Controls in Future Handheld Zelda Games

Our friends over at Zelda Universe have recently put out an article about the future of handheld Zelda games, and in particular, how they will be controlled. The author of the article tries to make the connection between Skyward Sword and how those ideas can be implemented on the next handheld. In particular the author talks about reinventing the enemies so there is more of a strategic approach to fighting them, much like there was with some enemies in Skyward Sword. He even goes on to talk about how a variation of the Nintendo Wii motion controls could be implemented on the next Nintendo 3DS Zelda title. You can see a tidbit of his post just below, but go ahead and make the jump to read my reactions.

Before even jumping into what the controls of Zelda 3DS will be like… it’s worth noting that the jury isn’t even out on what type of game Zelda 3DS will be like. The author in the article is under the presumption that the next Zelda title for the Nintendo 3DS will look and play similar to how Ocarina of Time 3D was played. Not necessarily using those exact same graphics and controls… but that it will be a three dimensional game like what most modern console Zelda titles are like. I personally don’t think the next Zelda handheld game will be a game of that nature at all.

The previous two Zelda titles for the Nintendo DS were sorta a mixture of 2D and 3D. It wasn’t a classic top-down world, but it wasn’t a fully fledged 3D title like the recent console titles. It was sort of a hybrid and it made for a unique experience. In particular they were controlled with the touch screen almost exclusively and it reinvented how a Zelda game could be played. Dare I say I think Phantom Hourglass was a larger control change from previous handheld Zelda games than Skyward Sword was from its previous console games.

When looking at the next Legend of Zelda title for the Nintendo 3DS, it is my personal opinion that we aren’t going to get a game that looks or plays anything like that of Ocarina of Time 3D. I’m more inclined to believe that we’ll get a game that focuses more on the 3D effect that the Nintendo 3DS offers. Thus, I think an upcoming Zelda title could use elements from Super Mario 3D Land, even more so than it borrowing from the controls of Skyward Sword. I still think we’ll get that hybrid of 2D and 3D, but I don’t think we’ll get any sorta motion style controls.

When I first saw Mario using the Boomerang Flower in Super Mario 3D Land, I immediately thought of the Zelda series. That item is made for the Zelda series and it could be another reinvention of how that classic Zelda item can work. I think a world like Super Mario 3D Land fits with the Zelda series, as it will allow the developers to use different gameplay elements. They can use overhead areas, side scrolling areas, as well as 3D overworld regions, all utilizing different ‘3D’ based puzzles. In each type of world, the various items Link acquires could have slightly different uses.

The point I’m making is that much like how Phantom Hourglass was nothing like Twilight Princess… I don’t think Zelda 3DS will be anything like Skyward Sword. They are on different consoles that have significantly different pieces of hardware. It just doesn’t make sense to me to make a Nintendo 3DS game with Nintendo Wii-like ideas. Who knows though, maybe they could implement such play mechanics.

Be sure to read the full article over at Zelda Universe and post your thoughts below.