It’s no great secret thatThe Legend of Zeldahas been instrumental in Nintendo’s success for several decades now.Super Mariomight be slightly more recognizable, and with a more widespread cultural impact, butThe Legend of Zeldahas consistently exhibited some of the most impressive and experimental creative steps by the company, keeping it at the forefront of innovation in the games industry.
And creativity truly is the most prominent and consistent theme inThe Legend of Zelda. Ever since its first entry on NES,Zeldahas proven to be massively influential, thrusting the adventure genre forward and eventually helping it adapt to burgeoning 3D graphics withOcarina of Time. Even as Nintendo stopped spearheading advanced gaming technology, falling behind the raw power of Xbox and PlayStation,Zeldastill managed to stand out from the crowd, with entries likeTwilight PrincessandSkyward Swordmaking clever use of proprietary motion controls as their central design conceit. This particular creative trend has lingered in the series, still showing up in its 3D releases to this day, and the Nintendo Switch 2 is unlikely to move away from it.
Motion Controls Could Still Play a Role in Nintendo Switch 2 Zelda Games
The Nintendo Switch 2 Will More Than Likely Retain Motion Controls
Motion controls have been one of the Switch’s more overlooked features, but they are about as prominent on the device as they were on the Wii U. Both the Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller (alongside its third-party, licensed alternatives) feature gyroscopic motion controls, which can be likened to the rudimentary motion controls of most contemporary smartphones. They are almost never central elements of modern Nintendo games, at least not when compared to their implementation in Wii exclusives, but they often play a role in first-party releases likeSuper Mario Odyssey, where they can be used to perform specific actions. In the case ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, motion controlsare featured as an optional aiming setting, and mattered in certain puzzles.
With the Switch 2 being fully backwards compatible with the original Switch, carrying over these motion controls will be more or less essential. Again, such controls are far from the central mechanic that they were during the Wii era, but the fact that the potential for these controls will continue to exist means that the door will always be open for them to be implemented in future titles. Because every 3DZeldasinceTwilight Princess' Wii port,including theHyrule Warriorsspin-off, has featured some sort of motion control implementation, there’s definitely reason to believe it will rear its head in the series' next 3D outing as well.
What Motion Controls May Look Like in Future 3D Zelda Games
Despite their ubiquity during the Wii era, motion controls can be something of a contentious subject in gaming, with many arguing that they are a gimmick that distracts from the experience, rather than enriching it. This is a fair argument, especially on a console like the Switch or Switch 2, neither of which are being sold on the back of their motion control systems,like the Wii was. At the same time, if they are unobtrusive, they can offer a nice bit of variety without being forced upon players who aren’t interested in them.
This is what has been seen inBOTWandTOTK, so perhapsZeldagames on the Switch 2will reflect this trend. Having a “motion control mode,” wherein actions like aiming or swinging Link’s sword can connect to real-world movements, might be a nice touch, especially if it’s optional. Alternatively, motion controls could be relegated to side content, making them a tool for completionists rather than the average player, who may only be invested in the main campaign.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
