Interface Changes in Zelda Remakes

One of the most important differences between the 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time and the N64 original was the updated interface. Ocarina of Time was an obvious candidate for a remake due to its continued popularity, but Aonuma himself has expressed that one of the chief reasons he favored a remake was the tedium and difficulty caused by the limitations in the original.

The ability to equip two extra items, not including the Ocarina, which had its own slot, to view the map at any time, and to use the iron boots as an item meant the player was very rarely pausing the action to switch items or perform rudimentary actions. It led to a more seamless experience, and the game was better for it.

The Wii U will introduce a dual-screen mechanic to consoles, and judging by much of the marketing, will use them in much the same way as its handheld predecessors have so successfully done. This opens up possibilities for the future of main-series games, but also for potential remakes and rereleases.

I’ve always thought The Wind Waker could benefit from some interface and control changes. It had a lot of creative items and frequent item-switching, and, like Ocarina of Time, could be made even more entertaining with some streamlining. Most importantly, sailing could be significantly improved. When sailing, there would be frequent opportunities to use the bombs, the bow and arrow, hookshot, and the Wind Waker, but the sail always had to be out, limiting item usage. Also, having treasure charts, maps, etc. always accessible on a second screen would make it much easier to hunt for treasure on the open sea. It’s hard to say that this is reason enough to remake The Wind Waker, but even rereleasing it on Wii U with added functionality could allow for a much better experience.


With all the maps, items, and unique ideas in each of the Zelda games, developers may want to go back and implement interface improvements as they did in Ocarina of Time. Which games do you think could benefit most from an interface upgrade? What platform should they use and how should they use it? Do you think they did a good job with the interface changes in Ocarina of Time?  Post your  thoughts.

 

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