Critical Role has a custom Zelda TTRPG, which we may never see

Last night, Important role played one Legend of Zelda-inspired tabletop roleplay, and we may never get to see, play, or ever hear about it again. This may change, but… who knows. The point is that there is one Nintendo Approved Zelda-inspired TTRPG there, fully playable, and no one hands it out or even tells us how to see it in the end.

io9 got in touch Important role and Nintendo for comment. All we heard back was that this is Nintendo’s call. We await the company’s response with bated breath.

So this is what we know. Important role and Nintendo Treehouse have teamed up to create this custom Legend of Zelda TTRPG which is based on events and knowledge Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo actually sponsored the stream, making this a semi-official one Legend of Zelda TTRPG. It uses both a D20, turn-based combat mechanic system that includes initiative and hit point-based damage. A slimmed down one Dungeons and dragons fighting is the best way to think about this. Kind of like Farmera bit like In the strange. Very old fashioned role play structures.

The TTRPG also draws inspiration from it Apocalypse world by Vincent and Meguey Baker – in game design parlance, a game that does this is called “Powered by the Apocalypse” – and uses two D6 dice to determine success, success-with-complication, or failure. It has at least three stats: Wisdom, Bravery, and Strength, which can add or subtract bonuses from a roll.

Really, this is very little, this is almost nothing, but it is something, and I’m freaking out when I think there’s a 20-page document out there somewhere describing all this that was made under the auspices of Nintendo. It’s a great franchise to put into a TTRPG, and the fact that a lightweight, easy-to-play game is basically ready to go gives me a tizzy. Much of this is probably due to the fact that Matt Mercer, Important roleGanondorf’s resident GM and the game master for this one-shot agrees Tears of the Kingdom. I just can’t imagine a universe where “Important role creates a semi-official Zelda TTRPG” and “Matt Mercer voices Ganandorf” are not related.

So here we go, let’s see if this works. Dear Nintendo and Important role: Release the … Zelda TTRPG! Let me read it! Give it to me!! Free the princess from the people!! Show me the Die-Fors! If anyone – literally anyone – emails me back with more information, I will absolutely let you know.

The Legend of Zelda One-Shot: Lookout, Here We Come! airs on Tuesday, May 30 at Twitch And YouTube. It will be released on YouTube Thursday, June 1 at 12:00 Pacific. The podcast version comes out on June 6.

Want more io9 news? See when to expect the latest Miracle, Star WarsAnd Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TVand everything you need to know about the future of Doctor who.