Since it been a few years since the Wind Waker came out, I personally think that WW has aged better that TP did.  Say what you will about the cell-shaded graphics, but I think doing a more stylized game on a console with a bit less horsepower (DS, Wii) makes since.  I think that TP looks a bit off, especially when you are also playing 360/PS3 games.  I would love it if the next Wii game had cell shaded graphics in the style of the original Zelda art:

I love many of the TP areas as much as any of WW. It's not like they went for photo realism or something, the look is still very artistic. Also, good to remember the Wii should be able to do quite a bit better in a dedicated game, TP was a mere port after all. Maybe people keep calling it 2 gamecubes taped together but even that would be able to push better visuals. And really, all I see wrong with TP is the lower res textures abudant in many areas, it still looks great for the most part, though i hate the character faces but that's an issue I have with the art and they're certainly not going for photo realism with them either. Not that I'd mind if they went for a cel shaded look with the next Wii game, but I also expect that to look better than WW. The Wii is not just a GC even if many companies treat it even worse than one and make PSP level visuals...

"Nintendo =/= SegaTheyre just adding a small gimmick  to keep fammiliar gameplay fresh for fucks sake Youre not gonna be the whole game on a train."

Meh, WW fans seem just as aggressive about what they prefer... I find TP as artistic as WW, with many incredible vistas and set pieces to see. it didn't go for photorealism and fail to achieve it due to the GC's limitations or something, it's clearly got a very stylised approach itself, just very dark and sans cel shading. With crisper textures and some additional details it would look up to par today, imo. That's more than achievable on the Wii considering the sharp textures seen in the Prime games. I'd only like a slight change in the style of the humans' faces.

I've learned to trust Nintendo as well.  I never thought I'd even own a DS but I got one just a few months ago because I missed all my favorite Nintendo franchises.  I was very skeptical about Phantom Hourglass at first, but it was my first DS game and probably still is my favorite, along with the new GTA.  The only thing I had a problem with in Phantom Hourglass was returning to the same temple so many times...this seems to be the number one complaint.

The train gimmick sounds awesome to me, although a bit iffy.  It's strange that they're introducing such a modern concept into this world.  Even stranger because nothing else in the game looks that modern.  But I don't think they're trying to modernize the whole franchise, I think they just saw great opportunities for the train concept as far as exploiting the DS's unique strengths (touchscreen and what not)...and if it conflicts with the timeline or setting at all, then so be it.  People get too serious about stringing all the games together in a timeline, but it really doesn't matter.  They try to keep some consistencies throughout the franchise for the fans, but they're not really interested in making it a tightly knit serial adventure.  Each game is a different experience in its own right...one way of looking at it is to imagine each game as an alternate reality, or even a dream.

The only thing about that trailer that bugs me is that it looks exactly like Phantom Hourglass.  This overall isn't really a big problem, I would have liked to see the franchise reinvent itself again, but then again there are limitations for the hardware and I understand that.  And I think if they were going to reinvent it visually it wouldn't be on a handheld, and while the style that was pioneered by Wind Waker bugged me at first, it actually worked really well for Phantom Hourglass.  When that came out I was beginning to worry that Nintendo was trying too hard to market to kids, and therefore potentially alienating some of their most hardcore fans who remember Zelda back on the SNES...but playing it helped me get rid of that suspicion.  The gameplay still stays true to the classics, despite a few innovations.

I have yet to see any information saying whether or not this is exclusively for the DSi.  I don't even know if they are going to make DSi exclusive games, but if this is one, then I will have a big problem with it...I'm excited for a new Zelda, but I'm not yet ready to buy a new console for it.

Its not going to ruin zelda, but its not going to bring anything real new to the franchise either.  The series needs an interesting overhaul in general.  Dont get me wrong, Ill play through nearly any zelda I can get my hands on, but what I really want to see is a completely new stylization of the series with a focus on new items / gameplay elements.  The way nintendo has been recently seems to suggest I wont see this for a while, but I shall hope for it none-the-less. 

"Tireyo643 said:

"I think that most people may agree that the realistic, life-like Zelda is and looks better"

I think you meant to put "idiots" where you put "most people""

"Nintendo =/= SegaTheyre just adding a small gimmick  to keep fammiliar gameplay fresh for fucks sake Youre not gonna be the whole game on a train."

"Tireyo643 said:

"HandsomeDead said:

"The only Zelda worth playing has been The Wind Waker and that's because it was the only one to deviate from the 20 year old mechanics of the game. Complaining about them continuing this new and interesting direction, even just as a spin off, is terrible. Particularly seeing that everything besides the terain seems exactly the same."

Wind Waker was really fun! I loved sailing from island to island, and discovering the secrets that they hold.  Great memories! :D

Well, the other Zelda games aren't bad.  Hopefully, Nintendo will know what they are doing when they introduce the train concept.  Eventhough the concept/mechanics might be the same, Zelda is still good I think.  What Zelda games have you played anyway?"

I agree with that. The thing I loved about Wind Waker was just exploring and finding new things on most of the islands. Even when you had to go fishing to find the triforce shards, I thought that was still pretty fun.I've played Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Link to the Past and Phantom Hourglass. All of them got really boring at the midpoint whereyou find the first set of McGuffins and then get the Master Sword etc. It felt all so samey."

"Meh, WW fans seem just as aggressive about what they prefer... I find TP as artistic as WW, with many incredible vistas and set pieces to see. it didn't go for photorealism and fail to achieve it due to the GC's limitations or something, it's clearly got a very stylised approach itself, just very dark and sans cel shading. With crisper textures and some additional details it would look up to par today, imo. That's more than achievable on the Wii considering the sharp textures seen in the Prime games. I'd only like a slight change in the style of the humans' faces."

"Its not going to ruin zelda, but its not going to bring anything real new to the franchise either.  The series needs an interesting overhaul in general.  Dont get me wrong, Ill play through nearly any zelda I can get my hands on, but what I really want to see is a completely new stylization of the series with a focus on new items / gameplay elements.  The way nintendo has been recently seems to suggest I wont see this for a while, but I shall hope for it none-the-less. "

Rio: Good point.

needforswede: What AgentJ said I agree! :D

"Is the Steam Train really all that more modern than the Steam Boat that you controlled in Phantom Hourglass? Other than that, good post."

"Rio said:

"Its not going to ruin zelda, but its not going to bring anything real new to the franchise either.  The series needs an interesting overhaul in general.  Dont get me wrong, Ill play through nearly any zelda I can get my hands on, but what I really want to see is a completely new stylization of the series with a focus on new items / gameplay elements.  The way nintendo has been recently seems to suggest I wont see this for a while, but I shall hope for it none-the-less. "

They announced numerous times that the next (persumably home console, as Hourglass was already underway and this new one seems the same) Zelda would try to reinvent the franchise in various ways (probably with an emphasis in taking advantage of the Wii's motion abilities). Of course,t they might have bailed for all we know, maybe they haven't been able to come up with a formula they can be confident with, and have reverted to standard Zelda. It's all possible."

"Nintendo =/= SegaTheyre just adding a small gimmick  to keep fammiliar gameplay fresh for fucks sake Youre not gonna be the whole game on a train."