The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is right around the corner, yet we all still desperately ask for more information. In the ninth volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which Nintendo developers convey in their own words Nintendo's thoughts about creating products and the specific points they are particular about.
Let's hear it out!
Ask the Developer - Volume Nine
Part 1: What to change, and what to keep
Eiji Aonuma, the producer of the Legend of Zelda series, and his team discuss the development of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a direct sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. They explain why they chose to create a sequel in the same setting, rather than an entirely new world, and how they aimed to create new gameplay while still keeping the familiar world intact. They also discuss the challenges of creating differences in graphics and sound while maintaining a sense of familiarity for players. The team emphasizes that the new gameplay ideas are intuitive and easy to pick up for both first-time players and those familiar with the previous game.
The Legend of Zelda
Part 2: Linking hands
In the second part of the interview, the developers discuss the theme of "hands" in the game and how it connects to the story, gameplay mechanics, and music. They also mention that the protagonist's name, Link, ties into this theme. The team faced challenges in creating something new while staying within the boundaries of a sequel, but they found a balance by breaking some boundaries and keeping others unchanged. The sound design was also important in maintaining a familiar feel to the game. The team struggled with the feeling of "déjà vu" but eventually found a way to differentiate the game from its predecessor while still keeping some elements unchanged. They coined the term "the Great Mundanity" to refer to these unchanged elements. Overall, the development process involved a lot of trial and error until everything clicked into place.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Screenshot
Part 3: A world connected all the way to the skies
The developers revealed that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will feature a world connected all the way to the skies, expanding the game considerably. The addition of caves and sky islands adds to the verticality of the gameplay. The dungeons have also changed, with each one having its own regional look and feel.
Source: Nintendo