The Legend of Zelda Series is Long Overdue for a Spin-Off in a Popular Indie Genre

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home February 13, 2025 14 Views 7 Min Read
The Legend of Zelda Series is Long Overdue for a Spin-Off in a Popular Indie Genre



Views: 0

The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises, so it’s no surprise that fans would love to see even more games featuring Link and Zelda. After Echoes of Wisdom, it’s clear that The Legend of Zelda is exploring new avenues when it comes to gameplay, and more spin-off games could be the perfect way to experiment.

After the massive successes of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, the Legend of Zelda series has reclaimed its place at the top of the lists when it comes to adventure and fantasy games. Echoes of Wisdom, the followup to the open-world Zelda titles, did its part to showcase the unique types of gameplay that can be explored in a smaller setting, but fans are still yearning for more. Because of the time it takes to make a game worthy of the series, the wait between mainline Zelda games can feel agonizing for fans. So, in the meantime, a select few spin-off Zelda games have been made to help fans pass the time. After what must have been a tiresome development cycle of mainline Zelda games, it’s about time for Nintendo to revisit Zelda‘s spin-off potential with some smaller games.

Tears of the Kingdom Characters

Related


Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Characters Who Deserve to Become Recurring Faces

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has many characters that have captivated players, and several deserve to appear in future entries in the series.

The Legend of Zelda Deserves More Spinoffs

Nintendo is known for breathing new life into its major franchises in unexpected ways. Spin-off games give players a chance to join their favorite characters on new adventures that stray from the gameplay styles associated with their respective series. With the wealth of Mario spin-off titles like Mario Kart or Mario Party, it’s surprising that there are only about 9 Zelda spin-offs. Surely a franchise with so many memorable characters, locations, and side quests is fertile ground for creating spin-offs with unique gameplay mechanics.

Zelda’s Best Spinoff Potential

In the decades since the original Zelda title was released, gaming has grown to encompass dozens of new and exciting genres for players to explore. By taking inspiration from the indie game scene, Zelda would feel at home in many genres. It’s no secret that fans have been drawn to characters like Sidon or Paya in Breath of the Wild, so a dating sim feels like it would give players an opportunity that they’re longing for. Hyrule would be the perfect setting for an RPG or strategy game. The possibilities are endless, but by far the most fitting genre to explore would be the roguelike dungeon crawler.

A Zelda Dungeon Crawler is Long Overdue

Many Zelda fans would agree that the best part of any outing in Hyrule are the dungeons. Because of the Zelda‘s iconic dungeons, the series is just waiting to be adapted into the roguelike genre. The typical roguelike experience involves selecting gear, embarking into the randomly-generated environments, dying, and trying again. For fans of Zelda dungeons, cutting out the overworld and side quests would cut right to the heart of the gameplay they desire. Not to mention that the series’ memorable items would make perfect unlockables. The bow, hookshot, and boomerang would ensure players have plenty to unlock to improve their next runs. Cadence of Hyrule did explore the idea of roguelike dungeons, but the mechanics of the game may have scared some players away. A true roguelike would be the perfect match for the next Zelda spin-off.

Cadence of Hyrule is a spin-off of both The Legend of Zelda and Crypt of the Necrodancer, meaning that the rhythm-based movement was implemented into the Zelda-like dungeons, which may not be the right fit for some players.

Recently, players have been more vocal than ever about their love of dungeons. From the outcry of disappointment at their removal in Breath of the Wild to the persistent wishes for a dungeon-maker game, it’s clear that this is a part of the Zelda formula that needs more attention. A Legend of Zelda spin-off has all the makings to become one of the best roguelike games of all time, if Nintendo is open to taking the risk.

Source link