GameSpot Video covers how Twilight Princess saved the Zelda franchise
A Link to the future
While The Legend of Zelda has always been one of Nintendo’s top franchises, after The Wind Waker released to GameCube, there were major questions for Nintendo if Zelda would continue to sell. Love it or hate it, Here is how Twilight Princess SAVED the Zelda Franchise.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is somewhat controversial in the Zelda fanbase. But, Zelda was starting to struggle before its release. Nintendo was extremely disappointed with how well Zelda sold in both Japan and the West, and after Wind Waker, the team tried Four Swords Adventure deciding innovations was what gamers were looking for. Unfortunately, it was another massive misstep and failure for Nintendo and Zelda.
So, Eiji Aonuma had a bitter pill to swallow. While he hated the realistic Zelda presentation Nintendo had shown to promote the GameCube, Western reactions had been positive to it. So, he presented a realistic Zelda to Shigeru Miyamoto, and the team went forwards with a more realistic Zelda - hoping this project would succeed. Nintendo doesn’t always have the time/money/resources to spend on long development cycles, as revealed by Satoru Iwata, so, hopefully Twilight Princess would succeed. Dave Klein breaks down this story with the help of Manley Reviews.
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ridleysaria
Even though doubters tend to come around, I think the Wind Waker art style was a mistake. I remember my sister watching me play Wind Waker and she asked “why does it look so bad?” A friend of mine decided to not get a Gamecube and went with Xbox because of Wind Waker. Another friend referred to it as “the ugly Zelda.” Anecdotal examples maybe but it shows that Wind Waker was divisive and didn’t do any favors for the struggling Gamecube. Twilight Princess was almost too dark of an over-correction. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s style finally found the happy medium, I’d say.
ridleysaria
11M agoEven though doubters tend to come around, I think the Wind Waker art style was a mistake. I remember my sister watching me play Wind Waker and she asked “why does it look so bad?” A friend of mine decided to not get a Gamecube and went with Xbox because of Wind Waker. Another friend referred to it as “the ugly Zelda.” Anecdotal examples maybe but it shows that Wind Waker was divisive and didn’t do any favors for the struggling Gamecube. Twilight Princess was almost too dark of an over-correction. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s style finally found the happy medium, I’d say.
ngamer01
11M agoI didn't hate Wind Waker when it released, but it came about at the exact wrong time after that Spaceworld demo which this misstep codified The Zelda Cycle for years to come until Breath of the Wild stopped it (I don't know if the cycle has been broken for good). Every game post-Ocarina of Time would be hated for not being Ocarina of Time, but Twilight Princess was bashed for being too much like Ocarina of Time.
In hindsight, people have warmed up to the games that were bashed when they were new. Mario Sunshine was hated for being a tropical version of Mario 64, but people warmed up to it. Double Dash!! was hated because it wasn't Mario Kart 64, but people warmed up to it showing the dual drivers was a nice twist on the Mario Kart formula.
In fact people still wish for Nintendo to bring back the dual drivers system as an extra tag mode for newer Mario Karts.
lionk
11M agoThe Wind Waker is still one of the truest Zelda titles imho. Zelda has always tried to bring new ways of playing and TWW did so much of that in the best ways. The art style is cute and timeless. It was rejected by screamers that were heavily influenced by the game graphics competition. Or they could have been switchers, now ps2ers or xboxers that thought that any game without blood is only for little kids ;)
Anyway there was in the west also a lot of high praise for the style and technical wonder that The Wind Waker was at its time I remember. The other party was just pretty loud. They were the GameCube bashers I suppose. But look at in now and we'll see that Cube is one of the biggest gems of console history.
TP was really nice I thought, but when I look back at those I prefer The Wind Waker. In fact I believe since that game Zelda didn't really have strong endings anymore. I feel I was most satisfied with finishing A Link to The Past, Links Awakening, Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker. Well maybe A Link Between Worlds is an exception to this. And of course I hope to add TotK to this list.
You’re right. Nowadays we’re hearing the 20-something’s who grew up as little kids with the GCN, but don’t understand the context on why Wind Waker is one of the most damaging games Nintendo ever made. After the Spaceworld tech demo, after Melee, people expected one in like with that Link. At a time when Nintendo needed to prove themselves with this gem, they just… didn’t. Soul Calibur 2 came out right after with a normal Link too. That’s the first thing when we think Link (prob until BOTW).
Wind Waker isn’t a bad game, no one really thinks that, but it hurt the company. The E3 2004 TP announcement reaction, the April Fools jokes on Wind Waker getting remade in TP art style that people REALLY wanted to believe, and the reason Toon Link needs an adjective before Link unlike every other Link kinda shows it wasn’t a successful choice.
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