The early 2020s witnessed a surge in games heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW). This phenomenon wasn’t accidental—it stemmed from the game’s innovative approach to open-world design, gameplay mechanics, and its influence on the gaming industry. Let’s explore the reasons behind this trend, dive into what made Breath of the Wild so revolutionary, and examine the characteristics of the games it inspired.
The Legacy of The Legend of Zelda
The Zelda franchise has been a cornerstone of gaming since the release of the original game in 1986. Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, the series pioneered many staples of the action-adventure genre, including dungeon exploration, puzzle-solving and combat mechanics. Over decades, Zelda evolved, with highlights like Ocarina of Time introducing 3D worlds and contextual mechanics.
By 2017, the franchise faced pressure to innovate further, leading to Breath of the Wild. Departing from linear progression and hand-holding, the game embraced a vast, physics-driven open world, redefining the boundaries of what an adventure game could be.
What Made Breath of the Wild Revolutionary?
Breath of the Wild broke away from traditional Zelda tropes while retaining its spirit. Key innovations included:
- Open Exploration: Players could approach objectives in any order, with a world designed to reward curiosity and experimentation.
- Physics-Driven Gameplay: Logical interactions between elements allowed players to create unique strategies, such as using metal weapons to attract lightning or crafting food to survive harsh climates.
- Breakable Weapons and Survival Mechanics: These systems encouraged resourcefulness and adaptability, keeping the gameplay dynamic.
- Nonlinear Storytelling: Link’s quest unfolded through discoverable memory fragments, allowing players to piece together the narrative at their own pace.
The result was a game that felt personal to each player and a blueprint for open-world design.
Breath of the Wild set a new standard for open-world games. Developers recognized its commercial and critical success, with over 30 million copies sold by 2023, and began integrating its philosophies into their own projects. The early 2020s saw titles replicating BotW’s gameplay features, emphasizing exploration, nonlinearity, and systemic interactions.
Key Features That Influenced Other Games
Several mechanics from Breath of the Wild became staples in subsequent games:
- Freedom of Exploration: Games like Immortals Fenyx Rising and Genshin Impact prioritized vast, explorable worlds.
- Physics and Environment Interaction: Titles such as Elden Ring incorporated immersive systems where the world’s rules felt intuitive.
- Minimalistic UI Design: By avoiding cluttered maps and quest markers, developers let players forge their paths, a hallmark seen in Sable.
Notable Games Inspired by Breath of the Wild
- 1. Genshin Impact
- 2. Immortals Fenyx Rising
- 3. Elden Ring
- 4. Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm
- 5. Windbound
Why the Early 2020s?
The timing of this trend can be attributed to:
- Development Cycles: Games inspired by Breath of the Wild typically required 3 to 5 years to develop. Its 2017 release aligned with the surge of similar titles by the early 2020s.
- Pandemic Gaming Boom: The COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for escapist entertainment, making expansive open-world games especially appealing.
Breath of the Wild and its successors appealed to a universal desire for discovery and agency. Unlike linear games, they offered a sandbox where players could experiment, solve challenges creatively, and immerse themselves in richly detailed worlds.
Future Implications for Game Design
The success of Breath of the Wild and its inspired titles has set new expectations for open-world games. Developers must balance freedom with meaningful content and innovate within this now-popular framework.
The proliferation of Breath of the Wild-like games reflects its monumental impact on the industry. By redefining exploration and agency, it inspired a new era of open-world gaming. As players, we stand to benefit from this ongoing innovation, with each iteration building upon the magic of Zelda’s masterpiece.