Aonuma and Fujibayashi Discuss the Master Cycle Zero in New Interview
Posted on December 09 2017 by Rod Lloyd
One of the most shocking moments from The Champions’ Ballad launch trailer was the reveal of the Master Cycle Zero, a motorcycle-like mount that Link can use to traverse the land of Hyrule. The decision to include such an outlandish vehicle in a Zelda game was really quite bold, and some fans are still trying to wrap their minds around its inclusion. Luckily, series producer Eiji Aonuma and Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi recently explained the reasoning behind the Master Cycle Zero’s existence in a recent interview.
In an interview exclusive to the Nintendo Switch News feature, Aonuma and Fujibayashi discuss the Master Cycle Zero:
Nintendo: First of all, thank you for taking time to talk to us. And congratulations on winning Game of the Year for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild!
Aonuma & Fujibayashi: Thank you very much!
Nintendo: Many fans were surprised with Link’s new ride in DLC Pack 2. Could you please give us the background on this vehicle?
Aonuma: I was the one that said, “Let’s put this in the game.” (laughs). Both Mr. Fujibayashi and I have a motorcycle licence. Before riding, I felt that the world felt pretty small just walking and riding trains everywhere. But when I hopped on my motorcycle, I felt the world was drastically more vast by having the freedom to go anywhere. I felt a similar sense of freedom when I first played Breath of the Wild (BotW), so I thought “I want to explore this world riding a motorcycle.” (laughs). The staff were extremely passionate about creating this, especially near the end of development, and I believe they created an amazing ride. So the happiest person about this update was me. (laughs)
Fujibayashi: And I was one of the people that was later asked if developing this was possible. (laughs) As Mr. Aonuma said, the functions of the motorcycle are amazing, so I was wondering if the motorcycle can enter the world of BotW without breaking the game. Around the same time, we were discussing what would make the best reward or item players can get at the end of DLC #2, and this idea clicked perfectly.”
The Master Cycle Zero may still have been a strange choice, but it is nice to know that the mount has its inspiration in real life.
Nintendo has only released the first part of this interview, so be sure to check back soon for even more information about Breath of the Wild and The Champions’ Ballad.
What do you think of the developers’ explanations? How do you feel about the Master Cycle Zero overall? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Source: Nintendo (via Perfectly Nintendo)
Rod Lloyd is the Editor-In-Chief at Zelda Dungeon, overseeing the news and feature content for the site. Rod is considered the veteran of the writing team, having started writing for Zelda Informer in 2014 as a Junior Editor. After ZD and ZI officially merged in 2017, he stepped into the Managing Editor role and has helped steer the ship ever since. He stepped up to lead the writing team as Editor-In-Chief in 2023.
You can reach Rod at: rod.lloyd@zeldadungeon.net
