Zelda Might Only Have Another Ocarina Of Time Moment If It Leaves Hyrule Behind

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was a defining moment for the franchise and fans. It showcased a whole new style of Zelda game that would later be expanded upon in ways no one could have imagined. Today, the Zelda series boasts nearly 30 games across its original titles and remakes, all of which have become beloved classics that still hold up. Much of this love for both the individual experiences and the series itself comes from their ability to completely immerse players in a world and journey unlike any other.

However, the longer the series goes on, the more it stagnates, at least in certain areas. It's resulted in players calling for remakes of the classics, for a return to a more nostalgic time, rather than looking forward to what the series could become. For a while, it has felt like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom represent the apex of what the franchise feels capable of. Fortunately, that isn't strictly true, as The Legend of Zelda still has a lot left to offer the world, especially if it makes one key change to its iconic setting.

Ocarina Of Time & BOTW Transformed Zelda Exploration

They Revolutionized Hyrule

Close

The Legend of Zelda series has remained largely iterative across its many entries, at least when it comes to its setting. Hyrule, while a diverse and richly detailed location, has remained at the center of the Zelda franchise for decades, undergoing minor changes and iterations with each entry, but always maintaining a sense of familiarity. This has meant that fans have grown as accustomed to Hyrule as they have to Earth itself, now having great respect and understanding of its cultures, landmarks, history, and even topography.

However, there have been a few exceptions where Hyrule was completely renewed, giving players a new perspective on it and making it feel altogether new, despite sharing the same landmarks as it always has. The two notable examples are Ocarina of Time, the first 3D Zelda game that came to establish what Hyrule looked like, and Breath of the Wild, the game that revolutionized the entire Zelda franchise as well as Hyrule as a location. Both games offered fans something completely new without merely altering the landscape slightly.

Related Replaying Ocarina Of Time Makes Me Worried For The Future Of Zelda The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time was the first 3D Zelda game. While the series has since come a long way, I'm worried it's leaving too much behind.

Both games completely redefined what a Legend of Zelda experience was, whether it was by completely shifting the dimensions in which Hyrule functioned and existed, or by significantly expanding its scale and helping to flesh out spaces that were previously mere pixels. However, outside these examples, Hyrule has always felt the same, even when it has undergone some significant cosmetic alterations. This has even been the case with the subsequent Zelda Switch releases, leaving players to believe that the Switch 2 won't get its BOTW moment.

Hyrule Is Familiar, Even When It Changes

It's Always The Same Setting

Perhaps the best example of an iterative Hyrule rather than an innovative one is Tears of the Kingdom's multi-layered offering. It greatly fleshed out the world first introduced in BOTW by adding floating islands - like those seen in Skyward Sword - and a complex labyrinthian cave system that ran beneath the entire map. Much like TOTK's best features, a lot of its version of Hyrule felt like an extension of BOTW's rather than an entirely new interpretation of it. This led to TOTK's exploration feeling a little disappointing as so much of it had already been experienced before.

Other games, such as Wind Waker and Skyward Sword, take a more ambitious approach to iterating on Hyrule. In the case of Wind Waker, Hyrule was completely submerged, leaving only the most recognizable landmarks and a handful of new locations left to explore. However, despite these grand changes, Hyrule always feels familiar, a location altered by time, but nevertheless with its core features still ingrained within it.

Related Zelda: TOTK Sequel Should Include This Open-World Feature To Improve Exploration A sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom would benefit from many gameplay tweaks, but this one feature could improve exploration.

The changes made to the location were enough to make those experiences memorable, and certainly a step above something like the recent Spider-Man series - and arguably BOTW and TOTK - which merely repurpose locations, albeit with some additional features. However, for Zelda to succeed on the Switch 2, it needs to take drastic steps to remove this sense of familiarity and, like Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild, offer something fans have never seen before. It is definitely time for the Zelda series to shake off its Hyrule baggage and switch settings.

A New Setting Could Reinvent Zelda’s Sense Of Discovery

It Could Give The Series Its Sense Of Wonder Back

Much of what has defined the Zelda experience arguably since its inception, but certainly in its recent entries, is that sense of exploration and wonder. A considerable amount of that is derived from the environment and the many ways that Nintendo gives to the player to interact with it. However, when that environment is the same every time, no matter how many coats of paint are slathered on top, it can get repetitive and the sense of discovery and wonder is lost.

Related I Wish That Zelda: BOTW And TOTK’s Gerudo Used Their Own Language More The Legend of Zelda’s implementation of the Gerudo language in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is impressive, but it could be better.

That's why it's important for the Zelda series to switch locations every once in a while, as it helps keep the experience feeling fresh. However, perhaps more importantly than that, it allows the creative team behind the Zelda series to further flesh out its mythos and lore, introducing new characters, races, and history that fans can fully immerse themselves within. It's a chance not just for a renewal, but also to flex those creative muscles and prove there's far more to the Zelda lore than just Hyrule and its luscious grassy fields.

Of course, previous games have done this, such as Link's Awakening - which took players to a different island - and Skyward Sword. In fact, every Zelda game has, to some extent, fleshed out the world and lore. However, with the Switch 2's improved capabilities, Nintendo can craft a far more ambitious world and narrative than ever before, making this the perfect opportunity to expand the series' horizons even further. Switching locations at this point can really help give the Switch 2 its defining Zelda experience in a way that Hyrule simply cannot.

Whatever the next Zelda game is, if it wants to have its Ocarina of Time or BOTW moment, it needs to reclaim that sense of discovery, and the best way to do that is to give players something new to discover.

While the Legend of Zelda should always return to Hyrule, it's good to try out new locations every so often. The ability to offer players new locations they could never have imagined, new races they'd never dreamed of meeting, and new stories they'll remember forever is a rare opportunity Nintendo should take. Whatever the next Zelda game is, if it wants to have its Ocarina of Time or BOTW moment, it needs to reclaim that sense of discovery, and the best way to do that is to give players something new to discover.