It seems like it was just the other day that I fired up The Legend of Zelda on the NES for my first time. My ear drums doing dances for joy at hearing the legendary Zelda theme, making Link run around and shoot laser beams at enemies not really knowing exactly what to do, or where to go. As time moved on, I remember playing a totally new adventure with A Link to the Past. I remember smiling slyly at the cute new sprite work in The Minish Cap. Great moments in history provided to us by the 2D Zelda world. Have we witnessed the end of that era?The last 2D Zelda title to hit the states happened in January of 2005, with the release of The Minish Cap. Is it too soon to say the 2D era is over? After all, we are running on 3+ years since the last Zelda console installment. There is plenty to suggest, however, that we indeed may have seen our last 2D title.
For starters, since the release of Ocarina of Time, 2D Zelda titles were mostly kept alive in the hand held market. The only true 2D console title since then was Four Swords Adventures. Even then, to play multiplayer, you still needed a handful of Game Boy Advances. Meanwhile on the hand held market Nintendo hasn't made a 2D Zelda since the release of Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages back in 2001. That is over eight years ago. Wait a second, what about The Minish Cap? For those who may have long forgotten, the game was actually developed by Flagship, a small branch of Capcom.
When the Nintendo DS came out many gamers were waiting for an Ocarina of Time port. After all, Mario 64 was ported so it seemed only natural Zelda would get the same love. While this never happened, it should have been a red flag of sorts. The DS was capable of 3D environments, and you knew Nintendo at some point would try to explore that with a Zelda title. In 2007 they did just that with the release of Phantom Hourglass.
Phantom Hourglass still carried some 2D elements, but it clearly was not a 2D title. Fast forward two years later to present day, and the next title is, again, not 2D. With 2D Zelda's being taken away from the hand held market it seems the future of them are pretty bleak, at best. Where is the future for them? Maybe Nintendo may be asking themselves... where is the market for them?
It's possible I have finally come of an age where I am indeed a minority in the Zelda realm. I love 2D Zelda games in the same way I love 2D classic Mega Man. I want more of it, and I never want it to go away. Naturally, I do enjoy the 3D titles. I am excited for Spirit Tracks and I don't see a future date at any time that I will not be playing a Zelda game. Still, even just four years removed, I am already starting to miss the days of the 2D classics. I understand it's a natural progression of the times, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.
Of course, I can always hold out some hope. New Super Mario Bros. Wii went back to it's roots with 2D side scrolling mayhem... and it looks brilliant. Is it possible that could happen to a Zelda title down the line? I would hope so, but I just don't see it happening. A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, Oracle of Ages and Seasons... your time has apparently come and gone. It's hard for me to admit this, but I think we have reached the end of the 2D Zelda era.
Categories: Articles
I think nintendo should release a Retro Pack, for the Wii. It could include many 3d, and 2d games, remade into a Gameboy styled game. The sprites of course would be updated, with better colors and such. It could include LOZ, ALLTP, OOT, MM, MC, OOS/A, and others, hopefully including TP.
I would buy this for the DS, even for 80 bucks. Anyone who turns this donw would be a fool.
As for this article, i do greatly miss them. But it needs to be a full game. I beat the Minish Cap in a day, so i dont count that as a true Zelda game.
Although I have just been inducted into Zelda fandom within this last year, I have become a fan of both the 2d and the 3d Zelda games, and I would be truly be saddened if it really is the end of the 2d era. I especially grew quite fond of ALttP.
Good article, and sadly it looks like your right. Potentially they could return through DSiWare or WiiWare?
BTW, the only handheld Zelda that Nintendo created was Link's Awakening. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were developed by Capcom.
After the release of Mega Man 9 for the WiiWare virtual console, I had very high hopes that Nintendo would make a new 2D Zelda game someday as a WiiWare title. But aside from the upcoming Excite Bike, Nintendo hasn't really made any new titles for the virtual console.
If Nintendo ever does decide to make another 2D Zelda, I bet it would be a WiiWare title. Otherwise, I think games like Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are the evolved verison of the above view 2D style Zelda game.
ehm... the oracles games were ALSO developed by flagship.
As others have said, the GBC Oracle series was done by Capcom. As was the only GBA outing, Minish Cap. That could be why they lacked some of the charm and detail that Links Awakening had (or it could all just be in my head).
After seeing Nintendo do Four Swords Adventures on GameCube using ALTTP style graphics, I know that they have ability to improve upon the formula. They've shown it can be done well on faster hardware. I hope this isn't the end of 2D Zelda titles, just like I'm glad that it's not end of 2D Mario titles.
I don't think this is entirely true. What makes a 2D Zelda "2D" is not the presence of sprites, but the gameplay. We look at the world from a top-down perspective, moving only in a single plane (or, in other words, two dimensions). While different pieces of land may be higher than others, overall the height direction does not come into play at all, be it in camera movement, dodging attacks, puzzles, or weapon targeting and effectiveness. In this way, Phantom Hourglass is no different from A Link to the Past*. And this way is what matters when referring to something as "2D".
What IS 3D in Phantom Hourglass is the graphics, how our 2D environment is rendered. Yes, sprites have been replaced with 3D models. Pixels are now polygons. However, this is a purely visual change. Things look different, but still play the same. That is exactly the same thing you can say when comparing the graphics of LoZ with LttP. The graphics changed significantly between the NES and the SNES, and this affected the game experience in more ways than just eye candy, allowing more depth in Link's actions. However, both are undeniably 2D, and so is PH.
Sprites may be, as you say, dead. But we can look forward to more 2D games for a long time to come. Hell, the new Metroid game and New Super Mario Bros. are both 2D games and will both be released on the Wii. The 2D format may actually be making a comeback.
*The notable exception to 2D graphics in PH is the 3-D camera involved in sailing, but I think we can discount that when talking about the game as a whole.
I am sorry about the whole... mix up with OoA and OoS. I swore they were Capcom as well, but we had them listed wrong at this site. That is a correction I will need to make to our content.
As for 2D to 3D, mostly related to KBN:
What Makes a 2D Zelda game is 2D graphics. Everything that was in ALttP is present in the 3D realm of games. That isn't the issue. 2D Zelda = 2D graphics. PH, ST, are not 2D graphics.
Yes, the sprites help make the game, as spirtes are 2D graphics. I am going to miss those graphics. Honestly, to me, TMC is a much more beautiful game, even ALttP is, then Phantom Hourglass.
The oracles and LA were two of the best zelda games. They had a deep and rich plot with a lot of side stuff to do.
I would love some more games like these two
I would love if Nintendo made a Four Swords Wii- the gamecube one was awesome, and with everyone pretty much owning a DS and the wireless it would be awesome to play muliplayer because this time you could lol with out cables and crap.
I absolutely love 2D Zelda, in fact I enjoy a majority of the 2D titles over the new games easily. It would be very depressing to see it disappear.
"It's possible I have finally come of an age where I am indeed a minority in the Zelda realm. I love 2D Zelda games in the same way I love 2D classic Mega Man. I want more of it, and I never want it to go away."
Took the words out of my mouth.
It's simple. Release 2D games as WiiWare
I agree that the "era" of 2D Zelda is most certainly over. However, that does not mean that we will never see a 2D Zelda game again. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is proof of that. Plus, just look at WiiWare. A lot of old series (including Mega Man) have been revisited and given a "2D makeover." This could just as easily happen with The Legend of Zelda.
@Nathan: I think you're taking a bit of a radical approach to this one. 2D graphics are not what defines the "2D Zelda experience." I think KBN was closer to what it really means.
For example, lets look at New Super Mario Bros. Wii again. The graphics in that game are most certainly not 2D. However, the entire game screams "this is 2D Mario."
The top down perspective and 2D environments are what define 2D Zelda. However, you had it right in saying that Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are not 2D. Besides the boat/train, there are other 3D mechanics mixed in (most notably, the auto jumping) that create a new hybrid experience instead of the traditional 2D Zelda.
I also miss the 2D styled Zelda games. That's why I'm here. I was searching for The next 2D Zelda game. I'm a sprite artist myself and a huge fan of both 2D Zelda Games AND 2D Mario Games. Just yesterday I was wondering why don't we have another 2d Zelda Game? First of all, the DS is 3d capable but most 3d games on the DS look like crud. They should keep 3d games on machines that were built for 3D games. I bet ST would have worked well on the Wii.
@Yumil
That's right, New SMB Wii is mostly 3d. I think the BG's in the game are the only thing that isn't. the whole 2D appeal is defiantly not questioned. I love the style, color and the entire game mechanics of it. It makes me smile. HNot to mention; aside from the irritating baby cry sound effects, yoshi's Island also had an original art look and feel and that game would be a NEW Yoshi's Island Game as well.I'd like to see for the wii-ware a compile of the BS Zelda done. also a nice remake of Zelda II come out. I've already started doodling with Zelda II graphics:
http://vorpal86.snesorama.us/gamesamples/zelda/ZeldaIIStart_Enhanced.png
But we still have new 2D games coming out. We now have the three "Rebirth" titles from Konami (Contra, Gradius and soon Castlevania Rebirth) So it gives us hope anyway. I don't want 2D games to go out of style. Even complete 3D games need 2D artwork. Heh
I agree with this whole-heartedly.