The Legend of Zelda! RPG or Not?

[Ikith]

This question is very puzzling to me and many others. I myself believe it is an Action/Adventure/Fantasy. I just don't see any evidence of Zelda being an RPG except for its interesting child Zelda 2. So what is it? An RPG or ?

If you think it is an RPG explain. If you think its something else than what is it and explain. I'd like to know the elements that make it what it is.

[Tricen]

Do you play a role in a story? If yes, then RPG. If no then no?

[Ikith]

Do you play a role in a story? If yes, then RPG. If no then no?

So by your logic I'm Mario playing his story in Mario Galaxy to save his "loved one" therefore mario (Which obviously is NOT an RPG) is in fact under your logic an RPG.

This is of course my opinion. I see RPGs as having a leveling system since they did and always have had one since the begin of RPGs which is Dungeons and Dragons the board game and probably further back. Of course monster hunter may be an exception however in monster hunter you don't level your character you level your weapons. I'm going to leave that open.

[Charla]

According to the strict definition, you could definitely make the argument that a Mario game with a story is actually an RPG, but not many would agree with it. Also, that definition applies better to PnP games than video games. Usually, what distinguishes RPGs from other video game genres is the aspect of character advancement. Mario doesn't usually get new abilities and stuff as you progress through the game, but Link usually does, even if it's just more hearts and some new items/spells/songs/whatever. Therefore, I would probably consider Zelda games to be RPGs, but it's still debatable.

[Erdek]

I've always thought of it more as an Action/Adventure with RPG elements such as acquiring new items as you progress and upgrading items you currently have by completing quests. For me, the characters in an RPG level up, or at least give you the ability to increase your character's stats, whereas with Zelda games, you just need an additional weapon or two and you could defeat the final boss. So, in the end, I do not consider Zelda an RPG.

[Ikith]

According to the strict definition, you could definitely make the argument that a Mario game with a story is actually an RPG, but not many would agree with it. Also, that definition applies better to PnP games than video games. Usually, what distinguishes RPGs from other video game genres is the aspect of character advancement. Mario doesn't usually get new abilities and stuff as you progress through the game, but Link usually does, even if it's just more hearts and some new items/spells/songs/whatever. Therefore, I would probably consider Zelda games to be RPGs, but it's still debatable.

Yeah you do get upgrades but in zelda games if you were dropped into the last bosses chamber (saying that its not one of those you have to die to progress things. You also have 3 hearts since that is the standard starting health) and all you needed was your sword if you had a great amount of skill you could probably beat the last boss (Also saying that hes at full power not weakened or anything).

Where in an RPG given the same situation at level 3 (Since you have 3 hearts in the beginning of zelda) you would die because you are under leveled.

This isn't much of an argument however it does define what an action game is vs an rpg game (At least in my mind) in an action you can beat any part with a certain amount of skill. In an RPG you have to be a certain level or using cheats to beat some situations.

[Kaylia]

My definition of RPG


There is 2 type of RPG: NA rpg + JRPG
NA RPG = DnD'esque kind of rpg where you roam in a free world with little story
JRPG = Character oriented story
Definition: Game with level, stats, equipment and various other stuff and a slower battle system than most action game.


Imo, Zelda is just an action game.

[Khamsin]

I think it's important to note how advancement is made. In action games in general, advancement is accomplished in discrete steps by reaching certain milestones and obtaining a new item or finishing a certain task. There is usually no (advancement) reward for fighting other than to get where you need to be (or in some cases, obtain money/refill expendable items). In RPGs, advancement is done gradually through repetitive action, and there is generally an (advancement) reward for fighting.

We all know how traditional RPGs work, but take FF2j, for example. That game had no xp or levels, unlike the rest of the series. You levelled skills and stats independently. The more you cast Cure, the better it gets. The more damage you take, the better your defense and HP get. The more you attack with a sword, the better you are with a sword. If you switch to an axe, you gotta level that independently. It was pretty much MMO-style grinding in that game, only for everything (HP/MP/stats), not just weapon/magic skills. Despite having no xp or level system, advancement was still done gradually through repetitive action, whether it be casting Cure over and over and over and over and over to raise your skill, or just swinging your weapon a lot.

In Zelda, on the other hand, all you get for killing things are rupees or refills for your bombs and arrows. Any actual advancement is done in descrete steps via completing certain tasks or portions of the story. This is what separates it from a game like Secret of Mana, which also has an action-oriented battle system, but advancement is done mostly through repetitive action. While you get new items, magic and weapons at key points in the game, like in Zelda, they don't really make you any stronger. You have to level into them.

[Exoduso]

Heh, Melena just told me on MSN how by this logic FF2 isn't an RPG.. (the level bullcrap.)

It's an Action/adventure with RPG elements.. probably the best way to describe it.

[Ikith]

Heh, Melena just told me on MSN how by this logic FF2 isn't an RPG.. (the level bullcrap.)

It's an Action/adventure with RPG elements.. probably the best way to describe it.

Fine then metroid is an FPS with RPG elements by your logic hehe.

[Demosthenes11]

When I play madden, I only play as Tom Brady and let the computer do the rest. Then, I upgrade his stats during training camp.

Madden NFL 07, the RPG

[BRP]

In my opinion, games that focus heavily on growth would be RPGs. The phrase RPG is pretty dated(and has been since turn-base games stopped looking like DnD) and should stop being used, but as we use it now, I suppose Zelda would be more of a RPG than Madden. Zelda you have to grow (through sword techniques or items) while Madden it just enhances play(the deciding factor is still your basic football game).

[Flarega]

In order to be an RPG you need to have some way of customizing your character. Zelda doesn't have that. Also some way of "choice" in an RPG that effects the outcome in the game. Like in chrono trigger where you can choose whether or not you want to kill magus, or choose when you want to fight lavos.

In zelda you don't choose when you fight ganon. There's no special items that beef up your stats but have limited use, and you don't choose whether you want link to mostly cast spells or use his sword. Since you have such limited customization of the main character, it's not an rpg.

[BRP]

In order to be an RPG you need to have some way of customizing your character. Zelda doesn't have that. Also some way of "choice" in an RPG that effects the outcome in the game. Like in chrono trigger where you can choose whether or not you want to kill magus, or choose when you want to fight lavos.

You just excluded many, many RPGs from the RPG genre.


Also, Link grows(and uh, customize) through the items he obtains from dungeons and so on. The first Zelda even let you do the dungeons in any order.

[Skyylya]

I consider it an action rpg because it is definitely an action game with very distinct features of a rpg that I don't think you can really exclude it from the genre.

It's a cross-genre game which is one of the reasons why it's had such appeal to such a large mass of people. It's an action game because as people have said there is no character progression and building or choices in that respect. However, it is definitely an rpg in the sense that you have a distinct role to play in the story and there is, to some degree, a free roaming aspect that strict action games do not have.

You can't say it's one only and not the other cause it is both. And some zelda games are different, take zelda II for the NES, in that one you actually do level up your stats. You an increase your magic power, and your attack power etc.. from leveling up. Wouldn't that define the character progession some people said defines an rpg? It's only one of the games, and teh worst one I know. But zelda has alway's taken from both action and rpg.


I'm amazed I wrote that much, because I don't give a shit what you call it :bastok:

[Ikith]

I consider it an action rpg because it is definitely an action game with very distinct features of a rpg that I don't think you can really exclude it from the genre.

It's a cross-genre game which is one of the reasons why it's had such appeal to such a large mass of people. It's an action game because as people have said there is no character progression and building or choices in that respect. However, it is definitely an rpg in the sense that you have a distinct role to play in the story and there is, to some degree, a free roaming aspect that strict action games do not have.

You can't say it's one only and not the other cause it is both. And some zelda games are different, take zelda II for the NES, in that one you actually do level up your stats. You an increase your magic power, and your attack power etc.. from leveling up. Wouldn't that define the character progession some people said defines an rpg? It's only one of the games, and teh worst one I know. But zelda has alway's taken from both action and rpg.


I'm amazed I wrote that much, because I don't give a shit what you call it :bastok:

IMO The "free roam part" is what makes it an action ADVENTURE !

[SephYuyX]

It's an action adventure RPG.

[Mizango]

When I play madden, I only play as Tom Brady and let the computer do the rest. Then, I upgrade his stats during training camp.

Madden NFL 07, the RPG

Excellent analogy.

It's an action adventure RPG.

My thoughts also in regards to Zelda.

[Metah]

Heh, Melena just told me on MSN how by this logic FF2 isn't an RPG.. (the level bullcrap.)

It's an Action/adventure with RPG elements.. probably the best way to describe it.

Fine then metroid is an FPS with RPG elements by your logic hehe.

What's your point? Bioshock is an FPS with RPG elements, its not like its so crazy

[Xavier]

The term RPG can be applied to a lot of action/adventure games, however, most people associate it with traditional Japanese RPG games, in which an impossible sequence of events has the most unlikely of people saving the world.

Link is the chosen hero, destined to save the world, so of course its not an RPG.

:rocl:

I personally have always just called it an action/adventure rpg, or an adventure game with rpg elements. I think a level system is one of the defining traits of most RPGs, which Zelda lacks.