Topic: INTERVIEWS: E3 2007 - Roundtable with Eiji Aonuma

[Mashiro]

This is not a double post edited. X_X

[Kairon]

No, seriously, I hated that Tetra all of a sudden became this inert little character in Wind Waker. She was so cool... and then BAM, now she's completely boring.

But usually, Zelda isn't a typical damsel in distress, she's actually been shown to be pro-active in many games, even as early as LttP. Yet I don't think she can have an equivalent role as Link... that'd completely tear the legendary aspect out of the legend of Zelda. Whatever new way to portray her they find in the future, she should still distinctly represent the burden of responsibility and the triforce of wisdom, while Link, the Hero, through the triforce of courage, can face the more adventurous trials and challenges.

[UncleBob]

Quote
Originally posted by: TheYoungerPlumber
Why reinvent Link as a girl when you could just make a Zelda game featuring...gasp...ZELDA as the playable character?

Because if you make Link a girl, you could call her Linka, give her the power of wind and a Russian accent and make there be hints of lesbianism between her and Zelda.

[Jonnyboy117]

Well, look at how the Mario games have made Peach a playable character.  Even ignoring SMB2USA, which was a sort of fluke, Peach has had her own DS platformer and is playable in Super Paper Mario and (to a lesser extent) Paper Mario 2.

Ignoring the terrible CD-i game which Nintendo didn't make, the only game in which Zelda has been playable is SSB Melee...and she's one of the most popular characters in that game!  Between her princess and Shiek forms, I think Nintendo could make a fantastic action and/or adventure game starring Zelda.

[Ian Sane]

My reaction to having a girl Link is what's the point?  That doesn't really affect the gameplay or anything really so why do it when all it does is risk pissing off the fans that made Zelda successful in the first place?  Having Zelda be a main character makes more sense but again why do it?  It's just change for the sake of change.

I don't like how they're saying outright that they want to make Zelda appeal to non-gamers.  If you want to make Brain Age and stuff like that fine but don't F*CK with the good stuff.  Why can't Zelda be for Zelda fans?  No one is suggesting that non-games be altered to appeal to gamers so why is the other way around acceptable?  Nintendo also maintains that they're not neglecting traditional gamers.  Well then why even CONSIDER toying with such a "gamer game" franchise like Zelda?  Why does EVERYTHING have to be mass market?  With every interview and every press conference I feel more and more ignored by a company that would be completely screwed if those they're taking for granted now didn't support them over the last ten years.  The reward for loyality is abandonment.

[Bill Aurion]

"Well then why even CONSIDER toying with such a "gamer game" franchise like Zelda?"

To make things new and refreshing? (which is something Phantom Hourglass does in FULL...)  Come on, it's like you ask questions without thinking about the obvious answers...You're blinded by your rage over Ninty's "moving away from the core gamer" when that move is grossly exaggerated...  =|  

[KDR_11k]

Link is supposed to be the player's mirror image. By that logic, if there's a significant number of female gamers on the platform there should indeed be the option to play a female link. Not liek there's a reason to forbid it, e.g. Pokemon allowed picking a girl character in the later games too whereas the first ones didn't have that option. It's not like Link is such a well defined character that his gender is of importance.

[Ian Sane]

"Link is supposed to be the player's mirror image. By that logic, if there's a significant number of female gamers on the platform there should indeed be the option to play a female link."

Samus Aran isn't really much of a character either and yet all us guys have no problem playing a female character.  Why should there be a problem for the opposite?  When you play Metroid do you get detached because you're playing a girl?  I never feel like Samus is fighting space pirates and exploring the planet, I feel like I'M doing it.

[that Baby guy]

In The Legend of Metroid: The Ocarina of Fusion, Link is a chick and Samus is a dude.