TYAAAAAH!
That was my reaction (a la Link) to learning that Nintendo is making good on its most recent release date announcement, meaning that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be released on March 3 of this year.
Don't believe me? Watch the full trailer for yourself. I'll wait.
So why is this "TYAAAAAA" worthy? Well, the game was originally announced in 2014 as the next LOZ game, and has since experienced several delays along the way. According to sources in the video game community, Nintendo attributed the delays to the fact that they are “committed to launching the game in as close to perfect a state as possible.” Taking their sweet time to ensure they do it right? Fine in my book.
Compounding the hype of Breath of the Wild is the fact that the game will be the breakthrough title for the company's newest console, the Nintendo Switch.However, with this news, you may ask yourself the following:
But I just spent all my money on Nintendo's LAST console, the Wii U! What am I supposed to do now?
Worry not: Breath of the Wild will bridge the gap between both consoles. While it remains as the first major launch for the Nintendo Switch, it will also be the swan song for the Wii U, so no need to break the bank on a Switch just yet.
There are a cornucopia of reasons why Zelda fans are pumped for Breath of the Wild, but here is a smattering of the major ones:
The map is humongous
Video games such as Skyrim have been hailed for their large, highly-explorable maps. And for Zelda fans, titles such as Twilight Princess boasted large environments as well. The map in Breath of the Wild? According to IGN, it's twelve times larger than the one in Twilight Princess. Twelve. Times. That's a lot of somersaults.
Link is more maneuverable than ever
Speaking of somersaults, Link is bringing far more moves to the table than in previous titles. Skyward Sword introduced the stamina meter, which allowed Link to sprint and climb surfaces faster than normal for a short amount of time. The Verge boasts that Link "[now] has a dedicated jump button, can sprint, back flip, and hop around during fights, and — the biggest change for the character — can now clamber up rock faces like a fairy version of Assassin’s Creed’s Ezio."
It isn't called "Breath of the WILD" for nothin'
Breath of the Wild requires Link to cook and ingest food. This presents an entirely new aspect to the game, requiring players to focus on survival as opposed to simply fighting enemies to progress the plot. And on that front, the weapons in this game have expanded also. Link has always been known to keep a full pouch of weapons, such as swords, a bow & arrow, bombs, etc. But Breath of the Wild will introduce the concept of crafting into the game, namely the need to collect different items to build and repair weapons. And these aren't your typical LOZ weapons, either: short swords, long swords, remote explosives, and the arms of fallen enemies are just a few of the unique tools of the trade Link will have to find in order to survive, according to Gamer Tyrant.
Voice acting is part of the storytelling
But voice acting is normal in ALL video games, is what the uninformed reader would most likely assume. However, Legend of Zelda games are famously lacking in voice acting, resorting to stylized grunting and shouting instead. But, as the trailer reveals, several characters, including Zelda, are speaking actual words. The Zelda franchise has always contained cinematic qualities, especially with recent releases. And now, with the added element of voice acting, players are surely in store for a dramatic and engaging plot.
The world will receive another beautiful "Legend of Zelda" score
So what are you waiting for, an invasion of dark sorcery and demons? Go out and secure your copy of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild before they run out faster than you can say "King of Red Lions!"
