Finally, there is a full gameplay trailer for the sequel to Breath of the Wild, and it has every Zelda fan talking and rejoicing. It gives enough to stir quite a bit of fanfare, yet still holds a fair amount of mystery, featuring things that were definitely not in the previous game - and things that somehow look familiar.
Many fans are wondering whether or not the sequel will tie into older Zelda games somehow, and based on some key moments in the latest trailer, this could very well be the case. There are several plausible ways the next Breath of the Wild will reference old Zelda games.
Skydiving
The most notable new feature of the game is that Link will find himself in multiple situations where he'll have to skydive, which also happens to be one of the key features of Skyward Sword. As well as this, the Switch version of Skyward Sword will be releasing soon, so the timing seems very intentional.
Link isn't flailing as he falls, so it can be assumed that he's doing it intentionally. And while the Loftwings don't seem to exist anymore, this is Link being talking about, so he most likely has the situation under control.
Island Travel
Tying into the last entry, another Skyward reference is the fact that the map is now made up of islands that dot the sky, each with physical cues that imply Link can traverse them. These cues include bodies of water, ruins, and even enemies to fight.
Again, with no Loftwing, it's still a matter of speculation as to how Link will hop from island to island, but since this is another Breath of the Wild, no doubt the player will be rewarded for their exploration. As some say, the sky's the limit!
Return Of Demise
As the last Skyward reference included, many fans noted that the red material coming from Ganon's corpse resembled the mane of Demise: the primary antagonist in Skyward. His return could mean a massive number of things for the sequel's story.
Primarily, Demise is Ganon's predecessor, so if Ganon were somehow to unleash his inner Demise, utter chaos would befall Hyrule - including the birth of yet another Calamity Ganon. It would also explain why the islands appear, creating another link between the first world (Skyward's) and the latest (the sequel's).
Twili Presence
Many speculated that the disted sounds throughout both sequel trailers were callbacks to Twilight Princess's buggy soundtrack. On top of this, the glowing symbols that appear in the trailer are also reminiscent of the Twili (although some fans have lingering suspicions that they are Zonai symbols), so there's definitely a chance the Twili might make a reappearance.
This would mean a lot to most fans, who delighted in Twilight Princess's fresh take on the series and its memorable cast of characters. The most notable way the Twilight mechanics might be implemented is in the moment Link transports himself through an island from top to bottom, just using a drop of what seems to be Twilit, luminescent goop.
Ordonian Fashion
As well as the vaguely Twilit goop, Link seemed to have another connection to Twilight Princess: his clothes. While he's free-falling, his outfit very closely resembles the outfit TP Link wore at the beginning of the game.
Both sport simple white tunics, a green shawl draped over their left shoulders, shorts, and sandals. Of course, there are differences, but the similarities are fairly stark. Perhaps there is a connection between the Ancient Hero and Twilight Link?
Time Travel
There's a lot to cover in regards to time travel...for starters, the trailer ends with Zelda's Lullaby, which is most closely associated with Ocarina of Time - a game in which Link's primary superpower is time travel. Furthermore, there is a moment where he is able to reverse the course of a spiked ball rolling down a hill, which implies some sort of time manipulation.
Lastly, the distorted music may not actually be a TP callback, but instead, a tune being reversed. Although some fans haven't been able to make out what the reversed track is saying, it's still within the realm of possibility.
Hookshot Hero
The hookshot is such an iconic item in the franchise, fans found themselves missing it in BOTW. Even though there were other modes of transportation at play, it still didn't feel right that Link was unable to launch himself from pole to pole with a hookshot.
However, the introduction of Stone Talus Bokoblins might call for a re-introduction of this beloved item. The Talus is normally defeated by striking a spot on its back, yet with the Bokoblins having staked out a base over this spot, Link may need to improvise - and the long wooden beams ing the base might just provide an answer.
Boss-Specific Weapons
At one point in the trailer, Link is seen fighting a plant-like creature hanging from the ceiling of a cave. A stone dragon's head seems to be embedded on his shield, and when he raises the shield, the dragon rotates, breathing a cascade of fire and rending the plant monster defenseless.
This may signal the return of boss-specific weapons - a common trope throughout the series, wherein Link finds a weapon that he could technically use outside of a boss battle, but it wouldn't make much sense (such as the slow ball and chain, or the gale boomerang). It would certainly add a challenge to the game that many players would find gratifying to complete in order to get that sweet 100%.
Wind Travel
Although Link can now free-fall without a problem, he is still shown to use his paraglider, coasting through the skies on what seems to be a flowing path. This implies that wind will be a major travel factor as Link traverses the skies, which is a gameplay mechanic that hasn't really been seen since Wind Waker.
While many puzzles and dungeons have required Link to think about wind-flow over the years, none have been so instrumental to his journey as the winds in Wind Waker. Players might have to think harder about how they get around as a result.
Dragon Tales
As mentioned before, the trailer ends with Zelda's Lullaby, and what's interesting is that it's played on an erhu - a traditional stringed instrument from China. Notably, the erhu was only used in Breath of the Wild to announce the arrival of a dragon.
Such a detail is too niche to just be happenstance, so there's a good chance that the dragons will have a more central role in the sequel. Perhaps the player will even get to see where they disappear to in the skies?
