Can Nintendo ever top Breath of the Wild?

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a smash worldwide hit for Nintendo. No question. But can it ever be topped? Does Nintendo have any upcoming games that can stand up to, or even above, this gem?

[PhoenixUp]

Yes

[CaptainObvious878]

Well the game had a lot of flaws, so of course they can.

[Soulst0rmer]

Link to the Past is unmatched and still the best Zelda title

[narsaku]

Nostalgia's great but no, it's not.

To you maybe, or the 90's, but universally it's just.. Very weak in the modern era.

[AnnaDea]

Universally it still holds up incredible well, Timeless graphics and design. But maybe not for generation snowflake who are experts on everything.

[EddieNX]

ALTTP is still better than most games.

[phoenixwake]

Is there a word for anti-nostalgic? People who immediately dismiss anything older than 5 years as bad? Been seeing that a lot recently.

ALLTP may be smaller in scale (due to the tech at the time and much smaller team working on it) but it has an incredibly tight and elegant design, introduction and mechanics that honestly the 3D Zeldas have had a very hard time topping. The first 3D Zelda with combat I didn't struggle with was probably BotW, but even then you have several pauses-to-swap-items and accidental weapon throws or moves to contend with even in its much-evolved form. ALTTP was just clean, simple, straightforward and works.

[Uken12]

It isn't weak. Old games are not weak in the modern era by any means dude. Just because the machines are more powerful and more capable doesn't mean they have better games. Cough "Xbox One" Cough.

The fact that people back then can make better games with those tools than developers do nowadays says a lot.

But Breath of the Wild can be topped. A sequel to it could easily top it by bringing more elements into the game. Especially more puzzles, different weapons and just more of a mixture of older elements from the Zelda series.

[Segata]

Chrono Trigger is still better than nearly any RPG made since then. It's also better than anything Square has made since. Better tech doesn't automatically mean a better game. Tech contributes but good gameplay is good period. There is a reason why Pac-Man is still good and games like GTA III are hard to go back to seeing what we have received since.

[gangsta_red]

I have not played BotW but for me Link to the Past remains my favorite Zelda game of all time.

[porkChop]

Anything can be topped with enough time, creativity, and care.

[ninsigma]

They already have. Windwaker was much better with a lot more soul to it.

[Gemmol]

I love wind water it was my number 1, but I had more fun with breath of the wild, just my opinion

1)breath of wild
2) wind waker
3) ocarina of time

The rest I did not like, but if they can make something better than breath of wild then I can make my list a top 4

[ninsigma]

Fair enough. I really liked Ocarina at the start but when he became an adult I found it got boring but picked up again at the end. Link between worlds I thought was pretty good and a fun game. For me windwaker just had so much heart and soul in it with great character progression for the side characters and a wonderful world to explore. It's probably one of the best games I've ever played. It was really well made. BOTW was missing all of that and for me had un-fun gameplay. Started off really enjoying it but after getting off the plateau i started to hate it, which sucks for me because I was looking forward it.

[Gemmol]

its because you like it linear, Wind waker was a linear games, and usually games that follow point A to B point are more well design around the story, meaning the story will be much stronger focus

Breath of the wild, do not have point A to point B, you can switch it up and go to point Z than to point D, you are more playing in a world, even though they add things to tell you where to go, you never had to listen to them to progress through the game, beside the beginning of the game to get the glider........not many like a game too open world, while some do, for example I do not like Far Cry, so i like shooters more linear like Call of duty........but some games i like the open world....... Xenoblade X and Breath of the Wild did it well for me........I just love both of their worlds.......since I did not play xenoblade chronicles, I hope xenoblade chronicles 2 have a great world like xenoblade x........and if you found most of the korok seed, you will see a lot of unique things in the game, they all plotted all over the game so you can basically see all the beauty they put into making the world..... I have 480 seeds, and I seen a lot of new things I did not see before when I was doing all 120 shrines......I thought with finishing that I seen the whole world.....but its the koroks that really let you see the beauty......but I respect your opinion, we all have different game taste and just like you

I like wind wake linear style, it worked for that game, love that game from beginning to end, so it was a sad day when I had to move it to number 2 as my second favorite zelda all time after breath of the wild

[-Foxtrot]

Zelda Cycle

New game comes out
Completely overpraised even when overlooking flaws
Dust settles and discussions happen
New Game is announced
More people start to be more honest about previous game
New Game comes out
Completely overpraised even when overlooking flaws
And so on...

That dosen't mean they are badly made games or games with awful quality...heavens no, that would be ridiculous as they are all well made games with quality behind them but the point is it's not until when the next game comes out that people really chew on the previous one. So yes it can be topped easily.

[kevnb]

I don't even know what you are talking about, especially in the case of the wind waker and majoras mask being appreciated even more so with time. Or what about ocarina of time, did people start trashing that at some point?

[narsaku]

Check the guys comment history concerning Horizon and BOTW and you have your answer at what the guys talking about.

[-Foxtrot]

I'm talking about recent games...Skyward Sword.

[sk8ofmnd]

Skyward sword to me was really underwhelming and bad when stacked against previous entries. So to me it wasnt too hard to top that game. Tp seemed like an add on to oot and wind waker was the only game that took the formula and mixed up a bit which is exactly what Skyward sword tried to do but in the sky instead of on the seas and it ended up being my least fav and esp with motion plus not being as responsive.

[narsaku]

Non Nintendo Fanatic Cycle

Downplay competition
Concern Troll
Praise itself
Make a jab at competition

Repeat

[-Foxtrot]

Joined 17 days ago and going by comments above it seems like you apparently know (and exaggerated) my comment history

"new" member...Riiiight,

[Segata]

-Foxtrot I been here 6 years. Narsaku is right.

[goldwyncq]

Funny how the Final Fantasy series cycle is the exact opposite of what you just described.

[phoenixwake]

I've stated this sentiment before. I immediately noticed huge imbalances in BotW, despite some of its ideas being amazing. If you have a couple hours to spare, Joseph Anderson's breakdown video goes over them in quite a bit of detail.

[InTheLab]

I think this model only works for the previous 3 games. People were going on and on about Skyward Sword and saying it's better than Skyrim and everything else, when it was really just an average game.

Same applies to Breath of the wild. Suddenly, choose your own path is new and sandbox physics have never been done before.

But the quality of earlier Zelda titles still hold up. No one talks about Twilight Princess. You never hear about Skyward Sword. And 5 years from now, BotW will just be a good game And not the best game of the gen on any console like fans claim.

[Imalwaysright]

Show me a game with the same level of physics and logic based interaction that the objects in the world have. I'll be waiting... just please don't say skyrim because its not even close.

[InTheLab]

Off the top of my head...just cause....

But it won't matter what I say. You'll tell me about setting grass on fire or something and how Zelda mastered physics based gameplay...

[Imalwaysright]

Setting trees on fire? Nah, how about creating an updraft with fire and then using it to propel up your glider? How about swimming slower when you're wearing heavy armor? How about cutting a tree and using it as some sort of boat or as a bridge? How about food getting frozen in the colder areas of the game? How about killing all the fish in the water because you shot a shock arrow in to a lake? How about getting a thunder in your head because you're wearing metallic armor on a rainy day? How about climbing becoming more difficult because its raining?

Zelda's physics and logic based interaction make Zelda's world feel more alive and realistic than any other game I ever played while Just Cause's physics are so bad that they're laughable. Don't even understand why you would mention that game.

[Imalwaysright]

Says the guy that was downplaying the game even before playing it. Your confirmation bias is showing yet again.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Super Mario Odyssey
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Metroid Prime 4
Pokemon Next Main Title
Fire Emblem 2018

All have a shot at beating Zelda Breath of the Wild for the title.

[Shiken]

Not to mention we may even see another Zelda on Switch using the same engine in a few years. The game was fantastic, but there is still plenty to improve on. A timely sequel with fan feedback from the first game can easily surpass it as well.

[narsaku]

God I'd love to see that. XD

[Gemmol]

It will be hard to top Breath of the Wild for ME (keyword ME)
Over 160 hours in this world and still did not finish master trials, 120 shrines, 480 korok seed, majority of the items and armors, all the memories to get the full story and etc etc....
.
It will be hard to top, but I guess they could add more dungeons for those that like those from the past, I kind of like the shrine better, that's just my opinion.

I only like 3 Zelda games in my life, everything else not too much of Zelda fan

1) breath of wild
2) wind waker
3) ocarina of time

I do not care what anyone say, wind waker is better than ocarina of time, even tho I had a lot of fun with ocarina of time

[narsaku]

Keyword, "The vast and extreme majority of the gaming industry both developer wise and consumer based."

No need to protect yourself, the only ppl who are making jabs at the game are either Fanatics here or Youtubers desperate to grow their channel.

Desperate.

[Imalwaysright]

Not fanatics, well known PS4 fanboys (yeah ok, fanatics) that can't stand that a game that isn't exclusive to their platform got the praise and recognition that Zelda got. You should have seen the comments around here when Overwatch won GOTY over Uncharted 4.

[Prince_TFK]

I'm betting Mario O and to a lesser extent, Xenoblade 2, have high chances of doing that.

[Pookandpie]

Look, I'm a huge RPG lover (300+ under my belt) and am a tremendous Xeno fanboy (-Gears, -Saga I-III, XC and XCX are all incredible titles, with II being a bit of a black sheep).

There's no way in hell Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will largely be considered the game that topped Zelda: BotW. JRPGs simply don't have that level of appeal.

While you or I may find XC2 to be one of the greatest of the generation, there's going to be many detractors for every single positive thing we could say simply because it isn't exclusive to a different console platform, lol.

I had to put up with waaaaaay too many, "Lost Odyssey is better than Xenoblade Chronicles in every way" diatribe any time I ever said anything about loving the Xeno series for a few years. Though, those types largely died off when the PS4 largely took over, so I'm going to imagine there will be a lot of, "Persona 5 is better than XC2 in every way" diatribes incoming, even if XC2 has significant merit on its own.

[ibrake4naps]

prolly with "the Breath of Ganon", or whatever the next one's called

[narsaku]

Witty, you should stick with that humor. :)

[Segata]

WOW U FUNNAY HA

[Cartman55125]

Mario Odyssey

[Asuka]

The next main Pokemon title is going to be on Switch and it'll sell quite a bit i expect lol

[DivineAssault]

Definitely.. What they should do is recycle & clean assets used in this to make a sequel (for switch) before making a new engine though. I dont understand why a lot of people gave up on this game.. I know the controls take time to adjust to but once you learn to counter and everything, its amazing.. Funny how simply adding climbing/jumping changes EVERYTHING.. The sequel needs to make items more durable, ease up on the rain, get better voice actors, forget the heros tunic was ever blue, bring dungeons back, add necessary items to certain dungeons instead of starting with the abilities, and make Ganon a real beast.. BotW wasnt perfect but was great & a step forward in MANY areas.. Change some things for the sequel and it can be very close to perfect.. I dont remember playing an open world game where you literally can scale everything in it.

[mezati99]

this game is overrated as hell

[Clumpy]

Underrated*

[narsaku]

..One of the best games ever made is overrated?

Do you know what being a hipster is? It doesn't really matter either way, but I was just curious.

[ninsigma]

Nope. An average game is overrated.

[-Foxtrot]

Typical new account overpraising Nintendo things while calling anyone who disagrees in the slightest

[Foraoise]

I agree. I'm a HUGE zelda fan and was kinda disappointed with BotW. A coworker and I were talking about it the other day and how it's WAY overrated, and very 6.5/10-ish.

We need 'actual' dungeons. The only reason it got the high scores was because "Zelda".

Hell, if it had a random made-up character and lost all its "Zelda" tones, it would've easily gotten the very right score of 6.5-7/10.

[stupidusername]

If you only played the story I get it but if you used the time to explore I really don't. The story was lacking imo but I used 60 hours before I took my first divine beast.
To me Zelda is revolutionary in the open world genre. A big word I know but it was the first open world game I've played where I was continously surprised by the world and it's physics and where I actually wanted to explore. I really hope future open world games follows in zelda's tracks, dropping all the tutorials, handholding and the typical "icon checklist system".

[corroios]

Only the next Zelda will be able to top Breath of the wild and that will be on the Switch 2

[blawren4]

They can and likely will. I hope they build on this one with another full game, similar to what they did with Majora's mask using the same engine. I hope the climb everything aspect is here to stay, because that has change open world games forever, at least for me. It has been said similar with other games, like Smash 4, Mario Kart 8, in that where can they go from here besides graphical and performance improvements. Should they make new games, or just continue making quality DLC and free updates for awhile. It's a tough question.

[narsaku]

This is Nintendo, they've set bars since they first walked into the gaming industry.

Short answer: Ofc. But it's a tall order. BOTW is one of the best.

[gbsrnctaln]

Super Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy 2
Metroid Prime 1 and 2
Wind Waker

All better than BOW

[RosweeSon]

They do this time and time again so I'd say yes, super Mario world, 64, Ocarina of time all timeless classics all been bettered and could be bettered again.

[Foraoise]

Easily. It was a very mediocre zelda title. Majora's Mask and Seasons blow it away. Idk why people hold this title as 'the best'. It was 6.5/10 at BEST.

[septemberindecember]

Opinions are a funny thing, aren't they?

[Segata]

Yes. I'm sure the same was said with OoT and by the next game they did to some. (I don't have much fondness for either N64 Zeldas) The only change I would need is make the weapons not break and more loot based.

[Keregan]

Botw isn't really that good, they've already made better game in the past. But to me ninty is finish. The switch might sell more units than the WiiU but in the end will still suffer from the same weakness. An underpower hardware that leads to no 3rd party supports wich lead them to rely on an aging 1st party formula. Again botw is tedious and mediocre at best and is the main reason i will never buy a Nintendo product again.

[ShadowWolf712]

They already have with past games. Many times over. So it shouldn't be hard to do again.

[Segata]

Even tho it's not my favorite Nintendo games (Xenoblade series) I think their best is SNES era with Super Metroid, Mario World, and Earthbound. If Earthbound is not on the same level with those games (i think it is) it's certainly close.

[sk8ofmnd]

Skyward sword was def my least fav zelda.

Twilight princess, wind waker, and oot were much much better.

On topic: they could top botw with a better story, return to traditional dungeons, and more varried bosses... Gannon at the end was super boring. Also they need more reasons to actually want to discover the land with better loots, and more varried enemies. Do all that and all the sudden it would be the best zelda game since before ss.

[Segata]

I pretty much quit Zelda games. I skipped SS entirely and Between Worlds. I love Windwaker and the original NES game..well for its time. TP was ok. I really liked LA on GBC. After TP I just got so bored of pushing blocks and dungeons being far too defined to feel natural. Okami and Darksiders replaced it for me. Then BotW happened and it's pretty much what I wanted in my imagination when I first played Zelda in 1986. Had it come out last year it would be among my top 2 games of the year. Botw is a fantastic game. I dunno if the Wii U version is different. We also got Nier Automata.Yakuza 0, Persona 5 and since I'm a big fan of the Wonder Boy series a remake of one of that series best games. Kiwami coming soon, Gundam vs, Tokyo Xanadu Ys VIII. Oh boy. Zelda, I love Ya but a crowded year.

[DarkKaine]

Probably not, not because it's such an amazing game but because Zelda games are getting worse every generation. All the older entries already give botw a run for its money, even skyward sword wasn't too bad in comparison. Hyrule warriors despite being a spinoff feels more like a Zelda game than botw does. Only Nintendo can get away with a game that runs, plays, feels, looks and sounds like shit. Having a big overworld is not impressive anymore in 2017. Not the best game of all time, but the most overrated that's for sure.
If the next Zelda game is like this again I'll happily pass instead of buying a limited edition and then realize I hate the game.