If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to work for a giant gaming company like Nintendo, then it’s possible that you would not imagine it to be anything like how Goddard described it in a recent interview with Eurogamer. He was one of a group of teens from North London who moved to the Kyoto HQ for Nintendo so as to work on games such as Star Fox with Shigeru Miayamoto and the team. Contrary to what one would expect, Giles’ description of the work environment at Nintendo is one that is much less than ideal.

In the ’90s when Giles was working for the company, Nintendo was already a huge brand name and one synonymous with the gaming industry. However, he describes having had to work very long hours in a factory-like setting. He stated, “It’s a factory.”

“It’s such a clinical, rigid way of working. It amazes me they get so much creativity out of that place, with Zelda and Mario. You go there and it’s white, it’s clinical cubicles and bells ringing for lunch and for going home. How they get any creativity out of that place is beyond me, but they do it.”

Although things haven’t changed much, Giles also admitted that there was some room for playfulness and experimentation in the company. He stated, “You couldn’t dick around in the way you work, you could dick around with the things you did, making demos. You couldn’t dick around with your timecard, being late and not working overtime. You can dick around with the things you’re actually doing, and they encouraged that playfulness.”

As for the current situation, Gilesstated that the company seems to have become more money-minded lately which worries him, and it’s certainly a worrying prospect for the entire industry. Hopefully, there will be some changes made and these issues get addressed sooner rather than later.

Eiji Aonuma has spent the better part of his gaming career working on The Legend of Zelda– he started working on the series with Ocarina of Time, where he was one of the directors, before he got custody of the entire franchise with Majora’s Mask. Since then, he has been heading up production of all games and spin offs in the franchise.

But it sounds like he may be working on something other than Zelda, too- speaking in an interview with EDGE, he mentioned that Nintendo has been trying to get him to work on a brand new IP in addition to his work on Zelda, also teasing what this new IP might be like.

“Actually, Nintendo has been telling me to create a new IP,” Aonuma said in an interview with EDGE (via NeoGAF). “But then, they’re also telling me to make more Zelda games. I can’t really share much; I’m not sure I’m allowed to say anything. But I really like the idea of a game where I can live as a thief. That’s all I’ll say.”

Aonuma seems to be revitalized now, after years of coming off as tired and disenfranchised with game development- and this seems to be reflecting in just how great Breath of the Wild, the upcoming Zelda game, looks to be, not to mention how great A Link Between Worlds was. Whatever Aonuma has up his sleeve, I can’t wait for it. It’ll be great to see him step out of the confines of the Zelda franchise for a bit, and it’ll be great to see Nintendo attempting another big budget new IP.

Nintendo’s Hyrule Warriors, developed by Omega Force (Dynasty Warriors) and Team Ninja (Ninja Gaiden), takes the action adventure aspect of the Zelda franchise into the third person hack and slash genre. This means beating down tons of classic Zelda foot soldiers as Link, Zelda and even Impa. The game will include some new characters, such as Lana the White Witch. Check out her move set above.

Described as a sorceress, Lana uses a ton of different spells and magic to successfully dispatch of enemies. Her magic is hard to put into words – it’s essentially psychokinetic energy that allows Lana to bolt from one place to another, quickly murdering enemies. She’s also annoyingly cheerful for better or worse.

Hyrule Warriors releases in Japan this August for the Wii U. Meanwhile, it will be releasing in Europe on September 19th and in North America on September 20th. What are your thoughts so far? Let us know below.

Like many, I too was inclined to simply dismiss Hyrule Warriors, the upcoming Zelda themed Dynasty Warriors spin off co-developed by Nintendo and Tecmo, as just an odd curiosity, one of the countless inane Zelda spin offs that Nintendo has commissioned over the years, this time in a desperate and misguided attempt to keep the Zelda brand’s falling popularity in Japan afloat.

After this E3, however, and especially after those forty minutes of footage that you see uploaded above (and that were showcased in Nintendo’s live and ongoing Treehouse streams), I’ve changed my tune- Hyrule Warriors looks great. It looks fun, it looks like an amazing action game, and it finally looks like the evolution of the musou style of game that we have all been waiting for since the PlayStation 2 days.

It also looks batshit insane, and looks like a fan’s homage to the series. Seriously. Just wait till you get to the part where the summon the moon from Majora’s Mask.

This trend was not long in catching with a number of copies of the Zelda game’s formula spawning in the subsequent years. But there never was quite anything like the Zelda games and to this day the Zelda games have stood testimony to how far they have come and evolved with time and remained amongst the favourite games of gamers all over the globe. Continuing the same trend will be the next Zelda game for the Wii U coming in 2015 (assumed). Here’s a little on what all has been doing the rounds on the internet and what all Nintendo along with Eiji Aonuma’s team need to do to make this forthcoming Zelda game a beautifully etched memory in our minds to remember fondly for years to come.

"With Nintendo emptying their work pile up with the release of Wind Waker and A Link Between Worlds, only the Wii U game is all that remains now and Nintendo still has a lot to work on for this game."

The Legend of Zelda series has seen a plethora of changes and some hiatuses between some game but all of that has been worthwhile till now. Going from a simple yet large explorable world to introducing hundreds of elements in the games like collectibles and bonuses spread throughout the game’s environment in dungeons and bushes and a sundry other things, the series has come a long way in its making.

With Nintendo emptying their work pile up with the release of Wind Waker and A Link Between Worlds, only the Wii U game is all that remains now and Nintendo still has a lot to work on for this game. No doubt Nintendo wouldn’t go in haphazardly and come up with something crude and unpolished, but it’s hard to not let the doubts creep in when you have been a part of something so big for so long.

Eiji Aonuma had made it quite clear that he is not tired of making Zelda games and that he definitely looks forward to bring about new changes in the game series. Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker and A Link Between Worlds were three of the games that were evidently different from the established Zelda formula in certain respects and their beautiful execution was what ended up with their being critically acclaimed and widely appreciated.

Ocarina of Time, whilst maintaining the core gameplay of the earlier games had brought in new game mechanics like target lock-on which allowed precision based sword fighting in the 3D space of the game. Wind Waker was a game that surprisingly was meant to specifically target a younger audience and again retained the core gameplay of the previous games but introduced its own set of changes that were well received.

"As much as sticking to the roots of a game is appreciated by the gaming community, it often gets stodgy when you keep seeing the same thing over and over again. It’s not that the Zelda games have become horrible, but only that they have become a little repetitive and sometimes just feel like a rehash of earlier makes."

Even so, it’s noticeable that what has gone into the making if the Zelda games has started to wear on, and not recently. Much to our delight, we found Eiji Aonuma echoing our thoughts a long time back in an interview with 4Gamer where he had stated that even he has felt ennui with regard to how they have stuck to traditional methods adamantly and done things accordingly.

He also stated the need for his team to bring in changes if they wanted to bring something new to the front in the Zelda games and it was a result of his efforts that we were presented with A Link Between Worlds.

A Link Between Worlds, the most recent iteration in the Legend of Zelda series isn’t far off with introducing changes. The ability to rent or buy items in the game allows players to complete the dungeons in any order whilst turning Link into a painting to get past obstacles and solve puzzles in the immense open world adds a new dimension to the gameplay.

Aonuma had said that as A Link Between Worlds had marked a radical change in the game making policy for his team, the next Zelda title slated to be released for the Wii U is set to bring in some equally new and exciting changes. As much as sticking to the roots of a game is appreciated by the gaming community, it often gets stodgy when you keep seeing the same thing over and over again.

It’s not that the Zelda games have become horrible, but only that they have become a little repetitive and sometimes just feel like a rehash of earlier makes. Also, with the Wii U’s advanced GamePad, Nintendo ought to take every advantage possible of the controller just like the Wii’s controller was put to use in Skyward Sword.

"What has to be considered by the developers is that by ‘open world’, we don't mean a huge expansive world like the ones in Skyrim or The Witcher III, but a decently ample space filled with puzzles, items and bonuses that make players scout and explore every corner and nook without them flailing their hands helplessly meandering about a large physical area to no end."

Nonetheless, some of Aonuma’s words had us a little worried when he’d said that he’d like to question the characters series and see people look at Zelda games in the same light even if Zelda or Link are not in the game.

While we appreciate the developers of the game looking at new avenues to better the game and while we know what Nintendo and the Zelda team is capable of, we’re very sceptical about this idea and find it hard not to have qualms about this notion and the forthcoming Wii U game.

Another thing that Nintendo has always done is make quantum leaps in the Zelda universe timeline with every subsequent games. A Link Between Worlds for instance, takes place in the same world as A Link to the Past but is set hundreds of years later.

While it is understandable that the Ocarina of Time created a three way rift in the timeline for the series, it will be good to have a handful of games that are released in succession which conform to the same world, timeline and to more or less an extent, the same storyline. Wind Waker’s beloved freedom of movement had been the inspiration for Nintendo to make the recent games and it’s mandatory that an open world is given to us in the Wii U title.

What has to be considered by the developers is that by ‘open world’, we don’t mean a huge expansive world like the ones in Skyrim or The Witcher III, but a decently ample space filled with puzzles, items and bonuses that make players scout and explore every corner and nook without them flailing their hands helplessly meandering about a large physical area to no end. It’s always refreshing to see and explore the world around you to discover and find interesting things or even walk into a little danger once a while.

"Its dynamic gameplay and freedom to roam the world coupled with new game mechanics is something that Nintendo is pursuing with great interest. And quite right they are in doing so."

Zelda games haven’t ever been known for their graphical prowess and neither have people cared for it. Although Wind Waker’s graphics were something that had some people questioning the game’s audience. Learning from their ‘mistakes’, Nintendo has decided to keep their hand strong in the graphics department too.

Both, to make the game look more beautiful and attract those people who have qualms with not so great graphics. Little else is known of the game as of now. Although with the E3 2014 approaching, we should be getting to know a lot more of where the game’s development is. What we do know is that A Link Between Worlds would serve as a major inspiration for the Wii U game.

Its dynamic gameplay and freedom to roam the world coupled with new game mechanics is something that Nintendo is pursuing with great interest. And quite right they are in doing so. A Link Between Worlds was indeed a fresh wind of change that was fun to a be a part of.

Even though we’re left with dabbing at the mysteries of the next Zelda game, we won’t be in the dark for long. To what end Aonuma and his team have put in effort to give the Zelda series a fresh outlook and make it the Wii U’s saving grace, we’ll only get to know at the E3.

Speaking to GamesTM, Aonuma stated, “We encountered an awful lot of problems from the drastic leap we took with Wind Waker. I think we will be a bit more careful in the future, but if we find a new approach that not just the developers, but also the users would enjoy then I think we will want to break new ground again. But we haven’t found such an approach yet.”

The next game in the series is The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds which releases on the 3DS on November 22nd in Europe and North America.

In conversation with Kotaku, Aonuma stated that, “This is something that me and Mr. Miyamoto talked about. If we were to make a Zelda title, if we had interest in doing that, I think really what would be most important to us is to be able to play with the format of a movie, make it more interactive, like you’re able to take your 3DS into the theater and that leads you into participating in it somehow.

“We wouldn’t want to make it the same as any other movie. We want to somehow change what a movie is.”

Does that somehow make sense or does it sound like a concept better left alone? Let us know in the comments below.

Two things have happened recently: Nintendo, the company that does E3 best, has started slowly de-emphasizing the big convention, choosing instead to focus on its Nintendo Direct webcasts. And secondly, Nintendo’s Zelda series has been taking a bit of a beating lately. True, both Ocarina of Time 3D and Wind Waker HD were excellent, but they were only remakes, and while A Link Between Worlds looks nothing short of incredible, it’s not here yet.

The last big Zelda game was Skyward Sword, and it is widely acknowledged as a letdown, and the first serious misstep for the franchise. The console Zelda series seriously needs to return to form, and maybe the Wii U game, which is said to be breaking all the twenty five year plus conventions that this franchise so strictly adheres to, will be that game.

We’ll know soon: The Legend of Zelda Wii U is getting a reveal at E3 2014, reports Mashable. This comes directly from the horse’s mouth: Aonuma has explicitly stated that he will ‘talk more about the Wii U Zelda game at E3 2014.’

Please be excited, folks. Let’s see if Zelda can keep up in the modern gaming market.

“As you saw at our presentation at E3, Mr Aonuma chased me off stage…he doesn’t need me any more! The final responsibility for the title still comes down to me and I’m still involved in the games, but I’m definitely able to leave the series up to him in a way. I don’t have to look at every minute detail of every game any more. I know there’s going to be the level of quality that we expect under his supervision.

“Similarly we have Koizumi-san, who’s the producer or the Mario series and it’s the same type of situation. And certainly Konno-san with Mario Kart, too. And Mr Eguchi, producer of the Animal Crossing series. These are the main producers that we’ve trained who are talented enough and we can allow them to oversee the project and manage all the details and still maintain the Nintendo level of quality.”

While it does mean that he has a somewhat decreased role, it appears more like Miyamoto taking less strain since other producers are able to deliver the same level of success. If the success of Animal Crossing: New Leaf is any indication, this formula appears to be working. Still, what are your thoughts on Miyamoto’s current responsibilities? Let us know below.

There are plenty of missions in gaming that folks either despise, fear or downright loathe. Some parts of games are universally hated, while others are person-to-person; a much more direct and personal form of hatred. Everyone has a mission or a location in gaming that they hate.

The funny thing about it all is that it’s usually a terrible experience in a certain level that causes it, like being stuck for hours at a time or having the same boss stomp a mud-hole in your eyes every time you get to him. However, there seems to be one kind of level that a lot of gamers almost universally dread playing through regardless of what game it’s in. Some of those levels, stages or instances are the water levels. A nasty water level has existed as far back as gamers can remember. You’d be hard pressed to find this type of hatred for any other stage in a video game.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

This water level was a pitch black pit of crap.  Anyone who remembers this little puppy will remember getting shocked and stunned by the worlds most malicious sea weed. All just to disable a few bombs from blowing up a tiny little dam that may, or may not have flooded the city.

If you could take your time it wouldn’t be all that bad, but it’s one of those damned levels that also has you racing against the clock. Looking at it now it doesn’t seem all that bad, but as a kid this level was a formidable hurdle to get over, in what is one of the more difficult games from our childhood.