Summary
For the first time since the long period of dormancy between 2011 and 2017, the future ofThe Legend of Zeldais wide-open, with series producer Eiji Aonuma himself even admitting that the team is aiming to provide fans with an “entirely new” experience in the next entry. As far as whether that means fans can expect the conclusion to a trilogy that began withBreath of the Wildremains to be seen, but a franchise with as rich a legacy and history asThe Legend of Zeldahas plenty of different paths it could potentially take in its next iteration. One of these is for the series to return to an earlier era in the complexZeldatimelines.
Since the release ofThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordand the publication of theHyrule Historialore compendium, fans have had a clear picture of how each game in the series is connected following the critical events contained withinSkyward Sword’s conclusion. What’s less clear, though, iswhereBotWandTotKsit in the timeline, with speculation over whether the games are part of their own original chronology or if the “Age of Calamity” sits afterOcarina of Time’s branching timelines merge back into a single continuity. With the future of the franchise unrestricted, there’s a strong case for a newZeldaentry that takes players back to a previously explored era.
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A Return to Zelda’s Previous Eras Could Mix Both Old and New Mechanics
Breath of the Wildwas a necessary step forward forThe Legend of Zelda, course-correcting the franchise’s trajectory in the wake of disappointing sales forSkyward Sworddespite that game’s importance to the overarching series narrative. The experiment proved to be a rousing success for Nintendo, withBreath of the Wild’s total salessurpassing the cumulative figures of all other 3DZeldatitles combined. Still, longtime fans vocalized some frustration at the lack of definitive dungeons and the inclusion of breakable weapons, with both concerns somewhat addressed in this year’sTears of the Kingdom.
A return to an older era in the officialZeldatimeline gives appropriate cause for the team to advance the “best of both worlds” approach ofTears of the Kingdomeven further, finding creative ways to blend the classic 3DZeldaformula that originated withOcarina of Timewith the newer mechanics and freedom ofthe Switch’s open-worldZeldatitles. This could provide a perfect opportunity to bridge the gap betweenZeldafans old and new, the blending of classic and modernZeldagameplay is fertile ground.
The Legend of Zelda’s Earlier Timelines Still Have Plenty of Unexplored Territory
Regardless of what form the next game in the series takes,The Legend of Zelda’s official timelines are rife with potential for compelling stories in that universe that haven’t been told yet. A game that fills in the gaps between the “Golden Era” of Hyrule and the “Era of Decline” leading to the originalLegend of Zeldaor an adventure taking place followingTwilight Princesscould help answer questions about the series' lore that fans don’t have official canon for. Another potential form that a game set in an earlier era could take is that of a remake, with one of the most likely candidates being that of the series' “black sheep”,Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link.
Considering the limitations of the technology at the time to tellZelda 2’s story effectively or render its gameplay mechanics as less obtuse, perhaps no otherZeldagame from one of the earlier eras is more fit for a ground-up remake. Nintendo has already remade a game from this era with2019’sLink’s Awakening, and even if the nextZeldarelease from Nintendo isn’t a mainline entry, a remake of an earlier game is a perfect holdover to keep fans busy until that newZeldagame eventually arrives.
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