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Update! June 21,2005
BB code works better with Firefox now, so there's no excuse for the lack of updates. By now, you've probably seen the new trailers, Link's wolfieness, the new name, and a basic plot summary, right? Okay, so there's no concrete plot summary-but, the new and very improved Nintendo Power's new article on the game has some delectable details that I will give you, my fine children. You know, if you're too cheap to buy the magazine. I mean, it's only like, $4.99.... Oh, I'll post this in parts, 'cuz I'm lazy.
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(Um, here's the article...)

PART 1
Appearences are deceiving. Green duds? Check. Sword? Chek. But a Triforce tatoo and an uncanny kinship with animals are signs that this Link's of a new breed.

Under the skin: Judging by Link's origins alone, this Zelda adventure looks to be operating under unusual influences. The legendary hero doesn't even emerge in Hyrule, rather, Link is a herder in rural Toaru Village, where only odd hand markings and his easiness with beasts set him apart. When chief taps Link to go to a festival in Hyrule-an accident realigns Link's destiny-he falls into a quest that producer Eiji Aonuma confirms will involve Zelda and eternal foe Ganon. Yet Link's tie to beasts will fully transform this epic. Horseback combat is already legendary, and in Toaru, the farmhand can command hawks. Far afield, Link will truly meld with the animal world, as revealed in the forest temple, where he'll become a heor to monkeys-who then follow Link and liberate the temple. The potential is staggering.


Update! May 15, 2005.
Guess who's going to steal the show at E3?

These are the steps leading into the convention. Pretty cool, no?


Update! April 25, 2005

Apparently, someone has leaked information from an unreleased EGM article.Some of the pictures are in the post below.

This is pure speculation of course, and this could just be a rumor....

But it's something.

- No voice acting.
- No GBA connectivity.
- You can fish.
- Art of Zelda shows her weilding a sword.
- Yes, Link is rescuing Zelda & Ganon is a villian in the story.
- No official title has been decided yet.
- Combat will be slightly different from Windwaker.
- Chicken Gliding is back.
- In the beginning of the game, Link is a "cowboy", or some kind of rural farmer. There is also a minigame to teach you how to ride.
- Tauro village impressions, great sense of realism, grand in scale.
- Horseback battles will be plentiful.

Note: Tauro Village is the starting point: the rural community in some of the shots.


Also....
A translation of the Spanish magazine, Hobby Consolas, that featured those screen-shots, brought to you by These Guys...

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It all happened in Nintendo HQ in Kyoto, Japan. There, I had the immense privilege of checking the new Zelda out. And I’m still trying to get over it! I can assure you, this game will become an authentic classic. Anyway, I will come down from the clouds to tell you about my experience with this marvel. The story that will support the adventure is still a mystery, and according to what Anouma, the genius behind this project, told me, they won’t reveal too much until next E3. However, he did reveal something important: “For the first time in the saga, the game will start with Link as an adult, specifically at the age of 16”. As you know, in all of the previous games our dear hero started out as a kid and, as the adventure unfolded, Link grew up. This new characteristic will influence directly in the development of the game, as Link will be able to do a good number of …

I think there’s an awful error in the magazine. Part of the text seems to be missing.

… and a couple of combat scenes with Link on horseback and some enemies riding wild boars. All of them left me in awe! The first of these demos, which takes place in Toaru Village, was kind of a tutorial, so I suspect it will be the first place we will visit in the game. Besides, Anouma wants this tutorial to be as natural as possible and that anyone that plays it learns the basic controls rapidly (they will be very similar to the ones in OoT and WW) while haves fun completing different tasks. For example, one of them consisted in helping a pregnant woman transport some heavy objects to her house, which helps get ahold of the 3D stick. Taoru is divided in different areas, it is of considerable size and it’s populated by a good number of inhabitants to which you can talk.

The second demo I could try took place in a ranch, in a minigame where Link mounted on a horse to lead some cows into a stable within a limited amount of time. I had a great time trying it! However, the part that impressed me the most was the one I tried next. It was a frenzied battle on horse against a huge enemy and his henchmen. The guy wore nice armor and rode a giant boar. To defeat him, Link had to shoot arrows at him or hit him with the sword, but in order to do that, he had to get close enough first, while avoiding his henchmen attacks. The battle field where the action took place was enormous, and it made my wonder about the size of the overworld map in the final version of the game. Anouma’s answer was clear: “The game will be two or three time larger than Ocarina of Time, maybe more, and we’re trying the adventure to last around 70 hours”. And seeing that the world in OoT was already big, I can’t imagine how big this one will be. Finally, I also had the chance to play another part of the game, really short, in which Link had to face a rival on horse, classic medieval joust style. The battle took place on a narrow bridge, built over a canyon, a beautiful view. In fact, and despite the current development status in which the new Zelda is, the title already has a wonderful graphic display. Regarding this matter, Anouma revealed something interesting: “I don’t want the game to present an extremely realistic graphic style, as in a CG, I want it to have a Japanese manga style approach”.

Anyway, seeing the illusion and care that Anouma and his team are putting into this game, it’s impossible that they don’t make a great game. Link’s adventures fans can be relieved.
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The link (ooh, a pun!) has some of the picture captions translated too, for all of us non-Espangnol speakers....

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Here's another Link- this time, it leads to the trailers for the game.
Take note that this is game footage-there is only about two seconds of CG. Everything in htis trailer can be done in-game. In fact, it was made using the game's engine! heart

The Trailers.

*wonders if you'd still get killed for attacking the chickens*

I was actually thinking that these would be the screencaps used in the new trailer, but these definitely look interesting. I wonder why Link suddenly decided to get a wardrobe change?

man that looks so awesome... cant wait for it

More.




Apparently, someone agrees with you.

Hmm... it's mostly the sleeve thingie that makes me think of it... but the more and more I do think of it, the more it looks more Samurai... Maybe he'll have a alternate Samurai outfit? whee

If there are no chickens, its not a zelda.