The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2is the highly anticipated sequel to one of the most successful and critically acclaimed games of all time. A brief video teasingBreath of the Wild 2was showcased in 2019, with E3 2021 cementing the release year to be 2022. This is exciting for fans, as barring any hiccups in development, they won’t have too long to wait. Though the release date could beMarch 2022 mirroringZelda: Breath of the Wild’srelease window, it is more likely to be late 2022 with the way the pandemic is affecting game development.
Before the release ofZelda: Breath of the Wild 2, fans are being treated to the release of anotherLegend of Zeldatitle in the form of a remaster from the Nintendo Wii era,Skyward Sword HD.This remaster is important in the timeline of the Zelda franchise, as it is not only the earliest narrative on the Zelda timeline, but it also tellsthe origin story of the Master Sword.The Master Sword, also known as the Goddess Sword, is one of the most important and iconic weapons in the series history, having originally been created by the Goddess Hylia. WithSkyward Sword HDjust around the corner, it may be no surprise as to whyBreath of the Wild 2will be releasing afterward.
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Skyward Sword HD Bridges the Gap of Old Zelda and New Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordwas the last entry in the main series ofZeldagames to be featured on a home console, 6 years prior toBreath of the Wild.Skyward Swordwas released for the Nintendo Wii in 2011, making its remake fall nearly in line with its 10 year anniversary.Skyward Swordfeatures a blend of old Zelda and new,as many features that were introduced inSkyward Swordwere expanded upon inBreath of the Wild. This includes the ability to gather ingredients to upgrade equipment, a stamina system when climbing and running, and a parachute for minor gliding.
Skyward Swordfeatures lots of mechanics from older era Zelda titles, with the heavy focus on narrative being an example. As it is the earliest story to be told in the Zelda timeline, it isn’t a surprise that the narrative is treated as such a big deal.Skyward Swordalso had a more linear dungeon progression similar to past titles such asThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeandThe Legend of Zelda:Wind Waker. WhereBreath of the Wildcould be compared to the more open-world entries such as the originalLegend of ZeldaandA Link to the Past,Skyward Sword HDcan be compared to the 3D titles in terms of game progression and themed dungeons. With fans almost unanimously enjoyingBreath of the Wild,now is a perfect time to release an HD remaster ofSkyward Sword.
SinceSkyward Sword HDshares a lot of elementswith olderZeldatitles and features later seen inBreath of the Wild, being ported to the Switch is a good idea for those who can’t wait for the nextZeldagame. AsBreath of the Wild 2features Link falling around the sky a lot, it is only fitting that the game to start the free-falling trend releases before the anticipated sequel. ThoughSkyward Swordwas not everyone’s favoriteZeldagame, mainly due to the mandatory motion controls, the implementation of the optional control scheme ensures that there’s no reason for aZeldafan to miss out on this key adventure.
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Breath of the Wild 2 Time Travel Theory
If there is a story link betweenBreath of the Wild 2andSkyward Sword,it only makes sense to release the latter onto the Switch before the sequel. One theory fans have discussed forBreath of the Wild 2is something to do with time travel.There is some evidence in the trailer forBreath of the Wild 2that supports this theory, such as Link showcasing a time-rewinding ability towards a moving object. The implication here is that there could be more time-related abilities that haven’t been shown yet, as many abilities inBreath of the Wildcarried a theme of freezing objects in stasis.
Skyward Sword HDalso features a time-disrupting component in the form of Timeshift Stones that created a small temporal disruption field in the Lanaryu Desert. These stones allow Link to interact with ancient machinery from the past, which is similar to thetheme of ancient technology inBreath of the Wild. As such, they could make a return in some capacity inBreath of the Wild 2. Link can also be seen going through the bottom of an island, possibly hinting at a new ability. Though it doesn’t look to be something that Link can rely on for sky traveling, perhaps the Loftwing fromSkyward Swordwill make a return to help Link soar through the skies.
Skyward Sword HD May Help Bring Other Zelda Games Forward
Looking at all the Zelda games from the past, just about all of them have been brought forward and modernized in some way or another. EvenBreath of the Wildwas released on Wii U and the Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch, coupled with the 3DS, allows fans to access a large library ofZeldatitles from the oldest, to the newest, and some in-between. But now with the 3DS becoming a relic of the past, it is becoming harder forZeldafans to experience many of the past games.The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakeninghas been brought forward twice at this point, and was a major success on the Switch. IfSkyward Sword HDfollows suit and becomes another success,then it is very possible that moreZeldagames will be brought forward onto the Switch.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2is slated to release in 2022, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
