Daily Debate: When Playing Breath of the Wild, Do You Miss the Boomerang Mechanics from Previous Zelda Games?

In the era of 3D Zelda games, the Boomerang has taken a unique place in Link’s repertoire. I remember the first time unlocking the weapon in Ocarina of Time in Jabu-Jabu’s belly. I was able to target specific enemies and unleash a strategic Boomerang attack almost instantly with significant efficacy. This satisfaction differed highly from the 2D Zelda games, which only pulsed a 2D sprite forward.

In fact, the Boomerang has continued to evolve over the 3D series. In The Wind Waker, players could target multiple enemies and objects. This was especially satisfying with those darn Peahat enemies and their propellers. I found thereafter that Twilight Princess really took the Boomerang forward with the inception of the Gale Boomerang. With the ability to gather items (even Rupees), this magical Boomerang became not only a weapon for combat, but also an extension of Link himself.

In contrast, the Boomerang in Breath of the Wild seemed to take a massive slump in efficacy. We were gifted with a once powerful weapon, now holding lower accuracy, weaker damaging power, and limited utility. The iconic weapon for Link was diminished to a residual item that catered to the game’s battle tactical variety. With the sequel to Breath of the Wild coming, I hope that we can return to a point where Link’s iconic weapons, like the Boomerang or even Slingshot, can get a revamp. With Breath of the Wild, I found that I wasn’t sure the Boomerang would even return to Link even half of the time. Future Zelda games could at the least ensure the Boomerang returns reliably and even add back the ability to select multiple enemies.

What were your thoughts on the Boomerang in Breath of the Wild? Would you like to see it return to a similar battle format made popular by previous Zelda games? Leave your comments below!

Sid

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