Link's Crossbow Training

Lore & Background

Link's Crossbow Training is set in a world styled after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The player assumes the role of Link, perfecting his crossbow marksmanship through a series of tests. The game features nine playable levels divided into three gameplay styles: Target Shooting, where players fire at stationary and moving targets; Defender, where players remain stationary and fight hordes of enemies through 360 degrees; and Ranger, where the player controls Link's movement via the Nunchuk control stick. Some levels include boss battles, most with weak spots that must be hit. A multiplayer mode allows players to take turns competing for the highest score. After each level, the player receives a medal ranging from bronze to platinum based on their score.

The game was produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, and Takashi Tezuka. The idea of a first-person The Legend of Zelda game began with Ocarina of Time, which Miyamoto wanted to develop in first person, but the inclusion of a child Link prevented this. Miyamoto created the game to show Japanese gamers the fun of the genre by bridging simple scrolling shooters and advanced shooters. It was intended as a side-story to Twilight Princess, making use of its vast overworld. The development staff initially worked on an epic tale, but Miyamoto insisted on a side story, causing some staff to argue against reusing existing software. A prototype was tested by die-hard Zelda fans at Nintendo of America, who reacted positively, and daily reports allowed the team to tweak the game.

Miyamoto created a list of 'do nots' for the team, including not incorporating anything unnecessary, not making a movie, ensuring a stage could be completed within three minutes, and not focusing on rewards. He initially opposed boss battles but eventually allowed one after developers insisted. Choosing the Wii Zapper game was difficult; some staff argued giving Link a gun was too strange. Miyamoto proposed a Terminator-style plot about a time warp, but it was vetoed. He enjoyed the Hidden Village's spaghetti western theme from Twilight Princess and recreated it in an FPS setting. The team settled on a crossbow, despite crossbows being unable to rapid-fire, because it was just for fun. The game was originally titled Introduction to Wii Zapper, but was changed to avoid confusion with Wii Play, and to avoid implying a grand Zelda sequel.

Reader's Guide

Link's Crossbow Training is notable as the first game to be bundled with the Wii Zapper peripheral, a plastic shell that held the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Its development emerged from Miyamoto's long-standing interest in a first-person Zelda game, dating back to Ocarina of Time. The game's reception was mixed: Nintendo Power praised its potential but criticized its short length; IGN found it enjoyable but too short, and panned the Wii Zapper for making the game more difficult and frustrating to use. Despite this, the game sold 2.75 million copies worldwide by September 2008, and was the 16th best-selling game and seventh best-selling Wii game in the United States in December 2008. It remained in the Top 10 best-selling Wii games for nearly two years until surpassed by later titles. The game's legacy lies in its role as a tech demo for the Wii Zapper and as a lighthearted side story within the Zelda universe, reusing Twilight Princess assets to create a shooting gallery experience.

Did You Know?

• Miyamoto proposed a Terminator-style plot involving a time warp to the future, but it was vetoed.
• The development team insisted on three boss battles, but Miyamoto reduced it to one to focus on making it 'fabulous'.