Gaming Zelda64 and the DS.

[Kellicros]

Now first thing first, don't get me wrong, I am not asking for a remake. It's just that I have been wondering, is the DS powerful enough to run something like Zelda64? It was a very beautiful game.

I have been reading that the DS hardware is slightly better than the N64 but I have yet to see a DS game that is as beautiful and as intense nor even came close to that, so can it actually be done with the DS hardware?

 

[.TakaM]

I think metroid prime hunters and final fantasy crystal chronicles looks better than any n64 game I remember...

and I think a game like ocarina of time is possible on DS, eragon DS has some pretty impressive environments and character models etc.

 

[flai]

Potentially but I doubt they would.

 

[Hadrian]

Yes its powerful enough, but wouldn't be as good due to the d-pad.

 

[Heraisu]

Yes, it could run it. There are -improved- versions of Super Mario 64 on the DS.
Although you would think Zelda for the N64 would be too massive, if you recall, lots of rooms were reused in that game, and textures were just a single small block repeated on a large object. I would think the max of an Ocarina of Time (the one I'm assuming you are referring to, Mask will be larger) would be about 64 MB. It could easily be put on the DS.

Honestly, though, the game was good, however, it is out of its time. The effort to convert it, IMO, would be seen as risky at best to Nintendo, especially for Japan sales, and so don't expect to see it any time soon.

 

[VmprHntrD]

The DS can handle anything the N64 could have ever popped out aside from the resolution being smaller, no analog stick, and a few less buttons. Basically the system can pop out stuff that just beats out that generation of things from both Nintendo and Sony (and easily Saturn.) Games like Prime Hunters and Brothers in Arms show what it can do when the system starts to really push the 3D. Those don't max the system, but I'd say come within 20% or less of doing so...but as we know people optimize, make their own tools, kits, etc. Think of all those 3D software engines the GBA got with Wing Commander (blue roses) and VRally3/Asterix/Stuntman (V3D) which are amazing. I'm not saying the DS is some PSP or even a DC or something, but it can by a small margin outdo the PSX/N64 (outside of N64's ability to hardware AA visuals.)

 

[Kellicros]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone, when I said Zelda64 I actually meant both games. Although, as much as I wished they would port them, they were my favorite games, I was hoping more that they would make whole new games with similar gameplay and beautifulness. The way they did Phantom Hourglass sort of disappointed me. I have yet to check out Eragon, but I have played Brother in Arms, it is pretty, but everything else seems buggy.

 

[G I Jackal]

i've played every major zelda game (not including the gameboy ones and stuff) since the original on NES was new, and OoT was the only one i ever felt like i couldn't put down, and HAD to keep playing.

i actually bought wind waker on GCN, and played the OoT bonus disk more than WW. i would love OoTDS, with or without updates.

 

[.TakaM]

strange, after windwaker, every zelda game just makes me want to give up and go back to windwaker..

Nintendo honestly could have ended the franchise after WW for me.

 

[OSW]

I can't wait for phantom hourglass (i don't want to spoil it by playing the J version)

still, i wish they'd port majoras mask, because i never got to play it on n64 (except for a short time at my friends place).

 

[Alastair]

WW was pretty phenomenal! Although, you can't honestly say that you disliked TP more than you enjoyed it, correct?

 

[DarkMatt]

The DS isn't more powerful than the N64 unfortunately. Notably it's missing texture filtering, plus the raw processing power of the N64. The N64 could push out more polys per second, plus textures looked better (less pixellation, etc), but due to new art styles, clever techniques, plus smaller screens, the DS can look better than the N64 did.

A game like OoT could probably be done well on the DS. The game itself would fit on a DS cart quite easily, and with some optimisation, etc, it would run alright on the DS. From memory, it didn't push the console to its limits like Perfect Dark, Battle for Naboo or Indiana Jones and The Infernal Machine did.

 

[.TakaM]

WW was pretty phenomenal! Although, you can't honestly say that you disliked TP more than you enjoyed it, correct?

read my latest blog for my thoughts on TP

 

[leetdude_007]

Any game from N64 to the DS will most likely always have has to be remade at a fundamental level in order to be optimized for the hardware. Note that Mario 64 DS is larger than the N64 version, but I'm not exactly sure why. More and/or enhanced content? Less efficient, but more relaxed game designing? Anyway, I'm sure Nintendo has a lot of tricks up their sleeve, especially with all that experience of porting Mario64 to the DS. They're a pretty small company compared to Sony and Microsoft and they can only work on a small number of projects at a time (I look and Wii Fit and Olympics Mario & Sonic and ::sigh:

.

So, on another note, I hope Nintendo ends the main timeline for Zelda before I die or something, whatever that timeline may be. It's officially locked up somewhere at Nintendo or Miyamoto keeps it in his wallet on a piece of paper.

 

[Fat D]

Note that Mario 64 DS is larger than the N64 version, but I'm not exactly sure why.

Probably stuff like textures and such.

 

[fenthwick]

Some of the cotrols like the analog stick and the C-buttons could use the touchscreen instead.

 

[Torte]

Why the heck would you map the stick to the screen?! C-buttons, yes, and then follow the set-up that Eragon DS had and you've got beautiful Zelda 64 controls on the DS.

Mario 64 was retooled for the DS rather well, but remember, it was a first-gen title (for N64 I mean). Zelda 64 represented the pinnacle of its console and I doubt those wonderful textures could be replicated in full speed glory on the DS; face it, ever since M64DS, there hasn't been a hell of a lot of anything that even comes close to it 3D-wise.

 

[VmprHntrD]

strange, after windwaker, every zelda game just makes me want to give up and go back to windwaker..

Nintendo honestly could have ended the franchise after WW for me.

We think alike. TP was a moderate disappointment to me. I know the Zelda games re-use the base principles, but that game just felt like a poor retread of Ocarina with wolf-play tacked on to make something seem fresh. The gameplay felt fairly canned to me as well, wii control worked great, but the game itself (wii or gc) was stale. Ultimately the fact the save royally sucked on it as bad as needing to dedicate 2-3hours to play it, or when you save you lose some of your shit and get set back to an early waypoint was the killing demotivator. Haven't touched it since March or earlier, likely may never again, or will for an hour here n' there to remind me why I stopped.

I for one can't wait for the WW sequel setup on the DS. Not thrilled about using touch to move as it didn't work well on a PDA game I played, but doesn't mean Nintendo couldn't have refined it not to be crap and fully energetic enough to handle an action environment on DS.

 

[Kellicros]

Why the heck would you map the stick to the screen?! C-buttons, yes, and then follow the set-up that Eragon DS had and you've got beautiful Zelda 64 controls on the DS.

The touch screen control in Phantom Hourglass works very much like the analogue stick, perhaps that is what he meant.