Great Plan

The King of Hyrule is notorious across Zelda games for making bad decisions, leaving Princess Zelda to clean them up. This was true in Ocarina of Time, where he didn't listen to his daughter about Ganondorf, and Wind Waker, where his decisions ultimately caused him to be turned into a boat.

While the king isn't depicted for long in Breath of the Wild, it's clear that he follows his standard character tropes. But, part of what makes Breath of the Wild so unique is its attention to Princess Zelda herself, allowing gamers to really get to know her for the first time. So while the king's decisions seem questionable, they did help better establish Zelda's story.

A Whole New World Of Possibilities

Throughout most Zelda games, players could make Link do several complicated maneuvers. However, when it comes to simply jumping, players are forced to run at a ledge rather than manually jump.

But, this all changed for Link's character in Breath of the Wild, where the expanded opportunity for exploration made manual jumping a must. It seems simple, but when die-hard fans first saw that Link could jump, it was an exciting moment.

The Glow Of Doom

For years, Zelda games have introduced terrifying beasts that give all players a shiver of panic when they come across them. ReDeads are a prime example since their piercing scream and ability to freeze Link in his place made them creatures that were best avoided.

Breath of the Wild might have done away with ReDeads, but it made up for it with Guardians. These ancient robots were meant to protect Hyrule, but they wound up becoming a major nuisance instead. To make matters worse, it's hard to tell which are dormant and which aren't, so a glowing attack can always take a player by surprise.

It Finally Looks How It Feels

Zelda games have certainly come a long way since The Legend of Zelda's release on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986. As one of the oldest running video game franchises, the worlds, characters, and mechanics are nearly unrecognizable from several decades ago, but that isn't to say the original games weren't epic as well.

In the end, new titles like Breath of the Wild and the Tears of the Kingdom bring to the screen exactly how players pictured Hyrule back in the day. Modern games don't leave nearly as much to the imagination, but every Zelda game is still gold.

Food Is A Game Changer

Another unique feature of The Breath of the Wild was the seemingly limitless ingredients and recipes Link could whip up to prepare for his adventures. Food can make Link impervious to extreme temperatures, give him additional strength or protection, or increase his hearts— very useful.

Of course, not all ingredients are created equal, and the more useful the food, the more difficult it often is to find. However, determined gamers can significantly increase their strength and abilities if they put in the extra effort, making even the hardest enemies in Breath of the Wild a sinch.

Zelda Will Just Have To Wait

Breath of the Wild starts similarly to a lot of Zelda games: Link is alerted that he must hurry somewhere to save Princess Zelda. Of course, his swift action is imperative since the princess he is sworn to protect has already been waiting for him for 100 years.

However, Breath of the Wild has even more side quests with attractive incentives than any title before it, making it difficult for any player to head for Hyrule Castle and Calamity Ganon as quickly as they likely should. The idea that 900 korok seeds are hidden within 900 puzzles across the biggest Hyrule map yet is just too good to ignore.

Totally Makes Sense

Another impressive mechanic of Breath of the Wild is the game's physics. Essentially, if something seems like it should be doable, it is. This means that players can get creative with how they reach high places or the process in which they solve a puzzle.

However, no matter how much a title tries to be realistic, there are still some classic video game features that will never make any sense. For example, how can a regular meal suddenly stop Link from dying from arrow wounds? In the end, players just have to accept it.

Always At The Worst Possible Time

As much as gamers have praised Breath of the Wild, no game can be perfect. A common complaint with the title is that the weapons break far too quickly, especially considering all past Zelda games had indestructible weapons.

The new way of things allowed gamers to have a good deal of fun looking for new, more durable weapons. But, with how quickly they shatter, it's not uncommon to find players that hoard their favorite weapons instead of using them. When the choice is death or risking a rare blade, many will easily choose death.

Close, But No Cigar

From the release of the very first game, people have struggled to get the name of the characters in Zelda right. This has become a significant annoyance for die-hard fans, who find themselves cringing anytime someone calls Link Zelda.

Ultimately, this confusion exists since it seems strange that a game franchise would be named after a character that hardly appears. Breath of the Wild changed this by making this Zelda her strongest version yet, and a much more prevalent part of the story. Perhaps Tears of the Kingdom will take this a step further and finally make Zelda a playable character.

The Limits Are Endless

The name of the game in Breath of the Wild is freedom, and the designers certainly did everything they could to ensure that players could have their adventures without the typical limitation of gaming. This means that if a person could feasibly eat something in the real world, then they can in the game (even if it seems like a really bad idea).

So, any monster parts or vegetation can be added to a recipe and consumed, for better or worse. Most of the time, these experiments will result in "Dubious Food," which is apparently so grotesque that it requires censoring on screen.

NEXT: 10 Memes That Make The Wait For The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom A Little More Bearable