The Nintendo Switch era has been a great time forThe Legend of Zeldafans. Two majorZeldagames,Breath of the Wildand its sequel, represent some of the system’s biggest highlights, and a couple of titles were re-released as well. WhileSkyward Sword HDwasn’t all fans hoped forduringZelda’s 35th anniversary, it was still a welcome upgrade for the game. The earlierLink’s Awakeningremake was also a pleasant sight, bringing back a classicZeldatitle beloved by many.
Nintendo shouldn’t stop there withZeldaremakes. There are many classicLegend of Zeldagames ripe for a re-release, and the three Capcom-developed portable entries should be given top priority. These are all well-regarded and provide unique takes on the formula. SinceOracle of SeasonsandOracle of Agesare a package deal,The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Capshould get the remake treatment first. With a ton of unique attributes, including the in-universe introduction of the wind mage Vaati and the Four Sword,The Minish Capdeserves another shot at impressing new and old fans alike.
RELATED:Every Legend of Zelda Game Trapped on Old Systems
A Switch Remake Would Highlight The Minish Cap’s Best Qualities
Of the sprite-basedZeldagames that haven’t received remakes or 3D sequels,The Minish Capuses a modified version ofThe Wind Waker’s art style that would cleanly sidestep the issues some fans had withLink’s Awakeningon Switch. The game can still use simple, deformed 3D models, but it would adhere to a style already present in someZeldagames.The Wind Wakerstyle has become fondly remembered, but last time it was used was in the3DS’sTri Force Heroes. AMinish Capremake can bring the game and its cartoonish style back.
A 3D take on the handheldZeldawould have several more benefits. There would undoubtedly be contention over new assets, asThe Minish Caphad some of the best sprite work andanimations on the Game Boy Advance, but they would have some advantages. Seeing a 3D book or leaf with somewhat realistic shadows applied would emphasize how small Link is when he shrinks. It would also emphasize the scale of several bosses, particularly a late-game fight that involves jumping across the backs of two giant creatures miles in the air. What a remake can do withThe Minish Cap’s content makes it ideal for a return.
RELATED:Breath of the Wild 2 Hopefully Doesn’t Signal the Death of 2D Zelda Games
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap Has Unique Elements Worth Bringing Back
The Minish Capoffers a lot of things that theZeldafranchise hasn’t seen much of, one of the biggest being its setting. TheKingdom of Hyrule, seen in both peacetime and during an evil invasion, is not an uncommon sight at all. However, it’s the new dynamic offered by the Minish that makes it memorable and unique. Link can see many areas around Hyrule from a whole new perspective, where puddles become impassible lakes and bookshelves become towns. Even a regular-sized Octorok becomes a dungeon boss when Link is that small. It’s a thrill to have so much world to explore beyond what a regional map would suggest.
There are also a ton of memorable characters to meet inMinish Cap. Vaati has appeared in a fewZeldatitles, but was never characterized much beyond being an evil wind mage. Here, players can see him immediately before his rise to power, and it is interesting to see thehistory ofZelda’s arguably most prolific second villainexplored deeper. More focus is put upon Ezlo and the Minish through Kinstone fusion and a variety of side quests.Minish Cap’s Hyrule is one of the most fleshed-out in theZeldafranchise, and it would be a shame for it to be left in the past.
Important Changes A Minish Cap Remake Could Make
A remake can be used to enhance a game as well as preserve it.The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Capstill holds up, but some things could be made better.Link’s Awakening’s unrestricted movement system on Switch should be brought forward, but this time with the option to move with the control stick or the D-pad. The presence of four item buttons instead of two should also be kept, and speaking to Ezlo can be moved to a free shoulder button. The music can be made more bombastic than theoriginal game andLink’s Awakening, and the Kinstone fusing and Figurine systems can have random elements removed to expedite playthroughs. It would also be nice to see the housing side quest expanded, even if it’s eant to be an in-joke regarding how the twoOraclegames were planned to be a trilogy.
The concept of aMinish Capremake also begs for additional dungeons.The Minish Capis one of the shortestZeldagames as, subtracting side quests, the player is left to clear just six dungeons. That’s down from the normal eight or nine, and the game’s low difficulty compared to other handheldZeldagames means it won’t take long for a focused player to clear. This isn’t a problem with the game that needs to be solved, but a remake still presents the opportunity to add anything. An expanded attempt at theLink’s Awakening’s Dungeon Creatorwould be appreciated, but a whole new challenge dungeon - perhaps another one exclusive to shrunken Link - would be appreciated. The possibilities for aMinish Capremake are huge, so hopefully Nintendo greenlights the project in the future.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Capis available on Game Boy Advance.
