They need to focus more on new equipment and less on the same old tride and true formula. I did like Skyward Sword quite a bit as it did change things up a tad. They really need to remove the collect X items to enter X area. It's old.

Aonuma needs to go work on something else. Even he says he wants to do something else, so go do it.

The franchise needs some fresh blood brought on board.

The current Zelda team IMO has no idea how to handle pacing.

OOT was the freshest game I have EVER played. To this day, I have yet to play a game that blew my mind like that game did back when it launched. THAT'S what the franchise is missing, as well as Nintendo's other core IPs. There use to be a time when their games changed the entire concept of what games could BE. Now? Not so much.

I'm in favor of this.

I would love that concept.  I would return to the Link of Zelda I&II. He killed Ganon as a boy, journeyed through Hyrule and woke Zelda as a young man.  Perhaps now he returns from a grand tour of the world to Hyrule as a now grizzled vetern.  His apperacne a bit shaggy he comes back to Hyrule to find the place in a terrible state, Zelda missing.  Perhaps Ganon's minions found the ancient Gate of Time and resurected their master and bad-ass mature Link would need to find the long lost Ocarina of Time to right the wrongs and re-unite him with his childhood love.  It would be a treat for those of us who grew up with the original NES Zeldas and also enjoyed OoT.

A) a combat system with a bit more depth. doesn't have to be hard or overly complex but something a bit more engaging. something that makes encounters a joy rather than a hurdle.

B) revisit the collectable items. some things are getting too classic. puzzles that are exactly the same as the previous 3 games aren't fun the 4th, 5th, 6th time through. i would be up for fewer items that were more useful though the entire game (not just one dungeon). just tweek thinks enough that i can't say something like "oh, looks like i'll have to come back once i find a hookshot to get that heart piece". if i can correctly call the item before i earn it the joy of discovery is lost.

C) zelda gives the illusion of open world without the ability to actually choose your own path. make the game actually non-linear (like MM but even moreso) so i can truly choose my own path (or at least feel like i did).

D) more engaging story.


zelda doesn't need a complete overhaul. it just needs to grow up a bit from OoT. that was an amazing game in it's day but things have evolved and the formula is getting dated relative to what everyone else is doing.

caveats to some of these things.  Open wolrd games such as gta, fallout, skyrim, and infamous2 tend to give you so many options for sidequest that you lose focus on plot and storytelling.  When you try to incorporate realisitc graphics, the game itself tends to look dated in years to come.  Personally i like that they always change the arstyle without ever trying to look photorealistic.  otherwise, many of these things are present in the last 5 entries.  1.It's roots are an exploration game that focuses on aquiring items to help you get through levels.  Each level is found within the overworld and needs to be completed in a certain order. 2. every game is set in a magical setting.  The only zelda to ever really be groundbreaking was the original.  It fathered the concept of the sandbox style of world that's so popular today while simultaneouly making a game that scrolled in different user input based directions.  All things possible with the hardware that had been available for years.  Since then they're have only been improvements to the franchise rather than revolutions.  All that being said, the one thing i do agree with is that zelda could use a change.  I'm even ok with a complete overhaul.  Making so different that closed minded people will hate it.  I'd rather chance making 1 bad game in the pursuit of greatness than play it safe until franchise fatigue kills all interest.  Worse comes to worse you can always revert back to the formula.

I've not played any recent Zeldas myself, but the one I enjoyed most was the very first one on NES, I'd like something similar.. not necessarily "something that can only be done in Zelda" or a drastic change in formula.. though if I would change the formula, I'd add more characters. voice acting, variety, more combat, less puzzle.. for example.

No more swimming for tadtones and i'll be very happy. I also want sidequests

after side quests it took me over 70 hours to beat the game with no guide or walkthrough; i think the scale is fine.  I think the overall story that SS set up is fine, but i could use more depth and detail.  I wouldn't mind a change in interaction, but at the same time, this has become one of the best combat systems in gaming history.  So many franchises over the years have borrowed from the 3d zeldas.  Although i have no problem with he scope of the more recent games, i wouldn't mind if they tried a more ambitous scope of the game.  I completely open to a new structure.  For better or worse so long as they try.  All that being said, i'd prefer a change up in the series, however, i'd be happy with "just another installment" as well.  It wouldnt be the greatest game ever, but i've never played a bad zelda (except for zelda 2.)

Well, what I'm tired of is Nintendo not doing Zelda justice. Not that I care but Metroid and Zelda are the closest things to "Hard Core" that we'll get. I know Nintendo likes to experiment but for your first "Hard Core" HD outing you should go all out. Twilight Princess and Ocarina of Time are prime examples of what Zelda can be and should be.

When Call of Duty or Saints Row came out on Ps360 they didn't sport chibi style graphics and unicorn embezzled bazookas did they? All I'm saying is give peas a chance. I mean, HATE peas with all your might! Huzzah to an HD, Dark Zelda! That's what we want!