I know what the gimmick for the next Zelda game could be – Reader’s Feature

A reader tries to figure out what Nintendo will do in terms of Zelda games for the Switch 2 and uses Brütal Legend as a starting point.

I know some people are getting a bit antsy about the future of the Switch 2, but I do think they need to be patient. We’ve already had two great games and after Metroid Prime 4 we’ll probably have three. That is a good result for less than seven months of a new console.

I get it though, obviously I want to see a new Smash Bros. and 3D Mario and all the rest. But the biggest question is the next mainline Zelda. The last game only came out in 2023, so it’s almost impossible, unless they use a completely different team, to get another one much before the end of the decade.

I’ve been talking to friends and trying to figure out what Nintendo is going to do, but it’s basically a mystery. Nobody knows and there’s nothing to go on. But I have a few ideas, based on what they’ve done before and how they said they’re not going back to the Breath Of The Wild map again.

I’ll get the more obvious stuff out of the way first: there’s bound to be a bunch of remakes and spin-offs between now and then. A Link To The Past using the same graphics as Link’s Awakening seems a no-brainer, but that’s almost the least interesting thing to do, if you imagine what a remake of Zelda 1 or 2 would be like. Although I do feel they need a new, simpler art style.

As for spin-offs, a sequel to Echoes Of Wisdom seems a dead cert but beyond that Nintendo could end up doing anything, especially as they let other developers make spin-offs. If they let nobodies like Koei Tecmo make then then why not an action game by PlatinumGames or a beat ‘em-up by Bandai Namco? (I’d say a Soulslike by FromSoftware, but let’s not get upset about things that aren’t going to happen.)

My big idea could actually be a spin-off or a mainline game but what I think Nintendo will definitely do is make some kind of real-time strategy game.

Nintendo always try to use the new gimmicks of a console in its Zelda games and you only have to look at Drag x Drive to see how creative they got with mouse controls straight out the gate (full disclosure: I have not played Drag x Drive but I hear at least the controls work well).

Now maybe there’s some weird use of the mice that Zelda can come up with, but I would bet it’ll use aiming like Metroid Prime 4 and maybe even motion-controlled fighting, like a more advanced version of Skyward Sword, but the elephant in the room is just using the mouse… like a mouse.

At some point Nintendo has got to do a strategy game, but the only series they’ve got like that is Pikmin. And the last one of those, they took out almost anything that resembled a real-time strategy. Not only that but it was the best-selling entry by a mile, so they’re obviously not going to walk that one back.

They could do a Pikmin spin-off, but it’s still not that big a series. Or they could do new game or a spin-off of something else (Star Fox would probably work well), but no, I think they’ll they use Zelda for the experiment.

There’re already big armies in Zelda and I always felt Tears Of The Kingdom would work better if you could control your allies, especially in those battles where you’re clearing out the monster nests but you can’t really influence it except just fighting as normal.

Imagine a Zelda game where you can meet and recruit armies and allies and then control them all in epic Lord of the Rings style battles. I’m thinking something like Brütal Legend (love that game!) where you can still fight on your own but when you get into a big battle it turns into a real-time strategy.

That’s my idea anyway. I know you shouldn’t try and predict Nintendo, but I do feel convinced that Nintendo will try to make a real-time strategy at some point, and to me a Zelda game makes most sense.

By reader Dr Connery

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