Breath of the Wild Old horse new tricks

[Spirit]

We say in the Game Award gameplay video of Zelda U (and to some extent in the e3 2014 trailer) that Link can jump from horseback.
We saw him jump straight up in the e3 trailer and we saw him perform a front flip while Epona was in motion during the gameplay video.

But what else do you think Epona could aid Link in doing? Will jumping from horseback be the new big thing or could their be some Epona attacks? Who'd love to kick bulblins in the teeth with Epona's hind legs?

Ideas on a postcard.

 

[Mercedes]

I don't think I'd like to see Epona in fights, I've never seen an instance in a game where a horse getting in on the fight really looked good, at least if the character isn't on them. Tends to just kick and miraculously survive un-hurt. I'd rather Epona just behave realistically in a fight when Link jumps off her, kind of like how other games have been doing it with horses; she'll stay close to Link but back off from the fight a little bit. Run away if enemies run near her.

As for what else Link could do, I just want good mounted combat. It's such a cool thing in movies like Lord of the Rings, when all the Riders of Rohan crash into the Orc lines, and yet games have never really managed to create genuinely good mounted combat. I hope Ninty can!

 

[Kingwobbly]

• I don't think it'll happen, but it'd be really cool if you could leap off your horse and onto enemies, kind of like Shadow of the Colossus. Big enemies in Hyrule field might need you to climb up on them and hit the big glory thing on its head.
• If there's a whip/grappling hook in this game, you should definitely be able to catch an enemy by the leg and drag them along with Epona.
• In Wind Waker, you could take a fallen opponent's weapon. I think it'd be cool to grab a moblin spear, ride Epona and throw a spear at another moblin from horseback.
• It would be nice to be able to go to a horse groomer and customise her in some way, like get her mane trimmed or her tail plaited or put pretty pink bows in her mane or give her a Mohawk or whatever you're into.
• Buying upgrades for Epona would be awesome too, like different horse shoes to change how fast she runs or improve her turning circle, or extra saddle bags to hold more apples or arrows or bombs. (I think Link should have a bomb bag and quiver, but Epona should carry saddlebags with those thing in too so if you're in a dungeon or something but you're out of bombs, you can run outside and fill up from Epona's supply that you bought in the last town. By doing this they could also up the difficulty and realism by not having bombs and arrows fall from every single jar and enemy that you slay.)
• A completely unimportant thing that would be nice to see would be if you could pet Epona like you could with the goats in Ordon, or even feed her apples to make her happy. Not like a happiness meter like in Pokemon, just like, you feed her an apple and she brays happily. It sounds stupid, but then, Link sitting on a toilet and then it flushing when you stand up is stupid but funny, and petting goats and picking up dogs and cats is stupid but cute.