Daily Debate: Would You Like to See Hand-to-Hand Combat in The Legend of Zelda?

I’ve been recently indulging in UFC, and I found myself tempted to write a UFC-inspired Daily Debate. That got me thinking though, there are no instances in which Link fights via hand-to-hand combat.

Breath of the Wild brought many new features and in it came the introduction of breakable weapons. With this new feature, Link is left defenseless when his weapons break (aside from the use of bombs). When all else fails, should we be able to utilize this type of hand-to-hand combat?

I think the implementation of hand-to-hand combat would add extra depth to Link’s character. Being the Chosen Hero, I’d expect Link to be able to defend himself when disarmed, or suffering from a broken weapon. However, in Breath of the Wild, Link is left with no offensive skills when disarmed. Though I think it would take away some of the realism, I think it could prove to be a useful tool. Would Link realistically be able to knock a Bokoblin unconscious while they’re wielding a club? No, probably not, but I’d like the option.

I don’t think I would utilize hand-to-hand combat very often when playing Zelda, but I think it would provide a little extra spice that we currently aren’t offered. I also think it’d be fun to do a full play-through using only Link’s fists. All in all, I think this feature would continue to add to the diverse play options that were introduced in Breath of the Wild, and inspire some new combat systems in the future.

What do you think about hand-to-hand combat being introduced to the Zelda series? Let us know in the comments below!