Making The Case: An M-Rated "Zelda"

When The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was released, it got massively positive reviews, with critics praising the tried-and-true formula that had worked for so many years. But critics and fans agreed that the new graphics style, which was much more realistic and less-fantasy based than previous games, was absolutely astounding.

In fact, the new graphics brought upon something that, in my eyes, could be seen as a milestone in Nintendo's game development. It was the first Zelda game to receive the "T for Teen" rating, with the ESRB citing "fantasy violence and animated blood" as the reason for the new rating. But why stop there? We already know a new Zelda game is coming (it's been confirmed to include Wii MotionPlus), so why not push it a little farther: a Zelda game rated "M for Mature"?

Nintendo has been repeatedly criticized for not catering to their hardcore audience, and while they have revealed an impressive line-up of games that fit this requirement at this year's E3 (which included the aforementioned Zelda game), this could be a perfect opprotunity for Nintendo to step up to the plate with a truly gory Zelda game.

Link's weapons are famously his Master Sword and bow (the former oddly missing in a recently released image of him), which would easily translate into a game heavy on blood. Sure, there are problems with the idea; potential backlash at Nintendo for straying from being "family-friendly", less of an audience able to buy the game, but could the benefits outweight these risks? Possibly.

Link, seen without his iconic Master Sword

A quick glance at sales figures for the three warring consoles - Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 - will show that the Wii is dominating, hands-down. But a closer look suggests that the Wii isn't winning anything - in fact, it's not even competing. Games like Wii Play and Wii Fit destroy all competition, even first-party Nintendo franchises such as Super Mario Galaxy.

Which is exactly why an M Rated Zelda would work perfectly with the Wii's upcoming strategy to catch the hardcore gamer. Some could call such violence in the classic series "gratuitious", but would it not be more realistic? As graphics increase exponentially each generation, it may be time to re-tool this classic franchise for the upcoming years.

In other Wii news, many fans are pushing for a price cut for the Wii, despite it still being the cheapest console available. With the recent announcement of the PS3 and Xbox 360 dropping their prices to $299, it's the perfect time for Nintendo to do the same, only at a lower price: $199. Coupled with the release of games such as Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, it could strongly increase sales of the Wii and it's games.

Image credit: computerbild.de (here), GCN (here).

'Super Mario Galaxy 2' To Be "Bright And Fun"

According to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy 2 won't be heavy on story-telling, and will simply be a fun and vibrant game.

Miyamoto claimed he would like "as little story as possible" in the recently announced sequel to Super Mario Galaxy.

Personally, I think this is a wise decision - since the origianl Super Mario Bros., the Mario series has never had a big focus on story-telling, unlike the Zelda series. Miyamoto's decision may help the game have a better focus on gameplay and graphics.

In other Wii news, Miyamoto has stated that the next Wii Zelda game will have Wii MotionPlus as a requirement - while this may not seem like a large shock, fans are unhappy at having to spend even more money to enjoy the next installment in the Zelda series.

Quotes credit to IGN. Image credit to MyWii.com.au.

Post E3: Lack Of Zelda

Despite some major announcements at Nintendo's E3 Conference, there was a surprising lack of Zelda information. The already announced Spirit Tracks was only briefly mentioned, and we only have a small bit of information regarding a sequel to Twilight Princess - a picture of a grown-up Link (apparently, without his sword) that has not yet been released to the public.

However, some potential good news for the series came out of the Conference. When showing Wii Sports Resort, the first game that will use the new Wii MotionPlus, it was mentioned that we should pay attention to the sword-fighting and archery, as they could be put to use in later games. Although Wii MotionPlus does not allow the use of the Nunchuck controller yet, this shows that they are at least willing to attempt to implement it in future games.

E3 Watchlist: Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS: The Wii might be popular, but the handheld Nintendo DS was Nintendo's big money-maker years before the Wii was even announced. And with the release of the new DSi, it appears they will be making more money than ever before - but how will the software compare?

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days: Sporting a name that many could not pronounce, this action RPG was announced nearly two years ago at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, but since then, we have recieved a great deal of information regarding the game. Similar to the action of past

games, this new iteration of Kingdom Hearts includes a new "Panel System" that allows you to fully customize the abilities, weapons, armor, and accessories of your character.

The game revolves around main protagonist Roxas, who is known as the "Nobody" of Sora, the protagonist of previous games, who has the ability to wield keyblades. There is a wide array of characters in the game ranging from Disney characters to Final Fantasy characters.

Sands of Destruction: Another big role-palying game for the Nintendo DS, Sands of Destruction has already been released in Japan under the moniker World Destru

ction. With a turn-based battle system, this promises to be a more traditional RPG, as opposed to a more action-oriented one such as the new Kingdom Hearts.

Kyrie (the Greek word for "lord") is the center of the game - he is a young man with great knife skills - but holds a mysterious destructive power. Because of this, he is the object of attention for the World Annhilation Front, a group led by the main antagonist, Morte. The game is set for release Winter 2010.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks: Undoubtedly, this will be the biggest hit for the Nintendo DS at E3 - if Nintendo decides to release more information on the title. Announced at this year's Game Developer's Conference, this new installment in the Zelda series has a new twist, similar to the previous game, Phantom Hourglass, but this time, the method of transport is a steam-powered, cannon-wielding train.

Unfortunately, we do not have any information on the story; however, we can assume it will be just as epic as all the previous games in the series.

I apologize for the video-game oriented posts recently - however, this will likely continue until the end of E3. Don't fret - electric overdrive will continue it's daily coverage of TV and movies this Wednesday!

E3 Watchlist (Wii)

Every year at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), dozens of new games are announced, but that doesn't mean we won't be getting a good deal of information on some of the games that have already been announced. Each day until the start of E3 (June 2), I will be take a look at the games to watch out for on each console.

Wii: This innovative new console is still all the rage among casual gamers, but Nintendo's old school fans have been clamoring for a good hardcore game; unfortunately, Nintendo has cooperated. But although Nintendo might not be giving us the games we want, some other developers have taken it into their hands to solve this problem, and these are likely to be the highlights of this year's Expo.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks: I've already stated my problem with the entire concept of this new cel-shaded Zelda game, but this game is

sure to please fans, just like every other Zelda game in the past. Most players have gotten over their dislike of the (now not-so-new) graphics, so this will likely be just as successful as previous games in the series.

Seeing as this game as only been announced recently, we have very little information on it - so that's why so many people are expecting a good deal of information on this installment at this year's E3. But, if you look at Nintendo's track record, we may not receive much information, and this game might not even be released until 2010 (remember the delays with Super Smash Bros. Brawl?).

Dead Space Extraction: While I've covered this in a previous post, I feel it necessary to stress how important this game is to the Wii. The Grinder (covered in the same post) is similarly gory and mature, but Dead Space: Extraction is a prequel to the original game, which won many awards, and also delivers a great deal of horror with a hardcore shooting experience.

This is sure to be a great game, and we can only hope that Visceral Games will be giving us as much information as possible on this exciting new game.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - The Crystal Bearers: A good RPG is nearly just as rare on the Wii as a good shooting game is. Fortunately, Square Enix (the master of RPGs) will be taking care of this problem as they release Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The

Crystal Bearers. This game will take a major shift from the previous games in the series - the creators have said it is set in a time period when "swords have changed to guns", and that magic will be "forgotten".

The story takes place many years after it's predecessor, and the Lilty race is experiencing a time of prosperity, along with the age of science and reason. Amongst this prosperity exists powerful beings known as "crystal bearers", or are feared and scorned by the public. Keep watch as we get more information on this game, which is likely to be one of the greatest RPGs to hit in the year (though the release date is still TBA).

It's Time To Go Hardcore

Nintendo has been seriously slacking off in the games department recently. Of course, some of their first party titles have been great, like Twilight Princess and Super Mario Galaxy. But many Wii and DS gamers are upset at the constant influx of "casual" games.

That's why Nintendo really needs to get back on their feet. To help them with this feat, I'll take a look at some of Nintendo's major franchises, and what they need to do to fix them.

Mario: I can't say that Nintendo has seriously "hurt" Mario, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few things they could do to get the hardcore players back. First off, we need another DS Mario game. New Super Mario Bros. was a great success for Nintendo, so why not bring it back? The mix of 3D moves and the classic feel was one of Nintendo's greatest feats for Mario. It seems a waste to stop Mario from going handheld. Perhaps a Paper Mario for DS? Super Paper Mario's RPG elements made it a blast to play - I can imagine how fun it would be if we could use the touch screen to make the transition from 2D to 3D.


The Legend of Zelda: I'm a little disappointed at the announcement of another toon Zelda game. It's not like I didn't enjoy them, but I miss the realism created in Twilight Princess. I understand that it would quite difficult to create a Twilight Princess-esque game for the DS, but there is not reason not to have a sequel for Wii. With 1:1 sword control, another Zelda game for Wii would be an automatic hit. The biggest thing I would ask for is another assisstant like Midna, one that actually interacts with Link and is a major part of the story.


Super Smash Bros.: WE NEED A PORTABLE SMASH. It's been far too long not to have a DS version of one of the greatest fighting games ever made. But in my opinion, Sakurai should be out. He's done a great job with the last three games, but Brawl could have been much better - less clones, a better version of the level creator (maybe with water), and a more in-depth story mode. Another Wii version would also work, but perhaps just introducing downloadable content could solve all the problems of Smash.

Kid Icarus: Ever since Brawl launched, everyone's been clamoring for another Kid Icarus game. So why not give them one? An action-adventure game with the ability to fly (limited, of course), sword and arrow control, and maybe even some RTS elements (remember Pit's Final Smash)? This would definitely make the hardcore gaming crowd happy - a sequel to an old classic that's once again fresh in our minds.


This will be the first "special article" to be featured on the Live Wire website.

Thoughts and Opinions - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Just days ago at the Game Developer's Conference (GDC), Nintendo announced their plans to launch a new Zelda title - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.


Like Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks revolves highly around a vehicle; this time, a train. The train used to travel around the world is equipped with a cannon, strongly hinting that travelling around the world will be a main focus in gameplay like it's predecessor.

Nintendo is claiming that this will be a "less casual" game, and it seems like they are trying to appease all the veteran players who aren't happy with all the "kiddy" games being released for the Wii and DS.

But really, a train? As informal as this sounds, that's crazy. I'm sure that Nintendo will be able to build success and an amazing game out of the concept, but my guess is that the train gameplay will be one of the game's weakest points.


When more details arise, Live Wire will keep you informed.