Some things never change in The Legend of Zelda: heart pieces, treasure chests, sword and shield are standard. But the "overworld," the land (or sea) that connects the various dungeons and villages of Hyrule, is always new. In The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, the overworld is the exact same overworld from A Link to the Past -- right down to the trees and buildings. Or at least it is the same in the E3 2013 demo, which is the first time anyone has been able to play outside of a dungeon in A Link Between Worlds.
This makes sense, since A Link Between Worlds was previously known as 'A Link to the Past 2,' and it is a direct sequel to the 1992 Super NES game (but not a remake!). If A Link to the Past is your favorite game of all time, or even in your top 100, you'll probably be happy to know the 1992 version of Hyrule's overworld has been redone in 3D graphics and then left relatively untouched.
In my short time with A Link Between Worlds, though, there was something disappointing about knowing my way around. My goal was the first dungeon, marked at the eastern edge of an otherwise-clouded overworld map on the lower screen. There were large boulders blocking all but one path there in the demo, so I couldn't stray far, but the first dungeon was precisely where it was in 1992.
Leaving home for the second time (the door was locked).
I walked east from my house until the grass gave way to temple ruins. I passed the (blocked off) drawbridge to Hyrule Castle on the way, and several oktoroks and moblins. Green buzzblobs were marauding about, and, at least in this demo, they didn't shock me when I swatted them away.
I stepped through the broken columns and crumbled walls in the sandy eastern region of the map and made my way up a series of raised platforms that lead further east to a temple entrance. I stepped inside and found the dungeon we played a few months ago at the game's debut -- a completely new dungeon, not found in the 1992 game.
No monkey security guard.
For me, a major part of The Legend of Zelda's appeal is the sense of wonder and trepidation you get from exploring the boundaries of an unfamiliar map. In the original NES game you could march right to the edge of the overworld. The further you got from where you were supposed to stray, the tougher the enemies in the region got, but exploring the contours of the world was irresistible -- it was worth the risk just to see what was out there. I'm afraid that, by repurposing the Hyrule of 1992, A Link Between Worlds will lose some of its sense of adventure and will appeal only to newcomers and (very) nostalgic veterans.
Then again, most of the map was obscured -- to say nothing of the "Dark World," the alternate reality that effectively doubled A Link to the Past's explorable area which will return in A Link Between Worlds. It's entirely possible that there are new areas, or that the initial area is just a small part of a much larger map, similar to Zelda II's incorporation of the original The Legend of Zelda's map.
How the new camera angle let's you see more of Hyrule.
If the overworld in A Link Between Worlds is indeed the same, then at least Link's new ability will allow you to explore it in a unique way. Link can now flatten himself against a wall, turning into a flat, 2D, cartoon-like representation of himself. This 'Toon Link' can only move along walls (where he is safe from enemies). You can use this in the overworld and, when you do, the camera follows you around corners, revealing much of the overworld you cannot see from the classic angle.
It's a nice new feature, but it's not a substitute for a new overworld. Nintendo has barely shown us anything in A Link Between Worlds (although E3 2013 would have been a good opportunity to do so), so we'll surely see more before its rapidly approaching release date sometime at the end of 2013. Until then, please be sure to check out The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Wiki, where Zelda fans are meticulously analyzing every tidbit of information we know about this secretive sequel.
Samuel Claiborn is an IGN editor and professional video game cheater. TCELES B HSUP to follow him @Samuel_IGN on Twitter and at Samuel-IGN on IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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