Role-playing video game
Typically action RPGs feature each player directly controlling a single character in real time, and feature a strong focus on combat and action with plot and character interaction kept to a minimum. Early action RPGs tended to follow the template set by 1980s Nihon Falcom titles such as the "Dragon Slayer" and "Ys" series, which feature hack and slash combat where the player character's movements and actions are controlled directly, using a keyboard or game controller, rather than using menus. This formula was refined by the action-adventure game, "The Legend of Zelda" (1986), which set the template used by many subsequent action RPGs, including innovations such as an open world, nonlinear gameplay, battery backup saving, and an attack button that animates a sword swing or projectile attack on the screen. The game was largely responsible for the surge of action-oriented RPGs released since the late 1980s, both in Japan and North America. "The Legend of Zelda" series would continue to exert an influence on the transition of both console and computer RPGs from stat-heavy, turn-based combat towards real-time action combat in the following decades.
The Legend of Zelda
As the franchise has grown in popularity, several games have been released that are set within or star a minor character from the universe of "The Legend of Zelda" but are not directly connected to the main "The Legend of Zelda" series. Both map versions of the game "BS Zelda no Densetsu" for the Satellaview (released in August and December 1995) could be considered spin-offs due to the fact that they star the "Hero of Light" (portrayed by either the Satellaview's male or female avatar) as opposed to Link as the protagonist of Hyrule. A third Satellaview game released in March 1997, "BS Zelda no Densetsu Inishie no Sekiban" ("BS The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets") could also be considered a spin-off for the same reason. Other spin-off games include "Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland" for the Nintendo DS – an RPG released in September 2006 in Japan (Summer of 2007 in the UK) to star supporting character Tingle. A second Tingle game is "Tingle's Balloon Fight DS" for the Nintendo DS. Here Tingle again stars in this spin-off arcade style platformer, released in April 2007 only in Japan and available solely to Platinum Club Nintendo members. In addition to games in which Link does not star as the protagonist, games such as the shooter game, "Link's Crossbow Training" (for the Wii), have been considered spin-offs due to the lack of a traditional "Save Hyrule" plot-line. Released in November 2007 as a bundle with the Wii Zapper, this game allows players to assume the identity of Link as he progresses through a series of tests to perfect his crossbow marksmanship. "Color Changing Tingle's Love Balloon Trip" was released in Japan in 2009 as a sequel to Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland. "Hyrule Warriors", a crossover game combining the setting of Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" series and the gameplay of Tecmo Koei's "Dynasty Warriors" series, was announced for the Wii U video game system in December 2013 and was released in North America in September 2014. "Hyrule Warriors Legends", a version for the Nintendo 3DS containing more content and gameplay modifications, was released in March 2016. To commemorate the launch of the My Nintendo loyalty program in March 2016, Nintendo released "My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess", a Picross puzzle game developed by Jupiter for download to the Nintendo 3DS.