Throughout its lifespan, The Legend of Zelda has never been shy about bringing back familiar faces. Whether they arrive in service to fans or as parts of a greater whole further establishing an interconnected universe that spans multiple timelines, Zelda's recurring characters have consistently proven to be one of the series' most endearing traits. However, with the franchise now entering a new era thanks to the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2 and a subsequent opportunity for The Legend of Zelda to reinvent itself once more, it might be better off taking a break from returning characters.
While there's plenty of value in tradition, especially when it comes to a series as beloved as The Legend of Zelda, relying too heavily on something like recurring characters can stifle creativity. Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and Echoes of Wisdom have all leaned into the past by bringing back characters like Impa, Beedle, and Dampe, but the next game has an opportunity to establish its own identity and set the tone for the series moving forward. With the Nintendo Switch 2 comes the chance to redefine what Zelda is, and starting fresh could give players a world that surprises them both in how it plays and who inhabits it.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild Have One Thing in Common That Wasn't Intentional
Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild may be intertwined, but one common feature they both share is completely by accident.
A New Zelda Game on Switch 2 Could Stand on Its Own With New Characters
Familiar Faces Might Be Holding Zelda Back
Over the last three games, returning characters like Impa, Beedle, Dampe, and even the Great Fairies have played a major role in connecting each entry to the larger world of The Legend of Zelda while simultaneously introducing unique gameplay and narrative elements. In Breath of the Wild, for example, Impa and Beedle functioned as integral parts of the world's ecosystem and story. Tears of the Kingdom took things even further by expanding on the lore of characters like Impa and the Zonai, proving all the more that Hyrule itself is a crossroads for the entire series. Echoes of Wisdom then shook things up by making Zelda its primary playable character, but even it brought back familiar characters like Dampe, once again letting nostalgia bridge the gap between history and bold innovation.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 comes the chance to redefine what Zelda is, and starting fresh could give players a world that surprises them both in how it plays and who inhabits it.
At some point, though, these recurring characters could start to hold the series back. The more Zelda goes back in time, the harder it is for it to truly move forward into the future. As lovable as Beedle is, seeing him again for the fifth or sixth time doesn't have the same impact it once did. Furthermore, when so many characters already have established identities that Zelda has repeatedly shown it is not comfortable altering, it limits how much room there is for discovery and surprise. The Switch 2 era could be the perfect chance to step away from that and try something completely original, not just in gameplay.
A New Zelda Game on Switch 2 Deserves Its Own Iconic Cast
Every new Nintendo console tends to have its big Zelda game, and those titles often act as a stage for the hardware itself. Just as Ocarina of Time defined the Nintendo 64 era and the original Switch is largely known for Breath of the Wild, a new Zelda game on Switch 2 has the chance to set the tone for the console moving forward. However, for that to happen, it may need to leave recurring characters behind and introduce an entirely new cast of characters that sets the world apart from those in the series' past.
By letting go of what's familiar in terms of characters, a new Zelda game on Switch 2 could create an entirely different world for players to discover that has no history to uphold and no expectations to meet. It could still be Hyrule, of course, but that doesn't mean the Hylians would all need to be the same. That kind of creative freedom could really make the next Zelda game stand out, even in a way that games like Breath of the Wild never accomplished.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
- Cross Save
- N/A
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
