Daily Debate: What Would Your Ideal Version of Hyrule Look Like?
Posted on June 24 2019 by John Piland
When asking a Zelda fan to picture a map of Hyrule, chances are they are able to accumulate a variety of maps from across the series’s many iterations of the kingdom. The geographical layout of the Hylian landscape has followed a similar pattern since the very first game and nearly every time since that a new location would be introduced.
Going beyond the recurring locations such as Death Mountain and Lake Hylia, these landmarks seem to find themselves in similar parts of the map as well. A quick analysis of the various maps from throughout the series will show that Death Mountain almost always falls in the north, with Lake somewhat to the south, and the desert is almost always to the south west.
The aforementioned landmarks, as well as the remainder of series landmarks, have become staple of the Zelda franchise, though have without much doubt become eerily repetitive. Players have come to the point where they are likely to know what to expect and where to find it. Breath of the Wild did an amazing job of creating new biomes for the players to explore, though it still holds on to the age-old Zelda locations. This is no criticism of the game, but titles moving forward have so much potential in the ways or rebuilding Hyrule from the ground up, introducing not only more new biomes, but the possibility of new races and dungeon types as well.
If you were to redesign Hyrule, would it fit a layout similar to the one we’ve come to know or would it be something new entirely? From the grand overworld to the smallest towns and dungeons, the only limits are your imagination, so let us know in the comments below!
This Daily Debate was suggested by Rhunewolf25.
John has been a Zelda fan for over 10 years now and is proud to say the series has had a major impact on his life (and wallet). After years of going to Zelda Dungeon for guides or the latest news on the series, John achieved their dream when they joined the writing team in 2019; John can hardly believe how long it’s been. A librarian, he loves meticulously arranging his library of Zelda games and collectibles. After what felt like an eternity of waiting for Tears of the Kingdom, John looks forward to the future of the Zelda franchise with enthusiasm, whether that’s the upcoming movie, a new spin-off/remake, or the next big game.