ZELDA: INTERVIEWS Home - Story - Preview - Interviews - Pictures Other Interviews and Tidbits Mr. Miyamoto said in regard to Zelda 64: "Players will be able to name the horse whatever they want." New information on Zelda 64 has surfaced in the latest issues of The 64 Dream and Dengeki Nintendo 64. In the game, Link will be a kid and an adult. The pictures of Link (the one who is wielding a dagger toward us) that Nintendo recently released showed Link as a kid. On the contrary, the one who is riding a horse is an adult. Currently, only Adult Link can ride the horse. According to Mr. Miyamoto, "There is a placed called the 'Tower of Time' where Link become a kid. It's kind of like a double-dealing system. He will travel back and forth to different times from this place." Here are some of the items and weapons available in the game: Sword and Dagger - Kid Link will use the dagger, Adult Link the sword. Ocarina of Time - Maybe this is the key to time travel? Bomb - This is a quintessential item for a Zelda game. Bow and Arrow - Only Adult Link can use this item. Sling Shot - Kid Link uses this instead of the Bow and Arrow. Wooden Stick - Only Kid Link can use it, but its purpose is unknown. Hammer - Just like in predecessors, it will be used as an item. Mr. Miyamoto said, "There are not that many items in the game. There are some brand new items, though, such as a Nut and a Pair of Glasses. And there is the 'Jolting' Stone. When you have this stone (assuming you're using the Rumble Pak), if you play the game for a long time, your arm will feel almost numb. (laugh). I'm considering whether or not I should include it." "Many items in Zelda 64 are from past games," Mr. Miyamoto continued. "There's also a hook shot. This isn't as much fun when the game is in 3D, though. But I think the boomerang is really enjoyable in 3D. If you throw it, it will return to you. If you miss the catch, you will be hurt. This is so fun. (laugh)" "You can change the normal viewpoint to a first-person view with the Top C button. There are also other useful camera modes. You will control the camera many times, but it's easy to do. Wait until next month for further details and information, including about the letterboxed screen." Interview with NCL PR Rep Mr. Hongo Reader: Will Zelda 64 be delayed in Japan? Hongo: I cannot say for sure if it will be released this year or not. We always try to meet our release dates, but sometimes the development doesn't go as we expect. And we don't want to release something we're not ready to release, nor do we want to cut some level or something just to keep the release date. The development of Zelda 64 is proceeding quite well, but at some point perhaps we think we want to do more. So I can't say it will be definitely be released this year. From a sales standpoint, the N64 apparently needs software, so we want to release a killer title like Zelda this year. Reader: I think you should change the name from Zelda 64. Hongo: Oh, it definitely won't be Zelda 64. This is a tentative title. We are thinking about using a subtitle instead of using "64." Maybe the name will be clear by the Space World exhibition in November. Reader: I heard that Zelda 64 will be a 256 megabit game. Will you release it with a price of around 8,900 yen? Hongo: It won't be an eccentric price. I don't think we can set a retail price of 9,800 yen again like a year ago. Despite the 256 megabit ROM, we want to release the game with a price of around 7,800 yen. That price is not set in stone yet, though. The story that Zelda 64 will be a 256 megabit game was actually decided long ago, though the size itself doesn't mean anything. Reader: How much taller is Link? Hongo: It's a secret. (laugh) Right now, I can't tell you about Link's age or height because these are important to the game's system. Maybe I can tell you next month. Mr. Miyamoto also talks about Zelda 64. "Zelda 64 will be compatible with the Shindou Pak (Rumble Pak). I'm thinking about features that only could only be solved by those who have the Shindou Pak. There are some hidden items, and if you come near a specific place, you can feel a rumble. So I'm thinking about maybe only having it rumble at certain points, not throughout the whole game. There will, of course, be a signal on the screen for those who do not have a Shindou Pak. This feature will be in the game if we get a good report from the play testing crew. "As for viewpoint changing, you can change it yourself. And the viewpoint is also changed automatically when you use certain items. The screen aspect will be changed sometimes, too. At some points in the game, the screen aspect will change to tell you that the viewpoint has changed. "There is a boomerang in the game as well. This is really cool stuff. Currently, only the kid can use the boomerang. But I am thinking that the adult will be able to use one, too. [Editor's Note: Kid and adult? Does that mean Link will grow up this time?] And there are two ways to throw it. One is to beat an enemy and the other is that you can control the boomerang (to get some item). The bow and arrow also has a two-way use." As was first documented on N64 HQ a few weeks back, Zelda 64 will be a huge 256 megabit game. The good news, however, is that it will be sold for less than 9,800 yen. If you recall, that was the original price for Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64 and a few others. So there's no need to worry about price!

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