According to the latest rumors, the new series of Nintendo's well-known IP "The Legend of Zelda" will add cross-dimensional puzzle solving gameplay. In the latest XboxEra podcast, host Shpeshal Nick claimed to have some details about the official sequel to the "Legend of Zelda" series, including the types of puzzles that will appear in the game.
According to him, the new game will continue the design concept established by "Breath of the Wild" and "Tears of the Kingdom". It is said that it will use the same basic engine and make significant optimizations. If Nintendo plans to take full advantage of the enhanced performance of Switch 2. The development team obviously does not intend to completely overthrow the existing framework, but plans to "flex its muscles" based on the mature system they have polished in the past two works.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, Nick said that phrases such as "reality rift" frequently appear in the internal description of this new game, suggesting that the game will focus on cross-dimensional/cross-reality puzzle-solving gameplay. Although it may not be the final name, the relevant statements reveal the gameplay design built around the dimensional rift manipulation mechanism. The podcast host cited specific examples, such as a rampaging bull hitting a target in this world, which may trigger a trap door in another world. This type of puzzle requires players to think beyond the limitations of a single physical space. This concept is also reminiscent of the classic binary setting of "light and darkness" in the "Legend of Zelda" series.
Nick speculates that these ideas may have existed as experimental concepts as early as the development stage of "Tears of the Kingdom", and are now realized with the help of Switch2's hardware upgrade and more mature engine. Regarding the release time of the game, he believes that the new game may be two to four years away from release, rather than being released in the near future.