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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD was just recently released for Wii U, and it’s a pretty darn nifty remake, too.  It’s just another good example of why I still like the GameCube better than the Wii.  And it’s great that so many more people are going to finally be able to enjoy this game, since a lot of folks shunned the original release because of the cartoony graphics.  Which is a shame because it’s one of the most visually stunning Zelda games out there.  It’s also a pretty special game for GamerDad.com, too, because if I’m not mistaken, the original Wind Waker was the first game that was reviewed on the site!  I didn’t review it, as I discovered the site a couple of months after it had started, though.  Anyway, Wind Waker HD got me to thinking about other Zelda games that should be remade or re-released into collections of sorts, so here are my top five Zelda games I want remade!  But be warned, some of my choices you might disagree with!

5. Majora’s Mask for People Who Have Lives and Jobs

When Ocarina of Time was remade for 3DS, everyone claimed that next they should remake Majora’s Mask for the handheld.  It’s definitely a fan favorite for its darker tone.  However, with the game in its current state, would it REALLY be a good idea to port it to the 3DS?  With the 3-day cycle gameplay mechanic, it really wouldn’t be conducive to the portable gaming lifestyle.  In fact, it’s really the only Zelda game I’ve never beaten, for that reason.  I got pretty far, though.  I finished all four of the main dungeons at least.  I tell you what, even though Majora’s Mask had very few dungeons, they were some of the best crafted dungeons seen in any Zelda game!  Anyone who complains the water temple in Ocarina was hard needs to play Majora’s Mask.  In that water temple, you had to deal with water level AND currents! Of course, the other reason why I never beat Majora’s Mask is because it came out right before Banjo-Tooie did on the N64, so I got a bit sidetracked with that. 

ANYWAY, if they were to remake Majora’s Mask on the 3DS, some heavy changes would need to be made, and some may not agree with my suggestions.  First of all, they would need to let you save anywhere, anytime.  I don’t know how hard that would be, with everything going on in the game, but it needs to happen for portables.  I’d also like to see more leniency on the 3-day cycle.  One of the reasons why I stopped playing it is when you are trying to get some of the masks; you have to play a bunch of mini-games in succession.  If you fail one, you have to start all over again.  So I would add a feature that would let you start at the last mini-game you messed up on.  If they would make changes like that in a Majora’s Mask remake, I would consider replaying it again, and maybe even beating it this time!

4. More Four Swords Adventures

A lot of people don’t consider the Four Swords games TRUE Zelda titles, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and they were some of the best multiplayer experiences I’ve ever had.  We already got kind of a remake of the first Four Swords game, which was originally an add-on to the Link to the Past GBA port.  The Four Swords remake came out last year as a DS/3DS download title, and for a limited time; you could get it for free in honor of Zelda’s 25^th Anniversary.  They added levels based on three classic Zelda games, so that was pretty cool.  But what I really enjoyed was the GameCube Four Swords game, and would love to see another one on the Wii U.  Maybe not a remake, but more of a sequel.  They’d have to rework some things to use the Wii U gamepad, but I think it could still be insanely fun.  Especially if they added online support!

3. The Tingle Collection

I don’t really talk about Zelda games TOO much, and I don’t gush over everything about them, but believe it or not, I’m still a pretty big Zelda fan.  So it just pains me that we haven’t gotten EVERY game in the Zelda series in the US.  In Japan (and some places in Europe), they got some games starring Tingle!  That’s probably why we never saw them in the US, because everyone hates Tingle because he’s so annoying.  But that’s why I like him!  So I want to play the Tingle games!  Nintendo should put them on a collection!  I know there was one on the DS called Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland.  It was like a Zelda game, but you were only out to get more money.  So it was like a Zelda game mixed with a Wario title.  But Tingle didn’t fight in the dungeons himself; he hired bodyguards to help him.  So the game was like a balance between paying enough money to hire good enough bodyguards, but still earning enough money to get to the next level.  There’s another Tingle game that’s like a remake of Balloon Kid, which was a sequel/spinoff of Balloon Fight.  Put that on my pretend collection, too.  Finally, the last DS Tingle game I don’t know much about, but I heard it was like some kind of weird dating sim.  That sounds disturbing, but put it on the collection anyway!

2. Zelda NES All-Stars

Anyone remember Super Mario All-Stars?  That was a pretty good 16-bit remake of the Mario NES classics.  You didn’t really see that kind of thing happen back then.  Honestly, I feel that Nintendo has contributed a lot to pushing classic game collections.  I’ve always wished they’d do the same thing with NES Zelda: give it a 16-bit makeover.  Yeah I know there’s that Satelliteview game in Japan, but I’d like to see it happen again and be released in the US and other places.  The original NES Zelda is actually probably my third favorite Zelda title.  Even though I don’t like Zelda 2 all that much (sorry fans), I’d still like to see a 16-bit remake of it, too.  By the way, anyone remember the Zelda collection you got when you preordered one of the GameCube Zelda games?  I think it had the two NES Zeldas and the two N64 Zeldas (can’t remember if it had the SNES one).  That was a cool collection.  I have it.  I wish Nintendo would do something like that again someday.

OK, are you ready to hear my most wanted Zelda remake?  Well, here it is…

1. CDi Zelda Collection

HA HA HA!  THAT WAS A JOKE!  Fooled you!  Actually I’ve never played any of those, so I’d be willing to try them just to see how horrible they are.  OK, my REAL number one most wanted Zelda remake is:

1. Link’s Awakening 3D

Yeah I know Link’s Awakening has already been remade on the GBC, with all-color graphics and a new dungeon.  But I’d love to see how it would translate into 3D.  Plus, Link’s Awakening is my all-time favorite Zelda game, so naturally I’d pick it to be remade again!  Even though the original game had limited graphics, they did a good job making you feel like you were on an uncharted tropical island.  I’d like to see how they would portray that in 3D.  Plus, I loved how the story made you wonder if, when you beat the game, would everyone on the island, including you, cease to exist?  Could you imagine how much more emotion they could elaborate on with that if it was in 3D?  Since the game is not as big as other Zeldas, it could probably just be a small downloadable treat or something on the 3DS.  I’d enjoy seeing what it would be like, anyway.

And those are my choices!  Now it’s YOUR turn!  In the comments section, tell me what Zelda games you’d like remade, and let me know what you thought of my picks.  In November, when the Link Between Worlds game comes out, I’ll talk about my top five favorite Zelda characters. Can you guess which ones they are?  --Cary