Category Archives: Legend of Zelda

My Hopes for Zelda Mobile

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mastersword

I don’t consider myself a mobile gamer. I have some time-killers I play on the train, but I still struggle to see mobile gaming as “real gaming.”

But The Legend of Zelda is making the leap to mobile devices later this year and I’ll be on board for that. MORE ZELDA! Still, this version needs to feel as big as the franchise, especially on the coattails of Breath of the Wild, while adopting a mobile formula that encourages habitual use. Some features and functions that I’d love to see include:

Daily puzzles. The Legend of Zelda is legendary for its challenging puzzles- there are 120 shrines to solve in Breath of the Wild. With the breadth of functionality offered by mobile devices from touch screens to gyroscopic/movement-based controls, puzzle innovation is nearly endless and can be varied enough to not feel repetitive. Give me a new challenge every day

Real World integration. Hyrule is a HUGE place and I want to feel like I’m exploring it in the real world. Much like walking hatches eggs in Pokemon Go, I’d like my daily physical activity to translate to my mini hero in-game. Do I need to walk 3 miles to get to Zora’s Domain and unlock new puzzles? Bring me my running shoes and let’s go on a quest!

Link as a secondary character. I’d be less critical of it as a Zelda game and more delighted I get to play alongside my favorite characters and themes. Let me customize my own sprite who interacts with Link in my own story. Maybe Link is my silent sensei, training me to protect Hyrule so he can retire. Or maybe he needs me to rescue him! I love playing as Link, but I’m craving my own adventure. Mobile would be a perfect platform to try this kind of alternative story formula since it’s not a traditional vehicle for Zelda games and players’ expectations for mobile games are vastly different than console. There could even be an opportunity for microtransactions to buy new character features, clothes or accessories.

molduga

Selfies! It’s mobile! Come on. Those Wind Waker selfies were adorable and hilarious. Nintendo could drive engagement and promotion with a selfie feature that’s easily sharable to social.

What do you want to see in a mobile Zelda game?

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A Guide to TriForce Heroes Etiquette

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Now that we’ve had a couple weeks with the newest Zelda entry from Nintendo, I’ve put together some useful tips to help everyone have a more enjoyable (and fashionable) experience.

1) When selecting a dungeon within an area, go in chronological order. You may be eager to try your newly stitched Cozy Parka in Snowball Ravine, but this area could be totally new to the Unknown Heroes. Go through them in order. You’ll get to your unfinished business and everyone else can complete all the stages. It’s a co-op. So cooperate. As a bonus: you’ll get more materials and rupees.

Speaking of materials and rupees:

2) Share the wealth. I’m guilty of being a rupee snatcher, especially when I know where all the chests are hidden. Totem toss a buddy to that out-of-reach purple rupee from time to time.

3) Don’t mash “NOOOOOO” if you don’t get the rare(r) item at the end.

Speaking of mashing emojis:

4) Don’t. Seriously. The emojis are cute and can be crucial in communicating how to solve a puzzle to your teammates, but smashing “itemitemITEMITEMITEM” will not instruct Red Link how to use it. And during a stressful boss battle, those emojis are distracting and can block a crucial chunk of screen where we might be trying to carefully aim and time a shot.

5) Please, please don’t drop out if there’s lag. And DON’T drop out if there’s no lag. When I see the “Sorry, something urgent came up and I have to leave” speech bubble, I just assume you are a demented Skulltula- dropping in just to fuck shit up. Finish the dungeon and then leave from the lobby like a human being.

6) If you’re not wearing an outfit designed to boost the special items/weapons for each area, let other players choose first. You’ll only benefit from their extra power.

Playing TriForce Heroes? Leave your tips and thoughts!