It goes without saying thatThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand its sequel,Tears of the Kingdom, have changed the series forever, to the point where it might be difficult for it to go back on the ideas the two groundbreaking entries have introduced. WhileEchoes of Wisdomdid depart from the formula somewhat, it still largely only bridged the gap between classicZeldaand theBotWera, proving all the more the impactBotWandTotKhave had on the series. In the same way, withZeldanow presumably moving forward to bigger and better things, it can’t abandon what madeBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomso revolutionary.
At the heart ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’s successis an open world that is as rewarding to explore as it is breathtaking to behold. Embedded in this open-world formula is a philosophy that sees players in charge of their journey, free from the shackles of linearity and map markers. On top of all that,Tears of the Kingdom, especially, showed how the series can’t afford to leave its classic dungeons in the past, although it also shouldn’t move forward with puzzles both within and without those dungeons that can only be solved one way. These are the four pillars ofTotKandBotW, now arguably essential to the franchise’s future.
Zelda’s Next Game Must Protect the Four Pillars That Redefined the Series
Open Worlds and Player Freedom Are Now Core to Zelda’s Identity
Ahead ofBreath of the Wild’s launch, it’s likely not many gamers, even hardcoreZeldafans, knew what to expect. This was evidenced byBotW’s reception, with many critics and players calling its open world the new standard — praise that almost no one might have ever anticipated would be attached to aZeldagame. In fact,Breath of the Wild’s open world was so influential, it went on to inspiregames likeElden Ring, which were also praised for many of the same reasons.
At the heart ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’s success is an open world that is as rewarding to explore as it is breathtaking to behold.
Unlike many open worlds that came before it,Breath of the Wilddidn’t thrive on the size of its map but on how players responded to it. Rather than guiding players across Hyrule with objective markers and quests,BotWused audio and visual cues to pique player curiosity and gently nudge them from one location to the next. This kind of freedom (and power) madeBreath of the Wildthe revolutionary entrythat it was, andTears of the Kingdomrightly followed suit. Now, the nextZeldagame would be remiss not to incorporate this approach to open worlds and player freedom, though it should find a way to do so without merely being aBotWreskin.
Dungeons and Creative Problem-Solving Are Essential to the Formula’s Future
Zelda’s classic dungeon gameplaywasn’t necessarily something thatBreath of the Wildexcelled in, butTears of the Kingdombrought them back in a more traditional sense. Much of this was due to player feedback afterBotWall but abandoned dungeons, proving their importance to the series and the love thatZeldafans have for them.Echoes of Wisdomthen incorporated more traditional dungeons as well, so it would be a mistake for the nextZeldagame to once again leave them in the dust asBotWdid.
Finally, creative problem-solving is yet another element that has become aZeldastaple since the release ofBotW, butTotKeven more so. Thanks toTears of the Kingdom’s Ultrahandability, players could approach puzzles and other problems in numerous ways, unlike classicZeldagames that largely tied players to one or two solutions for every obstacle. Sandbox freedom of this degree has taken the series to greater heights and allowed players to feel more responsible for their next foot forward, leaving the next game with the tall task of replicating that freedom.
Echoes of Wisdomcarried the torch ofBotWandTotK’s legacy by giving players the same kind of sandbox freedom, despite not being a true open-world game.
ThenextZeldagamecan’t afford to treat these pillars as optional features. They’ve become the framework that players now associate with the series, and stepping away from them would feel like leaving part ofZelda’s new identity behind. Open worlds, rewarding exploration, player-driven problem-solving, and dungeons all work together to give players the kind of experience they can’t get just anywhere else. Wherever the next adventure takes the franchise, these four pillars should still hold it up.
