Summary
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand its sequel,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, have left their mark onThe Legend of Zeldaforever, as they effectively evolved the franchise’s key characteristics while still maintaining the core aspects that makeZeldawhat it is.The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, especially, improved whatBreath of the Wildintroduced by expanding its open world and adding several new abilities and features that enhanced the overall gameplay experience. All in all, it’s difficult to imagine where the series could go from where it is now. Even so, a significant change is possibly on the horizon.
It’s currently unknown what Nintendo has in store forThe Legend of ZeldaafterTears of the Kingdom. There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the possibility of the series being brought back to its roots in the next installment. Barring Nintendo choosing to revertThe Legend of Zeldato its traditional formula, Link’s extensive equipment system set in place byTears of the Kingdomand its predecessor will need to be acknowledged in some way, as it has undoubtedly set the bar high for whatever may follow it by adding a level of gameplay diversity the series has never seen. Specifically, it will need to decide whether to downsize and simplify Link’sTears of the Kingdomarsenal, add more items to it, or keep it consistent.
Downsizing Link’s Arsenal in the Next Game Would Be a Double-Edged Sword
Currently, Link has 35 different armor sets, 30 individual armor pieces, and 116 base weapons made available to him inTears of the Kingdom. However, this large number of weapons is offset byTears of the Kingdom’s durability mechanic, which makes them expendable. IfThe Legend of Zeldadoes go back to its roots, that could also mean bringing an end to durability, decreasing the number of available weapons as compensation. Armor, on the other hand, would be a different story, as classicZeldagames have never heavily relied on armor as a core feature, so such an expansive wardrobe would be unnecessary in a more traditional approach toZelda.
The Pros and Cons of Shrinking Link’s Inventory
In any case, downsizing Link’s arsenal in the nextZeldagame would have its ups and downs. On the one hand, a smaller number of items could complement a simpler formula, if that is the direction Nintendo ends up taking the franchise in the next installment. On the other hand, it might feel like a massive leap backward, as players have undoubtedly gotten used to the playstyle customization that was introduced inBreath of the Wildand arguably perfected inTears of the Kingdomwith its Fuse ability. All of that being said, Nintendo could choose to go an entirely different route and add even more items to Link’s arsenal in the next game.
Adding More Items to Link’s Arsenal in the Next Game May Be Overkill
Link’s massiveTears of the Kingdomarsenal is already encroaching on overwhelming territory. The diversity it provides players is definitely a positive, but adding much more could be overkill. At the same time, ifBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave proven anything, it’s Nintendo’s willingness and ability to successfully innovate a longstanding franchise, so it could very well make an even more comprehensive inventory work with the right worldbuilding and gameplay mechanics to support it. It may be difficult to do without muddying the waters too much, but Nintendo has shown it is more than qualified for the task.
WhereverThe Legend of Zeldagoes from here, the same attention that was given to Link’s inventory of weapons and armor inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomshould also be given to it in subsequent installments. Whether that means downsizing it or adding to it, it is certainly a feature that must be handled with care to keep the series from feeling like it has stepped backward or too far forward.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
