Backtracking in Zelda?

Ok, so basically I was playing some Metroid Prime earlier, and while getting pissed off at the puzzles I had my disk cover of TP nearby. And as my eyes fell on it, a sudden idea hit me.

What if Zelda emphasized more on backtracking?

It is quite the idea. Most of the dungeons are quite easy to beat by themselves, and many people are complaining of this lack of difficulty. Insteading of pouring hours and hours thinking of harder puzzles, why not emphasize backtracking?

Backtracking could make the games less linear, and it adds plenty of more gameplay hours. As long as it's fun, however. Tedious backtracking for something really minor would frustrate many players.

There's another element we have to consider here. Backtracking could possibly change the storyline. If we beat a temple and recieve sage/Fused Shadow/ANY DAMN THING YOU GET WHEN YOU BEAT A DUNGEON and move on, why would we have to return to that temple? Would make it pretty pointless....

Discuss.

A bit of backtracking would be nice, just don't spam it all over mah puzzles.

Originally Posted by Double A

A bit of backtracking would be nice, just don't spam it all over mah puzzles.

Agreed. It could be kind of nice. For example, you enter a dungeon, get the item you need, and get out. But while you were in the dungeon, a door or two could't be opened because they needed a special item, not a key. After getting the item later in the game, you could come back to the same dungeon and use the item to open the special doors that you missed. Sounds kinda great, yeah.

Actually, there are Zelda games featuring backtracking in some of the dungeons, where you couldn't get some secrets without later items. Especially Master Quest heavily emphasized on that.

But I really like that, yeah. It's always a little challenge to remember, where's still something left to get. It's not fun, if you can get everything everywhere from the start.

Actually, there are Zelda games featuring backtracking in some of the dungeons, where you couldn't get some secrets without later items. Especially Master Quest heavily emphasized on that.

But I really like that, yeah. It's always a little challenge to remember, where's still something left to get. It's not fun, if you can get everything everywhere from the start.

I was going to say Master Quest. But, it is a good idea. Especially for a storyline rather than sidequests. I mean, you could verse a harder version of a previous boss with different weak points and such.

Backtracking could make the games less linear, and it adds plenty of more gameplay hours. As long as it's fun, however. Tedious backtracking for something really minor would frustrate many players.

In TP there was backtracking for the ToT, not much but i consider it backtracking still. That definately did not make the game less linear.

Backtracking makes me sad. And yet I do it every single time I'm stuck. Nonlinearity is good though. Backtracking is annoying.

No backtracking, I hate it, it annoys the hell out of me. Backtracking is the only reason I never beat any of the metroid prime games, I just hate it. It gets very repetitive seeing the same place over and over and over again. So no backtracking please.

I'd like a bit of it. Something along the lines of "oh look, that's a big rock. I'll bet I could blow that up with a bomb!."
*Get's bomb bag and suddenly remembers that big rock*

Originally Posted by Freedom G

No backtracking, I hate it, it annoys the hell out of me. Backtracking is the only reason I never beat any of the metroid prime games, I just hate it. It gets very repetitive seeing the same place over and over and over again. So no backtracking please.

You've never beaten any of the Metroid Prime games? You sad, sad person.

As for back tracking, I would like it. I'd be okay with it.

I think backtracking is fun, to an extent. The mission needs to be worth the backtracking, otherwise it becomes tedious.

Example: In TP, once you get the clawshot, you can go back to the Goron Mines to access a hidden chest. After making it all the way back to that area, what glorious item do you find? If I remember correctly, it was 50 rupees. This is tedious backtracking.

More interesting backtracking occurs in MM, like how sidequests can be revisited once you have more items/masks, allowing you to further the sidequest. Even OoT had interesting backtracking with the Biggoron Sword.

Backtracking in moderation adds gameplay hours, but too much (a la Metroid Prime) can get a bit annoying.

I think it could work in some dungeons in the game. I don't want it in all of them, maybe half.

I have metroid prime 3, and never really got into it. Could be because I never played the first 2, but I completely understand why people adore this game. Maybe I need to give it another chance.

Anyway, some backtracking would be cool, as long as it's done properly. I don't want 3 temples and constant switching between them, but it would be cool to half-finish a temple, get the item, and use it it another temple to retrieve a second item to battle the boss of the first temple (if that makes sense)

But as I said, It has to be integrated well, not just tossed in because Nintendo couldn't be bothered to create more temples. See: Phantom Hourglass