What Will "Zelda Maker" Look Like? | MojoPlays

When “Super Mario Maker” released in 2015, many “Zelda” fans undoubtedly had the same question running through their minds: “When will we get to do this with dungeons?” … Us included. But with the recent release of “Link’s Awakening’s” Chamber Dungeon, it seems the time to talk about such a game is now. Welcome to MojoPlays and today we’re looking at what a “Zelda Maker” should, and possibly could, look like.





There is a history there, of course. One of the earliest concepts of “Legend of Zelda” on NES, began as a dungeon building simulator, with series creator Shigeru Miyamoto and his team constructing and testing one another. But that was before an overworld and a story were implemented, kickstarting the franchise. 2019 has seen the release of “Super Mario Maker 2” and “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” on Switch. Both of these titles have our minds spinning with exciting possibilities.





The Chamber Dungeon mode in the “Link’s awakening” remake gave us a taste of what “Zelda Maker” could be. Unfortunately it doesn’t come anywhere close to living up to it’s full potential. Unlike “Super Mario Maker,” you can’t share your creations online; only with friends via Amiibo. Also unlike “Super Mario Maker,” you can only use pre-made rooms from dungeons you’ve completed in the game. It stifles creativity, but it nonetheless got us thinking.





First, let’s go over the technical aspects. There are a great deal of things “Zelda Maker” could learn from Nintendo’s chief mascot. Part of the fun that comes from constructing your own Mario levels is the variety of different graphical styles. “The Legend of Zelda” has been around almost as long as Mario and has seen its fair share of stylistic upgrades. Nintendo would most likely choose to keep levels 2D in a similar vein out of ease. But that would still leave the original game, “A Link to the Past,” and a slew of handheld games like “Minish Cap” and “A Link Between Worlds” … to choose from. And because the response to the art style has been so overwhelmingly positive, they’d probably include the “Link’s Awakening” remake as well. Hell why not add “Cadence Of Hyrule” while we’re at it?





Similar to Mario’s power-ups, Link has a gigantic arsenal of recognizable weapons he’s used throughout the series. And there’s no reason Nintendo wouldn’t be able to include all of them as options, regardless of whether or not they only appeared in 2D adventures. But where Mario can only hold one power-up at a time, Link carries his items wherever he goes. Deciding which he would be able to use for each dungeon, which of them he’d find hidden within, and how he would use them to solve the exceedingly wacky puzzles players invented would make for a truly remarkable game. And whatever items creators let Link use could tie directly into different dungeon types.



There are some items that Link acquires that are staples of the series. Items such as bombs, the bow and arrow, and the lantern have all been used by Link to combat typical enemies and solve smaller, more traditional puzzles. Then there are the more advanced tools; let’s call them the essentials. Items like the hookshot, mirror shield, and hammer. In past “Zelda” titles, these are usually found within dungeons and used to solve more complex puzzles and face the final boss. In “Zelda Maker,” what type of items Link would be given access to could depend on what size dungeon the player wanted to complete.



The Hero of Hyrule has tackled all manner of different sized dungeons over the years. In “Zelda Maker,” creators could be given a choice of which size dungeon they want to build. There are three categories we think Nintendo should include: Shrines, Dungeons, and Towers.



Shrines would be the smallest of the three. And they would require the use of only the staple items. Similar to how Link used the Sheikah Slate’s runes in “Breath of the Wild,” these shrines could feature a couple of enemies and puzzles that could be solved using the staples. In a closer, 2D example, think of the levels in the “Four Swords” games. Link was only allowed one staple item at a time but could switch them out at certain item pedestals. Due to their size, Shrines wouldn’t feature any essential items. But they’d be perfect for players wanting to hop on and complete a level quickly.





The medium build would be the Dungeons, which any “Zelda” fan should be more than familiar with. Link has spent the majority of his adventuring career completing dungeons in order to progress. And we’d guess that their size is what most fans think of when craving a “Zelda Maker.” Unlike Shrines, the Dungeons would give players the opportunity to add in different floor levels, a lot more monsters, and a necessary but hopefully forgiving amount of backtracking. Plus a whole lot of treasure chests. And who doesn’t want treasure? As far as items go, Link would start with the necessary staples. But there would be one or two essentials hidden inside that would be required to complete the Dungeon.



To make sure that those making the dungeons don’t accidentally drop an enemy of obstacle that requires the wrong essential item to clear, it would be smart for Nintendo to categories assets based around the essential items. Once an essential item has been picked, enemies or assets requiring other items are greyed out for this dungeon.





Last but certainly not least would be the Towers. The final and most daunting level of any “Zelda” game. Think of them like Ganon’s Tower in any of the Zelda titles. These would be for the creators who want to put Link through the most tormenting puzzles and obstacles they can think of on a larger scale. And for the players who truly want to test their skills. As these are much larger, we’d like to think that any of the essential items could be used.





Most important of all though, is that players will want something that ties all these dungeons together for their own personal play period. While there was the 100 Mario Challenge and Endless mode in “Super Mario Maker 1 & 2” respectively, for an overarching adventure like Zelda, however the solution for this may require some out of the box thinking.



For example: One of the ways “Super Mario Maker 2” improved upon its predecessor was by including a light story mode; a bunch of levels designed by Nintendo as a way for players to progress. And as progression is a key reason most of us play games, it would be baffling for Nintendo not to do the same for “Zelda,” But this time, it would be blending the their stock content with the user generated dungeons.



This could take many forms, but the way we see it is as a large 2D map. On this pre-made map, Nintendo could include entrances to Shrines, Dungeons, and a Tower. Completing a certain amount of Shrines would unlock a Dungeon and completing all the Dungeons would unlock the Tower. Harder maps would become accessible through progression, with Shrines being replaced by Dungeons until the final map is solely comprised of Towers. This progression through larger and more difficult levels would keep players coming back while allowing enough time for creators to fill the game with their own creations.



But this is just our idea of what “Zelda Maker” should look like. This franchise is beloved by many for its level design, music, and items. As long as the game was a celebration of those ideas the same way “Super Mario Maker 2” was, it would be another smash hit for Nintendo.