this to me sounds like really good news.  Seems like you lot agree as well.

Translation: You'll have to look for a shitload of items (ala bug collecting and soul reaping in TP).

Very happy to hear this. I hope it's actually the case when the game finally ships. Twilight Princess would have been a much better experience in my opinion if the amount of content were crammed into a world half the size, maybe even smaller.

Also, I hope some of these side-quests are more diverse and meaningful than just exploring massive caves with room after room filled with the same enemies, or going on endless fetch-quests, like TP had.

edit: I also hope that SS has extra content like in OoT 3D, like a boss rush mode (this should be mandatory in every game ) and maybe an option to jump right into other specific challenges after you've unlocked them (think about the 'western' goblin hunt in TP but with randomized enemies and buildings, or a randomized version of the snow-boarding section).

btw, on Jimmie Fallon Reggie said the game was a "holiday release".

Amungst the happy responses, I was wondering if anyone actually cared what might be at the end of all that exploration...

I have a sneeking suspision Ninty got it right this time though.

If what I find, are in fact not gold skultulas but rather unique battle encounters and gameplay challenges not found within the standard story progression then I might just go exploring one last time.

I LOVED that stuff in TP! :D

I hope they unlock something cool!!

You can't be serious.... they were such a chore! Just like collecting all those damn Tears of Light.

That's what i'm hoping for too. No more pointless collection runs, but something substantial

By lots of stuff do they mean killing lots of baddies if that's the case I won't beat the game

Now that sounds very interesting :).

I actually like those kind of quests. I loved the massive photography side quest in Wind Waker that requires at least 2 playthroughs. I actually completed that and filled up the statue gallery with every character/enemy in the game.

That was one of the reasons I was distraught when my GC memory card suddenly decided to wipe itself.