First of all, understand that this blog post is in no way an implication that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was at all a subpar game. For clarification, I thought Breath of the Wild was absolutely phenomenal. I would regularly lose myself in the game and forget that I had a goal I was trying to accomplish. If Tears of the Kingdom is just more Breath of the Wild, I will be extremely happy. This post is simply a list of additions that I would argue would elevate the already great gameplay and design Breath of the Wild gave us. So, with that said, on with the list.
Enemy Variety
For a few games now, the Zelda titles have leaned into having a variety of Bokoblins serve as the primary (common) enemies for Link to face. While Bokoblins come in a couple of forms and colors, I would love to see Tears of the Kingdom introduce more enemies for Link to encounter in his travels. Zelda has an extremely rich history, so hit us with some Armos, Darknuts, Eyegores, Dodongos, etc… I think it would be extremely exciting to stumble across a section of the map that had a couple of Manhandalas roaming the landscape, or Moldorms. You could even pull upon past bosses, such as Arrghus from the Link to the Past Swamp Palace, to populate the world. Make no mistake, I enjoyed battling the variety of Wizzrobes, Lizalfos, and Stone Talus’ in Breath of the Wild, I’d just love to see that pushed even further.
Items
Don’t misunderstand this. I want the Sheikah Slate with all it’s abilities to return in Tears of the Kingdom. Given how Breath of the Wild is meant to be played, it was an ingenious addition to the series that allowed you to explore practically anywhere. In addition to that, though, I would love to see some items added to Tears of the Kingdom, be them as rewards for completing a shrine/dungeon or simply to be found in the wilds of Hyrule. I don’t have any specific ideas for these items, I have just always loved the thrill of finding new items in Zelda games, and would love to see that return in Tears of the Kingdom.
Populated World
For all the areas that had civilization in Breath of the Wild, there were many areas that seemed empty. Barren, even. I kept hoping to stumble upon a hermit or family living by themselves, removed from the towns. Maybe under threat from a nearby enemy encampment that Link needed to destroy for them. Alas, I did not come across these. I also looked for caverns, abandoned towns, etc… to no avail. I think a combination of Breath of the Wild’s map with that of a Xenoblade game is the best representation of what I’d like to see. The Xenoblade games are teeming with secret areas to discover, often hiding rare items or gathering spots. I really hope to see a more thriving Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom. While I do understand that the plot of Breath of the Wild dictated a less populated Hyrule, maybe Tears of the Kingdom will see more people striking out now that threat of Calamity Ganon has been eliminated. Speaking of Ganon…
Don’t be Ganon
I get it. Ganon is the curse of Hyrule, initiated by Demise in Skyward Sword, and the villain meant to haunt Link’s bloodline. Still, maybe don’t be Ganon this time. I have very fond memories of seeing Majora being the final boss of Majora’s Mask, or Vaati serving that role in The Minish Cap. Go that route again. Ganon has been sealed by Zelda, so let him stay sealed. Maybe Vaati is the dried up husk we’ve seen in trailers. Maybe it’s an unknown villain, new to the series. Whatever, but let Ganon have a game off. Surprise us with another Ganon level threat that’s not Ganon. Now, if it is a variation of Ganon, I’m sure I’m still going to love this game, but, and I may be alone here, but I’d be very pleasantly surprised if that were not the case in Tears of the Kingdom.
