Aonuma Wants to “Keep Making Both” 2D and 3D Zelda

One of the age-old debates among the Zelda community is the question of “2D or 3D?” I’ve heard people go back-and-forth over whether it’s Ocarina of Time or A Link to the Past that’s the truly classical Zelda title. But what about on the development end? Does Aonuma prefer to make one kind over the other? What development challenges are present in one style but not the other?

In an interview with SPIKE, Aonuma was asked as to what his preference in terms of 2D versus 3D

Zelda development, and after weighing some of the unique challenges present in either category, he responded that he “want[s] to keep making both.”

“I think there’s a lot of differences between the two. This one, where we are making a 2D, top down kind of game, now that we are making it in a modern era, we have to give it that same kind of fresh, fast-paced feeling. We have to keep the frame rate very high, so it has to be at 60 frames per second. So,

A Link Between Worlds is 60 frames, which means there’s a lot more memory, a lot more data, all the animations – there’s just a lot more packed in. When you’re making it, that obviously makes it a lot more difficult.

3D games have their own challenges too. We’re usually able to keep those at about 30 frames, because it’s just not as necessary, but you have to have it on this big screen, and you’re showing this dynamic and wide open world. I think there are very different challenges for both, and I want to keep making both.”

— Eiji Aonuma

I’d imagine there are further difficulties unique to either style of

Zelda game than the ones presented here, but to those who very much like having both sorts of games around, I’m sure it’s a relief to know Aonuma would like to continue making both 2D and 3D Zelda.

Source: SPIKE