SonofMrPeanut

What a trip that would be if Retro was working on a Yoshi game. XD

This is my main computer desktop.  You'll see my laptop's later.

I'm currently working on a mix of instrumental stuff, and here's two I'm using back-to-back.

Hatfield and the North - Calyx
High Llamas - Glide Time

I also just became aware of these guys via The Needle Drop.

Battles - Ice Cream

As I found out not long after watching that video, it's oddly close to this video:

Il Guinco - Bombay

For their premiere Wii U game, they need to have something as close to the look they gave @ E3 2011 as possible.

After that, though, I'd love to see them experiment again.  Quite frankly, I'd find having every Zelda game look like the E3 2011 video from now on would get to be very boring after a couple of games.

What needs to happen is we need to stop thinking of art styles in Zelda as "Realistic" and "Cel-Shaded."  While Wind Waker added some still fascinating diversity, it can't be the only alternative.

There are two looks I contemplated a little bit back, and I'd like to know if you think either would work and how.

1.  Surrealism

Some of the more famous examples are Persistence of Memory by Dali and L'Ange du Foyeur by Ernst, but surrealism isn't a style that's defined by an appearance but rather its content.  It must be an extraordinary view of that which is ordinary.

I found a slideshow on YouTube accompanying Badfinger's "Dear Angie," and it struck me how realistic some of these pictures can look while retaining their sense of fantasy.  Other times, a characterized appearance brought out a certain charm.  Imagine Epona riding through those woods and disappearing where there is no tree.  Imagine that floating planetoid with Hyrule Castle on top.  The possibilities are there.

Just take a look and see what I'm talking about.

Again, it doesn't have to look exactly like that either.  While this lends itself to the calmer side of a dreamlike atmosphere, they could also take it in a David Lynch direction à la Twin Peaks.  If you've never watched the show and are or know someone who is subscribed to Netflix, watch it now.  Tell me you wouldn't be interested in seeing Link in weird situations like that.  Majora's Mask already handled that Expressionist tone, but I'd like to see them go full-force with it.

2.  This one is more akin to cel-shading, but this arts and crafts appearance could lend itself to a very interesting interpretation.

The Electric Bunnies Album Cover

Here's more.  I didn't want you all thinking this was the only idea right away, so I put it in a link.

The eyeball plant on the cover could be a Deku Baba.  Also, I could see those colored bumps with eyes being Sheikah Stones.

Again, what do you think of these ideas?  How could you see them working well in a Zelda game?

I look forward to seeing more from everyone else if they'll take the time to think of some ideas.

I grew up in the 90's, so I have a soft-spot for the SNES.  Granted, N64 was the first console that I owned, but the genius of these games didn't escape me.  Some of you may be too young to remember that wonder of the world, the giant screen at Best Buy, but I'd enjoy going over to the SNES on that pole to play Yoshi's Island while I waited for the Mario Kart 64 line to die down.  So many good memories watching my cousin play Super Mario All-Stars/World, Mega Man X and Starfox.  That last one was truly something to see played through all the way.

Sentiment aside, though, NES games are a bit too arbitrary and indirect.  I know it's fun to explore a game like the original Legend of Zelda or Metroid, but I feel the partial guiding and other improvements to the sequel and prequel (LttP) made them feel more present and allowed me to have a better time playing them.  I also enjoy marveling at the graphical achievments of this device, trying to remind myself this was the system right after the NES.   Plus, I'm a music guy and find so much to love about what's been done with that Sony sound card.