The Perfect Marriage: Unveiling How Zelda Could Revolutionize with Resident Evil's Model

Content: The undeniable success of both The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its predecessor Breath of the Wild have solidified the future of The Legend of Zelda as an open-world series. Even the series producer, Eiji Aonuma, has confirmed that fans can anticipate more open-world Zelda titles. However, while these games have captivated players, some Zelda fans yearn for the return of the "classic" Zelda experience. To address the desires of both new and old fans, Nintendo can draw inspiration from Capcom's approach to the Resident Evil series.

Capcom's revival of the Resident Evil series began with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Since then, they have successfully breathed new life into the franchise by alternating between new games and remakes of classic titles. These remakes have become synonymous with the "classic" Resident Evil feel, retaining the traditional third-person perspective. In contrast, the newer numbered sequels adopt a first-person point of view. Nintendo could follow a similar release schedule by incorporating remakes of beloved Zelda titles in between the launch of new sequels. This approach would cater to both the nostalgia of long-time fans and the excitement of those who embrace the open-world format.

What Resident Evil's Release Approach Could Look Like for Zelda

Zelda games typically have lengthy development periods. Despite Tears of the Kingdom utilizing the same core engine as Breath of the Wild, the extensive array of innovations and enhancements implemented resulted in a six-year interval between the two games. This prolonged gap in the release of new Zelda titles presents an ideal opportunity for the introduction of a remake of a beloved classic Zelda game, similar to how Capcom has remade previous Resident Evil games.

In fact, Nintendo has already adopted a similar strategy with Zelda by launching a remake of Link's Awakening and a remastered version of Skyward Sword for the Nintendo Switch while fans awaited the release of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Now that fans are aware that open-world titles are a permanent fixture in the Zelda series, there is ample opportunity to cater to the nostalgia of classic Zelda enthusiasts by regularly releasing remakes of cherished titles. With a 35-year history of the franchise, there are numerous titles that would be ripe for remakes, bridging the gap between fans of newer and older Zelda games.

Nintendo Already Has the Perfect Template for 2D Zelda Remakes

Released in 1992 for the SNES, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is often hailed as one of the franchise's finest games. It is noteworthy that the first three Zelda titles have not undergone remakes, which is uncommon in the era of remastered classics. This fact speaks to the enduring quality of the initial and third installments in the series. While there are numerous classic Zelda titles that could be revisited, A Link to the Past is arguably one of the most suitable candidates due to its already flawless framework.

Just a year after A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening was released as its Game Boy counterpart. The game heavily borrowed elements from its SNES sibling, making both A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening standout entries in the franchise. Considering that Link's Awakening has already received a splendid remake, Nintendo now possesses a perfect blueprint when reimagining the esteemed titles in the series. While newer sequels may not revisit the past Zelda formulas for some time, there is no justification for Nintendo to disregard the origins of the Zelda series and solely focus on attracting new fans.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now for Nintendo Switch.