Eiji Aonuma wants the next Zelda to provide “a unique experience that is beyond your expectations”

Prima’s Zelda Box Set comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by series producer Eiji Aonuma.

[chrispseuphoria]

I would love to see a new franchise from Aonuma rather than altering the Zelda formula too much.

[Snookies12]

I dunno, I'd like to see a different kind of Zelda. I have loved the series so much over the years. From the very first one on Nintendo. To be honest though, it's getting stale. Skyward Sword was just boring to me, I watched my friend play it for like 5 hours straight and I was wondering when it would start getting interesting.

[-Foxtrot]

Skyward Sword was such a big step back for the franchise and yet people praise the crap out of it, even at the time of its release it got perfect scores nearly across the board...this is a perfect example of where reviewers let a franchises name get in the way of the actual game, it mostly happens to Nintendo games because they are the ones which end up being having more nostalgic

They need to take more risks with Zelda, add voice acting....yeah I said it, it's the best way to improve and expand on Zeldas and Links relationship....I want to see Link question his quest and what people tell him instead of nodding a long and going along for the ride no questions asked. Maybe some romance on his part aswell...i mean for once Link grow some balls and woo Zelda, the romantic tension is there we just never see it because of him being mute. They could mix Hyrulian into English sentences to make it seem more real

I think what they need to do is a non cannon series/timeline where they can experiment with the franchise...like

What if Link is the Prince and Zelda is the hero
What if Link/Zelda are the evil guys and Gannon is the good guy
What about a game set in the future
What about a modern setting game
A post apocalyptic setting
A steampunk setting
A more dark gritty setting
Hell what about one which you play as Gannon and win

You get the idea....i hope the next Zelda will be good because after SS I was so disappointed.

[_QQ_]

@ -foxtrot, i think what you are saying would be cool in the fact that they need to change the story some, (not allot of what you suggested though). But In the end Zelda is about gameplay, that's why its so great, and in major changes anouma is talking about gameplay. Things like playing dungeons in any order ad upgrading weapons is a small step. Thats why people like SS because the Motion Controls were amazing.

if LBW is any indicator this next Zelda will be more open world, with side dungeons. Link to the Past was the game before LOZ was revolutionized on the N64 with oot. Hopefully Link between worlds being a successor to LTTP marks new beginnings.

[mikeslemonade]

I agree with Foxtrot about how with just the name, the game gets higher scores albeit the new Super Mario 3D world.

I don't agree with the change of scene though. They just need to make it better. And with the weak hardware they can't. The last gen issues like draw distance, frame rate, graphics, physics, and anti-aliasing is all there. Such as GTA5 was just an amazing game but it was stunted by the last-gen hardware. Just imagine how much greater it would have been.

[ChickeyCantor]

"Skyward Sword was such a big step back for the franchise and yet people praise the crap out of it,"

Oh yeah sure let's ignore the dynamics it brought to enemies and bosses.

"yeah I said it, it's the best way to improve and expand on Zeldas and Links relationship"

What relationship? Each game sets a different relationship between the two. Where one is a romance(SS), the other is pure friendship (minish cap) and the other is just a call from the gods ( OOT ).

"I want to see Link question his quest and what people tell him instead of nodding a long and going along for the ride no questions asked. Maybe some romance on his part aswell.."

Oh you want Mass Effect?

"..i mean for once Link grow some balls and woo Zelda, the romantic tension is there we just never see it because of him being mute. "

Oh, you want a porno instead.

"What if Link is the Prince and Zelda is the hero
What if Link/Zelda are the evil guys and Gannon is the good guy "

You clearly don't understand the zelda lore.

"A more dark gritty setting "

Majoras mask says hi.

"What about a modern setting game "
Oh sure screw artstyle and make everything urban.

" I was so disappointed."

You assume things of the universe of Zelda and complain it's not a blockbuster hollywood experience. You clearly know nothing about the zelda games if you think it's just a romantic fairytale between a princess and her hero ( because in most that's absolutely NOT the case ).

Go play Last of us or something, stop demanding the same from Zelda. ( you want them to take risk, but ask the same kind of BS every other game is doing )

[-Foxtrot]

Oh look at that....all disagrees from people who don't want to see Zelda change because they refuse to see it evolve.

@ChickeyCantor

"Oh yeah sure let's ignore the dynamics it brought to enemies and bosses."

Not enough for it to be a game changer

"What relationship? Each game sets a different relationship between the two. Where one is a romance(SS), the other is pure friendship (minish cap) and the other is just a call from the gods ( OOT )"

Relationship doesn't mean just love you know, I want to see it grow whether it's friends or more. You can't do that when Link is a plank of wood.

"Oh you want Mass Effect?"

When did I say I wanted Mass Effect...you've just grasp at straws there

"Oh, you want a porno instead."

Now your just getting silly

"You clearly don't understand the zelda lore"

I do...you have a timeline which spilts into two where you have one where Gannon sunk Hyrule and the other where he didn't...the good guy saving the day.

What about another timeline, a different world, a world where the lore is turn upside down. The lore differs between the two timelines...one where Gannon sunk Hyrule the other where he didn't. They changed the lore and spilt them into two timelines why can't they do the same.

"Majoras mask says hi."

and never again since...TP was nearly there but not by much

"Oh sure screw artstyle and make everything urban."

How are you screwing the artstyle, they could mix old and new together to create there own version of modern. Instead of Electric lamp posts for example what if they were brightened by magic.

"You assume things of the universe of Zelda and complain it's not a blockbuster hollywood experience. You clearly know nothing about the zelda games if you think it's just a romantic fairytale between a princess and her hero ( because in most that's absolutely NOT the case"

Pffffft get over your self man, I've been a Zelda fan for years since OOT, just because you don't want a franchise to evolve don't call out over people and make them seem like they aren't fans just to try and counter argue them.

"
Go play Last of us or something, stop demanding the same from Zelda. ( you want them to take risk, but ask the same kind of BS every other game is doing )"

There you go again...bringing another game up despite not even mentioning the Last of Us.

Your whole comment just proves your one of these massive Zelda nerds who doesn't want it to change at all. It could become stale in the far future to the point where the quality drops and you'd still eat it up like it's next best thing.

Seriously people like you are why franchises are becoming stale and boring...because you don't allow devs to take risks and call anyone who wants that.

[ChickeyCantor]

I'll keep it short :

"Pffffft get over your self man, I've been a Zelda fan for years since OOT, just because you don't want a franchise to evolve don't call out over people and make them seem like they aren't fans just to try and counter argue them. "

For someone accusing someone else of assuming, you are very good at it. You keep talking about evolving but brought NOTHING to the table which would do so. Your fandom to Zelda is irrelevant, it's your attitude towards the games in general. You are saying that they have been doing the exact same thing for every zelda game. Which is in itself absolutely garbage. And ANY change that is pointed out to you you will do nothing but make you say "not good enough".

You in a nutshell : "You go from temple to temple, game hasn't changed since the NES "

Voice acting, story telling and making it gritty have NOTHING to do with taking risks. Those things have to do with design. It's not my fault Nintendos priorities are not making it gritty and adding voice acting. I'm all up for it.

I'm definitely sure that if they added voice acting you'd complain it's bad. You are the one who needs to get over himself. Seriously.

PS:
"There you go again...bringing another game up despite not even mentioning the Last of Us. "

It's not about you mentioning LoU, It's you demanding a blockbuster experience. Go play LoU if you want that.

[ELpork]

Unique experince... So the same game only you can turn into a wolf... no... wait, how about you can turn back time.... no wait...... Sail?... CRAP! Fine, you can become a drawing of link...

[Yep]

Every Zelda game thus far has been great. I'm always looking forward to the next one.

[bobsmith]

twilight princess ruined zelda for me oot mm were so good ww was alright

[TheFirstClassic]

No idea how some people can say oot was awesome and then say tp was crap. Tp took the oot formula and improved on it, it has its flaws, but it stands to reason that if you loved oot you would love tp.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The only reason I can't bring myself to like TP as much as Ocarina is because there were too many areas that were just pointlessly huge with little to do in them other than travel, and the fact that a few of the items found in dungeons didn't see much use outside of said dungeons. The odd heart-piece here and there, but little else.

[link2Dpast]

i mean every zelda has been unique in my opinion. i belive the best thing to do is basically cause and effect scenarios , majoras mask had this element, if somthing was not done in a certain way something else was effected and that effect also effected another event and so on. and connect that with element of time but instead of jumping to the future but jump to the past, if im correct no zelda has dealt with messing with the past, which can alter the future based on your descisions. We hardly ever hear of links past and why he is chosen and his family is chosen to be the hero we know zelda but not so much link. Some poeple say to make a game where you have to save link that sounds nuts to me but not save him but learn of him to advance him. get a emotional connection to the characters. what if link doesent talk becuase of a curse put upon his bloodline i mean some poeple would feel bad and becuase of this curse some one pays the consequnce of him being unable to communicate but my ideas are as horrible as other people lol but i dont make the games

[Einhert]

I love the zelda series for one reason, they understand they are video games, they never try to be anything other than video games unlike most big titles trying to emulate the saturated Hollywood blockbuster experience on to a control pad.

[PlayGamesNotConsoles]

I agree, well said sir.

[GARBAGE LICKER]

Between Worlds is amazing and has a plot that is actually pretty interesting especially at the end

[Kevlar009]

Tbh I'm optimistic when Mr. Aonuma said he looked to Skyrim for inspiration and asked about what aspects of the game we liked. To me it shows he wants to expand the series to more aspiring levels.

Zelda has yet to break out of the mold/scale set by Ocarina of Time. Wind Waker and Skyward took different directions, but the sea/aky served mostly as interactive load screens to the individual worlds. There was the sense of exploration but the world was relatively flat. Twilight, while larger and busier than Ocarina still had a sense of constraint in your exploration.

Skyrim set the bar in you could go almost anywhere on the map, you could walk up to the top of that mountain if you tried. While I don't want the series to be "The Legend of the Elder Scrolls" there are things Zelda can emulate to push it forward. They need to push the strength of the WiiU to its max. Since the Wii wasn't a major step-up in power from the GC, Zelda could never really set the bar too high in terms of scope. Having more interactive cities, variety of dungeons, and a full fledged quest system would be great additions, on top of a more "free" map

I feel like the tech demo would be a great direction for the game's look. It has it's own character since it's not fully realistic, but a layer of realism would help pave the way for more believable environments. Skyward Sword tried to break the mold but wasn't entirely successful, where "Link Between Worlds" was able to bring a new approach to the series that was well received. Cracking open the normal boundaries set by the series and daring to go big yet refind could pay off well.

[gravelchalice]

@Kevlar Mr Aonuma went back on the record to debunk the Skyrim thing, I found an article where he was asked about it again:

http://www.zeldainformer.co...

The series is still way up there with every entry. I know TP & SS took a while to get rolling but they both were great games that were different from each other. The Z targeting system & all the other gameplay points of OoT have stuck around because they got the style of 3D combat right first time. The future instalments aren't likely to play much differently, it'll be visuals & approach. I'm very excited about the WiiU Zelda, I think the stars are aligning to make an unbelievably good game.

[Last_Boss]

You have CHORTLES!!

[jolotomo88]

What is there to expect? Its just a zelda game.

[The_Truth_24_7]

Open-world, Skyrim-like, and I'll buy a Wii u.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Open world?
Sure.
Skyrim-like?
Oh. Hell. NO.
Skyrim=/=Zelda. The way both play out, how long each lasts through its main story, how padded each one is, there's just way too many distinct differences to make a Skyrim-like Zelda successful.

Zelda is better off following its own unique path of improvement, not copying another dark&gritty adventure game for the sake of pleasing the dudebros.

[The_Truth_24_7]

Lol no.

[Last_Boss]

I would like the lore, and lands to drastically expand past Hyrule, to start.

Link also needs more bad guys on par like Ghirahim in Link's way.

Multiple was to travel at once.

My top 3 Zelda's:

LttP
TP
MC