Daily Debate: Is There A Zelda Game That Could Have Implemented Climbing Like Breath of the Wild?
Posted on October 06 2021 by Alexandria Weber
The ability for Link to ascend and descend cliff faces without vines or grates was one reason for the sense of freedom in Breath of the Wild. Although weather conditions like rain stood to hinder the range of where the player can explore, climbing definitely allows players to see a distant place and go to it without worrying about linearity detracting them towards another place.
Open-world games have emerged into the gaming world as technology has allowed larger undertakings. Nintendo taking the step in 2017 was a step away from the linearity of prior Zelda games and a stark contrast to the lack of freedom in games such as Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess. Breath of the Wild took the Zelda franchise back to its roots, like in The Legend of Zelda on the NES where a step in any direction could lead to progress.
The question is, is there a Zelda game prior to Breath of the Wild that could have taken off the “training wheels” of only climbing on certain surfaces? Putting aside the constraints of technology, I think that Skyward Sword could have stood to benefit from being able to climb on walls without vines, as there were quite a bit of ledges where I thought myself “surely Link could get up here”. As indecisive as I am and as much as I don’t think the word “linearity” automatically makes a game bad, I can’t help but wonder about a different, more free version of Skyward Sword.
What do you think? What other games could climbing have been implemented? Is there a Zelda game that really should have made the jump before Breath of the Wild? Or was Breath of the Wild the ideal choice? Let us know in the comments below!
Alexandria Weber is a Senior Editor and an aspiring creative writer. Her favorite food is apple pie and she loves her cat Galadriel. Ask her for pictures!
