Don;t really care personally, only played 1 once.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/why-a-zelda-pin-from-jjp-just-makes-sense

after i finish my cowboy bebop homebrew, zelda is the next on my list. didnt want to blow my dream theme on my first attempt at homebrew

Grail pin for me too! You must be to young for pinball like me, JAWS is clearly a superior theme.

Think you are right with JJP and Eric. Need someone on code who can program an "original zelda pinball adventure" however, instead of a code consisting of:

1. Link to the Past Multiball
2. Ocarina of Time Multiball
3. Major's Mask Multiball
4. Wind Waker Multiball
5. Twilight Princess Multiball
6. Skyward Sword Multiball
7. Breathe of the Wild Multiball

I would love to see JJP do a Zelda pin. If JJP is still considering doing a new Guns and Roses pin please cancel it as Zelda would sell 10x as well

As far as rules go I would make it its own original theme in collaboration with Nintendo versus having specific modes from each of the games. Make the game, the audio, toys / features, and rules all tie into a unique deep Zelda story that is related to pinball. You the player are Link and have to save the world, something like that. Gold edition LE? Take my money now

There was a Zelda pin, it was just called Gladiators.

Sorry I guess they didn't have any good ideas that could help your discussion 4 years ago. They must not be as smart as you.

P3 would be the ideal platform for the Zelda license IMO

Agreed on its being a grail theme and on JJP. Stern would ruin this.

I think harking back to the original game would rock. Pieces of triforce collected by defeating dungeon bosses, weapons etc to collect, final battle with Ganon. Maybe with updated art, of course.

For those who don't know the Gladiator story: http://www.norrispinball.com/blog/?p=30

The last time Nintendo gave a Zelda license to a third party, this catastrophe happened. On Philips Cdi gaming system, I don't even know if it made it to the states. As much as I would love one, I don't think licensing is in their cards, it doesn't pay much, it loses the brand and this brand doesn't need any additional marketing support.

I am about 3 years into a Link to the Past homebrew using Gottliebs Gladiators. I had it at SFGE last year but it had the power cord ripped out on set up. I spoke with Jon Norris about it years back asking him what he knew about the game. Only thing he really had for me was it was based on the SNES title. Im using MPF and FAST boards for this one. My game is extremely linear. We are trying to tell a story here so you have to make the shots I ask otherwise you will not progress!

Ive done most of my coding progress in the last 12 months. Ive never coded anything before this project but that I am finally understanding how to get it to do what I want, Im hoping to have it finished by next summer for SFGE. As far as progress I have 3/6 of my modes nearly completed. Working on embellishing the first few modes with better light shows and videos. Just today I conquered flipper canceling for holds and longer videos.

Heres a ton of youtube links to my progress:

I post a ton about it on my instagram too, check out #zeldapinball

A Zelda pinball machine would be an instant buy for me. I’d sell a kidney if I had to. It would have to be done right though. Total immersion. Instead of balls, you’d have hearts. Extra balls would be heart containers, modes could be dungeons, a ‘Ganondorf’ wizard mode, and a ‘Ganon’ super wizard mode. Toss in a dark world, where the GI switches to another color, and all the shots

You could have a successful machine basing it off of multiple games, I’m sure. However, I think the game would be much better if it stuck to a single art style and central theme.

Translating puzzle solving into pinball rules could be a challenge though. I’d be curious as to how it would be done. I guess it could follow in the same vein as GOT with multiple strategies and branching game paths.

This is exactly how I'm tackling my table. Gladiators has a bunch of lights on the apron which I am using for hearts/extraballs. The lights on the right side for boss health in dungeon modes! I have a very long singular mode for the Darkworld in LttP. Using FAST parts allows even my GI to change color which is nice. Hope you get to play it someday!

That sounds fantastic! I showed a buddy of mine who’s into both pinball and Zelda your posted videos, and I nearly gave him a stroke he got so excited. Good luck on your project moving forward!

I would love to see this as well! Are you going to SFGE this year?

Honestly? LOTR pin would have worked well as a Zelda pin. Unfortunately with how Nintendo is..not sure they'd go for it these days.

I'll be there in 2019 with it!

I'd rather see a Metroid pinball game. Games are very deep and atmospheric, plus the whole ball concept fits better.

And yes, I know about the DS game.

The music and sound effects would be amazing on a Zelda game.

I would just buy them both!

As an operator Zelda or Pokémon would be absolute dream themes! Super Mario is our best earner( believe it our not). I could see Both of these themes making a killing! Not sure how willing Nintendo is to give out 3rd party software licenses. They seem very anti anything except plush dolls.

I’d be all over a JJP gold CE edition Zelda widebody pin. One can dream!

Don't worry, I'm working on that one!

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Did you miss the Capcom Trilogy, LTTP and 4 Swords. The have a long history of licensing Zelda. That cartoon was the first attempt and granted it was terrible but the Capcom Zeldas were great. Nintendo has licensed all their major IP.

capcom did wonders with LoZ: The Minish Cap on GBA, so good.

4 swords is a Nintendo production, so is LTTP, the Capcom trilogy was supervised by Miyamoto and produced by a Nintendo guy delegated to Capcom.
This “cartoon” is an actual interactive game, it didnt come from a “voluntary” license from Nintendo it was a flaw from the contract Nintendo made in their first attempt to release a cd rom console with Philips.

Nintendo is licensing out Mario to Illumination to make a new movie.

I think Nintendo is OK licensing out their IP, as long as they have strict approval over it.

I was surprised they did that after the horrible Mario movie released in the 90s.
Guess there might be hope for a pinball after all, I still think the Mario pinball was well made in terms of gameplay integration.

I think Illumination has proven themselves way beyond the producers of that horrible 90's movie.

I also think Nintendo will have much more control on this one.

Agreed ! I’m very excited about Illumination take at Mario I’m sure they will deliver.
And it’s a French studio so, cocorico !

benheck mentioned a potential Zelda show (or movie, can't remember) on Neflix. I'm a big Zelda fan, even though I'm not the most experienced gamer. Link's Awakening, Link to the Past, OOC, Twilight Princess, and maybe a few others are ones that I've played. I'm currently playing LTTP on my Retropi at a very slow and casual pace. The Zelda universe is a large one, and would be a huge candidate for scope creep in a pin.

I'd much rather have a Metroid pin. It just seems to marry better with a pinball machine.

I actually think Nintendo dropped the ball with Zelda by trying to say this collection of games is somehow one cohesive story arc. I don't know why but reading that was quite a letdown. To me, Zelda is a single "legend" that is retold by various cultures across the world. That's why each game feels both familiar and unique. You get the same basic original story with that cultures own unique twists. For example, when the legend is retold by a group of island dwellers you get Wind Walker.

Anyway, I think the best way to create a Zelda machine would be to keep it fairly generic. Don't try to incorporate all of the various games. The wizard mode should be to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. The mini wizard modes should be collecting the three pieces of the Triforce. The modes seem like they would have to be a series of dungeons. I might go with some of the elemental themes, which translate well with colors, such as fire, water, ice, forest, etc. Basically progress though each dungeon by completing shots and then defeated the dungeon boss. I thought about putting item collection in the dungeons, but I think it might be better on it's own. I almost think think like the MAP on Congo. Shoot a shot to spell "CHEST" then collect at a scoop or saucer. Accompanied by that iconic treasure chest opening sound. Another aspects of the game I'd like to see incorporated would be the heart system. Perhaps somehow use that for your boss battles, so that collecting hearts helps you battle the bosses. Kind of like the health bar on Champion Pub. I think it would be cool to display these as an interactive topper, but perhaps that's an add on to the base game. I also think a game would need to have some type of Rupee collection system. I like mini collection tasks in games, as it allows you to focus on something even when you might not be able to set a high score.

I'm an avid Zelda fan, have played every one since 1988 when the original came out.

I don't care whatsoever ever about the "story". The games are about adventure and gameplay, not story; as all great games should be. Many stories, one story, who cares. It's about as deep as a children's picture book and only serves to provide a bare minimum to move you along.

So, you know better than the creators?

I think you're confusing Zelda games with Mario games.

Same, though I certainly played mostly the original though Wind Walker. I know less about some of the newer titles. I think we agree that each game feels like it's own adventure, in part that is why I was surprised Nintendo tried to say there was an underlying story that linked everything together. My preference would be for Nintendo to give up on that.

No, but it's not really about knowing. My comments are about preference, and what I'd prefer it to be. The creator has said what it is to him, which is simply different then my preference.

Same creator, so not that surprising they share common elements. I would say the ultimate goal is similar in Mario; rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. The theme isn't quite as consistent throughout all Zelda games, but most involve collecting powerful artifacts, such as the Triforce, to either rescue or aid some incarnation of Princess Zelda.

I've played a few Zelda games, not all, but quite a few. I don't ever remember saving a kidnapped Princess Zelda from Ganon.

It's not totally consistent. You certainly could play some Zelda games without any mention of Ganon (or Zelda). Though, I would use that general description in many of the games. First, it's the exact plot from the original Legend of Zelda. In the second you are trying to wake up Zelda and prevent Ganon from being resurrected. A Link to the Past kind of was a blend of those first two, where you have to rescue Zelda a few times and you thought that the main bad guy was trying to bring back Ganon, but in the end he actually was Ganon. In Oarina of Time that ninja dude is Zelda in disguise. Ganon kidnaps her and you have to rescue her. In Wind Waker the pirate chick is the incarnation of Zelda. Ganon kidnaps her and you have to rescue her. In Twilight Princess Ganon is drawing his power from a lifeless Zelda. You fight Ganon, you fight "evil" Zelda, you fight Ganon again, you and Zelda fight Ganon, you fight Ganon alone, etc. In the end you save Zelda. I thought it was one of the general tropes in the series.

it did

Just found this post looking for a pin issue and I find it funny that I am creating a custom Zelda game myself, I will have to post some pics of my project. It was originally for one of my customers and I got all the artwork ready for production but he backed out and said to keep the deposit and artwork, oh well, should be a fun build for me then.

Layout looks killer! Nice work. I never played Zelda but all for a retro gaming theme. Deadpool kind of went that route but not the same thing. Retro gaming seems to be pretty popular right now so it would be a good theme for young and old. Pretty sure my kids would be more interested in that then another old rock band or superhero theme.

Both the Jaguar and 3do made it to Europe, so I'd say, fair trade !

Sorry if I spoiled that. I assumed most discussing have played through OOT. If you just needed a refresher this is revealed right near the end. Remember there is that time jump in the game. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the princess is ever present after the time jump. She wanted to remain hidden from Ganon, thus protecting her piece of the Triforce. Once she reveals herself she's is captured and then you have to go rescue her from the castle. She's not like this damsel in distress. She's the most powerful one, which is why Ganon is always after her.

Not sure what all game you all have played, but I'd highly suggest going back and playing all of the early portable games if you've missed them. Those were among my favorites.