Daily Debate: Should Zelda Games Incorporate Immersive In-universe Holiday Traditions?

Posted on December 26 2023 by Judy Cooper

It’s the time of year when people come together to celebrate a special holiday, and usually this includes upholding some sort of tradition. It could be as simple as family members traveling from afar to sit around a table and eat dinner together, or as generous as donating your time to help out in soup kitchens or with charities. Your tradition might be to host parties and play games with loved ones (charades anybody?) or even to take a break from the world, snuggle in with a good book, and a glass of eggnog for comfort. As a gal who always has Zelda on her mind, this got me thinking: should the Zelda series do more to incorporate more immersive in-universe holiday traditions?

Looking back at Zelda games, we’ve definitely seen the series observe some in-universe holiday traditions. The first that springs to mind is Majora’s Mask, where the citizens of Termina don masks and celebrate the Carnival of Time. Then we’ve got the Picori Festival from The Minish Cap, where folk compete in a sword-fighting tournament for the honor of touching the Picori Blade. There’s even the Wing Ceremony, which takes place in Skyward Sword. Students attending the Knight Academy will work to overcome challenges thrown at them for the chance to play the role of the Goddess’ Hero in this prestigious annual ceremony.

There’s no denying that we do see holiday traditions in the Zelda universe. But now that we’ve moved on to open world games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, I’d like to see more varied, seasonal celebrations that are unique to different regions of the map, which we see outside of cutscenes, and where we actually get to experience them. These days could be dedicated to Hyrulean religion, or festivities to celebrate the harvest. Townsfolk could complete rituals of dancing under the moon at certain times of the year to encourage good weather for the coming spring. I’d even love to see the denizens of Hyrule celebrate birthdays with parties and feasts!

I think all of the celebrations and traditions I’ve mentioned here would make the world of Hyrule feel more alive. Time would feel more relevant, which adds to the immersion factor. Traveling between different areas, towns, and cities would feel more exciting with the prospect of stumbling into some unexpected festival or another, depending on when you visit.

Do you think Zelda games should incorporate some type of in-universe holiday traditions, especially ones that the player can immerse themselves in? And do you have any ideas that would be fun to include? Let us know in the comments below!

Featured Image: y_ambe