A minor spin-off title for The Legend of Zelda should be revived and improved into a much larger experience. There are plenty of spin-off games in the Zelda franchise, which themselves cover a wide variety of genres. While often much shorter than any main game, they can still provide quality entertainment. But as the technology available to the series continues to improve, some of these games would undoubtedly benefit from being updated to take full advantage of this.

Spin-offs are typically Zelda games to get remakes could easily include one of these spin-offs.

There Should Be A New Link’s Crossbow Training Game

The Shooter Spin-Off Is A Uniquely Entertaining Entry In The Zelda Series

Link’s Crossbow Training is a 2007 shooter game based on Twilight Princess, which as the name suggests revolves around Link shooting targets and enemies with a crossbow. Allowing players to freely aim and shoot at the screen, it was released alongside the Wii Zapper, a peripheral for the Wii Remote and Nunchuck that evokes a gun framework. Interestingly, this minor Zelda game nearly gave Link an actual gun, although this was eventually discarded in favor of the less incongruous crossbow. Regardless, Link’s Crossbow Training is very fun, and would make an excellent basis for a new title.

Despite Link’s Crossbow Training being clearly set in the world of Twilight Princess, Link does not actually have a crossbow in that game, nor does he use the weapon in any other main Zelda title.

The gameplay of Link’s Crossbow Training is split across three separate modes, giving the title an appreciable level of variety. People are tasked with taking on increasingly complex training courses in Target Shooting, fighting off hordes of monsters in Defender, and finally controlling Link freely as he assaults a location in Ranger mode. However, aside from the replay value inherent to chasing high scores, the game is incredibly short and can be completed within an hour. While a remake could understandably be a simple port of the original, it could also rectify this disappointing length in a number of ways.

A New Crossbow Training Spin-Off Could Be Set After TOTK

Changing The Setting Could Help Introduce Plenty Of New Material

It is worth noting that a new Link’s Crossbow Training would not necessarily have to follow the original’s aesthetic. Instead, a modern version could be set in the world of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which offers a vast range of possibilities. For example, the Flight Range could be used as the setting for increasingly complex Bullet Time target shooting sequences. Meanwhile, the many monsters introduced in the games could provide the basis for much longer and far more numerous Stages.

Purah and Robbie’s experimentations with Sheikah Technology could also give players additional challenges to complete, easily framed as testing experimental weaponry created by the pair. For example, Link’s crossbow may be outfitted with scopes, have its reload speed altered, or even be supplied with special ammunition providing a range of different effects. Similarly, assuming that this would be a Zelda game released on the Switch 2, the console should be more than capable of handling the physics necessary for trick shots and the like.

Although such a game being set after TOTK would necessitate a resurgence of monsters after Ganondorf’s defeat, this would not necessarily complicate the Zelda timeline. After all, while an explanation for this would be appreciated, the burden of justifying the premise is massively reduced if the game is simply another non-canon spin-off. As a result, people would be able to focus entirely on the gameplay without being concerned about any implications for the wider lore of the franchise.

Link’s Crossbow Training Deserves Expanded Content

The Original Game Is Held Back By Its Short Playtime

There are many directions that a remake of Link’s Crossbow Training could take, but regardless of the specifics the title fully deserves to be a much longer game. Although features like extra gameplay modes, online leaderboards, and even alternative weapons would be greatly appreciated, the length is by far the most notable issue with the original. Even in its original form, there is nothing wrong with the core gameplay of Link’s Crossbow Training; however, to truly be successful, an updated version should offer much more content.

Link’s Crossbow Training offers some of the most unique gameplay found in any Zelda game, but its disappointingly short length curtailed much of its potential. However, if this concept were to be revived and properly expanded, then The Legend of Zelda could see the creation of an extremely entertaining new spin-off. There are many possible directions for such a title, whether or not it is moved to a new era of Hyrule’s history. In any case, the many new features and additional content that could be added would make this remake an incredible experience.