The next addition to the Legend of Zelda series is delving deeper into RPG territory with word that it will feature a full-on upgrade system for items and weapons. Until now, Link would just get more and more cool gadgets with occasional enhancements, but now he'll be able to strengthen his whole arsenal with resources found in the game.
"What we’ve done with the game this time that I think is a little different is we’ve built an entire upgrade system into the game," said Nintendo's Bill Trinen. "Link has his traditional shield, but you actually get a lot of different shields in the game. You start off with a very basic one, and as you fight enemies you’re recover these treasure or artifacts that you then use as resources to upgrade your items.
"You can do that with the shield, you can do that with the beetle, and some of the other items that you have. You’ll be combining your collection of rupees and your collection of these resources and improve the items you have."
The beetle alone was making me excited for Skyward Sword, but a beetle I can upgrade? That's just shot into the top five of my 2011 "DO WANT" list.
[Via GameSpot]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
27 comments | showing # 1 to 27
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
10:45 AM on 07.25.2011 | 
Just need a release date now...
I can just imagine, $5.99 hats for Link, $2.99 to dye links tunic purple.
I hate because I love, Nintendo, honest. >.>
Of course, "leveling up items" is an old as hell mechanic, and has been done for decades, but Zelda does so many other things right, it's hard to call them out on it.
Seriously, is there anything whiners like these are happy with?
The Gold Gauntlets always peeved me a little. It felt like they tossed those in Ganon's Tower just to have something, that and it made Nabooru look like she got herself killed for nothing over the Silver Gauntlets of the Spirit Temple.
The Gold Gauntlets were good for moving three pillars. Granted, one of them gave you the defense upgrade at the final fairy fountain, but still. They could have just let the silver gauntlets cover that (they looked cooler anyway). Its not like Ganon's Tower actually needs a new toy in it.
I'm all for some upgrades to everything, so long as in exchange the take the heart container upgrades back down from five to the usual four. Yeah, Twilight Princess was spreading that stuff pretty thin. I would hope for property upgrades to tools, but I guess just powering 'em up works too.
I hope we get Bombarrows again - the upgrade that's just coincidental. I liked that TP brought that back from Link's Awakening. Why plant or roll bombs when I can shoot them where I want them to go?
green, blue, and red jerkins/tunics/armor
regular and magic boomerangs
multiple swords, for example wood->white->magic in the first game
shields, generally wood->metal->mirror
different arrows/bows. regular->silver if nothing else
lifting ability, for example goron bracelet->silver gauntlet->gold gauntlet in OoT
the magic book upgrading the magic rod in the first game
great fairy upgrading fire rod in four swords adventures
if we were talking guns ammo capacity would be considered an upgrade so I guess we should count bomb, arrow, deku sticks, deku nuts, deku seeds, etc as item upgrades
Agreed! The gauntlets were a bit of a sore subject - especially since they directly lead to the coolest upgrade in the entire game, that you could only use for the last 15 minutes!
It wasn't addicting.
After seeing the initial artstyle of TP/WW mashed together, I had assumed Nintendo was going to reproduce another soulless title for the franchise. TP was a clear attempt at following "the formula," except is was completely devoid of any emotion to the point of being laughable. The world was so lifeless, and the bug collectathon didn't help but to make the world seem like an excuse to unimaginatively place collectables across a larger area.
Artsyle aside, SS really seems to be embracing change, and that really has me looking forward to this game's release! I am genuinely excited for another Zelda!
No, the Nintendo method of Rupee-related upgrades is: 200 Rupees to upgrade your Beetle's speed, but your starting purse maxes at 199 Rupees and you can't get a larger purse until passing a specific event 1/3rd of the way through the game.
Unfortunately, I bet Nintendo still manages to have a cluttered inventory full of a bunch of limited special use items. Like Wind Waker, where you had a sail that you could only use on a boat and a sail-sized leaf that you could only use off of a boat, or the grappling hook that only worked on specific locations along with a separate hook shot that only worked on completely different special locations.