Link could have some help in Legend of Zelda on Wii U. Producer Eiji Aonuma hinted in a new interview that the open-world action game could include multiplayer.
During a Nintendo Direct presentation, Aonuma said that Nintendo is rethinking two conventions of the Zelda series. First, completing dungeons in a certain order. Second, playing by yourself. He explained in his chat with Game Informer that details on multiplayer could be coming soon.
"When I was talking back about making Zelda more than just a single-player experience? That’s something you will see in the future, maybe next year," Aonuma told GI.
Aonuma's not just talking about hack-and-slash game Hyrule Warriors. Hyrule, which supports two-player, is scheduled to launch this fall. He's almost certainly referring to Legend of Zelda, which Nintendo confirmed for a 2015 launch during E3.
Hyrule Warriors may gave some indication as to what Legend of Zelda's multiplayer will be like, though. In Hyrule, one player uses GamePad as their screen while the other uses the television. I could see Nintendo doing something similar with Legend of Zelda. Maybe the GamePad player could be a supporting character that can drop in and out of the action?
I'm sure there will be many fans hoping that Zelda would be the second playable character. I suppose that depends on what the plot of the game turns out to be. She can't really help Link on his quest if she's in distress (again). In that case, there are plenty of other established personalities from the series that could lend a helping hand to Link.
I suppose there's also some chance of an online multiplayer mode. Some sort of team-based competition wouldn't really fit the series, though. An eight-person melee would just feel like some weird knock-off of Super Smash Bros. Co-op seems more appropriate because that would keep the focus on Link's journey. It's enhancing the core Zelda experience rather than pulling players off into some ill-fitting side experience. Maybe Nintendo has a good idea for large-scale multiplayer that just isn't coming to mind right now, though.
Nintendo's shown a willingness to shake up the usual formula with Legend of Zelda Wii U. The game is said to be much more open-ended than its predecessors, with players able to complete quests in several different ways. Aonuma hinted that puzzles could be changed dramatically, too - which makes sense if they're going to have two players tackling puzzles instead of just one.
This latest tease by Aonuma makes me really excited to hear more about the game. Legend of Zelda is arguably the most-anticipated game for Wii U and the thought of co-op kicks up that hype even further.
