The Sheikah Slate is one of the most recognizable aspects of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which only makes it more surprising that I am only now realizing the depth of its inspiration. Naturally, given the sheer size of BOTW, the game is more than capable of retaining secrets for a given player to uncover for a long time. But nevertheless, the more I learn about the development of BOTW, the more it continues to surprise me.

In many respects, BOTW is a Link’s powers in TOTK are tied to Rauru’s Arm instead.

The Sheikah Slate Revolutionized Gameplay In BOTW

It Was A Bold New Feature For The Legend Of Zelda

It is difficult to understate just how significant the Sheikah Slate is in Breath of the Wild. Nearly every major accomplishment that Link can achieve during the course of the game is tied to using the Slate in some way, from activating and entering Shrines to freeing the Divine Beasts. At the time of BOTW’s release, the Sheikah Slate was also unique for being the source of the majority of Link’s major abilities, instead of the array of magical items and weapons collected throughout a more typical Zelda game.

Instead of dramatically expanding Link’s options over time with new equipment, BOTW’s Sheikah Slate provides the broad range of Link’s signature abilities in the game from the beginning. The Stasis, Cryonis, Magnesis, and Remote Bomb runes are easily obtained on the Great Plateau, and are equally relevant for the rest of the game. In addition to BOTW’s many puzzles becoming instantly solvable with these abilities, each Rune has its uses in both exploration and combat. Furthermore, Link can pull off impressive tricks in BOTW with Stasis and Magnesis due to how they affect the game’s physics.

It is worth noting that upgrades to the Remote Bomb and Cryonis Runes, available at the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab, are entirely optional but still useful improvements.

Of course, the Sheikah Slate has had a bigger impact than just the gameplay of BOTW, or even its effect on TOTK. It is actually one of BOTW’s most influential features when it comes to the gaming industry as a whole, especially given its impact on exploration through the implementation of waypoints. The Sheikah Slate undoubtedly revolutionized the Zelda franchise in a multitude of ways, opening up many fun new ways of interacting with the setting, and the undeniable success of its implementation has led to many similar features appearing in other games.

The Sheikah Slate Was Inspired By The Wii U Gamepad

The Handheld Controller Formed The Basis Of The Sheikah Slate’s Design

Something I did not realize about the Sheikah Slate when first playing Breath of the Wild was that its design was directly inspired by that of the Wii U Gamepad. Naturally, it is immediately apparent that the Sheikah Slate is evocative of a modern digital tablet, including utility features like taking pictures and ing maps. However, the concept of a tablet in itself is somewhat generic, which means it can be easy to miss the connection to one of Nintendo’s own consoles. This is especially true for those who played BOTW exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

In an interview with The Verge, Game Director Hidemaru Fujibayashi said that “we did have the Wii U Gamepad in mind when we created the Sheikah Slate” when asked about the similarities between the in-game device and the console. He further confirmed that the Wii U version of the game was initially the sole version of BOTW, and that creating the game’s Switch version came later (although it was a long-acknowledged possibility beforehand). Simultaneously, gameplay tests indicated that using the Wii U Gamepad’s separate screen made for a disted experience, making a TV screen-only approach better for BOTW.

Of course, there is one prominent reason why many people can easily miss the connection between the Wii U and Breath of the Wild in the course of gameplay, and that is simply because the majority of players will have never even owned the console. The Wii U is infamous for its poor commercial performance, especially in comparison to the Nintendo Switch’. Considering that BOTW is arguably the most iconic Switch game to be created, it is reasonable to assume that most players, myself included, were removed from the Gamepad similarities simply due to playing on the Switch instead.

How The Wii U Influenced The Sheikah Slate In BOTW

The Sheikah Slate’s Roots Remain Clear Despite The Switch’s Own Prominence

Although the Sheikah Slate is clearly very different in design to the Wii U Gamepad, incorporating elements like a carry handle which is clearly absent from the real device, there are still some notable similarities in appearance. For example, when Link holds up the Sheikah Slate, two prominent blue points can be seen in its top corners. These are clearly analogous to the Gamepad’s joysticks, suggesting that these are likewise used as controls for the Sheikah Slate.

Given the features that were removed from the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild to make it equivalent to the Switch version, it is evident that the Gamepad would have been treated as a physical embodiment of the Sheikah Slate during gameplay. The Wii U’s signature ability to divide gameplay between two separate screens would have allowed the Gamepad to act as the Sheikah Slate while a TV screen is used for the overworld, adding an interesting extra layer of immersion to gameplay.

For those who played BOTW on the Nintendo Switch, it is far from impossible to go without realizing that the Sheikah Slate was actually inspired by its predecessor. This is especially true if one is unfamiliar with the Wii U Gamepad, myself included. Of course, beyond a certain point, it is difficult to differentiate between the Sheikah Slate and any tablet-like device. Naturally, this includes the Switch in handheld mode, despite the fact that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was originally not even designed with the newer console in mind.

Source: The Verge