Daily Debate: Do You Wish to See a Return to the Traditional Zelda Format?
Posted on November 06 2024 by Heather Beard
I hope that everyone has been enjoying or has enjoyed the newest entry in the Zelda series, Echoes of Wisdom. I personally loved the game from start to finish and it was a refreshing return to the traditional Zelda format. I didn’t realize how much I missed the traditional format until Echoes of Wisdom released; so do you wish to see a return to the traditional Zelda format in future games?
Before I delve too far into the subject I want to preface the debate by saying that I really love the open world format that we had in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. I think among the fanbase there was a lot of curiosity of the series was venturing away from the traditional format that we all know and love. I’m glad to see that that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’m a firm believer of “if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it.” The traditional format of past Zelda titles is what has made the series endearing and memorable. When asked the question “what is your favorite Zelda dungeon?” I scarcely ever hear anyone ever mention one from of the open world titles. Open world is great, but Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom did lack a lot of those puzzle elements that I love about Zelda games.
As for future titles I would love to see a greater mix between traditional Zelda games and open world games. I think that Echoes of Wisdom did a great job at that while having a return to the traditional dungeon format. Being able to explore the entire map while also having some more linear elements was nice. There were still places where the player was able to select which region they wanted to explore first, and it would make each play through different. Much like how you can tackle Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s regions in different orders. It makes me excited for future titles in the series.
What do you think though? Do you wish to see a return to Zelda’s traditional gameplay format or do you want to see more open world titles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Hi I’m Heather! I’m Senior Editor and Art Director at Zelda Dungeon and I’ve been a member of the ZD team since 2019. I am a graphic designer, artist, and nerdy mom to an awesome little boy. When my nose isn’t in a book, working on my novel or watching anime you can find me curled up with my cats Mandy-Lynn and Daisy Mae.
