Bomber’s Notebook #011 – Zelda: Then and Now

The Legend of Zelda, like the rest of the video game industry, has evolved in an unfathomable number of ways. New standards in visuals, presentation and gameplay are constantly being set as the years pass. Zelda has done its best to stay on top of the competition, and there are places where the Zelda franchise has refused to develop and also places where the franchise excels.

The original The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System set many precedents for the franchise. Staple items, puzzles, dungeon-overworld variations, the protagonist, Link, the damsel in distress, Zelda and the antagonist Ganon were all introduced in the series’ first outing. But what classified as a Zelda game in 1987 is far different from what comes to mind when we think of Zelda today. Make the jump to read about what sorts of shifts in Zelda’s framework have taken place since the franchise’s debut!

Jumping into 3D

No, I’m not talking about the Nintendo 3DS’ visual effects, I’m talking about three-dimensional game worlds. Ocarina of Time was a landmark game because it brought one of the most beloved franchises in the industry into a whole new dimension – the third, to be specific. The Minish Cap, Four Swords and Four Swords Adventures are all recent 2D Zeldas, so the 1998 magnum opus did not signal the eradication of its two-dimensional counterparts.

In fact, Nintendo has kept the legacy of pure 2D questing bliss alive in the forms of Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. Okay, maybe they’re not quite 2D, more like 2.5D. The games control like classic Legend of Zelda titles, but characters models and locations are presented in 3D. The jump into 3D gave Nintendo more angles to work with, consequently resulting in more perplexing puzzles, more attack patterns for Link to work with and slightly more realistic aiming and shooting with the Bow and Hookshot.

Less Open Exploration, More Puzzle-Solving

In the very first Zelda game, exploration was a large chunk of the experience. The franchise has slowly but surely drifted away from the original concept. The Legend of Zelda did not have an in-game map, had an incredibly vast overworld that was far ahead of its era and pitted Link against the deadly forces of nature. In fact, much of the challenge in the original Zelda came from roaming the land itself instead of lying solely within the dungeons.

Some of the bulk of Skyward Sword‘s gameplay also lies in the land of Hyrule below the skies, but it’s less about exploration and more about solving puzzles. It’s very easy to say that in this particular area, Zelda has veered far from its intended path. Skyward Sword and Spirit Tracks, the two latest releases, might be the greatest deviations from the free and open landscape that has taken center stage in almost all major Zelda games.

Smarter Puzzle Design

Early on in the franchise’s lifespan, games were less about solving devious puzzles and more about overall difficulty, which means more powerful enemies. The complexity of puzzles was capped due to the limitations of technology at the time, so grueling difficulty in other areas may have been a necessity. As Zelda evolves, it seems that enemies have become less daunting while playing through dungeons requires more thought.

Ocarina of Time brought classic puzzle-solving into the third dimension and gave Nintendo more directions to work with. However, I don’t believe it was until Majora’s Mask that level design really skyrocketed to the next level. The Wind Waker took yet another step towards simplifying dungeon layouts and squeezing more content and puzzles into smaller areas. Skyward Sword tossed the long, twisting corridors and tiny dungeon-like rooms of Ocarina of Time out the window, replacing it with just a few large rooms riddled with enemies, traps and sensational gameplay.

An Expanded Arsenal

Link now has more weapons at his command than there are in an entire infantry, and the new upgrade system that was implemented in Skyward Sword shows that Nintendo is trying to add a bit more depth to items. A Link to the Past gave Link rods, medallions and even a lamp at his disposal, but none of them were spectacular or memorable. Later installments did a better job of conceiving an arsenal for the Hero of Time that was both grandiose in size with almost every individual item being useful.

What Next?

After the release of Twilight Princess, I thought that Nintendo was attempting a jab at realism and would continue the trend. Those thoughts were immediately dispelled after their next major Zelda hit, Skyward Sword. I’ve listed only a few changes in the franchise here, and I am aware that there are many more. I cut it off short to save internet ink. In all seriousness though, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to predict what will be done with Zelda Wii U.

Most likely gameplay will be spread out among the overworld and dungeons like in Skyward Sword, and the menu will be simple and easy to navigate. I’m expecting Nintendo to stick with the intelligent level design of Skyward Sword and probably create an adventure that is very approachable for newcomers.

Where do you think the next Zelda game is headed? Are there any big changes to the series that you would like to note? Feel free to let us know in the comments below!