A project related to The Legend of Zelda that was once in pre-production at Retro Studios, a Nintendo-owned developer behind Metroid Prime, has unfortunately been cancelled. Ideas for this project were showcased in concept art galleries by former Retro Studios contract artist Sammy Hall. The game was meant to have a dark tone and offer an origin tale for the Master Sword within a “bad ending” timeline branch. Interestingly, Link wasn’t featured in the artwork but was replaced by a male Sheik. Hall described it as a pre-pre-pre-production origin story, set within the bad ending of Ocarina of Time, where the last male Sheik transforms into the Master Sword while the Dark Gerudo give birth to Ganon. The concept art includes a petrified Deku Tree, a dark Windfish-like creature, a version of Clock Town from Majora’s Mask, ideas for the Dark Gerudo tribe, and various weird landscapes, monsters, and enemies. Hall worked on the project from 2005 to 2008 during an interesting period for the Zelda franchise. Nintendo released Twilight Princess in 2006 after a development shift, and while this Retro Studios project didn’t see the light of day, some of its ideas seem to have influenced Skyward Sword, which released in 2011. Hall’s art profile is worth exploring, as there are also concepts for a cancelled handheld game project starring King Boo among Retro Games titles that never made it. The artwork includes a dark, trilobite-inspired landscape, Clock Town, and the Dark Gerudo. It’s clear that much of it is inspired by Twilight Princess, although Nintendo later deviated from its darker style for Skyward Sword. Despite the cancellation, certain elements may have been incorporated by Nintendo.
A petrified Deku Tree.
Kindlerfish.
A dark, trilobite-inspired landscape.
Clock Town.
Dark Gerudo.
