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Next Zelda For Wii U Will Feature A Unique Art Style

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Zelda producer Eiji Anouma has revealed that the next instalment of the acclaimed Legend of Zelda franchise for Wii U will feature an art style that hasn’t been seen before in a Zelda title. Anouma says that the art style will be neither ultra realistic, nor cartoony, but it will be something entirely new that has not seen in a Zelda game before. Anouma also revealed that the next Zelda title may feature downloadable content, but the content would have to be “worth it for the user.” Here’s what he had to say about the art style for the next Zelda.

“The thing about Zelda is we want everything to be unique, whether it’s the graphical presentation or the gameplay.”

“It has to be something you can’t see anywhere else. We wouldn’t want it to be ultra-realistic because you can see that elsewhere. But I can’t say that it’s going to be cartoony-realistic like you mentioned, the fantastic presentation that we’ve already done in the past. It will be something new.”

Thanks, Jamie M

185 thoughts on “Next Zelda For Wii U Will Feature A Unique Art Style”

    1. Just mak i like the Zelda tech demo. It would be retarted not to.Why hype us with that demo and not do it? It looked next gen.

      1. They’ve always done that. They’ve always given a nice tech demo then made a better. Except Wind Waker at first was really frowned upon in comparison to the tech demo, but it did turn out very well ^^ Knowing nintendo, they’ve always had a good art style to the games to be honest. Skyward Sword was weird but I honestly can’t think of any better, not even Wind Waker’s cellshading would fit it.

        1. Hero of The Blue Flames ~ Ike

          He was trying to say They are gonna make something shitty compared to the Tech Demo. and they will. I had really high hopes for HD Zelda. A LOT of the fan base did. I’m probably not gonna buy it for this. I don’t play many games anymore and Zelda is one of the few I still have going. I hated Skyward Sword, I seriously hope they don’t do some shitty graphics game that nobody wants. Microsoft already failed hard enough this year to last a millennium. Nintendo need not add to my disappointment,

          1. Bit far?
            Don’t not get the game just because of the graphics… besides it’ll be different to the HD Zelda we saw last year fair enough, but not too dramatic or necessarily bad.

        1. i just want a hd zelda which is a mish mash of ocarina of time, majoras, mask, and twilight princess, i want the EPIC STORY from ocarina, the great melodies, and music, and also the whole small kid grows and becomes more powerful over time while conquering evil and saving the world, and i want the side quests and character building of majoras mask, i want a world where we get to meet all the different races of hyrule, with different characters in each region, the zoras domain, lake hylia, gorons at death mountain, the kakiriko etc, i want them all, with their own fleshed out parts of hyrule, and i want the dark gritty undertones on twlight princess, and for the love of god nintendo PLEASE JUST MAKE THE ART STYLE EXACLTY LIKE THE WII U ZELDA TECH DEMO!!

          Please just listen to your fans, i don’t want unique or wacky or weird art styles, i want high fidelity, crisp looking hd sexy zelda, just like the tech demo at 60fps native 1080p that is all i want!! make it a true open world which is massive, but based in hyrule, with NPC’s which go about thier business, and give us side quests galore, please i want it filled to the brim with new items, and the old ones we all love! and i want the leveling up of items and links moves, kinda like learning new moves in twilight princes,, and improving items in skyward sword! please don’t let us down, i know either way it will be a great game, but for once give your fans the zelda they want!!

  1. Neither ultra-realistic nor cartoony kind of sounds like Skyward Sword’s look. I wonder what they’ll change from the watercolor style of that game.

    1. Going by SSB on Wii U, it might be a hint. The pale brightness of Skyward Sword but with the texture realism of Twilight Princess – like a merge. Link looks awesome in SSB on Wii U.

    2. ultra realistic, if you saw link in SSB4, I think that was going towards moralistic, I would prefer that fantasy E3 demo look.

    3. I actually think it’s gonna look like twilight princess because tp is realistic with a little bit cartoon.
      or it has to be between tp & ss

  2. FIRST of all, it’s gonna be very interesting to see a new Zelda title for the Wii U. Secondly, if it’s beyond the Zelda demo and may have additional DLC, Zelda fans will soon eat it up.

    1. its gonna be just like skyward sword or wind waker. I really want a Zelda like the tech demo one … .ughh

      1. Except it clearly states that it won’t be super realistic OR cartoon-y.. And it also blatantly says its art style will be different than past games.. So no, probably not like either? would be my guess

          1. Super Mario 3D World Producer

            In an interview, they almost showed the new Zelda game, but they wanted to make us wait. Since it’s probably a 2015 release and they started development last year, this is probably the direction Link will go in. Not realistic…but gritty….something hardcore without being like everything else.

        1. Well at SpaceWorld 2000 we got that awesome footage of Link fighting Ganondorf, and then instead we got Windwaker. An awesome game but the complete opposite of what we were sold. It’s not necessary for Nintendo to use this bait and switch tactic.

          1. “Awesome footage”

            It looked like slightly better Ocarina of Time. And then a few years later and you got Twilight Princess, and YOU ALL FUCKING COMPLAINED, and still do till this day about that game!

    1. The tech demo wasn’t even for Zelda itself though, it was to show off what the Wii U can do graphically, as well as Gameplay controls for day/night for that functionality. People take these things too literally! If they’d shown off a Mario scene, people would stupidly jump on that being the new Mario game. Your own expectations and delusions are what let you down – not them.

      1. I know they did the same thing with the Gamecube tech Demo they showed off a realistic looking Link and ganon fight and then we got Wind waker .. and i loved it

  3. *sigh*………………..didn’t they already try this with Skyward Sword. Why can’t Nintendo just give us what we F’N ASK instead of trying to be so damn original all the time. Not only that, there never has been a photo-realistic Zelda before and there never has been a game like Zelda done like that before.

    *Shaking my head*

    1. Did you just say “why can’t they do what we ask instead of having them be original”? …So… so you don’t want originality in games? Dude, Anouma literally said that if they made a photorealistic game, it’d be just like every other game, and it would too! I’m still in shock that you’d rather have a company sacrifice originality to make something the “fans” want. Often times, the fans have really stupid ideas.

      1. As I also said which you igonred, is there an photo-realistic Zelda game out there? Nope. Is there any game out there that can compare to Zelda? Nope. Is there a game even close to Zelda that is photo-realistic? Nope.

        So instead of taking my comment out of context why address the totality of what I said before going into a nonsensical dissertation.

        1. yes but many games look photo realistic, non of them are like Zelda, but do we really want Zelda to look like everything else? shouldn’t we want Zelda to stand out from the pack? besides we got realistic styles and cartoon styles in Zelda, something different would defiantly be fun to look at

    2. 1. Skyward Sword was a fusion of the 2. This will be an entirely different look.
      2. To put it bluntly, you’re the kind of fan that makes me shake my head. Would I mind “photo realism” in my Zelda game? Not really, but I don’t want that to be “the one true Zelda look.” Since a legend comes with several interpretations, I’m pleased that Nintendo gives us multiple depictions of this world, both in appearance and tone. The game you’re describing is certainly one possibility, but I wouldn’t go and call it “the only Zelda I want.”

    3. Because the fans only think they know what they want.

      I would imagine Nintendo has tested out the photo-realistic style for Zelda and determined it wouldn’t work.

    4. Why would you even want a photo realistic Zelda? That would be retarded. Zelda isn’t an M rated game, and if it was, it would be stupid.
      Why not just ask for Link to get grenades instead of bombs?

      Zelda has, and always will have a side of light hearted humour to it. It’s not Dark Souls, or MGSV, or The Last of Us where it’s supposed to be grounded in a sense of reality and mature themes, it’s a fantasy adventure game, with a theme of adventure, heroicness, and a dash of humour throughout.

      Nobody want’s your shitty “blood and guts” Zelda, fuck off.

      1. How would photo-realism automatically make it mature?
        Personally I would love to have another zelda done in the realistic style of TP, that game had amazing monster designs.
        Can’t help but feel a bit downed it’s not gonna look like the amazing e3 presentation they showed but they’ve yet to give us a bad looking zelda style, so as long as it’s not zelda’s epic yarn or something, i’m looking forward to whatever they do with it.

        1. Because photo realism is the best way to create a sense of maturity.

          What, you want a photo realistic Zelda, then have people bopping up and down with gramaphones, and people saying “KEEEEEEEEE” with a big dumb grin on their face??
          That’s fucking RETARDED.

          Once you make a photo realistic Zelda it looses ALL of it’s charm.

          And the amazing E3 presentation, if you had a fucking brain, sounds EXACTLY what he’s talking about. And if you think that demo was photo realistic, or realistic in the slightest, fucking get your eyes checked

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=HE89cPcYZEY

          THAT is photo realism, or the closest we’ve gotten. Oh yeah, great style for a Zelda game /s

          1. One your being uneedlessly rude does’nt help your argument mate.
            Two Twilight princess was in a realistic style and that imo had some of the weirdest looking zelda characters so far, may I remind you of these two http://mimg.ugo.com/201101/1/1/7/170711/361834-449px-tp-cg-falbi-copy-large.jpg and him http://jumpkickpunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/TP_cg_Postman.jpg Point is there are differnet ways to do photorealism it more apply’s to textures then character design, you can have beautiful realistic flowing grass and huge realistic vista’s without sacrificising the zelda style, hell imo it was more effective because of the realistic look in TP.

            1. Oh yeah also the e3 presentation WAS realistic the lighting and textures were realistic looking, realism comes down to more then human anatomy.

          2. Okay I see what you mean I just think your wording is slightly off. What you might be trying to say is somewhat self-explanatory: photo realism is the best way to create …realism. Not maturity. It doesn’t automatically become mature there’s just a greater chance. But you’re right that it wouldn’t make sense for it to look completely photo realistic because Zelda is a fantasy game and for Nintendo to get us to buy the world it doesn’t need to look real it just needs to have enough charm to feel real.

          1. No, it did not look more realistic; it was just as stylized as the original game! It did have a higher polygon count and more detailed textures. The style, though: maintained, one-hundred-percent.

      2. Your comentary is so fucking immature you stupid asshole. A game can be hiper realistic without being violent AND a game can be ultra violent in a cartoony style. . . obviusly your mama had a lot of sex while se had you into her stomach that’s why you are so retard.
        And pleaso dont tell me that kids aren’t in the stomach because you were in the stomach and your mum dump you like a pile of shit, know why? because you are a pile of shit you nintendo fanboy faggot. People like you are the dishonored of nintendo, go fuck yourself or your mum’s anus stupid pile of shit.

        1. Stepping up the irony, huh?

          You must be new here.

          And have no knowlesge of video games.

          Or what photo realism even means.

          1. you probably dont know what sex in real life means so. . . well is a good deal what i did. I fuck and i Play and i enjoy both i dont have to be a dickhead or pretend that i know everything you stinki pile of shit.
            Know what? i’m gonna fuck your mum.

        2. and don’t tellme that i don’t know english. . . is hard to insult in english when you are not english, so eat my dick you immature pile of stinky shit. FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG

      3. Yeah because cleartly in order for something to be photo-realistic there has to be blood and guts. Like Star Wars……..

        o_O

        You need to grow up.

        1. But Zelda isn’t designed to look realistic. Just look at EVERY Zelda NPC. Now create those using the Fox Engine. They’d look fucking RETARDED.
          It’s out of place in a Zelda game.

          1. While I agree that the next Zelda game does not have to be realistic at all, it’s not impossible to design Zelda with more realistic tendencies. It would be a significantly different Zelda game, sure, but that doesn’t mean it won’t retain that Zelda charm that we know of. Knowing Miyamoto and Aonuma, they can make it happen.

            I wouldn’t mind having a photorealistic Zelda game coming out, but I’d much rather see what this unique art style is that Aonuma’s talking about. I hope it looks awesome. There were some watercolor moments in Skyward Sword that I liked, but it didn’t really jump out at me much. I hope this next one will do the trick.

    5. You’re goddamn retarded. Fans never know what they want with the Zelda series. Windwaker was bashed on when it was released because of its cel shaded graphics, but then it became a fan favorite. Twilight Princess was criticized for being too gritty and dark, but then fans came to love that game too. Everything with the Zelda series starts with a good dose of hate, but then they realize they’re being morons and come to their senses.

      1. If fans never know what they want they why not do a photo-realistic Zelda? That reall has nothing to do with anything. Aame-calling only means that you don’t have an intelligent rebuttal to what I said.

        The facts are that as usually people whom have blind loyalty defend anything and everything a company says no matter if it makes sense or not. Some of you around here are WORSE than XBOTs and Sony Drone every could be. I’m done with this please.

    6. It’d be fun to get what we want all the time but people will complain that Nintendo isn’t being original and is just milking what they have done before(which they are because its a video games series so its always similar to the last) and they will then ask for something ‘original’ which is what they have been trying to do all this time but can’t cause people don’t approve of it.

    7. Also, the fans don’t know shit.

      “Duuuuh, more like Ocarina of Time”
      “Where’s my Majora’s Mask remake?”
      “Make it more like Super Metroid”
      “I wanted Mario 64 2”
      “Make a Star Fox game like 64 (which means 2-3 hours long)”

      Why would anyone listen to those people, the “fans”?
      Fans don’t know balls.

      1. thats just because nintendo fans are so innocent!!!! they dont know anything besids stil acting like babies. rap up in that blanket and be sheltered in it while dr. evil kills your family. mmaaaawawawaw maaaawawawawa!!!!!!!

      2. The fans pay. If they pay Zelda and nintendo become sucessful if they don’t. . . well you know how it ends: DREAMCAST. So shut the fuck up asshole

          1. and you know… WHAT? Fans are people, those people may work on a designing studio or may be artists so shut the fuck up we can all express what we would like to see you Mr. creativity assHOLE

          2. Honestly fans has never hurt the creativity at all much.. Not every game has to be 100 % original to be creativity.. Fans are fans, ignoring them wouldn’t really help. Honestly each game for Nintendo has often been for certain fans and sometimes everyone, but never perfect, but 100 % ignoring wouldn’t be perfect either..

            Mario 64 2 for example has never been made, and others was, think it’s there turn sometimes?

            Besides, Nintendo has already done things like this anyway. But ignoring fans all the dang time won’t grow business much and if one game was made from fan ideas, and if one person thinks it’s too “Un-original” then don’t get it. Every game has a different path.

    8. They don’t give you what you “F’N ASK” because people like you are F’N IDIOTS and would ruin it.

    1. New is never always better nor is the only thing better.

      Not sure about the graphics of this though, maybe, but either way is good so I probably don’t mind.
      But new always being good? That’s like going against culture growth tbh.

  4. I imagine someting along the lines of a realistic Zelda mixed with Pixar like style…

    But that’s just me…

    I just hope the bosses and the game as a whole is harder this time…

  5. They always say they are making something completely different. All i think about completely different.. is maybe first person ? first person rpg zelda? lol

  6. Sounds really interesting, I like that they try new stuff!
    And that it will be HD makes it even more interesting!

  7. lol skyward sword much?

    I get this feeling like nintendo are in big trouble. There are a few art styles that they can try, but they seem to have there head stuck in the 90’s, for shame nintendo.

    sighs -.-

    1. If it looked like Skyward Sword then it wouldn’t be new, would it? Please go be stupid somewhere else.

    1. Steampunk Zelda would be awesome.
      Hopefully Aonuma goes for either a TP look (like the E3 demo) or SSB for WiiU Link look.
      But I’d be fine either way.

  8. I think that once Nintendo overcome the hurdles of latency in programming for an HD system, then we will see a quick turn around in game making and profitability for the Wii U! Would be nice to have a gift for all of the early adopters though…:)

    1. The thing with Nintendo is, they don’t like HD, heck they don’t like anything outside of their small circle. If you think back to the nes days (if you can). That’s nintendo, that’s the way they want it, that’s the way they like it, and they will never see past that.

      They wish HD didn’t exsist, as far as they are concerned, it’s a big money waster. That’s why they cut their budget this year, and didn’t want to show a new Zelda HD video.

      At this rate, nintendo are going to loose a modern audience, and die out, at least with the wii u anyway.

        1. Even the Wii had the Super Mario Galaxy games and DKCR, which, in my opinion, look almost as good as the best-looking games of that entire generation, including PC games, simply because of the style and effort put into them by skilled artists.

    2. shut the fuck up and dont tell nintendo what they have to do. They know it better than you, filthy sonyer. FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG

  9. The Link in Smash Bros i imagine is going to be the artstyle.

    I’d like it if they went back to the idea they had with Skyward Sword, with a sort if watercolour paint look, so say you’d slash an enemy, and you’d get like trail and burst of watercolour as you swung the sword and hit the enemy, and keep that theme throughout the game, that would be gorgeous

    1. That would be weird…but interesting. I think better suited for Kirby though, take advantage of the style, morphing into different shapes and objects, which is a Kirby theme, wouldn’t really fit into a Zelda game, it doesn’t match the tone and gameplay

  10. When will people learn dark and gritty zelda=darksiders
    Photo real Zelda=skyrim
    Nintendo wants to be original.

    1. Skyrim isnt in any way similar to zelda. . .
      Darksider maybe but skyrim? c’mon bitch stop fucking your own anus and think before comenting faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag

  11. Cripes. Would it be too much to ask to have a somewhat decent looking Zelda for once? Wish they’d make another one in the vein of Twilight Princess. No blasted water colors, cel shadeing, and/or yarn . Some of us still like those types of games. Pffft. I’m probably wasting my time. Screw it.

    1. Zelda sucks since TP they havent release anything good know why? becauso your mum fucks so badly that iwata cant have proper sex so he decided to fuck his own games.
      All because your mum fuck u bastard! and fuck your mum!

  12. its going to be a puppet show because nintendo knows there fans are special. going to add dlc that all ready was in the game to begin with. come on mini me lets go, come her mr. bigglesworth. lets buy you guys a real console with that thing…. oh yeah games!!!!! mmmooaawawawawawawa!!!!!! mmmooooaawawawawawawawawa!!!!!!

  13. I really hope it isn’t going to be cell-shaded like Wind Waker. I don’t particularly enjoy that art style. If it were more like Twilight Princess I’d be happy.

    Cell shading is interesting, but not appealing to a wide audience. Case and point, Wind Waker was (in)famous for its unique art style, but garnered a strong negative reaction from the audience.

    Twilight Princess is on the opposite end of the spectrum with a heavy dose of realism that fit the theme well. I realize that anyone could argue the same for Wind Waker, but we are getting that game in a few short months and a different style would be a nice change.

    1. He said it’d be something we’ve not seen yet, neither cartoony or realistic. So you’re safe – I just want a unique art style that shows off HD, I don’t mind not having a more realistic art style, but it really has to showcase the Wii U’s 1080p 60 frames visuals, I’m already liking the details on Link in SSB, so any art style that can contains lot of nice details and textures. Whether it be like a Pixar/Dreamworks animated feature in art-style, a more detailed Skyward Sword (like Bioshock Infinite) or something really unique like my brass, copper and leather world with a Steampunk setting, or hell even the yarn world will do.

      1. Oh yes, that SSB looked incredible! The graphics on all the games look stunning on this console. I honestly enjoyed the Nintendo Direct and can’t wait for most of those games. Wii Fit U, Wii Party U and the 3DS games are the only ones I’m not picking up (I don’t own a 3DS).

        I didn’t even like how the characters looked in skyward sword, but the environments and effects looked fantastic. I believe they were on the right track with that game, but fell a little flat on character design. A yarn zelda could turn out to be awesome if it were as gorgeous as the clips of Yarn Yoshi. If it’s anything like the Link in the SSB clips, then yes I’d be very happy.

  14. One thing Wii U haters forgot, is before latest Nintendo direct, according to them Wii U was weak. I see Wii U’s 3 cores was strong enough for them to get off the hardware and move to the software. And once those Wii U games arrive, I expect a 9/10 on most of those gams.

  15. Sounds good to me. But I wonder if any Zelda game will ever blow us away like The Wind Waker first did, when everyone saw Toon Link for the first time? Boy, that was sure an unforgettable moment in time. Little did anyone know just how popular and loved Toon Link would become after that. It’s like he’s an entirely new character altogether. And I hope he returns in the new Smash Bros. on Wii U, and also in another Wii U Zelda game (other than Wind Waker HD).

  16. a claymation-like Zelda—that would be pretty sweet (i love the art-style in Wind Waker).

    whoa, nothing quite like reading the comments and seeing all the Zelda fans figuratively trying to shoot each other full of Silver Arrows, what with all the rampant cussing, ‘tard calling, and whatnot…a because of differing views and opinions?

    cripe, people, stop getting all your octorok-print panties & boxers in a bunch, chill out, and…go play Majora’s Mask or something. o_O
    speaking of which, i would sooo buy that if it comes out on 3DS. one has wonder though, considering the game’s cult-following status, would a 3DS remake of zelda MM be financially viable for Nintendo.
    sure, they make awesome games (i’ve been playing since Link’s Awakening on the ol’ GB), but not forget that as a company—like most any other company—Nintendo has a goal of making money.

    but back to the original topic of the art-style, i think it’s cool that–whatever it may turn out to be–that Aonuma and company are exploring different visual styles for the next entry in the series.

  17. Don’t like the sound of that. Please make it like that Zelda tech demo, not some cartoonish, comic book style or any gay shit like that.

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  19. I’m a 90’s kid, and as such I was practically raised on Legend of Zelda. I can still recall the excitement I felt holding the yellow 64 controller in my hands as I went through the vivid dungeons in Ocarina of Time. The sound of the game’s music, the mental challenges, bright colors and characters, as well as the interesting secrets formed me into, at least partially, the person I am today. When I was lonely as a child, I had Link as my imaginary friend. He still helps me sometimes when I’m going through difficult times. I’ve got three soundtracks on my phone to listen to for when I feel lethargic. I know all the notes in every song by heart and play them for others sometimes. I’ve enjoyed every game since then. I know I’ve rambled, but I’d just like to say that I look forward to the new game… And thank you. Thank you for everything.

  20. You know, the E3 demo was kind of unique, at least compare to the Zelda titles. I think it would be a great idea. I mean I thought they were going to try to make the “Perfect Zelda” game, which means we would need some similar stuff for a great sequel, oh well maybe the different graphics won’t hurt it. I wonder what it really is then? Hope it’s not badly different like if it was all made of leather textures for example. :P

    Not a big fan of the focus of trying to be 100 % original, just a fan of video games with some originality like stories, maps, etc.

    Still looking forward it I hope!

  21. It might turn out as a lego one because there was original plans for that but I hope not. I’m really hoping for a Ni no Kuni style game, that would be awesome

  22. I’m really interested in seeing this supposed art style! The cel-shaded graphics looked amazing and the way the Wii-U Zelda demo appeared was fantastic. As the comment above me pointed out, a Ni no Kuni style game would be perfect for the next Zelda Wii-U title.

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