TheNintendo Switch 2Edition upgrades forThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomare a step up from their original Switch counterparts. As well as boasting higher resolutions and frame rates, these upgrade packs make use of the new Zelda Notes feature, exclusive to theNintendo Switch 2versions. Using the Nintendo Switch App, players are able to navigate the game maps more easily, share items and creations, and learn more about the world using Voice Memories.
With theZelda Notesservice, players are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of each of the games’ open worlds. The app guides them through the vast landscapes of Hyrule, rewarding them with new lore and in-app medals based on their progress. Fans of the series will be able to enjoy more content from these beloved titles because of the app, but it may also reveal the path forward for a potential spin-off.
Zelda Notes Could Inspire a Mobile Spin-Off
A Focus on Exploration
The Zelda Notes feature on the Nintendo Switch App helps to give players direction when traversing some of the mostdangerous worlds in theZeldaseries, leading them to areas that they may overlook on their first playthrough. TheZeldaseries was inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto’s sense of exploration, sharing the sense of discovery experienced when venturing through forests and caves. With a potential spin-off app in theZeldaseries in the future, the series could be brought back full circle, imploring players to follow in Miyamoto’s footsteps by exploring the real world around them.
A spin-offZeldaapp could follow the blueprint established byPokemon GO. This game uses AR technology to merge the world ofPokemonwith real-world elements, allowing players to catch Pokemon andbattle Team GO Rocketfor an authentic trainer experience. If aZeldaspin-off were to happen, it could adopt a similar ethos by letting players feel at the center of their own adventure.
While the land of Hyrule is a fantastical place of magic and monsters, there are many aspects of the series that have real-world parallels.Tears of the Kingdomintroduced Geoglyphs to the series, with each relating to a particular Dragon’s Tear Memory.Zelda’s Geoglyphspay homage to real-world geoglyphs that can be visited in person. A mobile spin-off could use these locations as sites for players to visit, giving them new lore and information about theZeldaseries as they travel.
Merging the Real World With Hyrule
Of course, this spin-off wouldn’t have to be tied to specific areas of the world, either. It could again take inspiration fromPokemon GO,which scatters PokeStops throughout many locations, ensuring players would never feel left out no matter where they go. Certain in-game events are also tied to real-world biomes, affecting thespawn locations inPokemon GO. For aZeldamobile game to take a similar approach, players could be rewarded with items or Voice Memories determined by the type of location. This would mean that players could hear Zelda speak of the Lost Woods when traveling through any forest, or telling stories of Lon Lon Ranch if they are near a real-world equivalent.
To make use of mobile AR features, the camera may be able to insert characters and creatures from theZeldaseries into real-life backgrounds. If these were restricted to certain locations, fans of the series would feel motivated to venture out to breathtaking locations reminiscent of the games. The opportunity to seeBreath of the Wild’s dragonsatop real mountains may incentivize some players to take distant pictures, or even hike up them for a closer look.
A mobileZeldaspin-off could also give players the opportunity to transform their device into a pseudo Sheikah Slate or Purah Pad. Like in the main game, players of the spin-off could have the option to upgrade theirPurah Padif they complete quests for Purah, Robbie, or Josha, allowing them to interact with the virtual world more by exploring the real world.
A Mobile Spin-Off Could Tie In With Zelda Notes
While aZeldamobile game could work as a standalone title, letting players travel to learn more about the lore of the whole series, it could tie intoBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, specifically with Zelda Notes integration. One of the manyZelda Notes featuresis the ability to gift items to other players. Similarly, for a mobileZeldaspin-off, players could collect items by traveling to different locations that they could then transfer to their ownBreath of the WildorTears of the Kingdomsave file.
The standout ability ofTears of the Kingdomwas the Ultrahand, which let players create their own contraptions to use in the game. With Zelda Notes, players with the Switch 2 Edition upgrades canshare their Autobuildswith one another. The spin-off could provide a similar benefit, giving players pre-made creations that they could import into their game. This would reward them for exploring their nearby surroundings by giving them new ways to venture around Hyrule as well.
The stories of these recentZeldaentries are a major selling point of the games, so the reveal that Zelda Notes would unlock Voice Memories from Zelda, King Rauru, and Master Kohga is very appealing tofans ofZeldalore. As much as a spin-off could include its own story and, therefore, unique Voice Memories relating to it, integration with Zelda Notes could give players new ways to unlock more story content related toBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom. This could be exclusive Voice Memories for this spin-off, or an alternative way to hear those that are accessed through Zelda Notes, a good solution for players who do not have access to the Switch 2 Editions of these games.
TheSwitch 2 Editions ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomgive players many reasons to upgrade to the new console, but the added content of Zelda Notes stands out. A spin-off game that lets players have more opportunities to continue living in the world ofZelda,no matter where they are, could be a great way to expand on the excitement of the Zelda Notes feature.
