Hyrule Over The Centuries: Gerudo Desert

Hello!

As you all may or may not know, November is Zelda Month. Kooloo limpah! Therefore, I’ll probably do a lot of Zelda posts. One of these is a series documenting the various landmarks of Hyrule, and what becomes of them over the course of hundreds of years, and in different timelines. And today, we start with Gerudo Desert. Let’s-a-go!

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-Creation Era

-Era of The Goddess Hylia

-Sky Era

Skyward Sword

Here is where it starts, of course. In Skyward Sword, there is an area known as Lanayru Desert.

This map of the world of Skyward Sword shows the Lanayru Desert, circled.

Note how it is to the left/to the west. This will be important. As you can see, it comprises much of the Lanayru Province. However, it was not always a desert; at some time in the distant past, the area was lush, full of grass and water. Sometime between then and the time of Skyward Sword, the place gets turned into a desert. Anyway, Lanayru Desert is heavy on mining, and it is home to many robots. Interestingly, these robots never appear again in any Zelda game, much less in any desert.

The desert is inhabited, at this point in time, by a few Gorons, Deku Babas, various kinds of Bokoblins, and Yellow ChuChus, to name a few.

Also, strangely, insects known as Gerudo Dragonflies appear in the Lanayru Desert. This is strange, because Gerudo don’t exist yet at this point in time. Anyway, Lanayru Desert becomes the Desert Colossus + the Haunted Wasteland + the Gerudo’s Fortress at a later point in time. Also, the desert features a strange sea of sand. This becomes the quicksand maze seen in the Haunted Wasteland.

-Era of Chaos

-Era of Prosperity

-Force Era

Minish Cap

Not seen; hasn’t developed yet.

Four Swords

Not seen; hasn’t developed yet.

-Era of the Hero of Time

Ocarina of Time

Ah! Here we are. In this game, three interconnected desert areas appear. The Gerudo Fortress, where most of the Gerudo live-

the Haunted Wasteland, a true, nearly uninhabited desert filled with blinding, swirling sand-

and the Desert Colossus, a colossal (snurrff) desert where the Spirit Temple, the Gerudos’ ostensible place of worship, is located.

This is how they appear on the Ocarina of Time map, circled in red.

Again, it is to the left/to the west. However, even with the three desert areas combined, Lanayru Desert has shrunken considerably. However again, this map’s scale of that area is terrible. Also, by this time, Hyrule has spread out very well. See those clouds below the red circled area? Well, it’s probably an inaccessible (at that time, anyway) area of the desert. This happens a good bit. For example, in Kakariko Graveyard, if you look up, you can see snowy mountains. Look at the map, and you’ll only see clouds in that direction. However, going in that direction in Twilight Princess reveals an area called Snowpeak.

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Okay. This is where things get interesting. As you may well know, after the ending of Ocarina of Time, no, DEPENDING ON the ending of Ocarina of Time, the world can have three different outcomes, and Gerudo Desert with it. We’ll start with the Downfall Timeline.

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-The Imprisoning War

A Link To The Past

Okay. It’s simple. In this game, the Haunted Wasteland has become the desert we know as the Desert of Mystery.

Just look at this. The yellow-circled areas.

There is very little superficial resemblance, although the posts are reminiscent of the flags in Ocarina of Time. Also, the game takes place an unspecified amount of years, let’s just say 10, after Ocarina. It is somewhat strange that the desert changed so much in only 10 years.

Oracle of Ages + Oracle of Seasons

Presumably the same; these games take place an unspecified, but short amount of time after A Link to The Past.

-The Era of Light and Dark

-The Golden Era

Link’s Awakening

Presumably the same; this game takes place an unspecified, but short amount of time after Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons. What’s more, Link’s Awakening is nothing but a dream.

A Link Between Worlds

Since the world in this game is pretty much the same as the world in A Link To The Past, only after a few centuries, the Desert of Mystery still exists, and in the same position.

Look at this map of that world. It’s the, ummm, red tinted area. Be quiet.

The only difference, as you can see, is that some new walls and surfaces have appeared, and there are puddles of water and grassy areas, suggesting that the desert could be on its way to becoming lush and grassy again.

Tri Force Heroes

Presumably the same; this game takes place an unspecified, but short amount of time after A Link Between Worlds.

Legend of Zelda

Not seen; this game focuses on another part.

Adventure of Link

Not seen, although there is a relatively large desert to the north of the map.

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Child Timeline

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Majora’s Mask

Presumably the same as Ocarina of Time; Majora’s Mask takes place only a few months after Ocarina.

The Demon Thief Ganondorf is executed

Twilight Princess

Ah. Here’s where things get interesting. In this game, a place called Gerudo Desert appears.

This is how it appears on the Twilight Princess map. The red highlighted area.

If you’ll notice, the desert is in pretty much the same position as in Ocarina of Time, only moved south. Also, like its ancestor, Twilight Princess’ map is terrible with desert scaling.

Its epic theme aside, the Gerudo Desert seen in Twilight Princess has a few quirks. First of all, this area seems to combine Gerudo’s Fortress, the Haunted Wasteland, and the Desert Colossus. The second quirk is that in the course of some few hundred years, Gerudo Desert got completely cut off, and separated from the rest of Hyrule. It is unknown exactly how this happened.

As you can see, this desert is really barren; besides the Arbiters’ Grounds and the Bulblin towers, there are no structures or signs of civilisation whatsoever. There are, however, plenty of mesas. The Gerudo’s Fortress most likely either got buried by sand, or eroded over the course of hundreds of years. Either way, no Gerudo live here.

As for the Arbiter’s Grounds, there’s loads of evidence saying why it’s the Spirit Temple, including the giant mirror that both share.

Four Swords Adventures

This game takes place hundreds of years after Twilight Princess. In this game, the Gerudo Desert has become the Desert of Doubt.

This variation appears very close to its Ocarina of Time ancestor in some ways. It has an oasis, like in the Desert Colossus, and a Pyramid, both of which can be seen in this map depiction of the desert.

Because of a few factors here, it is most likely that this, along with the rest of this Hyrule, is a rebuilt version. Why? For one, the Gerudo Desert has never been surrounded by, or even been close to, any water, yet in this game, the desert is entirely surrounded. And besides, the Desert of Doubt is located in the southwest quadrant, where all other iterations have been in the west/northwest quadrant. Another reason: in Twilight Princess, the Gerudo have all but disappeared; Ganondorf is the only known Gerudo in that game. However, within just a few hundred years, a ton of Gerudo appear in this game, all like ” ‘sup, bro?” This phenomenon appears with a few races in this era.

Then again, there is a blinding sand puzzle in the Desert of Doubt, very similar to the Haunted Wasteland, and that oasis.

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Adult Timeline

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The Wind Waker

This is really interesting. Anyway, Gerudo Desert in this game is the Forsaken Fortress.

I know, I know, I see you pulling that confused face, like “What is he talking about? He’s lost his marbles!”. But hear me out. First, let’s look at this cool collage I made of the maps of Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time.

Now, the Hyrule of the Wind Waker is exactly the same as the one in Ocarina of Time, just, y’know…flooded. But seriously, in this timeline branch, nothing has really moved significantly.

With that said, you can see Gerudo Desert and all that in the northeast/topmost and leftmost corner of the Ocarina of Time map, right? Well, in the topmost, leftmost square of the Wind Waker map, what do we have here? The Forsaken Fortress. That’s just a taster; I’m not done.

See how the fortress is surrounded by brown, craggy rocks? That’s reminiscent of the Gerudo Desert. And see how the towers and stuff are all hodgepodged together? Similar to Gerudo Fortress.

Besides, as Ganondorf’s birthplace, wouldn’t it make sense for him to build his new base of operations over the flooded ruins of his erstwhile home?

And one final thing: a quote from Tetra.

So a long time ago, the Forsaken Fortress was a hideout for a band of fierce pirates? Hmmm, who might that be? *Cough cough* Majora’s Mask pirate Gerudos *cough cough*

Phantom Hourglass

Nonexistent; Hyrule is now COMPLETELY flooded.

Spirit Tracks

Nonexistent; the Gerudo died out with Ganondorf at the end of the Wind Waker. There is a Sand Realm in this game, however.

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And that’s the history of Gerudo Desert. How did you enjoy it? Do you feel sad at the Gerudo dying out? Let me know down below! And please like and share if you enjoyed this.

My Zelda Collection: November 2015 Edition (私の ゼルダ コレクション : 十一月 2015 版)

Hello. It is I, your friendly neighbourhood LinguistGamer. Today, I will give an update on my Zelda collection.

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Before we start, I will say that yesterday, I broke my video game hiatus. I played Super Smash Bros. Brawl, namely. To see what I mean by “hiatus”, go here. To that end, here’s a tip: if you’re waiting for a game with your favourite Nintendo character in it, play Smash Bros.. Works even better if you have ones for different systems. Anyway, this works because you get to immerse yourself in pwnin’ ‘n’ ownin’ with your favourite character, which actually provides a palatable solution. I, for one, didn’t expect it to work, but I was proven wrong. And even if you don’t like the fighting action, try the Masterpieces in Brawl and Smash for Wii U. That. Works. Wonders.

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But enough about that. I have been working diligently on my collecting lately, and have been wearing the Bargagain Hunter’s Mask lately.

*duh duh duh duuuuuuuuhhhh*

You got the Bargagain Hunter’s Mask! This mask heightens your awareness of Bargagains! Wear it with © and detect incredible deals with B!

Yeah. Anyway, my Zelda collection, believe it or not, is, in a way, very close to completion. As it stands, I have all the 3D games except one (two when Zelda Wii U releases). Since I don’t have time to take pictures, here is a makeshift chart. The black triangles (pretend they’re Triforce Shards) indicate games that I own. Empty checkboxes, obviously, are games that I don’t own. Also, to those not aware of the new timeline shift, this can serve as a little catch-up.

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Sky Era/Era of the Hero Of Time

Skyward Sword ☐

Minish Cap ☐

Four Swords ☐

Ocarina of Time ▲ 3D ☐ MQ ☐

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Child Timeline

Majora’s Mask ▲3D ☐

Twilight Princess ☐ Wii▲

Four Swords Adventures ☐

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Downfall/Decline Timeline

A Link to the Past ☐ GBA▲

Oracle of Ages ☐ Oracle of Seasons ☐

Link’s Awakening ☐ DX ☐

A Link Between Worlds ☐

Tri Force Heroes ☐

The Legend of Zelda ☐ GBA ☐

Adventure of Link ☐ GBA ☐

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Adult Timeline

Wind Waker▲ HD ☐

Phantom Hourglass ▲ (this was the first Zelda game I ever owned!)

Spirit Tracks ☐

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Hoi! That is it! I am seriously, seriously lacking in the Downfall department, and it doesn’t help that they just released a new game in that timeline.

I’m definitely thinking that my next Zelda game should be in that timeline. Specifically, the first game, for the NES, or even the Famicom if I can wangle it. However, I know of a supercheap, Japanese Spirit Tracks copy. That game looks to be pretty cool.

But I am also thinking about taking a break from Zelda collecting momentarily…until a very good bargagain appears. I really want to get Earthbound, Super Mario World, Pokémon Sapphire, and Super Smash Bros. 64. What do you guys think I should get next? Lemme know in the comments! Seriously, your input is valuable here.

P.S. My Expansion Pak to play Majora’s Mask is in the post/mail, as is Wind Waker (Japanese). Wish me luck on the suspense! *Ahem*

Much wait.

So anticipation.

Many excited.

Such happy.

Very impatience.

The Latest Zelda Game’s Title Is Based On A Bad Zelda Pun

Or at least, I think it is.

Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, the newest installation in the Legend of Zelda series, released in North America for the 3DS on October 23rd.

Anyway, there is a Zelda pun that has been going around the Internet for Din knows how many years. It has a bunch of variations on it, but ultimately, it is simply deplorable. Ready? All right; here we go.

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Q: What did Zelda say to Link when he couldn’t open the door? A: Try force!

or

Q: What did Navi say when Link couldn’t open the door? A: Triforce!

or

Q: What did Zelda tell Link when he couldn’t open the door? A: Triforce.

or

Link could not open the door so navi told him to try force (triforce) [sic]

or

Link ” I can’t open the door.” Navi “why don’t you just try force.” Link ” O~o ” [sic]

or

Link tries to open a locked door and cannot find a key anywhere.. Navi pipes up and says, “Hey, triforce.” [sic]

or

Link: I can’t figure out how to open this door!
Navi: maybe you should try force? [sic]

or

When Link couldn’t open the door, Zelda said,” Tri force.” [sic]

or

Link: Zelda, help me push this door. Zelda: Try force.

or

link: i cant get in the door to rescue zelda. zelda: triforce [sic]

or

What did Zelda say to link when he couldnt pull out the master Sword? Triforce! [sic]

or

can’t budge that gate? Did you TriForce? [sic]

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Yes. Like I said, this pun is simply deplorable. Sick of it, aren’t you? Well, there are plenty more variations. *gags* Some bloody, evil douchebag even suggested raping Zelda through this pun. In my opinion, no self-respecting Zelda fan should ever use this pun.

Anyway, the newest Zelda game is called “Tri Force Heroes“. I really, really don’t think they put that space there randomly. What’s next? “Legend of Zelda: Too Many Links“? That’s why Ganondorf doesn’t use the Internet and hates the Internet, by the way. *gags again*

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And since we’re on the subject of Tri Force Heroes, let’s talk about the Timeline. What in the world kind of decision was it to put it in the friggin’ Downfall Timeline? I mean, that’s all right inherently, but…right after A Link Between Worlds??? Basically, they want you to believe that after this game…

This guy…

disguises himself as this guy.

That’s the rubbish they’re trying to feed you. That’s a reeeeaally good disguise. I mean, changing the color of his eyes, the shape of his eyes, his hair color, and his height? Thorough. Oh, and the color of his undershirt. He changed that from brown to green. Because everybody knows it’s not the shirt that people remember; it’s the undershirt. Remember that, because you may need to disguise yourself someday. Here’s a juxtaposition, to highlight the ridiculousness of this.

This guy↘

←is this guy.

I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, Nintendo, but I’m not fooled.

Just to clarify fully, Nintendo’s official statement is that after “events unknown”, the Link of A Link Between Worlds leaves Hyrule and disguises himself n the Bear Minimum Outfit in order to hide his heroic origins, but is still recognized by the people of Hytopia because of his pointy ears and sideburns. Well that doesn’t take much.

Pfft. Julie Gagnon was right.

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And there are a few other Timeline oddities here, too. For instance: the Kokiri Outfit.

This is more important than it looks. Do you realize that the Kokiri race has only appeared in two games? That’s Ocarina of Time and Wind Waker. Even then, the latter only features one true Kokiri.

If this is true, then why the hey is there a reference to the tribe in the Downfall Timeline? This is very weird stuff. And look at the actual outfit- it has changed subtly. The hat is frayed/pointed, for example. Personally, I believe that there are two Kokiri, really three, that we’ve all been, to use the common phrase, “sleeping on”, in the Downfall Timeline. Who? The two lumberjacks of A Link to the Past, A. Bumpkin and B. Bumpkin. Oh, and their brother Q. Bumpkin.

I’m not just talking rubbish here. Number one: they have pointed ears, and they seem to have brown hair, although it is very hard to see; a trait shared by nearly all Kokiri males. Second of all, they habitually wear green, a habit shared only by select few character in the Zelda universe, but prominently among which include the Kokiri. Third, they look very young. Members of the Kokiri race look eternally youthful, no matter how long they live. A Link to the Past takes place a good few years after Ocarina of Time. Fourth: their location. It is significant. They live in a house on the very edge of the Lost Woods. A place sometimes visited by the Kokiri in Ocarina of Time.  The two Lumberjacks often spend their time cutting trees in the Lost Woods.

And the fifth thing. The word for “Lumberjack” in Japanese is “Kikori“. (木樵). Very similar to “Kokiri”. (コキリ)

In conclusion, I believe that the two lumberjacks (three if you go by the Game Boy Advance remake) are the last remnant of the Kokiri race seen in the Downfall Timeline. Sad, really. But why is the definitive Kokiri garb showing up hundreds of years after their first game? *Sniff sniff* I SMELL NON-CANON!!!1111!

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Also, the Tingle Outfit.

First of all, why would anybody in their right mind want to dress up like Tingle?

<implying

Even Tingle doesn’t want to look like Tingle.

Anyway, the reference to Tingle is strange also. Fun fact: for some mad reason, Tingle does appear in the Downfall Timeline. Specifically, in Oracle of Ages.

Welp, guess I’m not playing that game anymore…

JKLOL. Anyway, it may be just the limited color palette at play here, but it doesn’t seem like this iteration of Tingle is wearing his trademark clock (heh, Tingle Flav) or his red trunks. This version doesn’t even have Tingle use his balloons. So why is the Tri Force Heroes costume referencing a Tingle variant that doesn’t exist in this Timeline? I’ll tell you why: Tingle can time travel.

Think about it. He appears in Skyward Sword (albeit as a plushie) and Minish Cap, very early in the Timeline. He then proceeds to appear in Majora’s Mask, and then Four Swords Adventures. Oh, and in Oracle of Ages. And The Wind Waker, of course. In almost all his appearances, he states his age to be the exact same thing: 35. In every appearance. Don’t you think it a very weird coincidence that he states he’s exactly 35 years old in every appearance where he states his age?

Not only is he capable of time traveling, but he can also generate doppelgangers. How does he go about these dastardly deeds, you may ask? Well, let’s just say that stupid clock he wears isn’t just for decoration. Also, if you’ll notice, between Majora’s Mask and Wind Waker, the position of the clock’s hands has changed. In this costume, even, the position of the clock’s hands has changed.

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Finally, the Goron Outfit.

If you don’t already know, that’s not an ordinary Goron being depicted. No, that’s a costume of Darunia.

Yes, the Goron Patriarch that only appeared in Ocarina of Time. So what’s this costume doing all the way down here in the Downfall Timeline? Moreover, all the Outfits are supposed to contain someone’s soul…so how is that possible? *Sniff sniff* I STILL SMELL NON-CANON!!!1!1!

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What do you think of that terrible pun? What about the Timeline oddities? Please Like if you enjoyed, and leave a comment!

Zelda Wii U Theories and Speculations (ゼルダ ウィー ユー 理論 と 憶測)

Hello.

Recently, the Zelda community has been shimmering with whispers and wonders about the newest installation of the Legend of Zelda series. No, not Triforce Heroes. I’m talking about…Legend of Zelda Wii U!

That is all we have to call it right now; no hint of a name has been given at this time, and we know that the game is scheduled for the Wii U. Speaking of which, let me dispel an annoying rumor that has been circulating recently. Wait, wait, wait…What an annoying rumor that was! I will banish it to the gap between dimensions! Okay, I’m done.

Anyway, the rumor is that the new game is scheduled to come out on Nintendo’s latest console: the Nintendo NX. This is not true. First of all, the game is still referred to as Zelda Wii U by the community. Second, they’ve been developing this game for a good while now. The NX? We don’t know how far they are on it, or when they started. The Wii U, however, has been out for nearly three years now. Besides, if the Wii U is supposed to be failing so badly, wouldn’t it make sense to dynamically change the game (pun intended) and save the drowning system with an awesome new game? I think so. Finally, all the footage that has been released thus far has been played on a freaking Wii U.

Now that that’s done, let’s talk about…

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Game Content and What We Can Expect

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Okay, it is very clear by now that this new game is dynamic-we’ve never seen anything quite like it. But what can we expect?

First, let’s consider the world this could take place in. Look at these maps.

This doesn’t resemble anything we’ve ever seen before- it’s mostly a whole new world. Looking at the names of worlds in the Zelda universe, I found a strange pattern.

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Calatia, Cobble

Holodrum, Hyrule

Koholint Island, Koridai

Labrynna, Lorule

Termina, Tolemac

Wayaway, World of the Ocean King

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Do you see it? Between all of the games, there are always two worlds that start with the same letter. The only unmatched worlds are the Dark World, Gamelon, and Subrosia. Granted, a few of these worlds are non-canon, but this is something to think about. If this is a new world (which it most likely is), then the world’s name could possibly start with D, G, or S.

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Next, look at the shield borne by the Link of this game.

Again, this has never been seen before. However, I personally think it resembles that of the Hero’s Shade from Twilight Princess.

Before you jump to conclusions on my opinion, I’m just sayin’. It resembles the Shade’s Shield (hey, that’s alliterative!) New Link’s (I shall refer to him like that henceforth) shield appears to have a wooden texture to me. Perhaps they’re bringing back the concept of wooden shields, as seen in Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword, and The Legend of Zelda for NES.

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Look at the thingies on New Link’s arm here.

Now where have we seen those thingies before? Oh, that’s right…

Yes…on Ganondorf’s arms, chest, waist, and cape, from Ocarina of Time. To take it further, look at the headbands and clothing of the Twinrova from the same game.

Clearly, those markings are peculiar to the Gerudo race. Now, I could go out on a limb here and make up some crazy theory that New Link is a Gerudo or Ganondorf’s son or something, but I won’t. If I know the Zelda community and the theorist community well enough, someone either already has, will, or is currently doing that. It is interesting to note, however.

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This.

What.The.Heck.Is.This. It looks like some kind of Boko-monster to me. Very toony.

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Look at this quiver.

In the top right corner, it says “96”. We don’t know if this is an upgraded Quiver or not, but clearly, we’ll be able to carry a ton of Arrows in this game. Only two games have had close to that capacity Quiver: The Wind Waker and The Minish Cap.

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Yes, you’ve indubitably seen this image many times by now, and it won’t hurt you to look again.

Just what is this mysterious arrow??? Whatever it is, the arrow, combined with the weird Gohma thing that New Link shoots with it, to me, confirms at least slight technological advances. Just why people get so butthurt over this, I have no idea. Also, notice how this Bow has white wrappings around its edges. The only games that feature Bows like this are Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks.

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Look at this odd ability New Link is displaying.

You may not be able to tell, but here, New Link has jumped off his horse and is levitating in the air while aiming his Bow at some enemies. Um…that’s not natural. Perhaps this Link is one of those Hylians that are said to have magical powers granted by the gods.

Also, check out the flip he does from off his horse.

Screw that; here’s a GIF.

The only time I’ve ever seen a flip like that in the Zelda series is in this beta commercial for Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

On closer inspection, New Link’s Shield slightly resembles the Banded Shield from Skyward Sword.

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This thing.

What is this? It resembles some kind of futuristic Gohma, but it also behaves like a Beamos. It could possibly be some kind of boss. Perhaps this is a homage to the Armogohma seen in the original Wii U Zelda Tech Demo seen in 2011. With this I urge you all to remember this- the game, if it is as awesome as Nintendo says (and I’m sure it is), the game is still being developed. What is the significance of this fact? It is that we may or may not see certain implements being featured. In pretty much every Zelda game, there were awesome features that we saw, which never came to fruition. Bear this in mind, so you won’t crash in disappointment too hard if something gets missed out.

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The antagonist of the game…who is it? On the Nintendo Japanese website, this quote can be found.

本ソフトは、『ゼルダの伝説』シリーズのWii U版新作です。境界なく、どこまでも広がる『ゼルダ』の世界で、リンクが新たな謎、新たな強敵に挑みます。

Roughly translated, it says-

This software is a new Wii U version in the “Legend of Zelda” series. In the infinitely expanding world of “Zelda”, without boundaries, there is a new mystery, and a new Link, who will challenge a new, formidable enemy.

WHO IS IT!!!!1!!!11! Gosh, who could this “new, formidable enemy” be? As much as I love Ganondorf, the prospect of a brand-new villain excites me. Somehow, all I can see in my mind’s eye is Vaati. It’s improbable, and I’m not expecting or hoping for it to happen, but my brain just keeps summoning an image of Vaati all shimmering, in this shiny, HD texture. It’s not Vaati, though. I seriously doubt it.

It could be a reincarnation of Demise. Look at this threat he makes the Link of Skyward Sword after being defeated.

Basically, what he’s saying is, he really freaking HATES Link and Zelda- and all of their incarnations and descendants. Every Zelda game’s Big Bad, in some way, somehow, has been related to Demise. Also, listen to this snippet of Fi’s analysis of Demise from the game.

This eternal being has conquered time itself. It is the source of all monsters. According to tales passed down through generations, it appears differently in each epoch and to each person who lays eyes on it.

He appears differently in each epoch, and differently to everybody who sees him, eh? Just something to think about…

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Next- oh, I can’t stop myself anymore. Next,

The Timeline.

This is integral to this writing, so I might as well. I’m a bit of a timeline fiend, I admit it.

Okay! Epona! Epona appears ubiquitously in this game-if that horse is even Epona.

What are the games that Epona appears in significantly? (that is, rideable; mere cameos don’t count) Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and Twilight Princess. All Child Timeline games (except for OoT).

Let’s consider something; the Epona that appears in Twilight Princess is most likely not the same one that appears in Ocarina of Time or Majora’s Mask. Twilight Princess takes place centuries after Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, so that’s a no-go. If this was so, then the Epona seen in Twilight Princess would be a laughably blind, old, broken-down bag of bones. It seems that for the two Heroes, naming a horse Epona is a tradition.

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Look at New Link’s clothing.

A blue shirt instead of the traditional green garb of the Hero? Seem familiar?

Yes….New Link’s clothing appears very similar to Link’s Pajamas from the Wind Waker. New Link’s shirt seems to be a lighter color and has no lobster pattern, so we can’t lean on that one too much. Also, just look at how…shiny New Link looks, as well as his horse, his environment, and his enemies. It appears very similar to the style of Wind Waker HD. These things would tend to place it in the Adult Timeline, but this is very flimsy evidence, so I won’t lean on it. Although, the Wind Waker and Zelda Wii U are two of the precious few games where Link appears without a cap…

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New Link’s general design- a full, average-sized body with blond hair, leggings, and boots, and a shield on his back. Only four games feature this kind of model- Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and Twilight Princess. Once again, that would be the Child Timeline.

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New Link can be seen using the Sailcloth in some footage.

This is an item that only appears in Skyward Sword. Also, New Link can be seen casting Beacons in this game.

This is an ability otherwise only usable in Skyward Sword. This would place it in the Creation Era. My, but people seem to be inordinately eager to place this right after Skyward Sword. If this is so, then why does the sky seem to be empty except for clouds? Then again, Hylians are supposed to have taken their first steps onto the Surface after Skyward Sword’s ending.

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Around the time of the release of Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D, this message was sent on Miiverse. It is from the Happy Mask Salesman. Italics and quotation marks mine.

“My, my… I’ve certainly been appearing all over the place these past few days! If this keeps going, maybe it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect me to pop up in a new Zelda game, too…? Ho, ho, ho… I’ve got some new masks, too, if you’d like to try them on… If I do make an appearance, I’m sure everyone will experience such happiness! Believe in your strengths… Believe… Ho, ho, ho…”

Pop up in a new game, eh? I doubt he’s talking about Triforce Heroes, although Masks would fit right in with a fashion-obsessed kingdom. Anyway, I find it not outside of the realm of possibility for the Happy Mask Salesman to appear in Zelda Wii U, ESPECIALLY since he has already proven that he has abnormal powers of control over time. Somehow, it would be weird to see New Link wearing masks. Anyway, this is a Child Timeline character. I mean, he made that stupid cameo in Oracle of Ages, but nobody cares about that.

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Back to this game’s world…at what time could there possibly be a land so shiny, untouched, and vast?

After the Downfall Timeline and Adventure of Link- improbable, even though AoL’s world was larger than usual. The Link of that game is supposed to help the Zelda of that game rebuild Hyrule, but how many years would it take to build all of this?! Also, notice the conspicuous lack of buildings or architecture in the Zelda Wii U footage except for the bridge that that monster breaks.

After the Child Timeline and Four Swords Adventures- possibly. I won’t firmly say no to that one, as the land wasn’t too ravaged after the end of that Timeline. Besides, Twilight Princess’ Hyrule was the biggest ever.

After the Adult Timeline and Spirit Tracks- bingo! This is my second-best guess. I think that if this game doesn’t take place in a whole new world (which it assuredly does), then it takes place in an expanded New Hyrule. Think about it- New Link possesses a Wind Waker-like outfit and the game has a Wind Waker HD feel to it. Besides, Spirit Tracks features the concept of a large, rebuilt Hyrule.

However, we would tend to run into one of the same problems as we did with Adventure of Link- if this is New Hyrule, then where’re all the buildings. In fact, with the exception of New Link, Epona, and the monsters, there doesn’t seem to be anyone at all in the surrounding area. This may be, however, a callback to the first ever game where you could only find people in caves. It could also reflect the new, free, hyper-open-world aspect of Zelda Wii U. Maybe people would just get in the way of that or something.

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Let’s look at the thing logically, in terms of recent Zelda releases.

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2011- Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Creation Era)

2013- Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD (Adult Timeline)

2013- Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Decline Timeline)

2015- Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D (Child Timeline)

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With the exception of Triforce Heroes and Hyrule Warriors, those are all the latest-released Zelda games, in order. As you can see in that observation above, within the last four years, there has been a release for every Timeline. What are the chances of releasing another and doubling the pattern? Personally, I think there is every chance that we’re possibly looking at a new Timeline branch here. There’s just too much stuff to pin down to one Timeline.

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I’m so conflicted. There is actually a small case for the game taking place around Skyward Sword- but not in the way everybody thinks. If it has any relationship to Skyward Sword, it’ll most likely go before it, not after. Think about it- the world we keep seeing could be the Sky, just with no visible exit. After all, whatever we’ve seen so far, we can be positive that it is only a mere smidgen of what this game and this world has to offer. C’mon. This game is supposed to push the Wii U’s capabilities to the breaking point with its new mechanics and vast overworld.

Anyway…but also, the game could conceivably take place after Skyward Sword. It’d go nicely into the Era of Prosperity. In that spot, the Hylians are establishing Hyrule and building Hyrule Castle in the center of the land.

Next-

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When We Can Expect To Know More

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On March 27th, 2015, it was announced that Zelda Wii U would be delayed until 2016, where before it had a release date of 2015. It was also said on that day that we wouldn’t be seeing anything of the game at the E3 2015 summer expo, either. At E3 2015, Shigeru Miyamoto assured us that the game would be for the Wii U, and that there was some “really great footage” to show. Said it “wasn’t ready to be shown yet”. Later on in the year, they dispensed with the 2016 release date, and now it’s just “TBD”.

Clearly, we won’t have any more officially revealed information on the game until 2016, and as for a release, to paraphrase Albus Dumbledore from the Half-Blood Prince, to expect a release earlier than mid-to-late 2016 would be “optimistic to the point of foolishness”. I’ve always loved that quote…Anyway, if we do get any information before 2016, it’ll be either leaks or hints.

Nintendo is determined to keep this game firmly shrouded in mystery. It increases the hype, too, so they know what they’re doing. Think about it…the longer it takes for news to come out, the more people squirm, invent theories, and generally make hype. And it works!

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What are your thoughts on what we can expect to see in this upcoming game? What are your thoughts on Timeline placement? Do you even care? LMKDB!

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Two Zeldas! (二のゼルダ!)

Honnichiwa, tomodachi-san.

I’m getting a hefty addition to my Zelda collection. I tell you, when you hunt for bargagains, bargagains will find you.

Okay, so first of all, I have to brag here. I snagged Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask for $12.00 and free shipping on Ebay. It’s the Japanese version. Even better, when I looked at the listing, it said the listing had ended, so it looks like I got the last one. EPIC WIN! Of course, I don’t have an Expansion Pak, so I probably can’t play it when it comes…

But I also got Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii version) for a bit less than $15.00. Awesome stuff. And it comes with the original box and manual, and you know how I feel about that.

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I love Majora, even though I don’t look forward to tangling with the Japanese save system. I’ve always heard about Twilight Princess and how good it was, but its exorbitant prices had limited it to only hearsay heretofore now. I do like the Gerudo Desert theme from Twilight Princess. And the Ganondorf stage 2 theme-it sounds like a car commercial-ah-Dodge Ram. I seldom get into a new game but that I have listened to its awesome music beforehand.

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Anyway, whenever I get a new canon Zelda game, I mark it into the Timeline Chart. I drew this diagram of the Timeline, with check boxes. I include variants for different systems. For example, when the news of Majora’s Mask 3D broke this year, I added a little check box with “3D” in parentheses next to Majora’s Mask. Stuff like that. And when I get a game, I mark a Triforce into the check box. This is a computer-generated approximation of how it’s looking right now.

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Legend of the Goddesses and the Hero/Creation Era

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Decline/Downfall Timeline

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Child Timeline (My Favorite!)

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Adult Timeline

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(そうなんす!) (Sōnansu!) That’s how it is! My next target is Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. If I can get a Wii U before that, however, I’d get the Wind Waker HD bundle and have done with it.

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What do you think of my Zelda collection so far? Do you have anything to say about Twilight Princess? what do YOU think my next addition should be? Please, лет ми ноу дон било! Look it up!