Now there's an idea that's worth looking into! It would really open up the ability to add more variety to combat and would increase the idea that battles should be puzzles in themselves.

I'd prefer Nintendo to keep the combat simple while improving enemy AI and variety. Skyward Sword also leveraged its own level structure to create some genuinely interesting combat scenarios, and I'd like to see more of that even if it ends up being relegated to dungeons again.

They need to take Wind Wakers combat and advance that. That was perfection.

Combat in any game can be labeled a "puzzle". The word "puzzle" was just used by Aonuma a lot because you had to use your brain now to fight, but any enemy that has patterns and isn't just a generic, walking enemy is a puzzle in and of itself. Dark Souls isn't different.

Skyward Sword already improved the combat. The evolution should go up from there and add more item battle variety.

They should just build upon Twilight Princess's combat.

Well said.

I might even replace the word "puzzle" with "problem." I think a big part of Zelda is problem-solving, not just puzzle-solving. Solving NPC problems, solving bosses, solving dungeons, solving puzzles, etc.

No.

Though I loved the motion in SS and I hope that they implement both control styles in the next Zelda. The only control in SS that pissed me off was the menu system as it did not use the wiimotes IR for some dumb reason.

But button controls need to remain in the its simple classic form.

If it goes back to non-motion controls, combat will be a step backwards by default.

TWW was fast and responsive in this side. Thought, they need harder foes to use all those skills.

When I think about improving combat I think mainly Dragon's Dogma oriented or Shadow of the colossus. In my personal opinion I'd be okay with it, but it's just that the combat itself is already fine and I think the main issue with Zelda games lately have been the lack of real exploration, but that's another discussion for another day.