Ura Zelda (partially lost build of unfinished Nintendo 64DD game; 2000)
Ura Zelda (裏ゼルダ in Japanese, translated as "Other Zelda") was an add-on to the Nintendo 64 game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the short-lived Nintendo 64 Disk Drive.[1] The project was dropped due to the cancellation of the Nintendo 64DD worldwide and the discontinuation of it in Japan.
History
When Zelda 64 switched formats from a 64DD disk to a standard cartridge release, some aspects had to be scrapped or altered to fit the limitations of the cartridge. Director Shigeru Miyamoto planned an expansion for the game, tentatively titled Ura Zelda or Zelda DD, to make use of some of the unrealized ideas from the 64DD version.[2][3] It was planned to be released in Japan in 1998,[4] but due to the repeated delays of the 64DD, this did not come to pass.[1] In 2000, Miyamoto commented that Ura Zelda had been completed for some time.[5] Due to the 64DD's commercial failure, Nintendo cancelled the release of Ura Zelda, thinking of different ways to bring it to a wide audience.[6] Ura Zelda, now called Master Quest outside Japan, would finally be released as part of a promotion for The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, where customers who pre-ordered the game would receive a bonus disc containing emulated versions of Ocarina of Time and Master Quest; it was released in Europe in a limited edition two-disc set.[7] However, Master Quest only contained remixed dungeons from Ocarina of Time, and none of the additional items, quests, or dungeons which were previously promised.
Ocarina of Time still contains leftovers from Ura Zelda in its code.[8]
Details
Ura Zelda added many things to the original game, some of which may have been intended for the original release, but were cut due to time and memory constraints on the game. Some beta elements may have been intended to be re-added: the lost sword beam attack and the quest for the Triforce rather than the spiritual stones may have been intended to return. The fabled "Unicorn Fountain" however, claimed to be entered through Zora's domain, is often mistaken for being Ura footage while it was actually from early beta footage, and seems to have been an early design for the great fairy fountain (there is text supporting that the fountain would come to life, and the accompanying images show the early version of the Great Fairy in an identical room to the fountain; she is also the same color as the fountain). It also added things to the original game like improved cutscenes and graphics and an unused feature that saved things permanently, such as if a sign was broken it would not fix itself. Using a GameShark, it is possible to see a cuttable bush that may have been planned for the Ura version in the existing game.
Restoration Projects
In mid-2013, a group of fans and an artist called ZethN64 attempted to recreate Ura Zelda in a project called Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time URA until it was cancelled by ZethN64 himself. On August 9th, 2016, another fan known as Alex S on GBATemp.net salvage a lot of files from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time URA and promised to assemble to complete and finish the project in a new project called "Another Restoration of Ura Zelda", also known as "Project ARUZ".
Gallery
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time URA Restoration Project
Videos
See Also
- Nintendo 64 Disk Drive (partially found unreleased video games for Nintendo 64 add-on; late 1990s-early 2000s)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu (partially lost Satellaview game; 1995)
- Zelda 64 (partially found beta version of "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" action-adventure game; 1995-1998)
- Zelda Gaiden (lost beta version of "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" action-adventure game; late 1990s)
External Links
- Unseen64 article on the development of Ocarina of Time, which contains information on Ura Zelda. Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- An article about Ura Zelda on Zeldapedia. Retrieved 20 Jun '19
- A playlist with footage from one of the projects to restore the game. Retrieved 20 Jun '19
- The soundtrack from one of the projects. Retrieved 20 Jun '19
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Archived IGN interview with Miyamoto about Ura Zelda. Retrieved 29 Apr '20
- ↑ Nintendo Power Shigeru Miyamoto Interview - November 11th, 1998 - Zelda Dungeon Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- ↑ Sensei Speaks: Shigeru Miyamoto Interview - IGN Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- ↑ Zelda DD Action in '98 - IGN Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- ↑ Ura-Zelda Complete - IGN Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- ↑ Miyamoto and Aonuma on Zelda - IGN Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- ↑ Limited Edition Zelda in Europe - IGN Retrieved 19 Feb '21
- ↑ Ura Zelda Leftovers - The Cutting Room Floor Retrieved 19 Feb '21