Topic: Will Link go to Space?

The BotW teaser trailer shows vertical travel to sky islands. I’m certain he’s going higher into space. Zelda Galaxy. This time Link comes to the moon. It would be a nice nod to Majoras mask

@NinChocolate The trailer showed sky islands, like from Skyward Sword. I don't think they'll be going to space. I'm not against it. I wouldn't mind the UFO's shown from early concept ideas. (The video will play at relevant timestamp. Just hit play.)

A UFO-patrolled space fortress final dungeon. It’d be great since they have to 1-Up that Hyrule castle in the first game. Finally Zelda space lore! Lol

@NinChocolate Hyrule castle in BOTW is so scary awesome<3 I spent so many hours sneaking in there, exploring, and getting good weapons there. Yeah, I hope they do something like that again in the sequel.

I'm not sure space would entirely fit with what what Zelda is. Maybe that's why it would be a good idea? I'd need to be convinced. Zelda has always kind of had this middle ages kind of style about it with occasional nods to "lost" civilisations. Like the Lanayru mines in Skyward Sword or the Twilight Realm in Twilight Princess. But even then they're kinda put into a bit through a Zelda-like lens

I think what probably makes more sense for Zelda would be to look at the sky as people might have looked at it in the middle ages. The City in the Sky in Twilight Princess kinda fits that a bit I think. Lands in the cloud, absurd and strange kind of uneasy worlds. Not space in the way that we know it or as you would see in Super Mario Galaxy.

@skywake Aonuma said this in a SS interview:

"As I mentioned earlier, Skyward Sword was a title where we took aim at all the conventions of the Zelda series. While that may have been difficult, I think that confronting those challenges results in something that has a great deal of value. When it comes to Wii U, we’ll obviously want to add new elements that take advantage of the capabilities of the platform. But I think using that as a lens through which we once again challenge the conventions of Zelda is more important than just making another Zelda game. With that in mind, please expect big things from the Zelda series to come!"

Most would say they succeeded with BotW in challenging conventions. And he does say “… challenge the conventions of Zelda is more important than just making another Zelda game”. I don’t think they’re done with the mindset of challenging what the series has been known for for so long. Space lore is definitely a good way to expand the Hyrule lore and scope and expectations.

Certainly BotW2 could be an attempt to recreate what they thought they had with skyward sword, but with more commercial success this time. But still, skyward sword already did the sky islands thing…will they just leave it at a retake of that? There’s maybe a good chance, but I’ve no doubt the developers have dreamed of space levels when planning the limitations of sky travel, so you just never know

@NinChocolate
I think they can tackle "space" but they would probably want to be careful not to make it a Metroid game. IMO it still needs to have an aesthetic that wouldn't feel out of place in something like a retelling of King Arthur or something. If that makes sense.

Also, yes Zelda has this middle ages kind of style but IMO it's more than that. You often literally start the game with a storybook recounting the tale of some past legend who's path you then follow. So IMO what you see kinda has to be something that you could imagine finding in a book written 500 years ago. That's the language of Zelda

So in that context could they do space? Sure. But I'm not sure it could be an accurate representation of space like we see in Metroid or a cartoony representation of space like we see in Mario. If Zelda was in space it'd want to look more like something by Jules Verne or George Melies than Ridley Scott

@skywake I agree with all that. They’ll do it primarily if they can get certain gameplay mechanics from it, like they do with Link bombing around the stratosphere. Secondary would be the aesthetics and narrative. Low gravity could refresh their puzzles and add an exciting bookend to all the gliding Link will do presumably throughout most of the game. But if they don’t do space I would love for them to take the game underground as well.

@skywake I have always kind of viewed Zelda and Metroid as having similar gameplay styles until BotW. ALttP/OoT style Zelda games feel very much like Metroidvanias, you explore the world and find an item, and then that item opens up new areas, and then you repeat that process until the end of the game. So I do think they'll want to be careful with encroaching on Metroid's gameplay style for fear of cannibalizing Metroid's sales.

I don't think they'll do a Zelda game that takes place entirely in space, but they could make one with say, an astrology theme and maybe a handful of dungeons could take place in space. Maybe they could have dungeons themed around constellations?

A steam punk / greco-roman-style mythology mashup might work for dungeons and lands that are essentially above the clouds.
That video of spaceships looked interesting, but I don't think would ever work.

@Bolt_Strike : I can see that working (the constellation theme, that is), but a Zelda game that takes place in space? Absolutely not.

Though a concept that I can see working is a Zelda game that takes place partially or mostly underwater, inspired by the legend of Atlantis and/or expanding upon the Zora concept.

Aside from having a sword instead of a ranged weapon like a gun I think that BoTW could easily be reskinned as a Metroid game. The shrines being left behind by some ancient technologically advanced civilisation (switch out the Sheikah mummies for Chozo statues), the hostile barren landscape etc.

I like @skywake 's suggestion of a Jules Verne esq. sci-fi "Zelda" (preferably in something new though rather than Zelda).

I mean, he didn't go to space in the sky Zelda game, why would he in the new sky Zelda game? I don't see it happening.

Honestly I feel like space would be their big "break glass in case of emergency" idea if sales start falling someday.

@kkslider5552000 because after Wind waker and Phantom Hourglass Link was driving a train lol 😵‍💫 You just never see it coming!

NGL, I would day one, a Legend of Zelda game that took place in space.