For the past few years, Nintendo players want to see one new game for the new Wii U, and that is an official The Legend of Zelda canon game. Unfortunately, that really isn't happening, but Nintendo is giving fans the Nintendo NX, which will feature a new The Legend of Zelda game. This game will be on display at E3 2016, and this is how to live stream or watch the event online, as well as the Top Ten new features fans want to see in the next Zelda game.
According to the Inquisitr, there will be no focus from Nintendo on their new NX console, which is extremely odd move for the company, as this is one of the biggest video game conventions in the world. Instead, it will focus on gameplay for the next The Legend of Zelda game, which is planned for a release on the Wii U and the NX.
Nintendo plans to kickoff E3 on Tuesday, 9 AM Pacific Time on June 14, as Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime introduces Nintendo Treehouse: Live, dedicated to a day of live-streamed gameplay from the new The Legend of Zelda Game. It is the first in-depth look at the game, which will have commentaries from Nintendo developers. It can be streamed on Nintendo's channels on YouTube and Twitch, not to mention http://e3.nintendo.com.
Fans of The Legend of Zelda series will have to wait to see what is in store for the game, but here are the Top Ten Things that Fans want to see.
1) An Official Release Date
So far, the new Nintendo NX is planned for March 2017, but there hasn't been anything specific other than that. E3 2016 could narrow that down to a specific date to mark on the calendar.
It's pretty clear that Nintendo is leading with Zelda instead of Mario, and the next Zelda game would be the free one that comes with the game, so the new Zelda game's release date looks to be exactly the same as the NX. By the way, can we get a subtitle for the new game? I'm tired of referring to it as "the next Zelda game for the Wii U/NX".
2) The Linkle Controversy
A lot of people are talking about the idea that there will be an inclusion of a female Link with Linkle, the female Link in the upcoming Hyrule Warriors Legends for the Nintendo 3DS. Perhaps the player can chose the gender of their hero to be male or female.
Honestly, the last few Zelda games have had the player choose the name, and even though it is established in the game that the main character is a boy, Link has had a very androgynous look since he became a 3D video game character. Maybe the better direction to go is have Zelda herself be a playable character for those that want to go the specific female gender route, but that would affect the storyline.
3) Better Graphics
This one should be filed under "duh". The Wii U has only just been given HDMI ability, which means that previous Zelda games on the Wii have never been given High Definition abilities.
This means that this new Zelda game will be the first official High Definition Zelda game, which means that Link and his environment has to look really, really good. There is a lot of competition out there, so let's see what Nintendo can do.
4) How Open is the World?
Back when the new Legend of Zelda Game had a 2015 release date, there was some screenshots of Link on a horse galloping through the countryside. It was promised that the new Zelda game would have more of an open world.
Zelda has always been very open world minded, and the last few games have really allowed the player to explore and find some Easter Eggs. If the developers want to take a page from GTA and combine it with The Witcher 3, that would be something.
5) A New Weapon
When Skyward Sword first appeared at E3 2011, one of the big things that was shown off was the flying Beetle that could retrieve objects. Zelda has always given Link some great items to help in his quests, and Twilight Princess had a Divining Rod that could give life to certain objects.
The developers really need to get creative to come up with something new other than double clawshots, as that is really the magic of the realm that draws players to the game.
6) New and Better Side Characters
One of the things that have made Zelda games stand out over the past few years are its side characters. Not only do they have some distinct personalities, but some of them have a great look. Who could forget Twilight Princess Malo, the permanent baby with the mind of Sam Walton?
It's pretty clear that the side characters give motivation for the player to save the kingdom of Hyrule. Hopefully, the developers will have some unusual and distinct ones this time around.
7) Even Cooler Dungeons
If you are a Zelda fan, then you love them dungeons. There is something about entering one, and then spending the hours it takes to beat the mini-boss, find the keys, and then take on the final boss using the special weapon found within.
These dungeons have a formula that probably shouldn't be broken. The issue is that they cannot be procedurally created, as they involve puzzles that have to be thought out ahead of time. The better and more in-depth the dungeon is, the better the game.
8) How Much Multiplayer?
When the open world of Zelda was shown off, there was talk about adding multiplayer features. Does this mean that Zelda becomes an MMO game? That would change everything that we know about Zelda and might ruin the single-player campaign vibe that has kept the franchise strong.
However, the idea of playing in this world with one's friends is certainly worth entertaining, but the game could begin to become a more multiplayer experience, like what has occurred with Star Wars Battlefront.
9) Implementation of New Technology
One of the reasons why Twilight Princess was such a hit was due to the user's ability to wield the Wiimote like a sword. That was good until Skyward Sword required you to hold it aloft in the air, which produced mixed results due to motion control.
Zelda games that have been ported to the Wii U have allowed the user to make the big controller into a mapping place of a second screen. That is a wise use of that for a Zelda game, but it is not known what new features that the Nintendo NX could have. It is possible that Nintendo could really makes something new for the NX that would have to compete heavily with the rise of VR systems like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and the PlayStation VR.
10) A Chance to Link the Links
Sometime during the popularity of The Legend of Zelda series, it became apparent that Link is essentially reborn as a heroic warrior. Some have said that there is a definite chronology to the game, but that has never been proven. It is clear that developers of the game value story, but that could be taken to the next level.
The developers of the new Zelda game would be wise to create a game that would perhaps link all the Links together for some definite answers. Of course, that could spoil the mystery of the game, but even just hints to other games of the series could make it worthwhile.
Fans of The Legend of Zelda series will have to wait a month to see if these things come to pass, but until then, we can speculate. Feel free to leave a comment below if you want to see anything that I didn't mention.
