While rumors of a playable Zelda protagonist for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 persist, many fans are holding out hope that the eponymous princess will finally get to step into the hero spotlight. However, even if rumors turn out to be true, BotW 2's playable Zelda protagonist wouldn't be the first time the series had done it.
Although Zelda has appeared as a playable character in games like Smash Bros. and the Hyrule Warriors spin-offs, she's traditionally always the one that needs to be saved. Even if she helps Link in his quest, she's rarely ever allowed to be the hero she deserves to be. It's why so many fans have wanted Zelda to be playable in Breath of the Wild 2. And while many fans may assume this would be the first time Zelda gets to be the hero, that's not actually true.
Zelda was actually the hero of her own game already. In Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, which released in 1993, Zelda was tasked with rescuing both Link and her father, the king. Zelda was equipped with sword and shield, and went through various stages to take down the bad guys. A follow-up to Wand of Gamelon, called Zelda's Adventure, released in 1995 and also let Zelda be the playable protagonist.
Why Most Fans Missed Zelda's Games As A Playable Protagonist
ittedly, neither of these games were very good. They were both part of Nintendo's deal with Phillips to release some Legend of Zelda games on the CD-i platform. These two games, along with Link: The Faces of Evil, released in the '90s for Phillips CD-i, where they were quickly maligned and mostly forgotten about. Even with its various problems, both The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure were ahead of their times in one regard: they actually let Zelda be the hero.
It's odd to think that while Nintendo has been so reluctant to let Zelda step into the hero's spotlight that The Wand of Gamelon, which was developed by Animation Magic and published by Phillips Interactive Media, let Zelda be the playable protagonist way back in 1993. While many fans either haven't played the Zelda CD-i games or absolutely despise them, a fan-made remake of The Wand of Gamelon exists. So, even if BotW 2 doesn't let players control Zelda as a protagonist, these games from the early '90s did - and Wand of Gamelon can even be played in HD.
Until Nintendo officially confirms it, the idea of a playable Zelda in Breath of the Wild 2 remains just a rumor (and maybe even wishful thinking). While they're far from the best Zelda games out there, both Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon and Zelda's Adventure did let the princess become the hero - and in those respects, they're definitely worth ing.
