Summary
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis one of the most acclaimed games in a calendar year that is quickly becoming the best in modern memory. It made plenty ofadvancements overBreath of the Wildto craft something that will keep gamers' attention for months, and years later still has the means to surprise. Each is a must-play title for the Nintendo Switch, and whatever comes next has a lot to live up to.
It’s hard to predict what will come afterTears of the Kingdomin large part because the franchise has never rested on its laurels.Ocarina of TimeandMajora’s Maskshared plenty of assets, butThe Wind Wakerthrew them out entirely for something new. Making something smaller is always an option, and after the freedom of the recent games, now could be the perfect time.
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There’s Merit to the Smaller Zelda Experiences
ThoughBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomare justifiably praised for their nonlinear approach to level design and their potential for user-generated fun, there is another side toZeldathat is as loved by fans and critics alike. The series deployed a familiar format in games likeA Link to the Past, Minish Cap, andLink’s Awakening, with the pacing, puzzles, and tightly-paced setting being the reason players kept coming back. It’s comfortable for some, and the way each unfolds shows thatZeldacan provoke new experiences using a tried-and-tested structure.
Now that the twoNintendo Switch exclusive gamesare on shelves and being enjoyed by millions, the impact of a smallerZeldagame can be higher than ever. In the days of the Super Nintendo and Game Boy, fans knew to expect a specific design, but the top-down and ‘restricted’ formula could now be a wonderful juxtaposition of the open-world projects to both appeal to long-time fans and also show thatZeldadoesn’t have to fully and unwaveringly commit to whatBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomstarted. There will always be certain things that fans expect of Link’s journeys, but those things can be adhered to even in something more compact.
Tears of the Kingdom is Big, Ambitious, and Often Overwhelming
In many ways,Tears of the Kingdomreturns to the philosophy ofthe NES originalwith its open area and lack of a linear story. It’s a legitimateZeldaexperience because of this, but with the last couple of decades cementing a specific game design, the expansiveness of the 2023 offering can be overwhelming, even to those who have a history with the property. There is no guarantee that fans will like it as a result, and despiteTears of the Kingdomand its 2017 predecessor bringing in plenty of new players, there is still a core group of loyal fans who have to be catered for.
It would be so disheartening to know thatZeldawill forever be adopting this new way, so a smaller game that is more akin to the pre-Breath of the Wildera would surely be welcomed. Knowing where to go next and what to expect is something that makes repeat playthroughs ofThe Wind WakerandSkyward Swordso exciting, as the scripted moments can be as thrilling as the curiosities that can be found in theopen-world version of Hyrule.Zeldahas never shied away from being both brave in its approach to innovation and unapologetic with its mechanics, and giving more variety to the seasoned series can only be a good thing.
