The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomtook the open world formula perfected inBreath of the Wildand dialed it all the way to 10, introducing a number of innovative mechanics that vastly improved the overall experience for many. However, while the ability to create practically anything is a novel idea that allows those with boundless imagination and patience to make some truly excellent creations,those who want a more streamlined experience might feel alienated. Fortunately, this could be fixed with a simple tweak in a sequel toTOTKthat would also greatly help with exploration.
There are countless directions that a sequel could take when it comes to story, especially when considering theshocking ending ofTOTK. However, it almost feels like Nintendo has come up with every creative new mechanic it could think of forTears of the Kingdom, leaving players a little in the dark when it comes to the innovations a sequel could introduce. Luckily,there’s already an amazing open-world mechanic that would massively benefit aLegend of Zelda: TOTKsequel.
A TOTK Sequel Needs To Include Ghost Of Tsushima’s Gold Birds
Finding Hidden Features Can Be Easier
Players can occasionally come acrossgolden birds inGhost of Tsushimawhich, when followed, will lead them to the nearest point of interest, whether that is a side quest, new sword kit, piece of armor, or one of the many optional pieces of side content. It’s a novel feature, asit offers an alternative way to explore while stopping fans from simply tracking a question markon their map and following the guiding winds in that direction. It also serves as a great way of distracting players from the beaten path and encouraging them to explore other areas.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomintroduced two new areas - the sky islands and the underground depths - to the already massive open-world Hyrule, arguably making traversal all the more confusing. The manyhidden features that players miss inTOTKcan be an exciting challenge for many, but for some,the difficulty of finding everything may only cause frustration. Aside from simply checking out guides online, accessing all of this content is challenging withTOTK’scurrent exploration mechanics.
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This is where a form of golden bird would come in handy in aTOTKsequel, asit would allow those who struggle to navigate the ridiculously large Hyrule to locate some of its hidden secretsa little more easily. Much like withGhost of Tsushima’sShrines of Honor, for example, golden birds would help players locate thebest weapons inTOTK’ssequel, allowing them to avoid having to either search for guides or end up lost in the overwhelmingly large open world that’s dense with hidden areas. It’s a simple yet immersive fix that would benefit those types of players greatly.
Golden Birds Wouldn’t Affect TOTK’s Current Form Of Exploration
It Would Only Help Those That Need It
Of course, many will argue thatTears of the Kingdomand, by extension,Breath of the Wild, have perfected open-world exploration, largely thanks to Nintendo’s approach to placing points of interest in the logical paths that players will pursue.There’s almost always something in the player’s sight lines that will entice them, which naturally encourages them to explore their surrounding areas and leads to a never-ending rabbit hole of chasing one interesting thing after another. It would be fair to say that introducing some form of guide to help players locate hidden items would go against this.
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A collection of guides for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom; shrines, weapons, shields, fusions, tips, tricks, strategies, and more!
However,the golden birds inGhost of Tsushimadon’t discourage natural exploration but instead actually encourage it. Players aren’t forced to follow these golden birds and can choose to ignore them entirely, but often, if they do follow them and locate whatever it is they’re leading them to, they’ll see something of interest in the distance which they can then pursue. The golden birds are designed not to direct players to every point of interest, but to a single location from which the player can then spread their own wings.
There is no penalty for not following a golden bird inGhost of Tsushima, and often, while following a golden bird, there will be another distraction to lead players away from it. The golden bird will reappear if the player chooses to ignore it the first time and return later on.
One of thebest features ofTOTKwas undeniably its approach to exploration, so it’s understandable that adding something to simplify it would be detrimental to some. However,if aTOTKsequel expands Hyrule even further or takes players to a new location altogether, it may become a necessary feature, especially if it’s something most players could ignore. It would also be far easier to stomach for those who preferTOTK’scurrent style of exploration if it was a completely optional feature.
TOTK Sequel Could Make Guiding Birds An Optional Feature
It Could Serve As An Easy Mode For Exploration
One way to ensure everyone’s happiness is to make the golden birds - or whatever alternative aTOTKsequel could use - an optional feature.Having the ability to toggle it on and off would ensure that those who would rather roam freely without something guiding them are still happy, while those who wish to have a more guided experience can do so. It would also allow players to start with this mechanic switched on before turning it off after they’ve grown comfortable or turning it on after beating the game to find anything that might be left.
This level of approachability is becoming more prevalent in video games now, ensuring players get the most well-tailored experience they can ask for, so it’s not unreasonable to imagine something like this appearing in aTOTKsequel. Additionally,this specific mechanic is proving to be popular in open-world experiences, evenpopping up in other high-profile games. While it wouldn’t be particularly original, there’s absolutely a precedent forGhost of Tsushima’s guiding birds to appear in a sequel toThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
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Ultimately, bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhave proven that the key to making a strong open-world game is to give the player as much freedom as possible while enticing them with intriguing activities. Adding some form of guidance - whether that’s through golden birds or something more subtle - would be a more direct approach to pulling that off, and may make the admittedly incredibly successful franchise more approachable. Regardless, aLegend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomsequel will undoubtedly have amazing exploration, but it could be even better with just this one extra feature.
