After grilling numerous Nintendo reps and even Shigeru Miyamoto himself, we were no closer to learning the truth about the Legend of Zelda for GameCube and its connection to Game Boy Advance. Shiggy did tell us, however, that a single demo unit on the show floor was hooked up to the GBA, so we could see for ourselves. We finally found that unit today and can now reveal just exactly what role the GBA plays in Link's newest console adventure.

Cooperative two-player. If Link equips the GBA icon from the subscreen and activate it during his adventure, another person can use the GBA to help out the elfin hero. Basically player two uses the GBA controls to move around a glowing square on the TV screen; the explanation seems to be that the fairy Tingle (last seen in Majora's Mask plus a brief cameo in Super Smash Bros. Melee) is controlling this glowing square via remote control. The GBA's display is essentially the same as Link's radar, and on both, Link is represented by a triangle and Tingle by a square.

The second player currently has four moves he or she can set to the GBA's B button, and A will always suck the square back to Link in case it gets left behind. Of the four moves, only two seem to be working; one is an explosion attack that looks great for clearing out groups of enemies, and the other is a call function that can immediately force Link (player one) to look at Tingle's square. The Nintendo reps at the demo unit said the call function is mainly for if enemies are creeping up behind and the second player needs to quickly grab the other's attention. Weird, but there are certainly some interesting applications there begging to be exploited. The call function is free, but the other three moves had numbers by them, indicating that they are expendable. Presumably, Link and/or Tingle's square can refill those moves by collecting special items.

Unfortunately, the software downloaded to the GBA was still in Japanese, so we couldn't figure out exactly the explanation for Tingle's involvement. Still, the entire feature harkens back to Jet Force Gemini's Floyd the Droid, and it should prove to be a very interesting addition to the newest Zelda game.

Last updated: 05/21/2002 by Zosha Arushan

As we recently announced on-site, Link is on an all-new adventure. After witnessing his sister being kidnapped by a gigantic bird, the Hyrulian Hero travels to a new country and unravels a mystery that surrounds the new world.

The stylized graphics we’re already so familiar with, feature insanely detailed animations and vibrant colours. For those of you worried that the background décor would be bland and use plain textures, we at PGC can assure you that is far from the truth. Walls have cracks, crevices, and the lighting and mood were simple extraordinary. Link’s eyelashes are thinner, and you can clearly see his blue irises. One of the prettier scenes featured Link looking up at the ceiling in the dungeon “Dragon Mountain” and the shimmering effects from the heat were impressive.

Although based on the OoT Z-targetting systems, gameplay-wise The Legend of Zelda won’t be merely using the same system from the N64 incarnations. Link now can pick up an enemy’s weapon and this seems to be a big part of the gameplay. Enemies defeated would disappear in a puff of smoke. Mr. Miyamoto took a moblin’s wooden staff and then used it to light a torch. After a moment a Treasure Chest materialized as its invisibility spell dissipated. Mr. Miyamoto also mentioned that to open up a blocked down door, you have to grab one of the monsters’ huge blades to break it down, but he unfortunately couldn’t locate the monster’s blade. Link also had an all-new grappling hook attached to a rope. The player will have to make sure to aim the end properly as it arcs in the air. We only saw a short five second clip, but seeing Link skim across the water in his own controllable boat was rather exciting. Additionally, Mr. Miyamoto told the audience that Link can actually hide in a barrel to sneak through certain areas. Link's Spin Attack has been upgraded and goes over a much longer area for longer. It appears you can control the direction as well.

While Miyamoto had hinted at a GBA connection, our sharp-eyed staffers spotted a small icon in red letters saying “GBA CONNECT” during the Zelda Demo menu. At this moment we don’t know whether the game will connect to the recently unveiled Zelda: Four Swords or just be using the GBA hardware.

We look forward to giving you live impressions on the five levels available on the show floor tomorrow.

Last updated: 01/28/2002 by Max Lake

It’s been awhile since we’ve updated the Zelda preview and there really hasn’t been too much to report. There was some public outcry about the new look in North America, especially since many were expecting the game to resemble the demo shown at SpaceWorld 2000. Shortly thereafter, Perrin Kaplan went on record to point out the obvious: producing a cel shaded game like the new look of Zelda is no easy task. It requires some very advanced techniques to produce the kind of graphics we've seen with the new style. But this is old news… What’s happened since?

The GameCube Born to Play TV Commercial is playing in theatres as a trailer. The theatrical version shows more footage of many of the games and even includes a look at Mario Sunshine (called just "Mario" interestingly enough). Even Zelda for GameCube makes an appearance—well, it’s mentioned anyway. Only the Zelda logo is shown and there is no footage of the game whatsoever.

Rumors have emerged that the look of Zelda may have been changed yet again, and the absence of any footage may support this. However, this may just be wishful thinking. We’ve heard from a source deep within Nintendo that the new look isn’t undergoing any more changes. The lack of footage may be more telling of how Nintendo is keeping the cards close to its chest until it is ready to show more of Zelda. (It's also possible that it's due to the fact that Miyamoto did not want the SpaceWorld footage shown to begin with.) It is possible a couple minor tweaks might be made but overall, the cel shaded look is here to stay. It’s also worth reiterating that the response to the Zelda’s new look in Japan has been far less controversial. In fact, the Japanese gaming media have literally gone gaga over the look.

Although there has been very vocal disappointment, many people in North America do like the new look. In fact, Zelda's new look won a poll on Nintendo.com’s website for being the most exciting game shown at SpaceWorld.

Incidentally, the current poll on Nintendo.com’s front page deals with Zelda as well. It asks how players would like to see the Legend of Zelda told: in a comic book, a novelization, a live action movie or an animated series. (How about “all of the above?”) Don’t miss your chance to voice your choice! Hit the poll at Nintendo.com!

There has been a smidgen of “official” info about the game from Nintendo. In the official Pikmin Strategy Guide, there is an interview by Nintendo Power with Shigeru Miyamoto and the EAD team who made the game. Miyamoto is asked if all GameCube games will be about the same length as Luigi’s Mansion and Pikmin—not too short, not too long. Miyamoto replies that in general, yes, he thinks so but he assured the NP interviewers that Zelda would not be like that. The Nintendo Power guys then admitted that the reason they asked the question was to see if the new Zelda was going to be short. Miyamoto laughed as usual and replied “No, no it’s not.”

There are fears that Zelda for the GameCube won’t be released in 2002. It’s not just because Nintendo usually takes its time with Zelda games. There’s also the fact there are many other high profile titles planned for 2002. Metroid Prime & Mario Sunshine are two of the biggest, while Star Fox Adventures and Eternal Darkness will probably be delayed into the second half of the year. The prospect of something getting delayed seems more likely than all of these games coming out around the same time. Yet Miyamoto PROMISED that Zelda would be out in 2002, just after showing off the film of Zelda at SpaceWorld. Making a promise like that is something he has never done with a Zelda title, so it should be interesting to see what happens.

Clearly, we won’t get our next look at Zelda until this year’s E3, where it will be shown in playable form. What it looks like, what it plays like and when it will be released should be solidified then.

Last updated: 08/23/2001 by David Trammell

It's amazing what you can and can't tell from watching video footage of a game. Fortunately, we have previous examples to compare to the new footage.

If you watch a video of the Spaceworld 2001 footage closely, you'll see that during most enemy engagements, there is a pulsating red or yellow arrow above the head of Link's adversary. If you look closer, you can see that this is the traditional "Z targeting" indicator. Jonny speculated earlier that there may be an independant jumping button now, but it seems clear that it was only a combat ability enabled by "Z targeting" (you can see the red arrow on the enemy's head as Link flips over him). In fact, you can watch the familiar letter box effect (black bars at the top and bottom of the screen) fade away when "Z targeting" is disengaged.

You might be wondering why no one noticed this before? The reason is that during the "Z targeting" the camera is not panning behind Link as it always did in the past. Instead, Link seems to be engaging enemies with no shift in the camera angle. We're not sure if this change is simply a way for Nintendo to get more dramatic footage for the show, or if it will be this way in the final version of the game as well. Ten seconds into the footage, you can see Link fighting a Moblin from an almost overhead perspective, but the camera is staying centered on Link as he fights, although this is the only portion were the camera is above him. Ultimately, it's hard to tell what's going on with the "Z targeting" from this footage, but it's definitely in there in one form or another.

Last updated: 08/23/2001 by Jonathan Metts

In our last preview update, we analyzed a screenshot, the only one we had at the time. Now there are lots of screenshots online, plus the full video of what was shown during the pre-Space World press conference.

First and foremost, the game looks like a cartoon. Not just the characters as in some games, but the environments and enemies and animations all work together to make Zelda for GameCube literally look like a real-time cartoon. This isn't Reboot stuff either; everything is designed to look hand-drawn, which is really an incredible feat for polygonal graphics.

Link himself is drawn in the chibi style, or super-deformed. His head is proportionally massive for the body size, and the eyes are very large and expressive. His animation is perhaps more fluid and detailed than anything we've ever seen.

The environments and enemies are similarly designed. There are varying degrees of light/dark and weather shown in the video, which goes a long way in proving that Zelda's new cartoonish visuals won't affect the "mature" gameplay the series is known for. This may be a cartoon...but it's a cartoon with swords and monsters and dungeons and everything else you'd expect from the series.

A large part of the video demo focuses on what appears to be a cutscene. Link is confronted by several pig Moblins, and they chase him through a dungeon. In a move very telling of the game's underlying humor, Link jumps over a pit and hangs for dear life on a chandelier overhead; the Moblins never see the pit and, after a dramatic pause in mid-air, plummet to their doom.

The normal gameplay sequences shown seem to be very much like past Zelda games. Link battles enemies with sword and shield, and on-screen displays show a counter for rupees and hearts and also equipped items like bombs and arrows. Link seems to have a few new moves; he flip-jumps over an enemy's head, rolls between another baddie's legs, and even hits one Moblin in the foot, causing it to grab the wounded limb and jump around in pain.

Watching the video, especially the cutscene and the combat portions, it looks as though jumping might be included as a primary function for the first time in the series. The chandelier leap-of-faith could be chalked up to cinematics, but Link's little flip-jump over an enemy means he can either jump at will, or there are dedicated combat moves that include jumping. (For instance, in the N64 games Link could somersault backwards while locked on to an object, but it was only an evasive move and not at all required to play the game.)

Finally, you have to wonder where this game will fit into the Zelda storyline, especially since Nintendo recently rewrote the series timeline. It should be noted that Link is drawn with brown sleeves (as Dragona likes so much to point out), which makes him look more like the Link of the early Zelda games than the one on N64.

Last updated: 08/23/2001 by Andres Rojas

Thanks to Gpara.com's Spaceworld coverage we have a first shot of what appears to be the next game in the Zelda legacy.

From this screenshot alone, it can be surmised that the game is in fact using a more cartoon look thanks to cel-shading techniques, and seems to be skewing more towards the chibi (or super-deformed) style of animé.

A rough translation of the text accompanying the shot reveals that the game is scheduled to be released by Christmas 2002 in Japan.

More news as it happens.

Last updated: 08/22/2001 by Max Lake

During SpaceWorld 2000, the world received its first look at the GameCube incarnation of Zelda, a stunning sword duel between Link and Ganondorf. At Nintendo?s pre-show conference at E3 2001, the footage was shown again and Miyamoto later announced that more of the game would be shown at SpaceWorld 2001, a year after its public debut. (Sure, we coulda posted this in the preview after the show, but ?wait ?till SpaceWorld? doesn?t make much of an update?)

Although we haven?t been able to dig much solid info up in the past year, it has been revealed that Shigeru Miyamoto has once again handed over the directorial duties to Mitsihirio Takano, the director behind Majora's Mask for the Nintendo 64. Takano did great work with MM & as much as we've been enjoying the excellent GBC Zeldas produced at Capcom by Yoshiki Okamoto (with some help from Shiggy) this summer, there's no reason to worry about Miyamoto not helming the game.

Luckily, SpaceWorld is about to strike and we?re about to find out all kinds of gory details on Zelda for the Nintendo GameCube! There have been rumors that the game will be shown in playable form. At the very least, we can expect video footage, along with a name and setting for the next chapter of the Zelda series. Whatever we get, we can?t wait? And like you readers, the PGC Home Team is pretty jealous of the PGC Away Team, who are going to find out in-person very shortly?

Last updated: 05/15/2001 by Max Lake

If we didn?t tell you before: Zelda will be shown on GameCube during E3, no word on whether just on display or playable?obviously we?re hoping for the latter. Buzz is it looks way better than SpaceWorld but is not planned on a launch title. We think most of the ?Zelda? spotlight will be on the new GBC games from Capcom, Legend of Zelda, Oracles of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. Link is also expected to be seen in Smash Bros. 2. Wow, Nintendo seems to be pimping its franchises more than ever for this show!

More from E3!

Last updated: 03/15/2001 by Max Lake

Since we've last updated our preview - there have been a couple significant developments concerning Nintendo's Zelda title for NGC. First off, last month, Miyamoto & Zelda director Mr. Takano went on record to report that the footage shown during SpaceWorld does reflect what the in-game graphics will look like -and that the scene shown is indeed actual gameplay footage of the NGC Zelda.

This confirms that Ganon will be returning, rightly bringing his classic rivalry with the Hyrulian hero to the next-generation of Nintendo. Ganondorf (Ganon's human form) looked more evil (and detailed) than ever. Most interestingly, in the SpaceWorld demo he appeared in his human form - though we're sure Link will face off against his monstrous dark "pig" form too. There is also no doubt that this classic villain will be more powerful and sinister than ever-brought to life more vivid than ever thanks to the NGC. Presumably the game will also be located back in Hyrule.

In a most interesting twist, instead of the Zelda series spanning generations and featuring descendents of a line (a la Castlevania's extensive family line of Vampire-bustin' Belmonts) of heroes, "Link" is no longer the name of many heroes from the same lineage. Instead, now Nintendo lists all of the Zelda games starring the same protagonist - and have re-ordered the timeline in which they occurred over Link's life.

Originally, the order of Zelda games was 5, 6, 3, 4, 1, 2. Now, it is 5, 6, 3, 1, 2 (4 happening in between 2). Here's what Nintendo has to say in its new Zelda timeline:

Here, we lay out the Hero of Time's most notable accomplishments in an abbreviated format. We have studied this timeline very carefully, and believe that it represents the most accurate chronological arrangement of Link's actions.

As of yet, the two new Flagship Zelda GBC games have not been included in the timeline yet. Although the two titles are burning up the charts in Japan right now? Not surprisingly, Nintendo also doesn't mention when Link slipped off to fight in "Super Smash Brothers" or make any of his numerous other game cameos? With that said, we really wouldn't expect such quirky additions to an "official" timeline.

According to the revisionist history, here is the new timeline (release dates are for Japan):

"Link's 1st Adventure:"

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64, 1998) - Now, Link's first adventure when he was a boy. Ironically enough, at the end of this game (MINOR SPOILER) Ganon promises to return and seek vengence on Link's ancestors, seemingly referencing the cross-generational aspect of the series.

"Link's 2nd Adventure:"

Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64, 2000) - Still in his youth, the most recent (and possibly most stunning) Zelda game is now listed as Link's second outing. Taking place in the alternate world of Termina, Link must contend against Skull Kid, who has donned a magical mask that posesses him with the soul and power of the evil sorcerer, Majora. After defeating Majora's Mask and saving the abused Skull Kid, Link goes on many more adventures in Termina, but eventually heads home. [TYP notes, "This looks like a placeholder for the 2 upcoming GBC games if I ever saw one."]

"Link's 3rd Adventure:"

Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past (SNES, 1991) - After returning to Hyrule from the alternate-world of Termina, Link finds that many centuries have passed. Although Hyrule is peaceful upon his return, The hero soon encounters his old nemesis, Ganon, who has returned and has used the power of the Triforce to create an evil mirror world. Link must use a Silver Mirror to rescue Zelda's descendent (who shares the same name), restore the Triforce and become the hero of two worlds -Light and Dark- to return things to the way they once were.

"Link's 4th Adventure:"

Legend of Zelda (NES, 1986) The very first Zelda game now supposedly depicts the fourth quest of Link. Time has passed, with Link now older and wiser. Zelda's servant, Impa (a modern relative of the Impa from OoT) warns Link about Princess Zelda & the Triforce of Legend being split into eight pieces.

"Link's 5th & ½ Adventure:"

Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (GB/GBC, 1993) This title is considered Link's "5th & ½ Adventure" because it is now listed as a side-quest to another game. Another strange new development resulting from the changes is that Link's Awakening now occurs during Zelda II, as Link was shipwrecked on the island of the Wind Fish while traveling via raft to one of the many temples.

The mysterious nature of the Island of the Wind Fish makes it unclear if this adventure represents another alternate dimension and apparently Link has trouble remembering his time in Koholint clearly.

"Link's 6th Adventure:"

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES, 1987) - The first Zelda sequel and perhaps the most different Zelda game of the series, Link's Adventure marks the "most recently occurring adventure" for Link. This game has Link searching for six crystal shards, attempting to wake Princess Zelda from an enchanted sleep and prevent the resurrection of Ganon.

Previously, it had been indicated that the Zelda game for NGC would take place after Zelda II. The new timeline makes this possibility seem likely - Nintendo now has a perfect place to pick up the story. (The Flagship GBC games may also be set at / around this time). As previously mentioned, "Link's Awakening" happens at some point during this adventure.

?

Some Nintendophiles are already decrying the revision as heresy, but our viewpoint is a bit more optimistic. Even though Link is the same character in each game, thanks to his tendency to travel time and visits to alternate dimensions, the changes might not be as kooky as we thought.

Already, our crazy kitty, Louie has proposed a rumor that the new Zelda timeline will yield new versions of the old Zelda games on GBA reflecting the new time line. Because of the changes, the Zelda series is almost in need of the "Special Edition" treatment (being applied to Mario Advance and other upcoming GBA games) to help things make sense.

Personally, I always thought it was weirder that Link and Zelda had ancestors and/or descendents with the same names over a series of games. This new move seems to make a lot more sense and adds an actual flow to the series.

Why the change? For one thing, much like the regional name changes for Street Fighter 2 bosses - the number of Zeldas / Links differs in Japan & the U.S.

In Japan there were only two generations of Links & Zeldas. Zosha Arushan let it be known that "Miyamoto's vision" was to have two generations of heroes: "Link the 1st" was in OoT and MM for N64 and "Link the 2nd" starred in the other games. A "third generation" (the Link of "Link to the Past" was created in the U.S. only by a translation mistake. Shame, Dano! ;-D So until now, the Legend of Zelda's history "officially" has occurred differently depending on what part of the globe you were on. The revisions may simply be fixing this old error.

Being the geeks that we are on Planet, some of us have drawn comparisons to this latest development with the comic book industry's tendency to "re-launch" key franchises (or even its entire line, DC Comics have done it multiple times) in order to make sense of all the developments surrounding their fictional characters. For other mediums, such as film, mythic characters like Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood, and Count Dracula are constantly being re-invented in order to appeal to modern audiences.

With all the Zelda games and exciting developments that span over a decade, it shouldn't be surprising that Nintendo now feels the urge to tweak one of its best series. For now, Nintendophiles must sit back and wait to see how these alterations manifest themselves in future Zelda products.

Last updated: 01/09/2001 by Max Lake

With the GC launch still many months away, Nintendophiles everywhere are reveling in the aftermath of one of the greatest Nintendo holiday line-ups to date. At the top of the pile is the amazing follow up to Zelda: Oot: Zelda: Majora's Mask.

MM is a bit different from most Zelda games as it takes place in an alternate dimension instead of the series' traditional Hyrule setting. Even though it is a phenomenal game and a fantastic sequel, it is hard not to overlook certain differences. One of the biggest changes is that it lacks the usual rivalry with the evil Gannon. Another absence from Majora is the presence of an updated fishing mini game-one of the most addictive and replayable aspects to Oot.

During the development of MM, Shigeru Miyamoto had claimed that the game would include fishing and even the ability to catch a "Jabu Jabu" (a GIANT fish found in Oot, whose belly served as one of the early dungeons). The inclusion of such a fishing pond would have been very cool but for whatever reason, it didn't make the cut. Could it be that Shiggy is saving the idea for the next Zelda? We're just speculating here but we'd definitely love to see a new & improved version of the fishing pond for the NGC Zelda.

Last updated: 01/01/2001

Easily one of the most talked about GameCube demos, the sequence showing a sword battle between Link and Ganon served the dual purpose of showing off the NGC's formidable real-time graphics muscle and confirming to the world that Miyamoto is still committed to his classic beloved franchise. Link appears slightly older than his adult age of seventeen in the N64 games, and he looks quite realistic while still maintaining a "fantasy" style. His face shows a remarkable level of emotion, as you can literally see the determination, excitement, and yes, fear, running through him in this climactic duel. Meanwhile, Ganon has developed into much more muscular and human-looking character than in previous games, and somehow, he looks more dastardly and cruel than ever before. Don't be fooled by Nintendo's "tech demo only" talk; character models like these aren't labored over for weeks and then thrown into the trash. Miyamoto has mentioned a Zelda game for GameCube on several occasions, and there is no reason to doubt that this is just a fraction of what he's got in store for us fanatics.

Shigeru Miyamoto's signature series has literally tens of millions of fans around the globe, and for good reason: there is a certain magic to his game design that transports you to the place called Hyrule, that makes Link's quest important to you, that makes this preposterous adventure seem very, very real. When Nintendo showed off a GameCube demo at Spaceworld 2000 featuring a battle between Link and Ganon, cheers erupted from the crowd...and not just because the demo looked gorgeous. No, those members of the press were just overcome with joy, because the images immediately set off a cornucopia of fantastic possibilities in their minds. Maybe one of them saw, in his mind's eye, a young boy running through the fields, gazing up at the birds overhead and calling his horse over from the neighboring meadow. Perhaps another reporter heard the light, sweet sound of an ocarina, and felt himself being whisked away to a dungeon full of traps and monsters and great treasure. Folks, that's the stuff great game series are made of, and that's why Zelda games mean so much to so many people. So, we don't have a problem telling you that it's not the bowel-loosening graphics that have us so excited about the next Zelda game. It's the potential in this new system to help bring Zelda that much closer to Miyamoto's true dream, and the means for us fans to live that wondrous dream and love every second of it. We don't know what the gameplay will be like, although we're quite sure it will be fun and involving and tight as hell. We don't know how the music will sound, but we know that in the years beyond, it will always bring us back to those first few months of playing the game like crazy. We don't know how the controls will work, but we do know that they will transform us into Link as never before. No, we're not anticipating Zelda on GameCube. We're losing sleep over it.