The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild makes some massive shake-ups to the 31-year-old series but Link and Zelda themselves haven't changed much. Did you know it could have starred a gritty, bearded Link, or a modern-day hero with a smug grin and a dirt bike instead?
A new making-of documentary series from Nintendo reveals several new pieces of concept art for the hero and the princess, and I have to say.... I think they made the right call. See for yourself.
Link could have been a one-armed swordsman with a beard
This is pretty much Bionic Commando with a creepy mask
He could have been a generic JRPG hero
Or even more weirdly old looking than in Twilight Princess
How about Fantasy Spike from Fantasy Cowboy Bebop?
Maybe the protagonist of a Disney Channel original movie?
What if Metroid was a boy? Also Link?
The designs for Princess Zelda didn't get quite so outlandish (at least not the ones Nintendo was willing to show) but the videos did still reveal some interesting directions for the character.
This toon-y Zelda bridges the gap between Wind Waker and Ocarina
Here she is all dressed up in slightly more modern fashion
And last but not least, Zelda with a pixie (fairy?) cut
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