Summary
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand its successor,Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, have done what they can to changeThe Legend of Zeldaforever. While it could be argued that they aren’t the first open-worldZeldagames ever made, the design and execution of their open worlds have nonetheless had a lasting impact on the franchise, likely determining where it will go from here. In addition to the new era ofZeldaopen worlds,Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomintroduced several survival mechanics that the series has never seen, like weapon durability and the multitude of weapons that Link can use. Unfortunately, this has led to some ofZelda’s classic weapons largely being set aside in favor of more modern weapon designs and those that would best complement the new era’s evolved gameplay.
Link is most closely associated with his iconic blade, the Master Sword. However, there are plenty of other weapons that the series has featured over its nearly forty-year lifespan, some of which either haven’t been included inBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomor have been heavily altered. One such weapon is arguably one of Link’s most recognizable tools, but has not only been transformed but also underutilized inZelda’s new era, requiring players to get creative to use it properly and effectively. As such, it might be time for the nextZeldagame to bring back this particular weapon in all its original glory and give it the respect it deserves.
The Next Zelda Game Needs to Show More Respect for Link’s Boomerang
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Made Link’s Boomerang a Glorified Sword
Since its humble beginnings in 1987,The Legend of Zeldahas includedLink’s Boomerangin a ton of different installments. For the most part, the Boomerang has served the same purpose, despite going through several design changes since its first appearance. However, when it was reintroduced inBreath of the Wild, it arguably became more of a glorified sword than the efficient tool that it used to be, as many of its classic mechanics were lost in the shadow of the massive arsenal of weapons inBotW.
Tears of the Kingdomimproved the new Boomerang, though this improvement applied to all weapons, not just the Boomerang. WithLink’s Fuse abilityinTears of the Kingdom, players can fuse almost any item to an equipped weapon, enhancing its power and abilities in the process. That means players can improve Boomerangs by attaching certain items to it to make it more powerful or even grant it elemental abilities. However, inBreath of the Wild’s sequel, none of the Boomerang’s classic mechanics were revived — a travesty that the nextZeldagame should arguably reverse.
The Next Zelda Game Should Bring Back Classic Boomerang Mechanics
In its classic form, Link’s Boomerang can accomplish more than simply dealing damage to enemies. The original Boomerang was designed to briefly stun or slow enemies on contact, which would give players an advantage in battle. Additionally, the Boomerang could be thrown to retrieve items such as rupees and hearts that might have been otherwise out of reach. While some players have argued thatLink’s Bowis an effective replacement for the Boomerang, unlike the Bow, the Boomerang doesn’t require ammunition, making it a much more efficient tool in the long run.
Rumors and speculation have surrounded the nextLegend of Zeldagame, and whether it willbringZeldaback to its classic state. Whether it does, Link’s Boomerang deserves the more prominent role it used to fill in Link’s arsenal. Even if Nintendo chooses to keepZeldain this new era, granting the Boomerang its classic mechanics might serve as a way to rewindZeldawithout taking any steps backward.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
