Nintendo significantly shifted the landscape of video games when they introduced The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Beyond reshaping the Zelda series itself, it profoundly impacted gaming on a global scale. Many contemporary masterpieces wouldn’t have seen the light of day without its groundbreaking influence. Moreover, it fundamentally transformed the Zelda experience by removing constraints and inviting players to explore an expansive, open environment.
In place of the traditional 2D top-down perspective, the new style was adopted. Gone were the sequential storylines and gameplay mechanics. There were no boundaries. Players could theoretically go directly to the final boss if they wished. This approach was unprecedented in a Zelda game, and the team further emphasized this freedom with the release of Tears of the Kingdom six years later.
Although both Breath of the Wild (BotW) and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) were generally well-received, not everyone shared this enthusiasm. Some fans yearn for a time when games like The Wind Waker or A Link to the Past are once again popular. However, as we move into the future with Zelda, Nintendo should avoid revisiting the past and instead continue expanding the open world concept.
Whatever Is Next For Zelda Must Be Open World
The future direction of “The Legend of Zelda” remains unknown, but it appears that the world of Hyrule in “Tears of the Kingdom” is coming to an end. Whatever follows will be entirely fresh and should feature an expansive, open-world environment.
Embracing the open-world format was an absolute game-changer for this beloved franchise of mine. This transformation has significantly expanded its reach, inviting players like me to delve into a vast, explorable world that was once a rarity in this series. Despite its past greatness, the level of exploration, creativity, and fun it now offers was scarcely found before.
There’s a growing clamor for a return to the past, but considering the incredible success of the present approach, it’s crucial we keep going in this direction. Instead of looking back, games should continue to innovate and progress.
In modern gaming scenarios, open-world, nonlinear games often perform quite favorably. While many of them are common, the exceptional ones definitely shine. These games tend to garner significant popularity and appreciation, thus boasting an established player community from the get-go.
An alternative path is regressing in terms of development and progression, which the franchise has undergone. Initially, it started as 2D top-down adventures and later transformed into comprehensive 3D experiences. Further advancements led it from confined, linear 3D games to open-world explorations.
In my perspective as an avid gamer, Echoes of Wisdom skillfully blended linear and non-linear gameplay, although it maintained a more structured sequence for exploration, with certain areas being inaccessible until later stages of the game. There was a hint of choice involved, allowing us to pick which dungeons we tackled, but there was also a progression path about half the time.
Perhaps that’s the perfect approach, making “Echoes of Wisdom” a proving ground. This would offer open-world gaming enthusiasts the freedom they crave to explore and do almost anything they desire, while still maintaining a more structured experience for those who voiced concerns about the lack of structure in “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom“.
Regrettably, it seems impossible to satisfy everyone in this disagreement. Fans of the classic Zelda series may remain unconvinced by anything lacking the traditional elements of strict linearity, a focus on dungeons, and minimal room for exploration. On the other hand, admirers of the more recent titles might be put off by limitations on freedom and creativity.
It appears that developers are leaning towards maintaining an open-world style in future Zelda games. Eiji Aonuma, head of Zelda development, expressed uncertainty as to why fans might prefer the more “restricted” gameplay found in earlier titles, referring to them as “games from the past.” This suggests that the expansive nature of modern Zelda games is likely here to stay.
While “Tears of the Kingdom” was recently released, a smaller, more traditional Zelda game like “Echoes of Wisdom” serves as an excellent demonstration that such spin-offs can thrive and provide opportunities for different gaming styles to emerge. In other words, it’s not just a positive development, but it also doesn’t mean the team should limit themselves to only this type of project.
In terms of large-scale productions, we shouldn’t expect another masterpiece like Ocarina of Time; instead, we’d prefer a sequel more akin to Breath of the Wild. The latter is more innovative, offers greater freedom, and aligns better with contemporary gaming trends. While the traditional style was once dominant, the advancement in gaming, particularly within this series, has surpassed it.
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2025-07-22 22:41