Let’s face it, besides the Adventure of Link, the only thing changing in the Zelda series is what graphical style they choose to use in each game and perhaps instead of a regular boomerang, you discover a wing boomerang…compelling stuff. The series is in the mid 20’s and not much has change in its formula. There is an overhead view, Link collects the same items and attacks and defends the same way. Maybe it is time to take those elements that we love in the Legend of Zelda series and tweek it just a bit. The Final Fantasy RPG games are some of the most successful games out there, so imagine Link and Ganon fighting in a turn based attack RPG style game.
The Zelda formula could stay intact. Link awakens to be oblivious he is some kind of hero, all of a sudden a fairy bonks him on the head and just like that he is riding through Hyrule to save the beautiful elf-like princess Zelda. The only difference in the game play would be, each time you encounter an enemy you would enter a fight mode where you take turns choosing attacks, magic or healing options. Once the enemy is defeated, it would yield the same results as the series have always ha, rupees and heart pieces.
Not only would the die hard Zelda fans go for this, but you could attract a new style of gamer in who had never been a huge fan of straight up platformers and could possibly attract in gamers who for some reason only care for the graphic styles. After all, most of the attack scenes are usually pre-rendered and just repeat in different backgrounds and scenarios, Nintendo could take their time to create some amazing attack effects.
Before anyone complains that “this won’t work.” My response to you is, “it already has worked.” Nintendo turned side scrolling left to right Mario into a popular RPG series that continues to be best selling hits. They took all of the elements of the Mario series that fans loved and then turned it into a fun RPG adventure with turn based action. And for those who crave actually button mashing while attacking, Nintendo has also shown with Paper Mario that they are capable of incorporating ideas into attacks to allow for higher damage, such as hitting A or other command prompts at the right time. There is nothing preventing Nintendo from applying the same successful standards to the Zelda series.
At a time when new technologies are rushing in and Nintendo is looking for a hit, a RPG take on the Zelda franchise would be a breath of fresh air and offer us gamers a chance to see Hyrule from a new perspective.
