If the frequent comparisons between From Software's upcoming blocky adventure title
3D Dot Game Heroes and
The Legend of Zelda have been completely lost on you, then apparently you haven't
seen the gameplay videos. The game does more than slyly reference the mainstays of Miyamoto's Triforce-hunting classic; it more or less
recreates them. We're
definitely not saying that's a bad thing -- we're just worried that Nintendo will eventually
catch wise, and somehow prevent this charming little game from ever making it westward.
Check after the jump for three gameplay clips; the first showing off the game's best
Zelda impression; the second just how
gargantuan the player's sword can become; and the third suggesting the perils of playing through the game as the vertigo-plagued hero from
Spelunker.
[Via
GameSetWatch]
{ Oct 1st 2009 at 3:00PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kevin949 @ Oct 1st 2009 3:03PM
except that totally looks like the hero from dragon warrior 1.
Neuromancer @ Oct 1st 2009 3:15PM
Yeah that's what I thought
Punishment4Gluttons @ Oct 1st 2009 8:43PM
Hahahaha, that's totally old school Zelda. I love it!!!
Stevie Wonder @ Oct 1st 2009 3:04PM
yeah wow they ripped zelda hard... not coming out
Massmass @ Oct 1st 2009 4:30PM
I disagree.
It's clearly inspired by the series but it's not a rip off. Is Final Fantasy a rip off of Dragon Quest and what not? Is gears of war a rip off of halo? Everything is different enough. You can't copyright a creature, world, etc. Its artwork does not reflect that of the Zelda series and no code was stolen. So, it could easily stand up in court.
fwacce @ Oct 1st 2009 5:43PM
Stevie, I'm not sure if you're talking about this game or some porn site.
pd771 @ Oct 1st 2009 3:05PM
parody is allowed by most law.
Saturn2888 @ Oct 2nd 2009 4:18AM
This isn't parody though, this is a clear violation of copyright law. Good luck trying to play this off as parody. If they released it on the Wii there'd be an easier way to do that, but how is this parody? It's not even funny or not put out to show you "oh look at how Zelda is like this, isn't that interesting and educational?" No, this is just, flat out, copyright violation.
Ben @ Oct 2nd 2009 5:42AM
@Saturn2888
Oh, I see your argument... I guess you'll be the head lawyer when Shigeru Miyamoto sues Media Molecule for "stealing" the platforming genre, or Bungie sues Insanity Ward because CoD steals from Halo or even (or should I say "especially") when Sony sues Visceral Games because Dante's Inferno is very obviously stealing from the God of War series?
JuicyJosh @ Oct 2nd 2009 2:29PM
@Ben: I hope you did what I think I saw that you did there.
.__________.
flynn110 @ Oct 1st 2009 3:07PM
agree with poster 3. it is called parody.
bongoes the Black Lantern @ Oct 1st 2009 3:07PM
Hope this comes to the States. Seems pretty cool. I love the graphics.
Uncontrol @ Oct 1st 2009 3:08PM
I was actually really excited for this, but I can't help but be seriously disappointed now. This isn't inspiration, this is outright plagiarism.
Kevin949 @ Oct 1st 2009 3:25PM
I think you need to relearn your definitions. Also, Weird Al wants to have a word with you about parodies...
NickName @ Oct 1st 2009 3:48PM
I dunno, man.
"A parody... in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation"
"Plagiarism... is the 'use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.'"
Honestly, if there was some form of mockery or "humorous mimicry" present in those clips, it's nearly lost on me.
BabelFish @ Oct 1st 2009 4:03PM
Yes, because clearly swords that fill almost an entire 180 degree arc and solid snake style exclamation points over the enemies heads are intended to be taken totally seriously.
Having seen it in motion, I now expect a game poking a ton of fun at multiple titans of the industry.
Uncontrol @ Oct 1st 2009 4:55PM
I truly do not see how copying a bunch of gameplay mechanics is "parody".
WINterfang @ Oct 1st 2009 5:42PM
I fail to see anything funny about this game, it looks just like an "homage".
ghost @ Nov 12th 2009 6:16PM
Indeed, this is clearly not a parody. The game does not seem to use Zelda like mechanics to make any sort of comment or statement about either the genre or the Zelda games. The best you could say is that it's a pastiche, but even that seems like stretching it. I haven't seen any new ideas or gameplay mechanics in any of the available gameplay videos.
Even without a lawsuit, making an update of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is just lazy gamedesign. I hope From Software still manages to somehow differentiate its game enough to make it worthwile, because the art style is unquestionably awesome.
Sarge @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:41AM
Clearly, many people have not experienced the complete rip-offery that is Golden Axe Warrior on the Sega Master System.
Everyone, go play it. Sega didn't get smacked with copyright infringement then.
stormtrooper190 (IcelandTerrorist) @ Oct 1st 2009 3:24PM
what no love for europe.you all talk about games comming to the us but never europ
IcelandTerrorist (stormtrooper190) @ Oct 3rd 2009 5:45PM
way to meny americans i see?
HardBoiled2009 @ Oct 1st 2009 3:12PM
I hope this comes to North America. I'm in Love With This already
Can We Have It Plz ?
BananaBoat @ Oct 1st 2009 5:32PM
The scuttlebutt on the internet is that Atlus may publish the game in the US some time after the Japanese launch. It's unconfirmed though, so I wouldn't get my hopes up.
I can't wait for that. I'm importing this game on day one.
Doreo (Psn-doreo503) @ Oct 1st 2009 3:12PM
Is it possible for something to look amazing, yet disappointing at the same exact time?
Doreo (Psn-doreo503) @ Oct 1st 2009 3:14PM
Also, why are the swords so huge?
Levi @ Oct 1st 2009 6:26PM
On that note, why anything?
Killerrin @ Oct 1st 2009 9:04PM
well @Doreo it is a Japanese game after all...
Baalzak @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:53AM
As since it's made in Japan, the huge swords are to compensate for... um...
huge enemies, I suppose.
TwEE @ Oct 1st 2009 3:13PM
I've seen fan art of old video games done in this style, and always thought it would be cool to see a game done this way.. Looks amazing.. but yeah its so Zelda.
8-bit.artist @ Oct 1st 2009 3:18PM
like this?
http://8-bit-painter.deviantart.com/art/3-d-Pixelated-Paratroopa-56493874
http://8-bit-painter.deviantart.com/art/3D-Pixelated-Underworld-Goomba-37165432
AtomB @ Oct 1st 2009 3:33PM
probably compensating for something.
ripslymemc @ Oct 1st 2009 6:02PM
personally, I like the style. The game looks like it's played from a professional camera angle, and the 8bit looks awesome.
8-bit.artist @ Oct 1st 2009 3:16PM
i get to play a sweet pixelized (in a loose sense. love the style) old school LOZ type game on my ps3? whats not to fuckin love?
-6- @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:58AM
The PS3 part. It's not that I don't like the PS3, actually quite the contrary, but I don't have the money to buy one, even if it's used. College wears you wallet down, especially when you have to pay for it yourself.
Roger @ Oct 1st 2009 3:18PM
The main character looks more like coming from Knightmare...
[ArchiGamer] [Soon to be a major religion] @ Oct 1st 2009 3:20PM
This would be cool if it wasn't so much as a blatant ripoff of Zelda, cause even do it probably is more in the lines of parody it still feels like a ripoff imo.
RobLink (Alex Kidd incarnate) @ Oct 1st 2009 3:21PM
Well I gotta be honest. That looks delightful.
Kombat @ Oct 1st 2009 4:04PM
Yes it looks like Zelda...which is sorts the gift n the curse for this game :( Sux we won't b seein it for our system. But u gotta admit...that water looks fukin georgous!
Enrique Ramírez @ Oct 1st 2009 3:23PM
Now just add the awesome music and you've got a new Zelda right here.
XLM @ Oct 1st 2009 3:25PM
That sword is huuuuuuuge.
Doreo (Psn-doreo503) @ Oct 1st 2009 3:35PM
I know right... I mean, I also have a huge sword but honestly... You can't go swinging such an instrument around like that, you'll poke someone's eye out. I've learned from experience, I'm talking Final Fantasy VII Aerith/Sephiroth type of experience.
rickjamess04 @ Oct 1st 2009 3:35PM
thats what she said
Sonny @ Oct 1st 2009 3:43PM
That's right, Elvis, that's a big sword!
WREturns (Looking for a graphic designer) @ Oct 1st 2009 3:26PM
Man, I guess that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but that's pretty brazen.
xtremeholymuffin @ Oct 1st 2009 3:30PM
heh, I love how how THIS game is "charming", but Dante's Inferno is ZOMG GOD OF WAR LOLOLOL
Snowblind @ Oct 1st 2009 3:56PM
The difference being that this is playing on the nostalgia of those old retro games like Zelda, it's almost supposed to be a spoof. Where as Dante's Inferno is just outright copying gameplay elements from a competitor.
WINterfang @ Oct 1st 2009 5:13PM
This one is doing to the same thing also, except it's copying an old game.
NickName @ Oct 1st 2009 3:36PM
I think my immediate response was to be appalled by the glaring similarities this blatantly shares with Zelda ((http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoFYEtj2tDw) fire mountain, geruda desert, those Amos statues, the tectites, the scene of the master sword in the pedestal, the boomerang weapon, the hookshot, the wall-bomb function, the scrolling screen layout, the attacking cuckoos, etc)
That isn't to say it can't be a good game despite these similarities. I think it has the capacity to be charming on its own merits.
But I don't think I'm the only one when I say that I have qualms about supporting such a game based on the principle that doing so would equate to condoning borderline plagiarism of another company's property.
Anthony @ Oct 1st 2009 3:37PM
I love zelda, and we know Nintendo isn't crazy enough to do a zelda game that looks this amazing, so I'll be happy to settle for someone ripping off zelda. This is awesome. I don't know why people are hating on this. It looks incredible. Super nostalgia overload but in HD!