Summary
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomwas one of 2023’s biggest releases. Following upBreath of the Wild, one of the games that has defined the Nintendo Switch’s legacy as a console, was no easy task, butTears of the Kingdom’s new mechanics that allow players to combine and build objects set it apart as one of the most open-ended sandbox games ever made. This is not to say that it is above criticism, however. Some have criticized Tears of the Kingdomfor its similarity toBotW, most notably its reuse of the map. This critique is interesting becauseTears of the Kingdom’s biggest inspiration is in many waysSkyward Sword, aZeldagame first released on the Wii.
Skyward Swordhas a complex legacy. Some players remember the game extremely fondly for its unique take onZeldalore, serving as an origin story of sorts for the timeline. The game also featured unique design decisions that made it feel fresh and set it apart from other entries in the series. One of its defining characteristics was that it was set on floating Sky Islands. On the other hand,Skyward Sword’s difficult controlsare controversial. Its use of Wii Motion Plus made it immersive, but there was a lot of fatigue around motion controls at the time, and the implementation often felt clunky. The HD remaster released on Switch navigated this situation by allowing players to use more traditional control methods.
Tears of the Kingdom Learned a Lot from Skyward Sword
Tears of the Kingdombrought back the Sky Islands that definedSkyward Swordand built on the concept. Players can launch themselves into the air from the land below, seamlessly implementing the floating islands into the game’s larger world. Navigating around in the air always feels high stakes because, outside certain scripted content, there’s always the threat of plummeting back down to Hyrule.TotKpresents a more immersive version of what Nintendofirst dreamed up back on the Wii.Sky Islands are one of the best parts ofTears of the Kingdom, and their excellent design can be attributed in large part to the foundations laid bySkyward Sword.
Skyward Swordinspired one of the best parts ofTears of the Kingdom, but that never made it feel unoriginal. The leaps in technology and Nintendo’s new approach to the series in recent years makeTotK’s implementation of floating islandsfeel unique. For their nextZeldatitle, Nintendo should revisit some of the ideas present in another one of their older games.Wind Wakerwas set in a world flooded with water, requiring Link to sail around to various islands and other locations. The setting ofWind Wakerand the ambiance it lends the game still stand out as unique to it, even thoughsailing is inTotKas well.
Wind Waker is the Perfect Template for a New Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakerbegins on a small island before Link acquires a boat and sets out on his adventure, allowing players to discover the rest of the world. At the time, it was expansive and to this day it remains one ofZelda’s best overworld maps. Placing Link into another world covered with water would be an exciting way to follow upTears of the Kingdom. Open-worldZeldagames have thrived because of the sense of discovery they provide. Allowing players to sail all over a new version of Hyrule and discover new islands and their secrets would feel like a fresh take on the open-worldZeldaformula.
A New Zelda Game Could Do More With an Aquatic Setting
A newZeldagame set at sea could allow players to dive underwater to discover things or feature naval combat. It’s been a long time sinceWind Wakerreleased and Nintendo’s innovations in the time since would make revisiting the idea a thrill for players. The Link ofWind Wakeris a unique one as well, as isthe Zelda of that world, Tetra. While Tetra herself is unlikely to return, a newZeldagame could draw inspiration from her and provide a more rough-around-the-edges version of the character. Borrowing fromWind Wakerwould make the next game in the series a refreshing departure.
