Zelda Chronicles

Eiji Aonuma apologizes for the Water Temple in OoT, speaks a bit of Spirit Tracks, mentions his career at Nintendo and yet again reveals some new info on Zelda Wii (that will create much more speculation).

Eiji Aonuma, director of the Legend of Zelda franchise, has an apology to make. “The Water Temple in the Ocarina of Time was notorious for being very tough to conquer,” he says. “I am most sorry that it was not easy for you to put on and take off the heavy boots; that all the time you had to visit the inventory.

“I am,” he continues, genuine regret evident in his tone, “very sorry about that. I should have made it much easier to switch to the heavy boots.”

His favourite among his dungeon designs so far, the Ocarina of Time’s ingenious Water Temple is marred in his eyes by this slight ergonomic flaw. “Aside from the problem with the boots,” he continues, “I like the Water Temple so much.”

Aonuma’s first job for Nintendo was the design of the intricate temples and dungeons for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and he has been director of the Zelda franchise on every title since Ocarina’s 1998 release, including the latest instalment, Spirit Tracks (released on DS on 7 December in the US and 11 December in the UK). He is also working on a new Wii addition to the series.

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Eiji Aonuma talked more about Zelda Wii, how important controls are, building off Ocarina of Time and his arguments with Shigeru Miyamoto.

“The Difference between the two platforms (Wii and DS) is big. The experience with Spirit Tracks, trying to enhance an already ‘near-perfect control’, is what pushed us on learning how to rack our brains. With Wii it is the same, we want to make the most of its controls. We want the player to control the game in the best possible way. On Wii, the camera is more realistic. Graphics are more realistic, too, and controls have to be, therefore, much more realistic” – Eiji Aonuma

Mr. Aonuma had a lot more to say about Zelda Wii in relation to Spirit Tracks. You can read a few more excerpts from the man himself below.

“There were a lot of things we couldn’t do [back with OoT] due to technical limitations. But I think we’ve been solving those issues with every Zelda since then. With each entry, I’ve tried to add things I couldn’t do before. Actually, it’s like I’ve been remaking it during these years. So if you ask me if there’s going to be a Zelda remake… I thought I was making it all this time! So it maybe I haven’t done well enough, I haven’t been up to the expected level.”

“It’s complicated. Past things belong to our memories, and they grow bigger in there. If you play Ocarina of Time nowadays, you notice that it’s not that good. Sometimes it doesn’t move as fast as it should, graphics aren’t as beautiful as they should be; there are some confusing parts… Any present Zelda is technically superior. Everything goes faster, more fluid… but to best Ocarina of Time, a great change –comparable to what happened back then- must be introduced. And that’ll be rather complicated”.

Finally, Mr. Aonuma discussed his legendary battles/arguments/discussions with Miyamoto

“I didn’t know our discussions were so well known! I believe we have different visions because Mr. Miyamoto is just a genius; he’s got an innate talent, and everything I do, I had to learn step by step. And it took a lot for me, I have no natural talent. I’ve spent many years with Mr. Miyamoto and, since the beginning, the moment I have to bring my work and show it to him for his opinion is a very special moment, and I enjoy with it. (…) He notices things I’d never see. After this time, our visions are starting to match up more and more. However, I have a lot more left to try to reach his level”.

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