Highlights
- Hyrule, the main setting of The Legend of Zelda franchise, has the potential to be explored in genres other than adventure games.
- The rich history and diverse cultures of Hyrule make it an appealing and immersive world for players to experience, which is perfect for a relaxing spin-off.
- A cozy Legend of Zelda game could focus on everyday life in Hyrule or on assisting side characters in their research and inventions, resulting in a different type of Zelda title.
The Legend of Zelda's Hyrule has been the setting of many adventures, but it also has potential in the cozy gaming genre. As the main setting of one of Nintendo's biggest franchises, Hyrule has been fleshed out a lot over the years. The many species and iconic sights in The Legend of Zelda could be called out by players in an instant. While the world is an excellent setting for adventure, it may be time for players to see Hyrule in peacetime. There is still a lot that players could do without Ganon's threat looming over them.
Ever since the first game, The Legend of Zelda's kingdom of Hyrule has appeared time and time again as the site of wide-reaching battles between good and evil. It has been reinvented several times in the games, for each version of Link and Zelda that has appeared in the series. Players have even seen a world after Hyrule, with the iconic kingdom having sunk beneath the waves long before The Wind Waker's story even started. While the series has traveled to other lands a couple of times, it always comes back to Hyrule, and with its rich history it's not hard to see why.
The Legend of Zelda's Hyrule Could be a Great Place to Relax
Although best known for its adventure games, the existence of spin-offs like the increasingly mainstream Hyrule Warriors shows that The Legend of Zelda can expand to new genres. In addition, despite the fact that Link's Master Sword is one of the most famous images in the franchise, a Legend of Zelda spin-off doesn't even need to feature combat as a main mechanic. While Link is best known for his prowess as a swordsman, that's not his only skill, nor would he have to be the protagonist of a spin-off at all. After all, there are more aspects of Hyrule that could be explored in a game.
The Legend of Zelda's world is rich in opportunities for players, especially in Breath of the Wild's beautiful iteration of Hyrule. There's potential for a game where the player can experience life in various areas of Hyrule. Either among the Gorons of Death Mountain, the Gerudo of Gerudo Desert, or even the RIto in Tabantha Frontier, there are a lot of locations and cultures in Hyrule worth exploring. Such an idea could be tackled through a Stardew Valley-styled life sim, or by letting the player run their own town or village. Such ideas could expand on how everyday life looks in Hyrule.
A cozier Legend of Zelda game could also take a more whimsical approach. One excellent option for such comes in the form of Age of Calamity's Robbie and Purah. A game revolving around assisting the quirky scientists with their research and inventions could prove to be an entertaining venture. The resulting game could see the player talking walks through ancient Sheikah ruins, while also using all sorts of gadgets created by the duo for puzzles and problem-solving. A leisurely adventure with a couple of fun side characters would be a much different kind of Zelda game that could also delve deeper into Hyrule's history.
The Legend of Zelda series has provided a lot of Nintendo's best games, and a step into the cozy gaming market could be a decent plan for the future. After seeing how players got creative with Tears of the Kingdom and its new mechanics, it's clear that there's a lot of leeway for more ideas to come to future games. Whether it features Link and friends or someone new, Hyrule can still be an interesting place without Ganon around. Sometime in the future, players may have the chance to take a more relaxing trip to The Legend of Zelda's iconic kingdom.