Why No Zelda RPG?

Why No Zelda RPG?

IGN featured an interesting article about Nintendo characters venturing out from their core genres, particularly Mario’s repeated forays into the RPG world – “Should Other Nintendo Franchises Experiment with RPGs?”  The writer touched a bit on the possibility of a Zelda RPG, but I wanted to expand on that fantastic idea.

Link has been adventuring over vast landscapes and exploring deep dungeons for decades now.  The setting and theme behind the Legend of Zelda games lends itself perfectly to an RPG.  Epic storylines, expansive worlds, evil villains, and hordes of monsters to battle – all the ingredients for a delicious RPG stew.

But I can’t really imagine a Zelda RPG being turn based.  The games are truly action-adventure titles at heart, so the battles should have a similar cadence, perhaps like Ni No Kuni or Star Ocean: Last Hope.  The game must include dungeon crawling and the ability to use all of Link’s tools to solve puzzles, but the items he collects should be usable in battle, as well.  Bombs can blast away obstacles “in the field”, but in combat they can be lobbed to deal area of effect fire elemental damage.  The boomerang can retrieve items from afar in the overworld, but maybe damage or steal from enemies in battle.

Link should be able to upgrade his equipment, a concept that has been present in some form in each title.  More powerful, different elemental type arrows for the bow, hookshot/clawshots with longer range, bigger and more powerful hammers, snazzier tunics, and more.  Each power-up should be reflected In battle as well as on the field.  Collecting materials to make these improvements would be cool, an idea used in many other franchises today.

If I had a choice, the first Zelda RPG would spin its own original story, but elements from all the previous games would be borrowed.  How about a reference to the evil wizard Aghanim, or an appearance of the magical Wind Waker?  Shiekh would definitely show up, along with Tingle, the Gorons, Talon and Malon, and of course the princess Zelda herself. 

Speaking of the titular Princess, should she be playable?  Should Link have a party or go it solo?  RPGs without a full ensemble of playable characters are still very good (take for example Skyrim or Kingdoms of Amalur).  If he were to recruit friends along the way, it should run the gamut of unique races that have been created in the Zelda universe, as well as many of the recurring characters that we’ve grown to love (or hate).

Recent titles have done away with a magic meter, but Link should be able to perform some cool techniques and spells in a fight that draw from some kind of limited pool of energy.  Perhaps certain items like a Fire or Ice Rod would give Link access to spells at the cost of “MP” (or whatever it would be called in Zelda world).  Musical instruments like the ocarina should make a return too, allowing you to perform unique moves both in and out of combat.

There would have to be lots of collectibles to find, like Pieces of Heart (permanent boosts to Link’s “HP”), Rupees, gold skulltulas (or a similar variant), and more.  Like any good Zelda title, certain secret areas and treasure can only be accessed after you pick up a certain item and back track.  Alternate outfits with different bonuses should be unlockable (and Link’s look should change with each adoption), and maybe he would even be able to transform (like in Twilight Princess or Majora’s Mask).

In reality, I doubt we’ll get a Zelda RPG any time soon, but it would be great if the guys at the Big N were at least mulling the idea over.  They’d have to get some good third party assistance, but I think the end result would be a game both Zelda and RPG fans would enjoy.