An alpha version of the fan-created The Legend of Zelda Maker level design toolkit was released this week, allowing players to build their own action-RPG worlds in the style of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series.
The Legend of Zelda Maker features an interface similar to Nintendo’s own Super Mario Maker, replacing the software’s platforming elements with characters, enemies, and environmental details ripped from various games throughout the Zelda franchise.
In its current state, The Legend of Zelda Maker allows users to place and arrange a small collection of environmental details like rocks, trees, and rivers. A handful of enemy characters featured in the early Zelda games, including Octoroks, Moblins, and Goriyas, are also included in the toolkit.
Playing as either Link or Zelda, players wield swords and a number of secondary weapons inspired by past Zelda games. Currently implemented weapons includes Link’s boomerang, fire rod, and bombs.
Super Mario Maker, released for the Nintendo Wii U in September, is a robust game-design application that allows players to create and share side-scrolling Mario levels over the Internet. Nintendo’s online servers currently host thousands of levels created by users, and players can organize uploaded creations by popularity, quality, and trending status.
Predicting a cease-and-desist order from Nintendo, creator Justin Sink plans to replace The Legend of Zelda Maker‘s current tilesets with legally distinct artwork that does not feature Nintendo’s copyrighted games or characters.
“When I’ve got the ability to change the sprites, I will do so, and I will also add things that Zelda games don’t have to make it a somewhat unique experience,” Sink explains. “This is a very early build of the game, and it does not represent what the final game will look like.”
Further details regarding Sink’s planned additions are not yet known. The Legend of Zelda Maker is available as a free download for Windows PCs.
