Miyamoto talks Zelda -- Link a lefty no more
by Nikki Inderlied 
{ Sep 25th 2006 at 4:00PM }
If you didn't already know that Link, the hero in the Legend of Zelda series, was left-handed, we simply do not know what to do with you. In fact, we might ask that you get a CAT scan to help understand why you are a Nintendo fanboy who lacked this simple knowledge. In time, we could forgive you.
Fact of the matter is, Twilight Princess has changed it up a bit under Miyamoto's command and Link is now right-handed. But, GameCube owners do not fear. Link will continue to be left-handed as tradition tells for you. Here is what Miyamoto himself said in his defense of making Link a righty:
"Although Link is [traditionally] left-handed, at E3 we noticed people seemed to be using the right Wii controller to swing his sword. That's why we decided to make Link right-handed. The interesting this is, on the GameCube Link is still left-handed; because of the mirror mode the game map is reversed."
All banter concerning the mirror mode must cease immediately. Sorry Leftorium lovers, you'll have to sit this one out.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
vidGuy @ Sep 25th 2006 4:34PM
I've been saying it everywhere: just because every Link we've seen has been a lefty doesn't mean the Link in Twilight Princess has to be. Remember, all of the Links are different (except for Young Link in OoT and MM). TP Link is ambidextrous, no big deal, storyline-wise.
nzdsgirl @ Sep 25th 2006 4:59PM
In my opinion, anyone who cares alot about what hand Link holds his sword in (or whatever) is very very lame. I mean what does it matter? If someone is upset about this they need to take a look at their priorities. :P
Derek @ Sep 25th 2006 4:59PM
I never noticed Link was a leftie until it was recently pointed out. Silly question, but couldn't they easily make him ambidextrous? I mean, the wiimote & nunchuku look like they could work fine in either hand. Why not let the user decide the handedness of Link?
incon @ Sep 25th 2006 5:36PM
Shit here is an idea make it an option yay everyone is happy again
V. Watermelon @ Sep 25th 2006 5:33PM
he should be ambidextorous that way lefties and righties could use the Wii version comfortably just by having Link switch the sword to the other hand.
vidGuy @ Sep 25th 2006 5:40PM
The developers can't make Link's handedness an option because of the way they created the switch. They flipped(mirrored) the entire game, not just Link's model. This is to keep everything in the same relation as before: if Link is attacked by an enemy on his shield-side, he still is. If they just flipped Link, there would have been quite a few problems to code out, leading to, likely, another delay.
If the handedness was an option, any time you switched it, the entire layout of the game would change. Locations would be to the left instead of the right, etc. Not really an option here.
himwhoknows @ Sep 25th 2006 6:51PM
each link is a uniq link there not the same person call themselfs zelda fans link is meaning to your link to the fantasy the story your the hero the charictor in the game is your link to it HAS THAT FINALLY SUNK IN
OOOHHH HERES A SPOILER FOR YOU LINK IN TWILIGHT DIES AND THE LINK IN WINDWAKER IS THE HERO REBORN
BOUYAKA I BETTHAT 100%
sTeben @ Sep 25th 2006 9:40PM
himwhoknows...Learn how to spell, and how to turn off your capslock.
Idiots are annoying.
Josh @ Sep 25th 2006 9:40PM
vidGuy, if that is true, I may actually seriously consider getting the GameCube version of the game over the Wii version. Seriously, the entire game is mirrored?! So right is left and left is right?! Does that mean that a character with some marking on the left side would now have it on the right side, for example?
What a terrible implementation! At least give us the option to switch it back to un-mirrored mode!
vidGuy @ Sep 25th 2006 10:03PM
@josh,
It is true. http://wii.ign.com/articles/733/733762p1.html
Miyamoto: "The interesting this[sic] is, on the GameCube Link is still left-handed; because of the mirror mode the game map is reversed."
I actually think it's quite brillant. The decision to go gesture-based with the sword fighting made it nearly necessary to make Link right-handed. To do that, they could have flipped Link, then reprogrammed portions of the game that would be negatively-affected (VERY labor intensive), or they could go this route, make a few lines of code mirror the game, and go through it to check for any errors. I can see how lefties would be upset, but it works out for us righties, and at least we all get the game "on-time".
Along with the gesture based system, though, you also get improved visuals (yes, they have been doing SOME texture improvements; it's not 'next-gen', but it still looks nicer), progressive scan, and 16:9 display mode, which to me drastically improves the gaming experience.
vidGuy @ Sep 25th 2006 10:08PM
Clarification: those are the reasons I'll be getting the Wii version. The GC version features the "original" map, but is displayed only in 4:3 mode, doesn't have the improved textures, and, obviously, doesn't feature gesture-based fighting, fishing, arrow-shooting, etc.
Jaille @ Sep 26th 2006 12:04AM
Why would they flip the entire game just so that link is seen to be left handed? Doesnt that sound a bit extreme (ie. incredibly stupid)? Hes a lefty, hes a righty..who cares as long as he kicks ass.
Yertle @ Sep 26th 2006 12:12AM
I don't understand why unmirroring the game can't be available at the beginning of the game when starting a new file. It just seems pointlessly alienating to not include a left-handed option when 1st-party software on the DS has been rather good about it with stylus-intensive titles. It also seems to go against the all-inclusive marketing angle Nintendo is trying to apply with the Wii. Certainly handedness is not as prominant as age and gener, but it is still a very personal issue, which in many ways has only in the past decades become more acceptable versus the forced indoctrination of right-handedness in schools in generations as late as most of our grandparents and parents.
BPMΩ @ Sep 26th 2006 1:38AM
Actually, I belive that Link, like his creator, is ambidextrous.
Dan @ Sep 26th 2006 4:37AM
Each time I run across this bit of news, I realize, with a soul-crushing awareness, that this game, and even this system, just aren't meant for me. And it seems a lot of lefties are coming to this realization. It would take an utter moron not to realize why the majority of people would be playing with the wiimote in their right hand (gee, could it be that 9/10 of people are right-handed?), so the only conclusion I can come to is that Nintendo just doesn't care. Is there a single game confirmed to have a left-handed option yet? Games like this, Metroid Prime, and Red Steel are already going to be annoying without one, but games like Wii Sports (which I would be forced to buy) and DQ:Swords would end up being practically unplayable.
And for anyone who thinks this won't be at least a large annoyance to lefties: Why even make this change unless it would have been a problem for righties?
Frexy Q. @ Sep 26th 2006 8:29AM
Well, vidGuy, I don't know if we can understand miyamoto's words that way.
He does say 'the game', but does he mean it that way? It could be he just meant; the demo.
So, we'll just see.
I personally think it's better to just flip the character, and leave the map. I can't think of any situation it wouldn't work out...
Vincent @ Sep 26th 2006 10:28AM
To all the lefties complaining that they can't play Wii...
Who the hell said you cant hold the wiimote in your left hand? Most people are right handed, which is why you see it in the right hand all the time. If you seriously think the system is going to point somewhere else, or go in the other direction just becuase you're holding the wiimote in the other hand.. you're an idiot.
Guns are made ambidextrously (aside from the clip release). You have a gun that a right-handed person uses, and you're left handed, all that's a problem is dropping the clip out, cause your thumb is on the other side. The bullets aren't gonna go 50 feet in the other direction just because you're holding it in a different hand. Its absurd.
So, seriously, think about it. The wiimote is 1) a pointer, if you point, thats where it points, thats it; 2) a motion sensor, if you move it left while it's in your left hand.. guess what.. it still goes left!! ZOMG!
So stop complaining, and give it a shot when the demos are in your local EB/MicroCenter/BB. Power to the people. Don't conform, do it your own way.
Vincent @ Sep 26th 2006 10:38AM
Double post.
To the people complaining that Link SHOULD be left handed, because he "always was" ... go play LoZ (NES) again, and tell me he's left handed. ^^ You too, Miyamoto-sama!
Sam @ Sep 26th 2006 2:01PM
Ok, fliiping the entire game sounds abit drastic, more likly they just flipeed the whole demo just to get it ready for that last gameshow, they will probally just flip link and sort out the errors as they go. How hard can it be, there experts!
Of course, it would be easyer just to give players the choice. Incorperate it into the game, like some guy at the beggining of the game that, or example, give you your sword, asks what sword hand you use.
And for Dan, don't say that nintendo dosn't care. Look at Metroid prime hunters, that had a lefe handed mode.
AZapp @ Sep 26th 2006 2:58PM
"8. himwhoknows...Learn how to spell, and how to turn off your capslock."
He's a rather annoying troll. Just ignore the sad fucker.
Will @ Sep 27th 2006 6:24AM
Making Link left-handed is functionally pointless. If you swing the remote left to right, no matter what hand Link is holding the sword with he should swing from left to right. Would it really have been that confusing to right-handed players to see the action performed by a left-handed character with identical results? If it is a confusing concept, would it truly take a person of average intelligence more than five minutes to get over it? Switching Link to right-handedness is a shallow insult to Link fans AND to gamers who aren't functionally retarded.
Krunch @ Oct 28th 2006 1:07AM
I have faith that Miyamoto-sama (also left handed) will do whatever he can to give us the option. After all, even if he doesn't care about other lefties' experience (which I doubt), he must at least care about his own!
ruzkin @ Nov 6th 2006 4:03AM
"Switching Link to right-handedness is a shallow insult to Link fans AND to gamers who aren't functionally retarded."
Complaining so much over whether an ambidextrous fictional character swings his sword with his right or left hand is a shallow insult to all the people who have worked so hard on this game for so many years. Do you think they would have made such a decision lightly?
Anthony (Lefty) @ Dec 14th 2006 9:17PM
You guys dont see it. Now that link changed to a righty its gonna be hard for us lefties to play the game/swing the sword properly. If we held the remote with our left hands whle Link was righty that would be kinda hard todo. "Sigh" gonna have to get use to playin with right hand now.....