more appealing to casual gamers, as long as they recognize that Zelda fans are thier primary audience for Zelda games, and as such, the intrests of Zelda fans should come first.

Lol...the casual games cheat though. Wii Sports came with system and Wii Play came with a free freakin' wiimote, why wouldn't buy that. Wii Fit...well, America is obsessed with losing weight so that was a given. I think Wii Zelda being bundled with Motion+ would maybe help it...or would it hurt?

Originally Posted by Zeldablue777

I think Wii Zelda being bundled with Motion+ would maybe help it...or would it hurt?

It would depend on how generous Nintendo is feeling. If they made it $60 or less, it would help. If they asked you to pay $80 or something rediculous, then it would hurt.

Just saying bundling seems to be a winning prize when it comes to the Wii. I absolutely hated Link's Crossbow Training but it's actually one of the best selling Wii games. 3 something million copies, easy money. *sigh*

^ Just as some games come with MotionPlus now Zelda Wii will probably come both with and without seing as how some people may have gotten 4 MotionPlus already.

Anyway, the next Zelda will not be a casual game. It might be more accessible due to Wii Controls and Demo Play. Also I doubt there will be a 2 Player mode. I just don't see that happening.

You know, there's also that picture of an older Link. Which leads us to believe that it is in fact, not going to be a "casual" game, but then again, anything can happen.

Originally Posted by Hombre de Mundo

Also I doubt there will be a 2 Player mode. I just don't see that happening.

I would personally love to see an online duel mode. If the wii motion plus can really do 1vs1 sword duels (like all the hype has been claiming), that would be the best way to showcase it.

Of course co-op in a normal zelda would be out of the question. However, a 3D spiritual successor to Four Swords as a wiiware title would be cool.

I never considered the fact that that girl could be a second playable character before. Your ideas are definitely interesting. I think it would actually be pretty cool if you could play as her as well. Although, I won't be too disappointed if she turns out to be another Navi/Midna, especially if they can do something cool.

Looking at what Nintendo are currently putting out right now, it is more likely that they meant broader as in attracting casuals, not bringing in girls or whatever.

Considering Link is meant to represent the player, having the girl as the second player would sand out way too much as she (if I am right) is the Master Sword, an iconic weapon. With such different backgrounds, its unlikely that it would be a second player.

If there were to be co-op, it would be in the form of a Tingle Tuner or something similar.

I do hope however that she does fight alongside you

I think, maybe instead of co-0p, you can just choose which character to play as.
Double A, Mario Kart Wii is casual. It's a good casual game, though.

Man of World, did they say it would come with demo play and will be MotionPlus compatible? I think it'd be pretty cool if it had the Wii MotionPlus.