There have been quite a few Zelda games over the years, and not one stars Link. I'd say that's becoming a problem, but the answers are simple! Twitter: / ruzty33 #link #zelda #tearsofthekingdom
I think there is a chance link could start looking very different in future games after they showed off the hero’s aspect where a link was basically a zonai. I think it shows that “the spirit of the hero” doesn’t necessarily need to be within a hylian. I could be wrong though.
I had that exact thought, but I feel that it doesn't really solve the problem. It just slaps a band-aid on it. I still can't believe playable Zelda at a minimum is so underutilized.
@@RuztyNails33 in my opinion it doesn’t make sense to have Zelda as a playable character (besides being a companion character like spirit tracks) because Zelda is a crucial part of the story but she isn’t the hero. The hero is link. Zelda is super important and wields the triforce of wisdom but she can’t replace link’s importance.
I think that's what all of the outfits and hair dying is meant to emulate lol. Like, the Hero is still Link, but the player is supposed to feel like the Hero, too, ya know?
Link specifically doesn't talk so people can project themselves onto the character. Adding a new character who does talk would be someone you'd like more for instance. This is exactly what I'm talking about. The characters are fine, but even you want them to be better in a small way.
You're talking about race and inclusion where it doesn't need to be mentioned. This is a story about a boy overcoming hardships and becoming a legend. A tale about saving the world with grit, determination, and above all, courage. It doesn't matter what he looks like, we relate to link due to circumstance, not aesthetics. To get the girl, it doesn't matter what you look like, it matters how you make them feel.
I agree. Yeah there isn't characters in media that look like me, but i think that it's more important how a character is written. You're not going to find a lot of that in the Zelda series. (Nintendo almost had me with Zelda in BotW and TotK) That's why I appreciate Rosalina from Mario Galaxy. She is more then a blank slate that most Nintendo characters are. That's only what i picked up from what I've played. That's why i think Nintendo should make a new series and make it big like Mario and Legend of Zelda, instead of changing what they have already.
That's a great idea, but whether or not they'd do it is another thing of course. I still think it wouldn't hurt to introduce less generic Mario characters and more Rosalinas or characters with skin tones darker than olive.
I saw a Zelda animation recently that someone posted on twitter last week and saw a spanish dub of it and got so excited because HOH LATINO LIKE ME lmao so i was thinking about this exact thing like yesterday lol and showing all my friends it cuz of how cool it was but yeah most game companies default to Eurocentric features which for Nintendo specifically isn't surprising because it's a Japanese company and Japan is all about that stuff but I'd just like to have a character I could relate to that actually looked like me yk? I'm not saying there aren't any Latinos in games lol or to make everyone a POC you don't even have to make his skin darker (brown hair when pls IM BEGGING) but idk make the ones that are actually likable characters with a fragment of a personality instead of some stereotype I can't relate to/look up to Idk maybe that's me my identity has always been a struggle being mixed an all though I like the approach they took with link in botw/totk in making him more androgynous it's a small thing but it's really nice I know a lot of trans guys relate to him for me specifically though it's because of my ✨voice dysphoria✨ lol I love talking but I also hate how i sound so that's where he's most relatable to me Latinos are of mixed race so yeah they can be white I personally have always been "too dark" for white people and then "too pale" for my Latino friends (Despite the fact that the white kids were significantly whiter) my area is majority Latino so hearing stuff like that every day doesn't feel good and I went as far as getting myself sunburnt because of how much I didn't like my skin when it was fine with me before which was stupid on my part and wouldn't be a problem if I like went outside more but it sucks it even has to be a thing in the first place that's why i hate highschool lol it's just a very judgey place I still like playing Zelda games and it still brings me a lot of comfort other then some uncomfortable stereotypes lol :') but there aren't any other games that I like this much that like are this good at calming me down so I just make due with what I've got and be happy for it ig lol
you made a great point, just got the wrong franchise. the whole "see urself in link" thing is not and has never been taken THAT litteraly. the main character of the legend of zelda series is a white, (most of the times) blond and blue eyed male. there are variations of that, like him being a kid, the game's style changing from realistic to toon, his dominant hand, his hair being longer and other things. but at the base, there will always have a white blond male because thats.... thats LINK. THE CHARACTER. representation is a good thing and should be pushed more into media but maybe try it with new characters or characters that have not been the same since the 80's. its as if they removed mario's moustache or made kirby white again
I see what you're saying and appreciate the comment! I do think it wouldn't hurt to see more important NPCs to the narrative represent more people though!
@@RuztyNails33 oh, yeah of course! the zelda series changes it's cast of main character almost every game, except for link, zelda and maybe impa. so they have the opportunity to make great new characters in every installment!
Hey so I agree with your sentiments in this video, and I just wanted to comment and let you know that both spirit tracks and phantom hourglass have romhacks that change the controls to allow you to use the d-pad and face buttons! Look them up, and enjoy those games in a whole new way!
great video dude!! i think it's interesting how you mention his mutism and left handedness as things people really relate to. i'm a pretty androgynous guy, and seeing link in botw have long hair, a kind of feminine build, and cross dress (however comically) was kind of ground-breaking to me. i never see those traits in a strong male character. i think nintendo's solution here is actually simple. link can be ANYTHING. sure, he's always been a blonde white guy (maybe brunette once or twice). what's stopping them from giving the next incarnation of link dark skin? or textured hair? or an unconventional body type? (TOTK SPOILERS for these parentheses: once you get the ancient hero's aspect, you see a past iteration of link as a completely different species!! the world is their oyster!!) this video was clever, charming, refreshing, and very entertaining. keep at it!!!
Thank you for this comment, I hadn't even thought of those traits and that's awesome! I love to hear it! (but the Spirit Tracks controls make me want to hurl, sorry! Still a good narrative and some tight puzzles!)
"The Legend of Zelda - Missing Link" is the game I want next. Simple concept - Link goes missing because (brainwashed by the Yiga somehow / time travel shenanigans) and now Zelda has to find him. Reversing the roles should be the first attempted change to the formula, and my favorite reason is simple. I want to fight lore accurate Link.
I dunno man. I think they’re doing alright. I think the diversity thing is an extremely small issue. Almost every Zelda game is so distinct from each other so they’ve obviously been trying new things. Plus, I always thought the point of Zelda games is “a young boy overcomes a great adventure to save the world.” I’m never thinking of how they need to diversify to include more people with that. People find what they relate to and follow that. I’m sure when they made link right handed, that took that relatable trait you had and made it just a little less special. All that to say, the more you diversify, they more you take away from what people already have. Interesting vid tho… again, never really thought of this.
I appreciate the comment, and I agree Nintendo seems to be doing quite all right with this series. But making Hyrule more closely resemble the real world would be awesome. And adding representation with other characters doesn't mean we need to take away representation already seen in existing ones. They can coexist
WHOA WHOA WHOA Hop off Spirit Tracks that game smacks! Spirit Tracks slander aside, I think my "issue" with Link is that his character and personality hasn't really been explored.
Lol sorry! Spirit Tracks is a great narrative with some solid puzzles, but the controls blow chunks imo. Also I agree, they need to make Link more of a character rather than "silent guy whomst shoes are meant to be walked in by players."
@@RuztyNails33 I don't mind the silent part staying the same, but I'd love to see an adventure where it's more self driven by him, rather than Zelda telling him what is quest is. It's one of the reasons I like Majora's Mask and Spirit Tracks so much. Link just happens into situations that he needs to become a true hero in.
Thank you SO much for pointing out how when Nintendo designed OOT Link to be "handsome," it definitely made him less relatable to players. I have always noticed this, but you're the first other person I have seen bring this up! Also, as an Arab-American fan of Zelda, I've always had mixed feelings about the Gerudo race, but love Urbosa and Riju as characters and do agree that they are a step in the right direction for representation. Great video!
I think that game or movie characters are made for people to want to BE them, to live a fantasy, not so much Identify with them. I'll never be perfect, handsome skilled in combat, or brave, but link lets me live that fantasy. thats my experience anyway.
I see what you're saying and yes for small segments or a gender option would be cool. I desperately do not want Zelda to turn into what the united states thinks inclusiveness means. Just writing a list and putting tokens in media. If you have something we'll written and the character happens to be black or Asian or whatever then fantastic but do not just slap them in there to check off on the list.
If they want to do wonders for the series they need to go away from the open world concept. TotK bored me to tears. Something I never thought I'd say about a Zelda game. Oh well. To each our own. Also, if they start introducing too much diversity, people would just call it woke and avoid it...unless it is freakin' amazing.
@@RuztyNails33 I trust you've seen how many boycotts have been going on. People are tribal and polarized. Although, as long as you don't change existing characters, I doubt it'd be too bad.
Different strokes for different folks. If you don't like the new games, then you don't need to play them. It is not for everyone, but a lot of people do like that game a whole lot. I just want you to realize that the older members of the fanbase who dislike these games are a vocal minority.
@@RuztyNails33 maybe you would prefer a minecraft comparison 🤔 either way i dont expect much from most of the "new age" fan base. Hell most of you cant complete old NES games with out a yt walk through so i shouldn't be surprised that they prefer a dumbed down game so long as it flashy to the eyes.
@Leo-si9zm this is such a confusing take honestly. NES games are literally well known for being difficult overall because.... they were trying to emulate arcade experiences in the home? Not to mention they wanted people to get more worth out of the game with so little material. Even outside of that however, zelda has been hand holding since ALTTP so I'm still confused about this sentiment because that's about the 3rd game. So this whole anger about Zelda being "Too easy" (it's not gonna through calculus at us or anything btw), is based off what? The two NES zeldas and that's it? Come off it man.
I think there is a chance link could start looking very different in future games after they showed off the hero’s aspect where a link was basically a zonai. I think it shows that “the spirit of the hero” doesn’t necessarily need to be within a hylian. I could be wrong though.
I love that theory, and based on the figure in the tapestry in BotW I think you're right!
A Twili heroine would be really cool.
A Gerudo heroine would be pretty cool.
I feel like a character creator fixes the "look like me" issue, but takes the soul out of Link, but new characters does sound sweet
I had that exact thought, but I feel that it doesn't really solve the problem. It just slaps a band-aid on it. I still can't believe playable Zelda at a minimum is so underutilized.
@@RuztyNails33 in my opinion it doesn’t make sense to have Zelda as a playable character (besides being a companion character like spirit tracks) because Zelda is a crucial part of the story but she isn’t the hero. The hero is link. Zelda is super important and wields the triforce of wisdom but she can’t replace link’s importance.
I think that's what all of the outfits and hair dying is meant to emulate lol. Like, the Hero is still Link, but the player is supposed to feel like the Hero, too, ya know?
@@RuztyNails33I’m also left handed
ive been playing zelda all my life... never did i ever think of this nonsense lmao. the characters are fine. i would love for link to talk though
Link specifically doesn't talk so people can project themselves onto the character. Adding a new character who does talk would be someone you'd like more for instance. This is exactly what I'm talking about. The characters are fine, but even you want them to be better in a small way.
You're talking about race and inclusion where it doesn't need to be mentioned. This is a story about a boy overcoming hardships and becoming a legend. A tale about saving the world with grit, determination, and above all, courage. It doesn't matter what he looks like, we relate to link due to circumstance, not aesthetics. To get the girl, it doesn't matter what you look like, it matters how you make them feel.
It does need to be mentioned, eat a bug
I agree. Yeah there isn't characters in media that look like me, but i think that it's more important how a character is written. You're not going to find a lot of that in the Zelda series. (Nintendo almost had me with Zelda in BotW and TotK) That's why I appreciate Rosalina from Mario Galaxy. She is more then a blank slate that most Nintendo characters are. That's only what i picked up from what I've played. That's why i think Nintendo should make a new series and make it big like Mario and Legend of Zelda, instead of changing what they have already.
That's a great idea, but whether or not they'd do it is another thing of course. I still think it wouldn't hurt to introduce less generic Mario characters and more Rosalinas or characters with skin tones darker than olive.
Hold on, I just realized that Nintendo did do something like this. I can't believe that I forgot about Splatoon lol😂😂😂
I saw a Zelda animation recently that someone posted on twitter last week and saw a spanish dub of it and got so excited because HOH LATINO LIKE ME lmao so i was thinking about this exact thing like yesterday lol and showing all my friends it cuz of how cool it was
but yeah most game companies default to Eurocentric features which for Nintendo specifically isn't surprising because it's a Japanese company and Japan is all about that stuff but I'd just like to have a character I could relate to that actually looked like me yk? I'm not saying there aren't any Latinos in games lol or to make everyone a POC you don't even have to make his skin darker (brown hair when pls IM BEGGING) but idk make the ones that are actually likable characters with a fragment of a personality instead of some stereotype I can't relate to/look up to
Idk maybe that's me my identity has always been a struggle being mixed an all though I like the approach they took with link in botw/totk in making him more androgynous it's a small thing but it's really nice I know a lot of trans guys relate to him for me specifically though it's because of my ✨voice dysphoria✨ lol I love talking but I also hate how i sound so that's where he's most relatable to me
Latinos are of mixed race so yeah they can be white I personally have always been "too dark" for white people and then "too pale" for my Latino friends (Despite the fact that the white kids were significantly whiter) my area is majority Latino so hearing stuff like that every day doesn't feel good and I went as far as getting myself sunburnt because of how much I didn't like my skin when it was fine with me before which was stupid on my part and wouldn't be a problem if I like went outside more but it sucks it even has to be a thing in the first place that's why i hate highschool lol it's just a very judgey place
I still like playing Zelda games and it still brings me a lot of comfort other then some uncomfortable stereotypes lol :') but there aren't any other games that I like this much that like are this good at calming me down so I just make due with what I've got and be happy for it ig lol
My biggest takeaway from this video is that Spirit Tracks looks really bad
Honestly felt bad using all that garbage footage
you made a great point, just got the wrong franchise. the whole "see urself in link" thing is not and has never been taken THAT litteraly. the main character of the legend of zelda series is a white, (most of the times) blond and blue eyed male. there are variations of that, like him being a kid, the game's style changing from realistic to toon, his dominant hand, his hair being longer and other things.
but at the base, there will always have a white blond male because thats.... thats LINK. THE CHARACTER. representation is a good thing and should be pushed more into media but maybe try it with new characters or characters that have not been the same since the 80's. its as if they removed mario's moustache or made kirby white again
I see what you're saying and appreciate the comment! I do think it wouldn't hurt to see more important NPCs to the narrative represent more people though!
@@RuztyNails33 oh, yeah of course! the zelda series changes it's cast of main character almost every game, except for link, zelda and maybe impa. so they have the opportunity to make great new characters in every installment!
Hey so I agree with your sentiments in this video, and I just wanted to comment and let you know that both spirit tracks and phantom hourglass have romhacks that change the controls to allow you to use the d-pad and face buttons! Look them up, and enjoy those games in a whole new way!
That's awesome! I haven't really done much of any DS emulation, but I'm sure with upscaling and better controls those games would be sick.
great video dude!! i think it's interesting how you mention his mutism and left handedness as things people really relate to. i'm a pretty androgynous guy, and seeing link in botw have long hair, a kind of feminine build, and cross dress (however comically) was kind of ground-breaking to me. i never see those traits in a strong male character. i think nintendo's solution here is actually simple. link can be ANYTHING. sure, he's always been a blonde white guy (maybe brunette once or twice). what's stopping them from giving the next incarnation of link dark skin? or textured hair? or an unconventional body type? (TOTK SPOILERS for these parentheses: once you get the ancient hero's aspect, you see a past iteration of link as a completely different species!! the world is their oyster!!)
this video was clever, charming, refreshing, and very entertaining. keep at it!!!
the only bad part of this video was the spirit tracks slander. i will NOT stand for it. best game. coward.
Thank you for this comment, I hadn't even thought of those traits and that's awesome! I love to hear it! (but the Spirit Tracks controls make me want to hurl, sorry! Still a good narrative and some tight puzzles!)
Gerudos are not stereotyped! They embrace culture and traditions
And the gerudos are not just inspired by middle easterns. They are a mix of Egyptian, West Asian and South Asian culture
My apologies, I'm not in touch with as many cultures as I'd like to be. If there are cultural backings that's really cool!
@RuztyNails33 no worries. as someone from that culture, where gerudos are inspired from, i feel happy to be represented by them
"The Legend of Zelda - Missing Link" is the game I want next. Simple concept - Link goes missing because (brainwashed by the Yiga somehow / time travel shenanigans) and now Zelda has to find him. Reversing the roles should be the first attempted change to the formula, and my favorite reason is simple. I want to fight lore accurate Link.
I love it
I dunno man. I think they’re doing alright. I think the diversity thing is an extremely small issue. Almost every Zelda game is so distinct from each other so they’ve obviously been trying new things.
Plus, I always thought the point of Zelda games is “a young boy overcomes a great adventure to save the world.” I’m never thinking of how they need to diversify to include more people with that. People find what they relate to and follow that. I’m sure when they made link right handed, that took that relatable trait you had and made it just a little less special.
All that to say, the more you diversify, they more you take away from what people already have.
Interesting vid tho… again, never really thought of this.
I appreciate the comment, and I agree Nintendo seems to be doing quite all right with this series. But making Hyrule more closely resemble the real world would be awesome. And adding representation with other characters doesn't mean we need to take away representation already seen in existing ones. They can coexist
WHOA WHOA WHOA Hop off Spirit Tracks that game smacks!
Spirit Tracks slander aside, I think my "issue" with Link is that his character and personality hasn't really been explored.
Lol sorry! Spirit Tracks is a great narrative with some solid puzzles, but the controls blow chunks imo.
Also I agree, they need to make Link more of a character rather than "silent guy whomst shoes are meant to be walked in by players."
@@RuztyNails33 I don't mind the silent part staying the same, but I'd love to see an adventure where it's more self driven by him, rather than Zelda telling him what is quest is.
It's one of the reasons I like Majora's Mask and Spirit Tracks so much. Link just happens into situations that he needs to become a true hero in.
Thank you SO much for pointing out how when Nintendo designed OOT Link to be "handsome," it definitely made him less relatable to players. I have always noticed this, but you're the first other person I have seen bring this up!
Also, as an Arab-American fan of Zelda, I've always had mixed feelings about the Gerudo race, but love Urbosa and Riju as characters and do agree that they are a step in the right direction for representation. Great video!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Unfortunately i feel represented by the bird people :,)
This is the take I needed to hear
Your videos are really easy to binge, I'm surprised your not a bigger channel o.o
I appreciate it!
"Links left handedness" THE DARK ORIGINS OF ZELDA RELIGION
You're a real one for pointing that out! Thanks for fixing my goof!
Left handed gang 🔥
I think that game or movie characters are made for people to want to BE them, to live a fantasy, not so much Identify with them. I'll never be perfect, handsome skilled in combat, or brave, but link lets me live that fantasy. thats my experience anyway.
I agree with you there, but I'd argue that having any traits that align with said character allow you to better envision yourself being them.
@@RuztyNails33 Thats true
Watching this as a left handed blonde dude... 👀
New trend: right, a negative title and talk nonsense to get views 😅
Flattering comment, but this is a real issue. Eat a bug.
I see what you're saying and yes for small segments or a gender option would be cool. I desperately do not want Zelda to turn into what the united states thinks inclusiveness means. Just writing a list and putting tokens in media. If you have something we'll written and the character happens to be black or Asian or whatever then fantastic but do not just slap them in there to check off on the list.
I agree with you. We don't need an entire overhaul of the denizens of Hyrule, but baby steps would be great
Uh oh, I guess wanting to more relatable characters is woke. What ever will I do?
If they want to do wonders for the series they need to go away from the open world concept. TotK bored me to tears. Something I never thought I'd say about a Zelda game. Oh well. To each our own. Also, if they start introducing too much diversity, people would just call it woke and avoid it...unless it is freakin' amazing.
If you don't like Tears of the Kingdom, I kinda get it. However if making a world that resembles society is woke, that's just comical. People are wild
@@RuztyNails33 I trust you've seen how many boycotts have been going on. People are tribal and polarized. Although, as long as you don't change existing characters, I doubt it'd be too bad.
I chalk most of that stuff up to loud minorities
Ideas that make a series worse. Which is why we now have tears of the kingdom.
Different strokes for different folks. If you don't like the new games, then you don't need to play them. It is not for everyone, but a lot of people do like that game a whole lot. I just want you to realize that the older members of the fanbase who dislike these games are a vocal minority.
@@RuztyNails33 i can't help that the younger fan base needs to have their hand held through a cheap elder scrolls meets fortnight clone.
Ah yes, I forgot the common known fact that Breath of the Wild is a Fortnite clone.
@@RuztyNails33 maybe you would prefer a minecraft comparison 🤔 either way i dont expect much from most of the "new age" fan base. Hell most of you cant complete old NES games with out a yt walk through so i shouldn't be surprised that they prefer a dumbed down game so long as it flashy to the eyes.
@Leo-si9zm this is such a confusing take honestly. NES games are literally well known for being difficult overall because.... they were trying to emulate arcade experiences in the home? Not to mention they wanted people to get more worth out of the game with so little material. Even outside of that however, zelda has been hand holding since ALTTP so I'm still confused about this sentiment because that's about the 3rd game. So this whole anger about Zelda being "Too easy" (it's not gonna through calculus at us or anything btw), is based off what? The two NES zeldas and that's it? Come off it man.