Press [A] to read this: A mixed methods study of characterised versus direct instructions in The Legend of Zelda videogame series

Research in ludolinguistics (language and gaming) often does not engage with how players respond to the language within videogames. This study explores prominent phraseology within a corpus of c.650,000 words collected from 11 Legend of Zelda games and how players respond to this. We discover that instructions (which enable developers to communicate gameplay mechanics) tend to use similar lexical bundles. We identify that these instructions are either direct or characterised. These lexical bundles are then used as the basis for materials in a questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions. We first quantitatively explore participants’ (N = 49) preferences for different types of instruction, then qualitatively investigate their perceptions via open-ended responses. Our findings suggest a mix of overall preferences, but that each type of instruction is preferred in particular contexts. We conclude with a discussion of the findings and implications for game design.