Zorro to leave his mark (exclusively) on the Wii
by Kyle Orland 
{ Feb 5th 2007 at 3:50PM }
Between all the sword-swinging in the currently released Twilight Princess, Red Steel, and Wario Ware and more to come in planned Wii incarnations of Dragon Quest, Dynasty Warriors and Star Wars, you'd think developers would be getting a little tired of using the Wii remote to emulate a blade. Well, think again. On Friday, Zorro Productions announced that Pronto Games will be bringing the famous fictional swashbuckler to the Wii with "The Destiny of Zorro" this holiday season.
Pronto President and Creative Director Randy Angle told Joystiq that they have been working on the game since last August when they got the license from Zorro Productions. Angle said the game would build off of existing Zorro properties while presenting a totally new story that gets into the origins of the character and brings the player "fully into the moment of Zorro-ness."
The game is currently planned as a Wii exclusive, a decision that Angle said was predicated on the controller. "We would do a very different game if we were working on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360," he said. Players will get to control Zorro as he uses his trademark sword and whip, according to Angle, but that the moves will most likely be linked to abstracted Wii remote motions rather than a one-to-one representation of real-world movement. "Players tend to do better and get less tired with abstraction," Angle said. "It's not a sword-fighting simulator."
Pronto, which also works on Wii middleware, has already secured a publishing partner in Europe but is still looking for a stateside publisher. They hope to have the game ready for production in September in advance of an early November release.
[Via VG Gen]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Crono @ Feb 5th 2007 3:54PM
Boo on abstract moves!
Seriously, how hard can it possibly be to get a decent sword wielding game on a controller designed for decent sword wielding games?
Mr Khan @ Feb 5th 2007 4:02PM
I wouldn't go that far, but there should at least be a 1:1 "Pro" mode or something
Because i'm starting to use 1:1 motions in Wii Sports Tennis, just for the thrill, and it fairly kicks ass, but i couldn't see everyone preferring that...
KyleSka @ Feb 5th 2007 8:51PM
It would be great if a game would have different play modes, abstract and realistic. I wouldn't mind having to unsheath my sword (Warioware style), stand up and do some silly sword-fighting with the remote. But then I'd like the option to turn abstract back on for those lazier gaming days.
Z-247 @ Feb 5th 2007 4:19PM
Crono, do you know how to fence? Do you really think you could stand up to any but the dumbest enemies when it comes to fighting with foil?
Geovany @ Feb 6th 2007 2:15PM
!Viva el Zorro...
Jake @ Feb 5th 2007 4:21PM
I really want to see a 1:1 type game. There are certainly problems, like the fact you can swing a featherlight controller much faster than a sword and there is no inertia to overcome. Also, there is the fact that you wouldn't hit the obstruction of their sword. But, if the game only lets the character do realistic motions, I think you as the player could adjust your moves to a realistic speed and you could stop the sword when it hits something, etc. It would be part of the skill of the game. I don't know, it could be really cool though.
It just seems like this Wiimote is begging to have a 1:1 sword game and all we're getting are abstract motion translation. Basically, they are just replacing a button with a motion. While that may be more intuitive to remember, it doesn't allow you to boldly go where no game has gone before. You are just getting an equal control replacement with last gen graphics, to be quite blunt. It is a game that can be done with buttons. We need games like WiiSports that cannot be done with buttons.
Someone, give us a 1:1 game. LucasArts, I may or may not be looking at you. Team up with Nintendo to bring a star wars game and people will go nuts for it. Please.
Darkness @ Feb 5th 2007 4:25PM
While 1:1 would be nice, it would be extremely frustrating for most people, especially if you don't know how to actually fence. There has to be some sort of compensation for this. As long as they get close, I'm okay with it. I'm hoping that they do a good job because I haven't played a good Zorro game since the Datasoft days on my Atari 800XL.
mko @ Feb 5th 2007 4:40PM
The only thing that matters to me in this game is if you can slash a "Z" into the other guy by making a z movement.
the ONLY thing
crono141 @ Feb 5th 2007 4:42PM
Z-247,
There's a big difference between not abstract and 1:1. I never said 1:1. But abstract implies something like "hold Z while making a U shaped motion pattern" to slash diagonally. That is abstract. Not abstract would be "slash left to right by moving the controller left to right." It doesn't have to go exactly where I go, but something like that is much preferable to the first example I described.
So I'll re-iterate: Boo on abstract moves!
Seriously, how hard can it possibly be to get a decent sword wielding game on a controller designed for decent sword wielding games?
Miniboss @ Feb 5th 2007 4:46PM
@ 1.
"Boo on abstract moves!
Seriously, how hard can it possibly be to get a decent sword wielding game on a controller designed for decent sword wielding games?"
Maybe they already tried it, and it sucked?
dantebk @ Feb 5th 2007 5:02PM
I agree with the poster who suggested a "Pro" option where it allows 1:1 movement. Clearly from the developers statement, they're capable of doing it but don't think the average gamer would enjoy it, but if it's an OPTION, then you could have best of both worlds.
Personally, I would probably not be capable of playing a game like that 1:1 (as another poster suggested) but I'd still like to try it, just for laughs.
A.J. @ Feb 5th 2007 5:38PM
I have to say this is a major disappointment. Sure Twighlight princess and Red Steel have swordplay, but neither were done well. If they are just going to tack on random sword swings to wiimote movement then it's going to have to be a pass for me.
i can understand some people thinking 1:1 would be too difficult, but no one has given us a shot to decide for ourselves.
Wii Baseball has 1:1 batting and against someone who really understands how to pitch it can be fairly difficult. But isnt sometimes that part of the fun?
number40one @ Feb 5th 2007 5:59PM
"Players tend to do better and get less tired with abstraction,"
Seriously, how about somebody actually PRODUCE a 1:1 swordfighting game and let us (the aforementioned "Players") decide.
ThatFuzzyBastard @ Feb 5th 2007 6:00PM
Right now, it seems like there's two directions to take with Wii controls---a 1:1 movement relationship (like Koropina and Mario Galaxy) and movement-as-button-press (like Zelda and, I think, Wii tennis). The problem with the former is an excess of precision---your shaky hands resulting in shaky controls, for example---but the problem with the latter is an opaque or annoying relationship between what you're doing and what's happening. This could be a real problem for the Wii---it might find itself in a sort of Uncanny Valley of interaction, where movement is close enough to reality to make its imprecision obvious.
outforprophets @ Feb 5th 2007 6:19PM
Wii Baseball isn't exactly 1:1 batting but it's close (you can't really lower or raise the bat vertically much if you hold it out horizontally). Besides, if the ball were another bat it would cause your bat to stop swinging, but players in real life wouldn't stop their bat from swinging.
WamBam @ Feb 5th 2007 6:28PM
There has to be a good medium between 1:1 and abstract. But I think everyone would be at least curious to play a good 1:1 swordplay game.
How about an updated version of PSone's Bushido Blade or PS2's Kengo? Structure it so that players actually go through a samurai school or something so they learn some (basic) sword techniques. Players can then square off against computer opponents in dojos or cool outdoor Japanese enviroments. And then, if Nintendo really wanted to score points with gamers, people could set up matches and touraments online.
A.J. @ Feb 5th 2007 7:05PM
"Besides, if the ball were another bat it would cause your bat to stop swinging, but players in real life wouldn't stop their bat from swinging."
What?
The movements are closer to 1:1 as anyone else has done and it proves that the system is a) capable of doing it and b) while difficult, is still incredibly fun.
hiroken @ Feb 5th 2007 7:34PM
Um, really? Zorro?
Sorry, but Zorro was lame ten years ago and is still lame today.
Also, @ #14-- A new Bushido Blade would be awesome, but I have to say I'd prefer to see it on PS3...even Sony haters would have to agree that Bushido Blade + Online multiplayer + 1080p =
sheer gaming ecstasy
Wouldn't be surprised to see a BB or BB2 port on VC though.
~Hiro
Gavin @ Mar 19th 2007 8:51AM
A Wii exclusive from a company that pretty much is only known for porting crap games! Yay!!! This is gonna be one hundred pounds of shit in a one pound bag.
is @ Feb 5th 2007 9:04PM
Zelda replaces buttons with relevent motions. Wii tennis does not. The english you can put on your tennis ball and the accuracy with which you can place the shot could never be done on a conventional pad.
Which is one of the reasons why wii sports rocks so 'kin hard.
adam @ Feb 5th 2007 9:12PM
I'm sorry, but how is this "innovative"? Seems like the wii is becoming the system with crappy sword fighting and mini games? Now that the hype has finally started to die down, all we are doing is waiting for the next nintendo game to come out.
Where are the good 3rd party games, with depth and substance?
I am starting to have flashbacks of my Gamecube.
People rag on the xbox and 360 for having nothing but FPS, but the wii is starting to look the same.
Remember how hyped everyone was about Red Steel before it came out? Turns out it was a pile of crap.
Expect the same from this.
I still feel like they dropped the ball with online play.
They have the virtual console up and running, so I can rebuy all the games I sold 10-15 years ago. They made sure they took care of that.
Nintendo knows how to get you to rebuy their games.
Hell, I paid $30 for Super Mario Bros. 3 on the GBA, and $20 for Metroid, now they want me to buy them again, on the Virtual Console?
$35 for the NEW Super Mario Bros? When does it end?
I owned all these games back in the day, and sold them. Why should I keep buying them?
Seems like online play not worth their effort, since they can't resell it to you 5 different times.
/end rant
PS, Don't flame me, I grew up on the NES. These are just my observations/ opinions on the current state of the Wii, and what the future holds.
Mabui @ Feb 6th 2007 8:59AM
If you don't get close to 1:1 for a ZORRO game than you may as well throw it in the garbage right now and from what I've seen of their current software library, I'd have to say thats a pretty good option at this point.
As for "You won't stop when you hit stuff" all they need to do is make some penalty for not stopping when the "Swords clash, and controller rumbles" like "If you keep swinging past that point.. something bad happens!"
Like, you lose some of your footing, or increase the chance of being unarmed or something..
Honestly, just release something like Project HAMMER and throw 1:1 in it, and see how people appreciate it and if they enjoy it (Giving them a powerful enough weapon that.. perhaps not being super pro at it would hurt)
t_m @ Feb 5th 2007 10:31PM
"note to developers: Make a Wii Zorro game" - joysiq 19th 2007 8:05AM
"you'd think developers would be getting a little tired of using the Wii remote to emulate a blade" - joystiq Feb 5th 2007 3:50PM
make your minds up!
As for abstraction: I'd think a zorro game would work better than most as a 1:1 game, as zorro's saber is pretty light and quick, unlike a katana.
Skandall @ Feb 6th 2007 5:34AM
It should be noted that Tod Frye (one of Pronto's engineers) has been working on the demo of this Zorro game since early 2003. At the time he was with Pirate Games. Promo material was all over the office for the Zorro pitch. I had just started as a tester for a different game. Anyway, my point is that the abstract nature of the game has been part of the game design long before the Wii and its controller. Back then, it was really a lot more like Dragons Lair, where you had a couple of button choices that would let you do different actions (jump onto a table and attack, or swing from the light above the table and attack).
Funny thing to me is that Tod never showed up for work. I mean, the guy was there maybe one day a week for half a day. I don't know much other than that, I was just QA at the time. The pitch seemed interesting, but not as good as their other IP. Obviously none of the publishers were impressed because Pirate Games died a slow and painful death (twice if you want to get technical).
I think Pronto was also working on some educational games for a kids console that ended up getting canceled (PG was working on games for the same system). I guess it's good to hear that at least one company survived the death of that kiddie console and I wish them the best of luck with the Zorro game.
As for me, man am I glad to be out of that industry.