{"id":133324,"date":"2023-04-24T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/#article-148478"},"modified":"2023-04-24T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-24T17:00:00","slug":"talking-point-what-is-a-traditional-zelda-game-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2023\/04\/24\/talking-point-what-is-a-traditional-zelda-game-anyway\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking Point: What Is A ‘Traditional’ Zelda Game, Anyway?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/div>\n
\"Zelda\"<\/a>
Image: Nintendo Life<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite the overwhelmingly positive reception to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/a> when it launched back in 2017, there are undoubtedly those who yearn for a return to what they deem to be a more \u201ctraditional\u201d Zelda<\/strong> experience. With its open world, shrines, weapon degradation, and \u2018rune\u2019 abilities, Breath of the Wild most certainly made some significant changes to the games that came prior, but we have to ask ourselves here: just what constitutes a \u201ctraditional\u201d Zelda game, anyway?<\/p>\n

From a story perspective, Zelda games have always followed a pretty similar path: you play as a hero who must embark on a grand adventure to save the land and defeat evil. That\u2019s always been the case, whether you\u2019re talking about the original NES game<\/a>, Ocarina of Time<\/a>, or Breath of the Wild. Some titles, like Majora\u2019s Mask<\/a> or Link\u2019s Awakening<\/a>, might well feel different in how they approach their respective narratives, but those games still boil down to the same essentials.<\/p>\n

\"Zelda:<\/a>
Adventure awaits… \u2014 Image: Nintendo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So aside from the story, what else can we look at? Well, one of the most prominent narrative and gameplay mechanics in the Zelda franchise is the presence of dungeons. For the longest time, dungeons have always been presented as themed environments that offer up specific puzzles and enemies, most of which need to be conquered by the use of a particular item. Indeed, one of the biggest gripes that some people have with Breath of the Wild is that it doesn\u2019t have any traditional dungeons. But is that true?<\/p>\n

No, it\u2019s not. While yes, the vast majority of your time in Breath of the Wild will be spent roaming around the overworld and visiting the 120 shrines dotted about the place, dungeons do<\/em> still exist in the form of the Divine Beasts. They may look similar to one another in their overall style, but the four beasts are entirely unique in terms of the challenges they present. Heck, they\u2019re even themed! Vah Ruta is water; Vah Naboris is thunder; Vah Rudania is fire; and finally, Vah Medoh is wind. So while you certainly won\u2019t find something that looks like Ocarina of Time’s Forest Temple in Breath of the Wild, there\u2019s no doubt that dungeons do exist in the game.<\/p>\n

\"Vah<\/a>
The Divine Beasts are irrefutably dungeons \u2014 Image: Nintendo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What about themed items, then? Normally, \u201ctraditional\u201d Zelda games will grant you access to things like the Hookshot, Iron Boots, and Spinner, for example, but these are most certainly missing from Breath of the Wild. Instead, upon completion of each Divine Beast, we\u2019re granted access to abilities like Mipha\u2019s Grace and Urbosa\u2019s Fury. But really, just how different are these from the key items from the past? If anything, we\u2019d say they\u2019re even better,<\/em> since you can benefit from their use at any location in Hyrule. We certainly can\u2019t recall many instances of the Hookshot being useful on Wind Waker<\/a>\u2019s Outset Island, can you?<\/p>\n

Our point is that you still gain new abilities throughout your time in Breath of the Wild just like those older Zelda games, only this time, you\u2019re granted access to a whole bunch pretty much right from the start. We know that the runes and Sheikah slate don\u2019t scream \u201cooh shiny new item\u201d<\/em> when you\u2019re 20 hours into the game, but Breath of the Wild consistently introduces new and interesting scenarios in which to experiment with your loadout, we\u2019d argue that the runes almost constantly feel fresh.<\/p>\n

\"Hateno<\/a>
Hateno Village in all its glory \u2014 Image: Nintendo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now let\u2019s talk about towns. For many, towns in Zelda games offer up some of the most memorable experiences in the entire franchise. Can you imagine Skyward Sword<\/a> without its cosy starting location, Skyloft? What about Ocarina of Time\u2019s Kokiri Forest? Again, we see the same complaint with Breath of the Wild that there simply aren\u2019t enough towns, but this really doesn\u2019t ring true to us. You\u2019ve got Goron City, Hateno Village, Gerudo Town, Lurelin Village, Rito Village, Kakariko Village, and more. Heck, you can even build<\/em> an entire town via the \u2018From the Ground Up\u2019 side quest.<\/p>\n

Our theory with this is that because the land of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild is so vast, time spent in the various towns might feel more fleeting for players, but we\u2019d argue that the settlements themselves are just as vibrant and full of life as any town found in prior games, with just as many opportunities for fun little activities or side quests.<\/p>\n

\"RE7\"<\/a>
It’s definitely not a zombie… \u2014 Image: Capcom<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We could go on and on about what constitutes a Zelda game and why Breath of the Wild most definitely fits that mould, but let\u2019s take a look at a couple of other key franchises and see what\u2019s going on there. First up is Resident Evil<\/strong>. When Capcom launched Resident Evil 7: Biohazard<\/a>, many deemed it to be a return to form for the franchise after the disappointing critical reception for Resident Evil 6<\/a>. But with its focus on a family of twisted individuals warped by the ghostly presence of a young girl, the entire premise of Resident Evil 7 is about as far away as you can get from the evil shenanigans conducted by Umbrella in the earlier games.<\/p>\n

Yet despite this, it\u2019s still irrefutably a Resident Evil game. Why? Because the inclusion of staple items and mechanics from the series, like herbs, typewriters (well, cassette recorders), item boxes, limited ammo, and lock picks are all still there. Yes, the game might look and even feel different from the earlier entries, but it still carries enough of the franchise\u2019s core DNA to be deemed a Resident Evil game.<\/p>\n

\"FF<\/a>
No turn-based battles? No problem \u2014 Image: Square Enix<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And what about Final Fantasy<\/strong>? There are many out there who are bemoaning the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI<\/a> for its lack of turn-based battles and party management, but with the inclusion of Chocobos, Summons, stat management, and Moogles, is it really any less of a Final Fantasy game than, say, Final Fantasy VII<\/a>? Are turn-based battles really<\/em> the key identifying feature for Final Fantasy games? We\u2019d argue not, and it\u2019s not been that way for a long time at this point<\/p>\n

Going back to The Legend of Zelda, we would argue that, much like Resident Evil and Final Fantasy, its identity can be felt acutely from the very first game all the way to Breath of the Wild. It\u2019s taken some sharp turns here and there along the way, but we wouldn\u2019t deny that Breath of the Wild is a Zelda game any more than we\u2019d deny that Majora\u2019s Mask is one. Ultimately, of course, what you\u2019re personally<\/em> after from a Zelda game may differ drastically from ourselves, and we wouldn\u2019t dream of denying you the opportunity to experience a new entry that\u2019s more up your alley, but when we see folks claim that Breath of the Wild isn\u2019t a Zelda game, we can\u2019t help but furrow our brows in confusion.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

What aspects do you think mostly make a “traditional” Zelda experience? (1,673 votes)<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Themed Elemental Dungeons<\/strong>25<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Key Items<\/strong>23<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Linear(ish) Structure<\/strong>10<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Multiple Towns\/Settlements<\/strong>5<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Green Tunic<\/strong>7<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Musical Instrument<\/strong>5<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Ridable Horse and\/or Vehicle<\/strong>1<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  8. Link Vs Ganon(dorf) Trope<\/strong>10<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Unique Boss Characters<\/strong>12<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  10. Other (comment)<\/strong>2<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n

    Can Zelda: Breath of the Wild be deemed a traditional Zelda game? (704 votes)<\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Yes, it has all the key hallmarks<\/strong>26<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    2. No, it’s missing something for me<\/strong>38<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Kind of? I’m sitting on the fence here<\/strong>21<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    4. There’s no such thing as a “Traditional” Zelda game<\/strong>16<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

      What exactly do you think constitutes a traditional Zelda experience, and do you think Breath of the Wild contains the right elements? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Image: Nintendo Life Despite the overwhelmingly positive reception to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when it launched back in 2017, there are undoubtedly those who yearn for a return to what they deem to be a more \u201ctraditional\u201d Zelda experience. With its open world, shrines, weapon degradation, and \u2018rune\u2019 abilities, Breath of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133324\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}