The Legend of Zeldahas changed a lot over the years, but no matter what form it takes, it always manages to deliver in certain core departments. Just about everyLegend of Zeldagame has some kind of memorable dungeon, whether Link is delving into an ancient place in search of a hidden power or laying siege to Hyrule Castle to liberate it from Ganon’s grasp.Zeldais also consistently filled with memorable civilizations and creatures. Gorons, Zora, Koroks, and many other remarkable fantasy races populate the edges of Hyrule, while monsters big and small find places in Ganon’s army to pose a threat to Link.
Because of all these core facets, it really seems likeThe Legend of Zeldais well-poised to get a tabletop RPG adaptation. More and more video games are taking a stab at this genre, includingRunescapeandDark Souls,and for good reason. Thanks to the beloved fifth edition ofDungeons and Dragons,tabletop RPGs are more popular than ever. Between its dungeons designs, fantasy cultures, and deep library of monsters,The Legend of Zeldahas everything it takes to become a formidable TTRPG. Nintendo just needs to be willing to experiment with a new genre.
RELATED:The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask Offers a Compelling Reason to Get Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack
The Legend of Zelda’s TTRPG Strengths
The people and creatures that populateZeldagames go a long way to form the backbone of a good TTRPG. Forgames likePathfinderandDungeons and Dragons, playable fantasy races offer players all kinds of unique skills, making them crucial to character customization. The Rito power of flight, the durable bodies of Gorons, Koroks' connection to nature, and so on can all inspire great playable races. Similarly,The Legend of Zelda’s many monsters mean that combat in aZeldaTTRPG would never get dull. Not only could Nintendo create stat blocks for the game’s individual monsters, but it could create powerful boss stat blocks, letting fans confront a famousZeldaantagonist as a character of their own design.
If Nintendo went as far as publishing playable adventures inspired byZeldagames, then it has plenty of dungeon source material to work with. AZeldaTTRPG sourcebook could provide maps for iconic dungeons like the Arbiter’s Grounds fromTwilight Princess,Ganon’s Castle fromOcarina of Time,the Tower of the Gods fromThe Wind Waker,and so on. Exploring places like these as part of Link’s mission is one thing, but aZeldaTTRPG campaign where players can put their own touch on well-known dungeons and locations offers a completely different way to engage withThe Legend of Zelda.
RELATED:Hyrule Warriors Shows the Potential of a Zelda Fighting Game
A New Zelda Project
Even if Nintendo doesn’t want to produce aZeldaTTRPG system independently, it could reach out to Wizards of the Coast and potentially arrange the creation ofZeldamodule forDungeons and Dragons5e. Wizards of the Coast hasn’t done a ton ofDnDcrossovers with outside IPs so far, but betweenthe officialCritical Rolesourcebooksand WotC’s internal crossovers withMagic: The Gathering,there certainly seems to be some hope that Nintendo and WotC could work together.
Over the course of the franchise’s history, Nintendo hasn’t created a particularly large number ofZeldaspin-offs, aside from manga adaptations and a few side games. However,the return ofHyrule WarriorsthroughAge of Calamitymay suggest that Nintendo is getting more open toZeldaside content. Hopefully that stance means that Nintendo will pay attention to the current TTRPG craze and see what it can do withThe Legend of Zelda.Whether the theoreticalZeldaTTRPG adaptation focuses on a specific game likeBreath of the Wild, or whether it captures the length and breadth of the franchise, Nintendo stands to gain a lot by empowering fans to tell their ownZeldastories through a TTRPG.
MORE:The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is the Perfect Choice for a New Remake
