“Regarding use of other forms in technology in the future, as long it adds to the overall game experience and is something we feel the player would enjoy, we wouldn’t be afraid to implement it. As a matter of fact, we have used the Hook Shot in several previous games, which would be considered a very modern type of technology, even by today’s standards.”
In yet another interview with (you guessed it) Zelda Director Eiji Aonuma, gaming website Kotaku brought up an interesting question – just how modern will the Zelda series get? Referring to the train in Spirit Tracks, they asked how far the technological advancements would go, and whether modern devices like radios or guns would ever be introduced.
“Technology actually was not a major concern for us when we decided to use the train. In The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, the boat was the key mode of transportation. Now that Spirit Tracks takes place on land, we needed a new way for players to get around, and felt that the train offered the best sense of exploration and discovery.
We don’t think it feels out of place in the game world. Trains are also a popular mode of transportation in Japan. My children and I still feel a great sense of adventure when we ride trains in Japan.”
Nintendo not being concerned over the level of technology required of an item actually makes a lot of sense, considering that technology has never been a constant in Zelda games. As early as the Zelda II: the Adventure of Link such devices as elevators were being used, and Twilight Princess even contained a city in the sky powered by technology!
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November 30th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I actually saw an "April Fool's Day" video on youtube once called "A Link to the…Future?"
In it, a Zelda title like no other was discussed. Giving the Zelda game a Final Fantasy like feel by bringing in people from Square Enix to help. It showed many types of highly advanced citys, many swords (including a beam sword), and a few different fire arms so Link could pack some extra fire power. Even Epona was not a horse, but the name of a motorcycle Link would ride around on.
And recently I heard speculation that after boats and trains, Link will have a plane next.
I would like to see some interesting tech in future Zelda titles, but honestly, they will have to try and keep some control over the tech or it will get out of hand.
November 30th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
"best sense of exploration and discovery"? you can't even get OFF the friggin thing!
but you know, their right. as long as it doesn't lose the over all genre of "Medieval fantasy" they could have plenty of advanced tech.
actually i did once have a fanfic idea of Link and Zelda living in like, a totally futuristic world, where they would have hover skates and com-links and stuff.And the Master sword was so old that only the hilt was left, so the actual blade had to be made of light, and, well, yeah, stuff like that. I called it "Zelda Zellenium"
November 30th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I really can't see the LOZ have technology. Well I can see it with like the foot power elevator they had in TP and the boat and train but I really can't see anything else in the series.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
The train really doesn't bother me considering the pictograph. The first known permanent colored photograph was taken in 1861 and the first full scale working steam locomotive was built in 1804 (NOTE: All dates are pulled from Wikipedia and therefore are subject to being wrong.)
November 30th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
They already did introduce guns to zelda. Remember the bazooka Auru had near the end of TP when he blew up the lizalfos?
November 30th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Lol. I actually had a wierd dream a couple of years ago, about how nintendo would eventually make a modern zelda game that takes place in the big city, with lights and modern machines, kinda like the new york look. Link is dressed in futuristic clothes, and he accidentally stumbles in this secret sewer passage way, and there he finds this box that contains the tri-force of courage. Once he touches it, he gets zapped into a new looking world, a world in time that resembles the the land of Hyrule, when it stood still. That would be a cool feature. Exactually like Link to the Past, except the zelda future looks more like ours, and the past looks like the original wooded areas =).
November 30th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
GUNS?!? IN ZELDA!!
Please, please, please, I'm begging you Nintendo, please do it.
November 30th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I'd perfer not to have guns in LoZ. For the fact that it would 'ruin' the midevial age feel. (or which ever era all the games were set) Bringing guns is an iteresting idea but it would make the game feel more like a Final Fantasy game. Don't get me wrong- FF series are awesome! It's just that it wouldn't feel right. I'll probably get the reaction older people got when they played the unauthorized game of Metal Gear 2: Snakes Revenge. It was completly out of place from the original Tectical Espionage game Hideo Kojima made. Sure Nintendo, Advance however you'd like. But please don't overdue things! PLEASE!!!!…. PLEASE!!!!!
November 30th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
The Hookshot is a lot like a gun, but I do think cross bows would be pretty cool to add. Bow with a scope that shoots like a gun and still keeps the medieval fantasy feel to it. I mean they had pirates and canons in TP and cameras, why not primitive rifles? Just make it powered by magic or something
November 30th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
If they introduced guns I would sue nintendo :L
Nah Im joking, but guns, in Zelda? -_-
You gotta be kidding me.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
there were guns in medieval times… http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve...
November 30th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
there were guns in medieval times… http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve...
November 30th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
It's true, they do have hinted rifles and such, but I still love that classic swordplay. Who doesn't? I have to admit though, a magical gun sounds kind of fun.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
That was more like a canon, actually. There are lots of those in Zelda.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
But guns will make everything too simple. You run around shooting enemies, and it's no longer an action RPG. It's a 3rd-person shooter.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:02 am
You monster! You dare display an artifact of the past?! lol. I know there were guns back in the day. Im just sayin it wouldn't feel the same. But thank you for posting the hyperlink.
But either way, If they added guns, ill hold the grude and play it anyway.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:25 am
Fable II.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:44 am
The bow didn't cause that, why would a gun?
December 1st, 2009 at 1:03 am
I don't think of it as a bad idea, but I'm not exactly for it either… Yea, it would be cool, going around and doing headshots… but it would, for me, take away the challenge… The bow doesn't harm some enemies, therefor it isn't an own-all. Plus, if it does work, it doesn't instantly kill them… But unless they developed bullet-proof armor along with it, it would be basically a one-shot-own-all… So, I guess I'm more against it, but it would be cool if they added it… Oh well, they do what they want…
December 1st, 2009 at 1:08 am
If you remember, in TP using the Hawkeye-Bow combo was pretty much, well… a bow with a scope. It's not really that far off from what you're suggesting.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:12 am
Not necessarily. Even in real life guns aren't always a done deal when it comes to killing people in one shot. Realistically, a gun item that killed *everything* in a single hit would be stupidly overpowered to the point of not being any fun to use at all.
Basically, if guns were introduced (like I so desperately desire), they would simply be another ranged weapon similar to the bow, and would probably have the same overall killing potential.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:45 am
Whoa! hey guys, I just got the latest Gameinformer issue. Issue #200. it has a cover story that will be being mentioned here. No question.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:50 am
I'd say that Zelda is going down the same road like final fantasy the first few games were medival and all, but now it's almost pure science fiction. . .
December 1st, 2009 at 2:50 am
I really hope that nintendo doesn't ad guns. Sure it wouldn't ruin the game but it might turn into a "shoot em up game". Besides there are plenty of other cool things that they can do like the hookshot, the fairy bow, and the megaton hammer. All in all they don't need to ad guns.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:53 am
If you watch Anceint Discoveries on History channel they show the kind of technology that existed in the medieval times and even centuries befored that (Bronze age) and you'd be surprised on the type of weapons and technology they had for their time.
I think Zelda is fine being set in the medieval era, it makes the game more epic instead of another typical shooting game that all the other systems continue to make these days. But some sort of advancement (within the era) wouldn't hurt, it's just add onto the fun gameplay
December 1st, 2009 at 3:44 am
Thank you, as long as Nintendo makes the balance between sword and gun then I'm OK. You don't just keep using your bow b/c you'll run out of arrows, then with a gun you'll fun out of ammo if you just simply use it
December 1st, 2009 at 3:46 am
Oh yeah I forgot about that,and it was cool, but I was referring to how they would use the crossbow. But I still refuse to get Link's crossbow training even though I love the idea. I just hate spin-offs ever since Mario Party and Mario Kart became terrible.
December 1st, 2009 at 3:57 am
I really like the vibe I'm getting from these latest developments in the game. I'm not knocking the spinning attacks and such, I just miss the old traditional way. After Zelda 1, they made the beams really short-ranged, weak, and even ineffective against most enemies in Zelda II. It was a little more effective in Link to the Past, at least, but they ditched it going 3D. Glad the hand held games kept it, all I'm saying is that the technology is all over the place, it gets good then bad, then back up again. I think the best way to increase difficulty is to make harder puzzles, as puzzles don't kill you. Not everyone can be as good at hand-eye stuff like combat, which I believe in another topic it talked about it actually getting better. But, the technology is good and bad, and it's the same as every thing else, all opinions.
December 1st, 2009 at 12:29 am
In my eyes, people really need to drop the whole "guns would ruin Zelda" mentality. Really, it wouldn't. Numerous games have successfully applied archaic firearms to great effect, such as Fable II or Medevil 2. If guns were introduced, there's a very good chance that it would function in much the same way.
Also, to anyone that brings up the ridiculous idea of Link running around with an AK-47, shut up before you even begin to type. You'll do both yourself and everyone else a rather large favor.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:52 am
What if the gun had some kind of charge mechanic? Like a long-range equivalent to the spin attack? After all, old school firearms had some pretty lengthy reload times.
December 1st, 2009 at 5:04 am
Guns would be ok in Zelda as long as it doesn't turn out to be "Devil May Cry 5: Zelda Edition".
December 1st, 2009 at 5:52 am
If you ask there’s a moderness threshold were Zelda would stop being Zelda, I think the magical steam train in spirit tracks is just at that threshold , you know what I mean? Not so advance that it doesn’t feel Zelda, yet any further and it would be too new. So as long as link doesn’t become Cloud or Shadow (shudder), I’m ok.
Just leave guns outta it; if you want guns, Nintendo has a series for that already.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:27 am
If you must get technical, the flintlock mechanism (which I'm sure Zelda would use should guns be featured) has been around a lot longer than even the oldest trains. Really, they're nowhere near the threshold you speak of.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:41 am
i really like the idea of primitive guns in Zelda. Either a crossbow with a scope or some sort of sniper. And now people are going to try to kill me with words
December 1st, 2009 at 6:44 am
Why not try some thing new instead of sticking to the old stuff? Oh, because all the fans shoot down games like that before their out.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Link had a Game Boy Advance in Wind Waker.
December 1st, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Yeah -I read somewhere Link would travel on a plane in Zelda Wii
December 1st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
The next one is probably a prequel to all the other games so hope for modern technology next time.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Its almost like saying, I'd rather use guns instead of a bow and arrow, and that doesnt sound like zelda. If the guns were ONLY meant for the enemies, that might make the difficulty of the game a little interesting. Mel Gibson once said in South Park, "To make a gerat movie, jone must look at all the things in the movie, and see what doesn't fit." and I think guns in Zelda would represent that giant pimple on a beautiful face. lol
December 1st, 2009 at 7:21 pm
LOZ DOES have technology – Look at Majora's Mask – The Zora Rockband? And wtf was up with those beavers?
December 1st, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Then what about the great bay temple huh? it was filled with machinery pretty modern.
Excuse my Error-esque english
December 1st, 2009 at 11:20 pm
As much as i wouln't want guns in a zelda game, i would enjoy running through hyrule feilds with a P-90
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:20 am
Yeah, that's me too. And a crossbow would still be neat, but I'm just not sure I could depart with the bow. It's a classic (and should be made much more fun with the wii motion plus, hopefully). Maybe both could be in the game, and certain situations could merit using one over the other. The possibilities are endless!
December 1st, 2009 at 11:20 pm
As much as i wouln't want guns in a zelda game, i would enjoy running through hyrule feilds with a P-90
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:23 am
What about crossbows? Or even some kind of musket?
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
im thinking that they are talking about muskets people