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Community Discussion: Blog by Poe | Skyward Sword's Impact on Zelda Fans and Why I Love DestructoidDestructoid
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About
I am a young sprout residing in the Dominion of Canada, a land rich in bacon and trees. The only goal I have is to evacuate this country and flail my limbs wildly in the United Kingdom instead.

I play video games because they are fun things but can also be art things too. I also like to bake things and enjoy listening to loud, obnoxious electronic music.

I tolerate living in a very small town far away from my friends with my mother while I search for work, preferably in a kitchen somewheres. Browsing Destructoid is my favorite thing to do to burn the large amount of free time I have.

I own a Nintendo 64, a Game Boy, a DS, a Wii, a PS2, an Xbox 360, and a laptop that can barely handle playing last-generation games.

While I played video games, I noticed that some were better than others. I took note and made a nice list of them.

- Super Mario Bros. 3
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Resident Evil 4
- Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
- Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
- Pokemon Crystal
- Diablo II
- Final Fantasy IX
- Animal Crossing

I have terrible taste in music. I am now going to impose it on you. These are the various musicians and bands that make me all fuzzy inside.

- Hadouken!
- Pendulum
- Black Sun Empire
- Far Too Loud
- Crystal Castles
- Lady GaGa
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor
- Coldplay
- Jamie T
- Feist

I also like video game music, much to the dismay of regular people. My favorite game soundtracks:

- Okami
- Super Mario RPG
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Final Fantasy XII
- We <3 Katamari
- Megaman 2
- Pokemon Gold & Silver
- Bit.Trip CORE
- Mario Kart 64
- Super Mario Galaxy

The only thing I like more than video games and terrible music is dessert. I like getting diabetes from oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies the best, but I also like a good chocolate cake, cherry pie, and hot cross buns.




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That E3 festival that happened last week put the serious smiles on my face. Amongst announcements of Nintendo's shiny new handheld with 3D-o-vision and the announcement of a brand new Paper Mario which was honestly my favorite moment of the show, we got to see the brand new Zelda game. I am a huge Zelda fan, and thus I poured over every piece of footage I could find to get a proper picture of what to expect from it. From what we've all seen, I am only more curious and excited than I was back when we only had a single piece of concept art to pick apart. The art direction looks splendid, the demo music sounds upbeat and beautiful and the environments look much more tight and exciting than the sprawling-yet-sterile areas that are so common in Twilight Princess.

With this generally optimistic impression I went to a Zelda fansite I used to frequent to see what other people thought, and I was fucking traumatized. The kind of venom and vitriol I found there was more akin to a parent's reaction to finding out their friendly neighbor violently raped their only child, or a world-class gourmet's impressions of a double-down. The depth of misery coursing through these people's veins was palpable and terrifying. There was only one thing I could think of in the midst of this stinking pool of disappointment and contempt.

This seemed more poignant to me at that moment than ever before. Here I was, a long-time Zelda fan revelling in the thrill and excitement of the series' newest installment, and my Zelda-loving peers were having a literal e-aneurysm over it. What had they been witness to that I hadn't? Had I missed something important? Is life just a series of random, uncontrollable circumstances? Is there a God, and if so does he like chocolate chip cookies? So many mammoth questions were stirring in my head, and with these queries I dove into the heated discussion for the purposes of doing serious Zelda-related JOURNALISMS.



These ....... are quotes. I couldn't have made these up. These are things that were said by people who claim to be Zelda fans.

"Easily the biggest disappointment of the show so far."

"I hate those graphics. I can't believe they went back to cartoony. How can you take this seriously with adult link?"

"That ain't right, they really shouldn't be allowed to get away with this."

"I freaking hate this cell shaded BS."

"After 365 days of anticipation and excitement, I feel entirely pissed on."

"And isn't Link supposed to look cool? Look at him. Look at those baggy pants, the low detail, the boring face, and that terrible hair style. It looks like early gamecube era."

And THIS is the one that really got me:

"As far as the story goes, I'll pass judgment after I play it, but I agree that Aonuma's 'placing emphasis on fun over the story' comment is nothing but alarming."

Yes, it's a fucking tragedy that Nintendo would even think of making a game fun.

...and this brings me to the second half of this blog's title, why I love Destructoid. The dialogue I saw amongst Dtoiders during E3 was just fun to read. People were talking about how happy they were about some announcements, how excited they were, and having a communal laugh over some of the show's less brilliant points like the Kinect event and Konami's one mirrion troobs. I didn't see anyone be a sad panda, and if there were sad faces, they were all overpowered by the general atmosphere of delight. No one was rocking back and forth in their swivel chairs screaming THESE GAMES ARE LIKE A POISON TO ME AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET HIT BY AN AUTOMOBILE SO THAT THIS TERRIBLE ANGUISH WOULD JUST STOP KTHX. No one exclaimed that they felt cheated or betrayed or hungry at any of the announcements at E3.



It is so shocking to hang around a site whose motto is STFUAJPG to then step outside it for half a second and be overwhelmed by the degree of contempt and anger people have over videogames, the things they apparently like so much that they want to spend their free time talking about them on the internet. I don't understand. Why can't people be happy?




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Those aren't Zelda fans. A true Zelda fan can recognize the brilliance of Wind Waker. That game changed my life. True story.
@Corduroy
Wind waker was my first zelda game and It was effen epic
I'll admit I was a little hungry for a short period there but the void was quickly filled with the awesomeness that is great games. Also, Wind Waker is probably my second favorite game after Link's Awakening.
Wind Waker looks ten billion times better than Skyward Sword so far.
Some motherfucker wanted a Zelda game centered around STORY?

Seriously. Don't even let someone so pointless bother you so much. It's not worth it.
Destructoid. We are filled with love and cheetos.

I don't mind people expressing their concerns that much, though I like to hear the optimists more. No, what really gets to me is the profits of doom and ruin, the people completely unwilling to see what a game has to offer beyond whatever hasty prejudices they've cobbled together.

But I rant. And you? You write a blog I like.
The picture of dead-eyed Link screaming freaked me out a bit when I scrolled over it.

Anyway, I don't think those are real Zelda fans. They seem less interested in the spirit and gameplay of Zelda and more in their preconceived notions of what these games should be (especially the "emphasis on fun over story" and "they shouldn't be able to get away with this" comments). If you really enjoy a series, you should still have faith in the next installment even if the art style changes or there's less dialog.
@ Corduroy Turtle: No joke, that moment when the King of Hyrule takes the plunge at the end pulls at my heartstrings every time.

@ Magnalon: True, but we are really comparing a work in progress to a finished product at this point. Comparing the batter to the muffins, if you will.

@ Beyamor: Oh, you are making me do the blushings. I certainly have concerns about the game, but I'm happy with what I've been able to see so far.

@ Trebz: I felt that picture accurately portrayed the general sentiment I found amongst those fans. It was that freaky.
Wow, that sounds horrible depressing. I know I've experienced shit like that, though. Just like you it always makes me more thankful for this place and the STFUAJPG motto. People can have complaints or worries about a game, but they need to keep it in perspective. I mean really, "they shouldn't be allowed to get away with this"? What kind of entitled asshole says that?
I'm somewhat so-so on it so far but optimistic nonetheless. While the art direction looks kinda, especially from afar, sometimes it looks like crap, but I can't say for certain.

The conference demo after miyamoto's epic entrance was somewhat disappointing in terms of lack of fluid controls but from the video's I've seen since I think it must have been some issue, layout or interference from the asstons of flashes or something I dunno. The controls definitely seem to "lag" a bit, though that's probably a problem with the motion+ and wii, but to compensate seems like parts of the combat are slowed down to give the chance, not a lot and not in a bad way.

So again optimistic... But I loved twilight princess too so maybe I'm just easier to please ;p
The Ocarina generation of Zelda fans have been the most annoying breed of franchise fanboy outside of the Final Fantasy VII fanboy. Really, they are so far gone there's nothing you can do to make either of them happy.

In fact, I'm glad they're unhappy and that Nintendo and Square Enix have both turned a corner and started ignoring them. They just put FFVII on PSN or to a mild remake of OOT for 3DS to get them to shut the fuck up.

I like Zelda games. I don't care if Link is grown-up or a kid, I don't care if the game is "realistic" or cartoony. I don't care if its 16-but or 3D. I was a grown man by the time Ocarine of Time came out. I grew up in a generation that was more accepting about how games looked.

And as for story - who the fuck cares about a Zelda story and how they connect? There's some progression in the games that followed OOT and them progression the the DS games that followed Wind Waker, but does it really mean Twilight Princess needs a follow-up? You can play any of these games without even playing the last and don't even have to play them in order.

I think Skyward Sword looks great. I'm just now getting around to Twilight Princess and enjoying that (well save for those sections with that Skull Kid thing).

Oh well, OOT fanboys are always gonna hate, it seems.
Definitely looking forward to the new Zelda game, so you're in good company here. Since some people are naming favorites, I will say that Twilight Princess is mine to date. I feel like Twilight Princess has the best marriage of aesthetic, world design, gameplay, and story (there's an actual story, with twists and character development and stuff) in the franchise. I'll also say that while I really enjoyed Wind Waker, I found it to be somewhat overrated. I know it's really popular among the community here and I was wondering if anybody would mind sharing why it's their favorite. Not trying to start anything, just genuinely curious. Always felt like I was missing something.
@RichardBlaine:
Topher Cantler wrote a whole article on it:
http://www.destructoid.com/the-case-for-cute-why-wind-waker-is-the-best-zelda-ever-138602.phtml
I loved the remark

"...How can you take this seriously with adult link?"

How can you take a game with a child as the protagonist seriously?
@q-pa

Seemed to be more of a defense of the art style (which doesn't need defending, it's quite good) than an argument for why it's the "best Zelda ever". But if those are the generally accepted reasons, then sure. I guess I just always found the gameplay somewhat wanting. You could sail your heart out but most of those islands rewarded your efforts with a handful of rupees and I never felt like there was as much to do as in other titles. Fewer dungeons, fewer tools, etc. Just my take. Anyway, back to this blog, Skyward Sword looks to be very promising.
wind waker was awesome, but here's my deal with skyward sword.
A: I really liked the darker art style of twilight princess, and I am sad to see it go
B: I really don't want to feel like Legend of Zelda: Wii Sports Resort, which is what it feels/looks like to me right now. All those gadgets are very similar to a different sport on the island, and it ust feels like an exercise in how many they can cram into one title
Nintendo could leave a dump on my doorstep and put a slip of paper on it that says "The Legend of Zelda: Porchside Poop" and I'd probably love it. So I'll probably end up loving this as well.
@ The Silent Protagonist: I agree completely, FFVII and OOT fanboys are scary and should be avoided at all costs. The irony of it is that from my perspective, these fanboys have been getting exactly what they want and they can't appreciate it.

@ RichardBlaine: My personal favorites are Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening. The Wind Waker had very fun fights where tons of monsters would hone in on you all at once and it was good fun ploughing through them all since the swordfighting was so fluid. The plot was also quite good. It was very simple but very well told and kind of emotional at the end. There is also a surprising amount of interesting NPC interactions to find if you're willing to dig around a bit. I especially like that salesman who wore the parka, he was awesome.
You must be new to Zelda cuz i've seen this happen on console Zelda games before since OoT, it's kind like a cycle where hate and whining rains before release (i think it's related in part to delays) that magically changes into love once the game releases, to me it's been a constant in Zelda games since i became a Zelda fan back at Z:aLttP, here's my experience:

Z:OoT: This was the first time i heard bitching about Zelda games, it kinda went something like this

"Zelda in 3D? that's stupid, Zelda's always been in 2D! Nintendo's gonna mess it up!."

Z:WW: This one is the one i remember the most, people centered so much on the new cartoony and forgot that Zelda is all about gameplay.

"WTF is this? this is not Zelda, it's more like Celda, this is gonna suck ass!, Nintendo fucked up!"

Z:TP: In this one the usual drama cycle was ironically reversed, Nintendo tried to reach to the fans that complained about WW looks by going back to the series roots and all was well before release, after release though, the whining began

"WTFITS! Nintendo duped us and sold us a OoT remake with cool graphics! we want a real new Zelda dammit!"

Based on this, i advice you to stop listening to any comments by "fans" before release date, stick to the news and look away for comments or as you've wisely chosen, stick to Dtoid where the community is 90% whining free.
Liked:

- The quasi-cell shaded art style.

It was surprising to see a mix of Wind Waker meets Twilight Princess.

- Motion control done right.

Twilight Princess was very disappointing with its waggle-based basic sword attacks. With Skyward sword, Nintendo is properly doing the game justice thanks to the use of MotionPlus.

- Orchestrated Music

If the game really does end up featuring orchestrated music as Miyamoto commented on, then that's a big two thumbs up from me. Besides, the franchise deserves it.

- Potentially interesting story.

I like how Skyward sword's story seems to be putting a big focus on the Master Sword. I've always been interested in the franchise's lore.

- I like how Skyward Sword seems to incorporate more strategy with enemies. Having to attack some enemies in certain ways and block others helps comfort my concerns of the game possibly being as ridiculously easy as Twilight Princess.

Disliked:

- As much as I liked the overall art style, I could not ignore the bland and flat look of the environment and some of the textures. This is a first-party Wii title after all. On the bright side, the detail on the Scorpion boss looks impressive. I realize that Nintendo require more time to be spent on polishing up the graphics especially when it had stated to reverse the developement of the game design by working on the graphics last.

- For all the years we've been waiting to see the game for the first time. The trailer felt too short and lacking in content. Nintendo could have at least shown off an actually exciting looking environment.

- Sling Shot weapon

Why exactly is this weapon making a return? I know it is a beginner's weapon since it is weak and rarely used.I just don't see why we need to keep it in our inventory throughout the game like in Twilight Princess. It's just a pointless throw away item... yet we can't THROW IT AWAY.
We love you too Poe.

Those quotes you posted all made me laugh. I hate it when people begin to judge a game before even playing it. The guy with the whole "story vs. fun" needs to be slapped. If he wants a good story, read a fuckin' book.

People can be idiots a lot of the time, and that's when I take the time to sit here and laugh and them.

Oh and Skyward Sword looks awesome. I have no doubt at all that it will be a very good game.

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