Summary
Since 2017,The Legend of Zeldahasn’t stuck to the series tradition like it used to. For a long time, newZeldaentries followed in the footsteps of eitherOcarina of TimeorA Link to the Past, but all of that changed withBreath of the Wild. Now, withThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomserving asBotW’s direct sequel,Zeldafans have seen just how well their open-world format can work compared to the more structured design of past entries.The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomeven went as far as pushing its predecessor’s physics elements into a full-blown construction sandbox via Ultrahand, changingZelda’s identity into a new, but still appealing, form.
Even how these two games told their stories was a departure.Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomboth make significant use of non-linear storytelling, with only their openings and parts of their endings fixed in players’ paths. Otherwise, narrative is found through optional main quests and a series of collectibles, Link’s memories and the Dragon Tears, from each respective game. The nextZeldatitle is not expected to be set in thesame Hyrule asBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, but among its own changes, there could be another move away from standardZeldastorytelling.
It’s Time For Zelda To Give Ganon A Break
For all of their deviations and additions to theZeldaformula,Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomheld fast to one big tradition. Ganon and Ganondorf were still the main antagonists of each title, and even with their Malice and Gloom related powers on full display, both were standard portrayals of the defaultZeldavillain. As celebrated asGanondorf’s return inTears of the Kingdomwas, things would get awkward if he was the lead villain again in the very next game, regardless of its setting. To that end,The Legend of Zelda’s next entry should try something different.
The Legend of Zelda Has Struggled To Let Go Of Ganon
Dropping Ganondorf and Ganon entirely is a risky proposition, and something theZeldafranchise has struggled to do.Skyward Sword’s Demise didn’t change much as Ganondorf’s mythological predecessor, and titles likeFour Swords AdventuresandTwilight Princesscould onlypretend Vaati and Zant were their main villainsfor a while before Ganon crept back in. Even titles set outside Hyrule with original villains like theOracleGame Boy games brought Ganon back for their grand finale. There areZeldaentries that truly left Ganon behind, likeLink’s AwakeningandThe Wind Waker’s sequels, but it’s not a move the franchise makes lightly.
How A New Villain Would Enhance Zelda’s Next Game
All the more reason, then, for the nextLegend of Zeldagame to give it another shot. Introducing a new antagonist in the open-world era ofZeldawould be a big deal. Handled right, they could become a newpart of theZeldaseries recurring characters, making occasional appearances or being referenced in future titles like Vaati. Their presence also grants the freedom to move away from Ganon and Ganondorf’s typical “scheming dark lord” portrayals and fight design to try something new.
Why Now Is The Best Time To Replace Ganon
Making fans feel like they’re experiencing something fresh is important afterBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’s back-to-back releases. Despite their distinct features, these are two of the most similar games in theZeldafranchise, and fans will have spent around a decade with them by the next mainlineLegend of Zelda’s release. A new villain can help prove thatopen-worldZeldahasn’t lost the creative range of past entries, and should sufficiently distance it fromTears of the Kingdomin ways that won’t disappoint new and returning players.
