End of an era for Zelda?

By Ellie Gibson Published 5 September, 2005

Miyamoto gets mysterious.

Eagerly-awaited Gamecube title The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will mark the end of an era for the hit series, according to a transcript of a recent radio interview with Shigeru Miyamoto.

"This will be, without a doubt, the last Zelda game as you know it in its present form," Miyamoto is quoted as saying.

He declined to reveal any more details as to how the series will be reborn, but did go on to assure fans that Twilight Princess will be absolutely aces: "Our goal was to make the best Zelda game ever. The most rich, satisfying and [melancholic].

"I worked on it personally, moreso than Wind Waker. I haven't invested as much into any game as I have this one," Miyamoto said.

"We've really improved it in just a few months. Everything's coming together, much quicker. We may have some last minute ideas," he added.

And it's not just Zelda who'll be getting a next-gen makeover - everyone's favourite Italian plumber is set to star in a new game that will "surprise many people," according to Shigsy.

"Mario is and always has been a concept title from his birth. We are always looking for new ways of playing with him, manipulating him, to create something new and unique. We're in the midst of preparing something special for his future, something never before seen.

"Give us the benefit of the doubt. I think we'll present you with a new way to have fun."

Miyamoto also revealed that Mario is getting a brand new sidekick, but kept firmly schtum on the details. However, he did confirm that Mario 128 is simply a working title for the forthcoming game.

"Of course we will rename it, obviously. That won't be the only surprise of next year though.

"Mario 128 played a large role in the Revolution's conception, much like Mario 64 in its time. But we won't just be focusing on Mario. We're working on some very impressive games which push interactivity to the max. Games of a new era," Miyamoto said.

"We will be revealing many details soon... While our gamers are sleeping, we're busy thinking up new ideas. But while they're playing, we're playing as well," he concluded.

Let's just hope they're not too knackered to finish Twilight Princess - the game was recently delayed until next year, with a Nintendo bigwig saying it won't appear until April at the earliest. Roll on 2006...

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (38) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • MikeD #1 7 years ago

    I knew it! Nintendo is going Urban!

  • drumbaby #2 7 years ago

    LOL, exactly what I thought :)

  • Talha #3 7 years ago

    NExt thing we know, we are gonna have Mario:Most Wanted, which will be a GTA-like free roaming title and will also have racing sections where the target will be to lose the police.

    Or, maybe there will be MarioBot, a robot which will be able to play hide and seek with you along with shooting and killing, not to mention Kart racing.

    Oh well, guess his rather enigmatic remarks are getting to my head.....
    Edited by 1 at 05/09/05 @ 11:07

  • smelly #4 7 years ago

    Well it all sounds good to me! Bring it on!

  • Derblington #5 7 years ago

    /agrees with Smelly

  • itamae #6 7 years ago

    "everyone's favourite Italian plumber is set to star in a new game that will "surprise many people," according to Shigsy."

    The only way they could surprise me was if he would star in a jump-and-run for a change. I mean seriously, Mario has had cameos in every genre known to man.

  • Ciaran #7 7 years ago

    Miyamoto-san, Nintendo, listen. I love you guys, I really do. You've created some AAA gaming experiences, and put a smile on my face like PC games never could. But please, please just STOP blowing hot air around, promising all kinds of vague 'stuff', and bloody well SHOW us something.

    AAARGH!

    /bangs head repeatedly on keyboard in frustration
    /faints

  • Phishy #8 7 years ago

    How serious is revolution!? Either Nintendo know they are onto a winner or its one big bluff...

  • Ciaran #9 7 years ago

    /comes to

    All better now, thanks. Just... don't mind me. Ever.

    /sulks away

  • DaM #10 7 years ago

    I hope they are not hyping Revolution too much...I am expecting nothing less than a holodeck!

  • Seifer #11 7 years ago

    Kirby6- Ride or Die ... With a 50Cent soundtrack sounds good.

  • dadrester #12 7 years ago

    O N L I N E

    that's the revolution. mmorpg for zelda... mulitplayer mario...

  • myrmican #13 7 years ago

    O N L I N E

    that's the revolution. mmorpg for zelda... mulitplayer mario...

    Rubbish. Online is full of retards, griefers and l33t assholes. Gimme great crafted single-player content any day.

  • Machiavel #14 7 years ago

    Multiplayer Mario?

    BE the blue coin... watch players' futile search for you, snicker as you spin.

  • space_ace #15 7 years ago

    nice excuse for the delay.

  • dadrester #16 7 years ago

    Rubbish. Online is full of retards, griefers and l33t assholes. Gimme great crafted single-player content any day.

    agreed. but i think that this will be what is going to happen. nintendo have said consistently that they won't enter the online arena until the infrastructure is right. they obviously think it's right now.

    [edit] and lol@Machiavel
    Edited by 1 at 05/09/05 @ 11:34

  • Tomo #17 7 years ago

    So many cynics.

  • freedumb #18 7 years ago

    I agree. Same as when there were too many cynics scoffing at the idea of the DS, which was also promising something new and innovative. Nintendo know what they're doing. Nuff said.

  • RabidMonkey #19 7 years ago

    "This will be, without a doubt, the last Zelda game as you know it in its present form"

    No more Link, perhaps?

  • jellyhead #20 7 years ago

    I can't wait for Twighlight Princess, April can't arrive quickly enough.

  • KraftWerk #21 7 years ago

    I think the whole sinister plot of Nintendo is revealed in those last sentences. Obviously, my DS, snugly fitted beside my bed, taps in to my brain at night while I sleep, using my mind to process data and sending it wirelessly back to Japan.

  • mattigan #22 7 years ago

    I think they will be bringing Zelda up to date, well at least more up to date, doing away with the whole medieval theme and going more "cyberpunk" while keeping the same basic game mechanics.

  • TS2610 #23 7 years ago

    "This will be, without a doubt, the last Zelda game as you know it in its present form"

    By 'present form', he obviously means 'in 3D'. 2D Zelda on Revolution FTW!

  • smelly #24 7 years ago

    "This will be, without a doubt, the last Zelda game as you know it in its present form"

    I reacon they're gonna turn it into a fps.

  • Teeth #25 7 years ago

    "snicker as you spin"

    LOL!

  • Royal Fool #26 7 years ago

    TGS!


    ;)

  • asphaltcowboy #27 7 years ago

    "No more Link, perhaps?"

    Yeah, i was thinking that, perhaps they'll kill him off?

  • Fozzie_bear #28 7 years ago

    New direction for Zelda? And a new sidekick for Mario?

    Maybe they're going to cram Mario into the next Zelda adventure. Ride the plains of Hyrule on fucking Yoshi. Smite a big dragon thing that you've already smitten hundreds of times before. Save the only princess in the world even more bloody annoying than Zelda. New innovative 'lock-on and hit the baddies on the head with your arse' combat system. Music score that makes you wat to eat your own ears!

  • Phishy #29 7 years ago

    ^^ Bill Gates Lover

  • Nemesis #30 7 years ago

    We are always looking for new ways of playing with him, manipulating him, to create something new and unique

    Mind Rubbers!

  • spazmo #31 7 years ago

    We have no details, but at least Nintendo are keeping things interesting for a bored, jaded gamer like myself.

    What's happening on the PS3, XBox360 front? Oh yeah.
    /remembers
    /yaaaaaaaaaawns

  • ProfessorLesser #32 7 years ago

    Damn, Fozzie kinda beat me to it. Except I would've been less cynical, and my initial thought was Link to be Mario's "New Sidekick". I'd have been just as sceptical though.

    The end of Link? Now there's an idea I do like the sound of. Gives TP enormous potential to be... well, just the kind of thing I want it to be. Dramatic, heroic, emotional. I can see it now... and besides, it'd do away with Link's awful continuity issues.

    It has made me feel significantly happier reading this article. The fact alone that Miyamoto has had such an input is a) new to me and b) noticeably heart-warming.

  • O-Fox #33 7 years ago

    Hooray for Miyamoto

  • Schwabing #34 7 years ago

    let's just hope Miyamoto hasn't been taking lessons from the P. Molyneux school of rhetoric...

    if they pull it off with Revolution then it could be ace, but otherwise they have lost the game. Still battling back from N64 mistakes really.

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #35 7 years ago

    I hope they do Mario in this style:
    http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archive s/2005/08/21/next-gen-mario-fan-art/
    Edited by 1 at 05/09/05 @ 22:49

  • Fozzie_bear #36 7 years ago

    ^^ Bill Gates Lover

    Was that aimed at me? I'm no Xbox owner. I don't even like wrestling, chavvy racing and tedious sqaud based shooters!

    I'm an old Nintendo fanboy who's lost his faith :o(

    The Revolution's going to have to be spectacleer to win me round from the pitiful gamecube offerings.

  • Kami #37 6 years ago

    Quote:
    Mario is and always has been a concept title from his birth. We are always looking for new ways of playing with him, manipulating him, to create something new and unique.

    No Nintendo, we wanna know about the next Mario game, not your sick, twisted little fantasies...

  • Wayne #38 5 years ago

    Just googled to find this old news.

    Is anyone any closer to knowing how Zelda games will change? My initial thought is that the characters will talk. The next Zelda game will be the first one with voice actors.

    What do you reckon?