Exploration in Zelda

I just finished a power gaming session I tried as a dare from a friend. We both tried to beat all three metroid primes (not counting hunters) in 48 hours starting from 4:00 PM friday to 4:00 PM Sunday. Well, we both failed (if your really interested, we both got through 1 and 2 and about a thrid of the way through 3). We compared notes and discovered that the main reason we failed (other than spending too much time eating, sleeping, and doing chem homework) was that we would always spend valuable time going back to a place that we didn't need to be yet to try out a new item. We both just got a kick out of exploration.

Anyway, now that I'm done ranting: I believe this should not only be incorporated in Zelda in the same way it was put in Metroid, but beyond that. What I propose, is that the next zelda make a 3rd, or even better half of the overworld unnecesary to game compleation. The "required" overworld (the one that is necessary for game compleation) would be about the size of TPs, while the extra overworld would expand out from there.

The player is now presented with a choice. They can go for a speed run and not explore, or they can choose to explore instead and get rewards that speed runners wouldn't get. I am not talking abput Metroids dissapointing bonus rewards (ie five extra missles), but things like new items and side quests.

Lets use OOTs overworld for example. You could do the bare minimum and go back to the temple of time after beating the spirit temple. Or you could decide to go off farther into the desert. There you would find a second gerudo village with a more advanced version of the Gerudo Training Grounds that nets a totally new weapon when compleated. If you were playing strictly the bare minimum you would have never even known there was anything past the desert colossus.

The possibilities are endless. What do you guys think?

Exploration used to be one of the foundations of Zelda. I would love for them to bring this back, and make it better. TWW is one of my three favorite Zeldas because it has an open overworld that you can sail around in without having to go through closed in paths.

One of the best things about the original zelda game is that you can go to pretty much any area of the overworld map right from the start. The Lynels would eat you alive if you traveled too far north with three hearts and a small shield, but that's besides the point.

I'd like to see them bring something like that back. People should have the option to explore around and not be boxed in. They should also be encouraged to explore by having some of the best items being in out of the way places.

Like some of the inventory items in ALttP. You could go through the whole game without even seeing the cane of byrna or bombos medallion, but they are definitely worth the find.

I do think there should be more exploration, but instead of extra places being past the borders of where everything else takes place, they should be in areas you pass by all the time.

I would like a system that's kinda like Minish Cap's kinstone thing, but instead of fusing things you found randomly, you would just help out some NPC and they would open a new area on the map that you'd have to find. In that secret place, there could be a minigame, a room full of enemies, a puzzle, or just the reward.

And in order to make the rewards really worth it, there should be a system like the rings in the Oracle games. You could just get small abilities that you can equip, like "x enemy's attack doesn't harm Link" or "running speed up". These kinds of things would be easy to put in the game, so we could easily have 50 to collect.

They could even replace heart pieces and bomb bag/quiver/wallet upgrades with these abilities. You could just get an ability that adds to your health meter or equipment.


Sorry, kinda went off on a tangent there.

I would love more exploration. Kind of like in FF games where there are bosses and dungeons harder than the actually main boss. I'm not saying do exactly that but, they should add alternate dungeons to figure out to gain different weapons and collectibles. But thats just me

I'd love more exploration. I would like it to be like GTA. You have no boundaries and all of the overworld would be one huge area rather than divided into separate parts.

Originally Posted by MDMwaker

I'd love more exploration. I would like it to be like GTA. You have no boundaries and all of the overworld would be one huge area rather than divided into separate parts.

Like, GTA was totally inspired by Zelda. It's just that Zelda has has gotten so far off track from where it once was.

Yes, that is one reason TP failed for me. The few side quest were dull and unrewarding. We don't necessarily need a bigger world, think of MM. That game had a ton of fun side quests that were right in front of your face and you wouldn't notice just passing by.

The optional dungeon has been done before, the color dungeon in LA. I would definitively enjoy stuff like that.

i definatley agree that there should be lots to explore, and really sweet rewards for doing so, but i also think that the areas shouldnt be seperate to where we already go. so rather than having whole chunks of the map hidden, or useless to the story, we should be using them all the time, but the degree to which you explore them is optional. so there would still be areas you might never go to.
and lots of mm style sidequests!
with extra dungeons, id rather they werent done standard western rpg style. id like each of them to be significant and have a real story and impact. itd be like if you played oot as an adult, but there was the option of playing through the child dungeons in the adult world, as extra mini dungeons. something like that

also, the rewards would have to be good. the masks in mm were some of the best game rewards ever. so not just hearts and rupees. in fact, just get rid of heart pieces, you dont really need them. there should be waaay better ways of increasing your health capacity

Yes! Make Hyrule bigger! All hail Hylian Imperialism!

Originally Posted by Labrynian Rebel

Yes! Make Hyrule bigger! All hail Hylian Imperialism!

i reckon about 8 times the size of sotc would do it justice

Yes! Make Hyrule bigger! And put in more cities, too! In reality, humans would have spread out way more than just castle town and the other villages. They'ed put up towns and cities when ever possible. Let there be civilazation, I say!

Also, I want more exploration, too. Think about it: extra dungeons, lost ruins, unknown stretches of forest/desert/ocean, and maybe an old wreck of the thing the Oocca live on. Link isn't only a hero, he's an explorer. Let him explore for Din's sake!

Zelda needs more exploration- that was what brought the series to greatness in the first place.

i agree with the OP in fact i had actually thought about this before hand i also had the idea that Ganon could randomly appear in hyrule field to try and stop you from gaining the master sword/items and kill you before you could kill him

Originally Posted by theGoronclub

i agree with the OP in fact i had actually thought about this before hand i also had the idea that Ganon could randomly appear in hyrule field to try and stop you from gaining the master sword/items and kill you before you could kill him

That doesn't make sense, though. The point of Ganon's existence is to be the final boss.

Also, needs moar random forests, caves, and lakes. :D

yeah but its just an idea because i thought it would be fun for ganon to come out in the middle of the night to scare the crap out of you and plus the boss fight with ganon in TP was pretty disappointing and you didn't get to see enough of him

Originally Posted by theGoronclub

yeah but its just an idea because i thought it would be fun for ganon to come out in the middle of the night to scare the crap out of you

Leave that to the Stalfos. :P

no way the stalfos suck and they weren't even in Tp

I think Twilight Princess has some of the best exploration in the series (beating TWW only because there's no obnoxious sailing). The problem with TP, though, is that exploration wasn't particularly rewarding. Getting a Heat Piece is nice, sure, but other than that, the only reward you get for exploration is either Golden Chu Jelly or more rupees, both of which are pretty useless for the most part. The Zelda series needs to add more incentive for exploration, like secret weapons and other kinds of rewards. I'm tired of rupees. Rupees suck.