

This has resulted in more independent, player-driven games like Breath of the Wild. Some Zelda games were beginning to be criticised for holding the player's hand too much. Though later Zelda games somewhat followed the trend of providing Link with a guide, such as Tatl in Majora's Maskand Fi in Skyward Sword, the further gaming progressed and acclimated to 3D game design, the less these companions were needed. Navi therefore helps guide the player, owing her name to the word "navigation," and will often chime in to provide hints and directions for what the player should do or where to go. With the transition to 3D's over-the-shoulder design, this would become more difficult. For 2D games, players had an overhead view of the world like in A Link to the Past, giving them a sense of where to go. But in order to best direct the player's attention and ensure that even the most novice of players understood what to do, Navi helped facilitate this function, with further features planned in early builds of Ocarina of Time.Īdditionally, while games like Super Mario had always enjoyed straightforward premises, Zelda games were more complex, often requiring players to visit various dungeons, acquire unique items, and finally go toe-to-toe with Ganon. Preempting this, Nintendo created the Z-Targeting mechanic which allowed players to lock onto things. In a 3D environment for a game that is often combat- and puzzle-centric, being able to direct the player's character and target anything of importance is vital to a good gameplay experience. Navi is another example of Nintendo attempting to ease players into new ideas for game design.

The latter, for example, made the decision to allow the player to control the "camera," something unheard of in 2D games, leading Nintendo to create a character behind-the-scenes specifically for Super Mario 64, so players could better understand the concept. With an industry entrenched in 2D gaming formats, the shift to 3D gaming was precarious, but Nintendo appeared to lead the charge with the likes of Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64.
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RELATED: The Legend of Zelda Games Tier List Navi Was Needed For Zelda's First 3D Gameįor as much as Ocarina of Time continues to be one of Zelda fans' favorite games, it was influential not just for the series itself but for gaming in general. Between her intended purpose and the challenges of new game design, Navi could arguably be described as a necessary evil for Ocarina of Time the game might not have succeeded as well as it did with Navi, even if Shigeru Miyamoto wasn't a fan himself. While criticisms against her design and implementation are fair, players can be overzealous in discrediting the usefulness and need for a companion like Navi, especially when countless theories have spawned following her departure at Ocarina of Time's ending indicate players' attachment to her. However, she is as equally divisive, with many The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeplayers expressing frustration and annoyance at her unhelpful interruptions, to the point that her cries of "Hey! Listen!" has become a common joke across other games. Serving as Link's companion through what would become one of Zelda's most iconic entries, Navi is widely recognizable and well-known within the gaming community. Over its many games, The Legend of Zelda has been host to a variety of colorful characters from the likes of Sheik, Tingle, Midna, and more, but few are as memorable as Navi, introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
