How an Open-World Zelda Game Could Utilize Time Travel

Summary

Time travel can enhance exploration and world building in an open world Zelda game.
The game can implement unique game mechanics directly affected by time travel.
An open world Zelda game with time travel mechanics can break up the monotony of gameplay.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild may not technically be the first open world Zelda game ever made, as that honor belongs to the original The Legend of Zelda was released in 1986 for the NES. But while the original Zelda the game may contain a non-linear world for players to explore freely, Breath of the Wild arguably expanded on that concept by offering players a much larger and more immersive 3D world with unprecedented freedom and exploration. Then Breath of the Wildreleased in 2017, The Legend of Zelda has seen two more open world titles, with The tears of the kingdom year 2023 and Echo of wisdom year 2024.

After the release of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom In 2023, there was talk that the series would backtrack on its new open-world formula and return to its classic era, but these theories were largely proven wrong when Echo of wisdom appeared. Now it seems more likely The Legend of Zelda will continue this open world trend indefinitely, until a new installment proves the sentiment wrong. In light of that, a future open world Zelda the game could make use of the franchise's love of time travel, which is seen and felt above all in titles such as Ocarina of time, Majora's maskand Oracle of Ages.

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A future Zelda game could go all out with a mechanic

If a future Legend of Zelda game were to implement a mechanic, it would be an innovative way to mix nostalgia with modern gaming trends.

How an Open-World Zelda Game Could Utilize Time Travel

Time travel can enhance exploration and world building in an open-world Zelda game

One of the most important ways an open world Zelda games could make use of time travel mechanics found in its potential to enhance exploration and world building. As players would travel back and forth between time periods in Zelda: Ocarina of Timefor example, the world around them would change, alternating between a vibrant, colorful world in the shadow of a looming threat and a post-apocalyptic world, where Ganon's power has begun to reduce everything to ash and despair.

One of the most important ways an open world Zelda games could make use of time travel mechanics found in its potential to enhance exploration and world building.

What would an open world do Zelda What makes the game even better suited for time travel mechanics is how much more there would be for players to discover between eras, especially if they could travel between more than two periods. In an open world as massive as Zelda: Breath of the Wild or The tears of the kingdomfor example, changes between time periods would occur on a much larger scale, thereby encouraging players to explore every inch of the map during each period to ensure they both see and benefit from the transformation.

An open-world Zelda game with time travel could implement unique gameplay mechanics

Another way an open world Zelda games can make great use of a time travel system is by implementing unique game mechanics that are directly affected by time travel. Of course, this is almost a given, as previous entries in the series like Ocarina of time and Majora's mask has used time travel mechanics in this way, but it could be even more interesting in an expansive open world. What a system like this would mean is seeing players' actions in the past directly affect the future. Perhaps they could help a construction worker collect materials for a bridge that they would then say would “take time” to complete, and for that bridge to be completed in a future time period.

If nothing else, an open world Zelda games with time travel mechanics would potentially break up the monotony of gameplay, essentially allowing players to change the landscape on command and intentionally giving themselves more reasons to explore the map. All this is assumed The Legend of Zelda continues along the open world path it has been on since 2017 Breath of the Wildwhich has been well received by some and not by others. Still, there are ways to do it The Legend of Zelda further innovating its open world formula, and incorporating the series' love of time travel is one of them.