Email: Nintendo Direct; Zelda is all wrong

Master Malstrom,

I just saw the latest Nintendo Direct, and I’m rather unimpressed overall. The only games that I really want to get are Marvel vs. Capcom collection and Metroid Prime 4, although I assume the latter will be a launch title for the Switch Successor.

What was really disappointing was the new Zelda game, Echoes of Wisdom. Nintendo hasn’t learned anything from their recent mistakes with Zelda. First, there is the hideous Crayola art style which they brought back from the Link’s Awakening remake. Second, there is the replacement of Link with Princess Zelda as the main character. I’m not opposed to having Princess Zelda as a playable character, but this should be confined to spin-off games like Hyrule Warriors. Third, the biggest mistake is that Nintendo either doesn’t understand or doesn’t care what The Legend of Zelda is about. It’s about battling monsters with a sword. In this game, Princess Zelda doesn’t fight at all (aside from using her “Echo” power to create monsters that fight for her). She simply solves puzzles. It’s really just another puzzle game.

Even if Metroid Prime 4 turns out to be incredible, I don’t have much confidence in the Switch Successor. After all, we got great games during the Switch’s first year only to have the game quality go off a cliff right after.

Metroid Prime 4 is announced now to get it out of the way for the Switch 2 announcement. There is no reason for Nintendo to announce Metroid Prime 4 out now for any other reason. There will be no Metroid Prime 4 for Switch 2… unless they tell us within a year. But then why would they announce the version with the worse graphics? Nah.

Nintendo doesn’t like Metroid. It is being sent out as the ‘last game’ for the hardware since Metroid doesn’t sell hardware anyway.

You, emailers, are seeing the Zelda game for what it is.

Here’s a thought. Can you imagine a 3d Zelda with 2d classic Zelda gameplay? Aonuma has been hiding behind puzzles and creating illusions of combat. Taking away the sword (and Link) is going to be very trying for the player.