Topic: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

And yes, the finishers in Twilight Princess were obnoxious, especially in the Wii version, and I would very much prefer we never see them again. I loved Twilight Princess, I still hold it as the best of the 3D Zeldas, but that type of thing doesn't really belong in most games, let alone Zelda. It's only good for a combo-driven/scoring game like Devil May Cry and God of War, and yet it still breaks the flow, so I can't say I enjoy them there, either.

It. Got. Boring. What more can I say? The new items kept the combat fresh, but the core swordsplay remained the same through the entire game, except for getting the hurricane spin. You couldn't even run and slash simultaneously in the wind waker, a feature I greatly hope they carry over to Zelda U.

Looking at 3D Zelda games in terms of Super Mario Bros. is grossly oversimplifying things. Many of the items have unique interactions with certain enemies, providing depth and strategy to the combat. Sure, the crux of any Zelda game will always be the level design, items, and the interaction between the two, but that doesn't give the combat an excuse to be the bland and boring potato in a great gameplay stew.

Twilight Princess's combat was bad.

I just want Link to be more fluid and agile. He's a swordsman and he should act like one. I would love for the swordplay to get more action focused. Make me feel cool for swinging a sword. Twilight Princess is the last Zelda game where I actually felt cool when Link swung his sword.

Act like a swordsman? Professional swordsmen. If you want to feel cool about swinging a sword, then you're not acting like a swordsman.

I'm not sure what games you've been playing, but Link is extremely agile.

In Twilight Princess, he was fluid and extremely agile. In games like the amazing A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds... I'm fine with basic and super simple swordplay. But Zelda U? Nah, I want more in depth swordplay. The series needs to be improving in various ways to keep things from being stale. Huge world? Great. Epona can't hit trees? Great. Slow down bow mechanic that I hope doesn't get old and abused? Great. Pretty world? Great. Now throw in actual fun swordplay, please.

I do agree that giving Link more advanced sword abilities over time like they did in Twilight Princess would be a good thing to bring back. I love Zelda for its sense of progression. Having more sword skills as he goes helps that immensely.

Nobody is talking about 2D Zelda games when they talk about swordplay. Link was no more agile in TP than he was in any other 3D Zelda game, except maybe Skyward Sword.

Looking cool isn't depth. It's style. You want flashy, stylish swordplay, like a shounen anime.

If there's depth in the swordplay, I want it to come mostly from the complexity of enemy AI and patterns. It would be so cool if an enemy could read my movements or even adapt to my style of play and counter it, and then I had to come up with new tactics to beat enemies that I've already beaten 10 times before. That's the sort of depth I would go nuts over, not Press A To Look Totally Rad.

Some special moves would be fine, as long as they don't mess up the flow of the combat or start bogging down the mechanics with pointlessly complex controls.

Yeah, I want style and that complexity you just mentioned in Zelda U.

Just outta curiousity, @Blast, but have you maybe tried Darksiders (one or two)? That has stylish combat, while also being Zelda-like (especially the first).

Except for being able to run while swinging his sword, and being able to roll around and outmaneuver enemies while z targeting, and being able to jump over the tops of enemies, and being able to draw his sword and strike in an instant, and how he can jump several meters to finish an enemy with a downward thrust. But, no, other than all those new abilities there's not new mobility in combat at all =P

Oh, except for riding a horse while slashing and spin attacking, that's new too.

I plan on playing Darksiders 2 for Wii U, actually!

Ohmygawd yes!!!! That Quick Draw from Twilight Princess was so fun!!!!

I didn't like the quick draw at all. Stand before a powerful enemy without your sword drawn(Great idea!). It just felt so forced and stupid.
Also, running around waggling with your sword like an idiot isn't that immersive either. And the finishing move just ruined the flow of the combat.
Almost sounds like I didn't like TP, but I did!

In Zelda U on the other hand, we can finally look around again, you know, like something that really contributes to a game like zelda.

Well yeah, if you use any controller wrong, it probably won't be immersive.

Because combat flowed so much better when you knocked an enemy down and had to wait for them to get up right? (sarcasm)

I liked the swordplay in Twilight Princess. It flows a lot better than Wind Waker. The special moves were a nice touch. The combat in that game felt pretty good. I played it on Gamecube, so maybe the folks who played it on Wii have a different opinion because.... waggle.

If they're gonna give me some fancy moves, give me a reason to use them. In other words, make it challenging.

While minor, one of the things I liked about TP's swordplay was the ability to do simple sword swings while running around. You'd be surprised how much I did that and how helpful in continuing the pace that "mechanic" was. TP is the only game that does that so far so I hope it returns.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Bring it back Nintendo!

Nope, that's why they maybe should stay down