Daily Debate: Is Breath of the Wild’s Map Too Large To Make Each of Its Areas As Memorable As Past Zelda Games?
Posted on May 07 2021 by Sean Gadus
Breath of the Wild is one of the most popular games in the Zelda franchise and video games as a whole. Over the past four years, the game has been one of the best sellers on Nintendo Switch with more than 21.45 million copies sold so far. Overall, the game’s incredible physics system, expansive open world, and engaging gameplay have made Breath of the Wild truly beloved. The game is so popular that it has a spin-off game as well as a sequel (rare for the Zelda series) due out in the future.
Overall, Breath of the Wild has by far the largest world in the entire series. But is the world too large to be as memorable as past Zelda titles? I recently realized that I have played Breath of the Wild for around three hundred hours over four or five playthroughs. However, there are certain sections of the map that I just do not remember very well, particularly the Hebra, Eldin, and Akkala regions. In contrast, I have played games like Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword for much less time per playthrough, but I seem to have each area stitched into my brain. Each little section of those other worlds feels extremely distinct and easy to keep track of.
This happens to be a trend that worries me about gaming as a whole. As game maps become larger and larger, it is harder to keep track of an entire world the way players could in previous generations. While there is something to be said for having expansive worlds, it takes serious design work to make these settings as memorable and iconic as their forbearers. The amount of space that players have to travel can simply be too much. Additionally, the emergence of open-world games means that players no longer have to visit every area to complete a game. Breath of the Wild itself can be completed without going to all of the game’s major regions.
What do you think? Is the map of Breath of the Wild too large to make its individual areas as memorable as past Zelda games? Or is the expansive size something that you think is exciting and enticing for the future of the series? Let us know in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
