Where now for Zelda?

Eiji Aonuma — the man in charge of The Legend of Zelda series — has admitted that he feels the traditional dungeon-based format is growing stale, and he wants to change it to keep the franchise feeling fresh and exciting.

Speaking to The LA Times, Aonuma said:

It’s not that anyone is telling me we have to change the formula. I want to change it. I’m kind of getting tired of it. If I’m getting tired of it, then I’m sure other people are getting tired of it. There is an essential ‘Zelda’ I feel we need to stay true to. We are still testing things, exploring our options. We haven’t landed anywhere at this point. We’re still seeing what we can do.

What I want to do, not specifically with Link but with the ‘Zelda’ franchise, I’m always striving to make something no one else can, something that is so distinctly ‘Zelda’ that it can only be done in a ‘Zelda’ game. There are times when I hit walls and I can’t come up with new ideas and I think maybe I should just give up and quit, but eventually a new idea comes along and I’m proud of myself. It breeds new life into the creative process.

I go through these phases, over and over again. I hope those high points keep on coming.

Such comments make you wonder just what shape the all-new Wii U Zelda title will take; could it end up being one of the most revolutionary entries in this esteemed series? Time will tell.

[source herocomplex.latimes.com, via gonintendo.com]