Talking Point: Could Another Nintendo Series Take Over The ‘Traditional’ Zelda Template?

Image: Nintendo

Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over. Today, Nathan considers the two-forks Zelda conundrum and wonders if another Nintendo series might take on the old-school Zelda mantle…

Perhaps the most surprising announcement in the June Nintendo Direct was for a brand-new, top-down Zelda title starring none other than Zelda herself. We may have predicted it, but we had no idea it would arrive so soon! Not that we’re complaining, mind you.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom shares the stylized look of the Link’s Awakening remake, but it appears to be putting a fresh spin on the tried-and-true Zelda formula, and we’re here for it.

That got us thinking, what if Nintendo chose a different franchise to adopt the old Zelda template? Which franchise might they choose?

Wait, What’s the ‘Template’?

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that the ‘traditional Zelda’ formula boils down to these key elements:

Linear game structure
Themed elemental dungeons
Key items which open new areas or are required to defeat certain bosses
Side quests and collectibles

This formula first appeared in the original The Legend of Zelda but was templated a few years later by A Link to the Past for the Super NES. Every mainline Zelda title released between 1992 and 2013 adhered to the formula and was easily recognizable as a ‘Zelda game’, even as the franchise shifted between 2D and 3D gameplay.

The ‘Modern’ Formula

Image: Nintendo

By now, we all know that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have established a ‘modern Zelda’ formula where player freedom reigns supreme. (William Wallace would approve!) The Echo mechanic in Echoes of Wisdom is further evidence that this newer approach prioritizing player expression and creativity is, without a doubt, here to stay.

The Zelda series has evolved, so where does that leave fans of the traditional formula? Sure, they can seek satisfaction in the arms of Zelda-likes produced by other publishers, but what if Nintendo co-opted another franchise to make its own Zelda-likes?

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