Exploring 2008's Canceled Sheik Game

In 2008, a Sheik game was being developed for the Nintendo Wii. Its obscure existence circulated among internet circles but largely remained gamer gossip. In recent years, new details have emerged that confirm it was once a reality. Breadcrumbs in the form of art leaks and interviews have given us a clearer image of the game’s vision. The Sheik game would have been an interesting but possibly forgettable experiment should it have come to fruition.

Development of the Sheik Game

Photo byBen HamleronUnsplash

Rumors of a new Legend of Zelda title featuring Sheik began circulating from 2008 to 2009. While there was little information about this supposed Sheik game, its existence was confirmed several years later. In May 2020, a Metroid fansite named ShineSparkers posted concept art from the title. Artist Sammy Hall was behind their creation, though he later deleted any social media related to them. A video in 2022 from DidYouKnowGaming provided further details into the game, including its story and lifecycle. Hall and others who worked on the game's production would provide these sources interviews, shedding light on some of the title's concepts and gameplay elements.

The team behind the development of the game was Retro Studios. Retro Studios is well-known for its work on the Metroid Prime series along with recent Donkey Kong Country titles. During its conceptional process, the Sheik game was referred to by several codenames, including "Project X" and simply "Sheik." The title was in early development for roughly 3 years before it was finally canned. It was intended to be released on the Nintendo Wii and would have made extensive use of the console's motion controls. The experiment would never materialize and was shelved to collect dust in the annals of gaming history. Despite never being actualized, the project did have some fascinating aspects to consider.

Story and World of the Sheik Game

Little is known about the overarching story of the canceled Sheik game. However, there are some nuggets of information worthy of discussion. The spin-off’s world would be the same one featured in Ocarina of Time. There would be a slight twist in that it would be based on Ocarina of Time's bad ending. The story would follow Sheik, the ninja-esque alter ego of Princess Zelda first seen in Ocarina of Time. Part of her journey would meeting the last male Sheikah who would later be transformed into the legendary Master Sword. In an interview with DidYouKnowGaming, Hall described part of the story while recounting the gallery of images he had previously posted:

"[It was a] fun pre-pre-pre-production origin story of the Master Sword. Within the bad ending of Ocarina of Time [we were] exploring the last male Sheik’s [sic] (after a genocidal ethnic-cleansing) journey transforming into the Master Sword."

This concept of exploring the formation of the Master Sword would be revisited in 2011's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Not much else is known about the Sheik game's story trajectory or world beyond these details. Some of the concept art reveals that new races were planned to be added in the spin-off. An anthropomorphic axolotl, perhaps distantly related to the Zora, is one of them. Other art features towering bipedal rhinos and what appears to be a dedicated Deku Tree. Based on the art and story details, this would have been on the darker side of Zelda content. The game would also contain an overworld of unspecified size; while trekking, Sheik would stave off enemies in battle.

Combat of the Sheik Game

The development of a Zelda title by Retro would doubtlessly generate excitement for gamers. Much of their output, including the beloved Metroid Prime series, features fun and compelling mechanics. However, this may not have been the case for the Sheik game. Paul Tozour, a former programmer at Retro, had this to say about the game’s combat:

"There were four or five wolves, maybe six, and they just [sic] be in their idle state waiting to pounce at you, then they'd jump one by one and you'd go 'whack.' So that's literally all it was, just detecting when the player swung the Wii Remote. If so, the wolf dies, and if you don't do it correctly, you take damage."

Evidently, battles were to be tethered to the motion control technology so pivotal to the Wii console. Tozour and others working on the project raised concerns over the simplicity of the gameplay, though it seems upper brass at Retro shot down these pleas. It does not appear that the combat would have been complicated, being based more on the player's reflexes than skill. The Wii Legend of Zelda titles would explore this concept, albeit with more complexity than what this canceled game had planned. Some of the Sheik game's features are reminiscent of JRPGs, such as venturing across an overworld and slaying enemies on the way. We will never know to what extent these systems would have been developed.

Future Zelda Titles

Given that it was never released, the Sheik game remains something left to our imagination. It is interesting to consider what impact it would have had on The Legend of Zelda’s legacy. Fans have been clamoring for a title starring Zelda for many years. After all, she is the namesake of the series. The Sheik game would have been her first foray into a lead role. Given the details we know, it may have been compelling lore-wise but becoming a critically panned title with simplistic mechanics. Should it have failed, it may have spurred hesitation on Nintendo's part to highlight Zelda in such a position ever again.

Thankfully, in 2024, a new game was announced by Nintendo that finally features Zelda in the spotlight: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. While feedback from critics and gamers remains to be seen, initial impressions from the community seem overwhelmingly positive. While expectations are certainly high, perhaps this new title can rectify the errors that plagued the unreleased Sheik game. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is slated to release on September 26, 2024, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

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The article was originally written by Chase Martin