Daily Debate: Should the Zelda Series Rethink Dungeons?

At E3 2014, Eiji Aonuma explained that the new Zelda title for the Wii U was going to provide a more open and accessible world while rethinking the conventions of puzzle solving in the series. Some of the new ways that puzzle solving was handled in A Link Between Worlds was the use of Ravio’s Bracelet to merge onto a wall. Other new challenges were brought on by simple changes in standards by having all items accessible early on.

We can expect to see the item accessibility return with the open world concept, but what about dungeons all together? After all, it seems that areas are no longer going to be blocked by dialogue stating, “We need to get to Hyrule Castle!” The freedom that is being expressed by Aonuma, along with the constant reminders that the team is “rethinking the conventions of puzzle solving,” offers up many questions. One that I find myself asking is, “What if dungeons as we know them are taken away?”

Aonuma confirmed that Kyoto was his inspiration for the world within Zelda U. In a world of that size, a dungeon that is small enough to keep people entertained when searching for that hidden gem may seem petty and cramped in a world of that size. Specific areas may have puzzles and and dangers within, but maybe we no longer backtrack from room to room trying to find that missing item or key. I’m not talking about taking out the convention of dungeons all-together, but instead of the typical “find the boss key to kill the boss” concept, perhaps we are given a spell that allows us to traverse a vast sea in search of a special jewel?

What do you think? Do you want to see “dungeons” in the Zelda series stay as they are? Or do you want a more adventurous type dungeon system, which forces you to discover the world around you and feel like the adventurer we’ve always imagined Link to be? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!