Daily Debate: How Would You Improve Zelda’s Stamina System in Future Games?

The stamina meter has been an interesting addition to recent 3D Zelda games. The gauge limits the amount of physical actions, such as sprinting or climbing, that Link can perform at a time, and it can be upgraded or improved throughout an adventure. The implementation of the Stamina Meter in Skyward Sword and especially in Breath of the Wild helped to provide the player a sense of progression in Link’s physical ability, as Link can take on more and more strenuous actions as the game progresses. But as we’ve played enough of these titles to learn how the stamina system works, we may now have ideas of ways to improve it.

In my opinion, the stamina system in 3D Zelda games would be improved if a few specific actions did not affect the stamina meter at all. While I do see how exhausting stamina when climbing and sprinting can be valuable, one action I feel is hindered by the stamina system is swimming. Any time I had to swim in Breath of the Wild, I grew frustrated with just how quickly Link pooped out and sank to the bottom of a pond. Even mundane trips into the water were met with annoyance. Personally, I feel that swimming, especially at a slow pace, should not deplete stamina moving forward. In a majority of circumstances, the developers had no reason to limit the distance a player could swim anyway. And in the circumstances in which they did want to limit that distance — such as in ocean surrounding Eventide Island — rough tides and currents would have been better way to dissuade players from swimming too far from shore without a raft or Zora armor.

But what changes would make to Zelda‘s stamina system? How would you improve  the stamina meter? What actions shouldn’t be affected by depleting stamina? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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