Aonuma on the need for change with Zelda, remakes, moving on from tried-and-true formula, N64 “Dream Team” strategy, more
Engadget went live with an Eiji Aonuma interview a short while ago. The discussion touches on the need for change with Zelda, remakes, moving on from the tried-and-true formula, and even topics such as the N64 “Dream Team” strategy.
All of Aonuma’s comments can be found below.
Aonuma on the need for change…
“If we don’t change we might die. We need to evolve. Things need to change. Things need to grow.”
Aonuma on the idea behind remakes…
“If I continue making remakes, I feel like I won’t grow. ( Wind Waker HD has helped the production team) learn what it is the Wii U can do… [and] what the system is capable of.”
Aonuma on letting go of the tried-and-true formula…
“With regard to… breaking the mold or changing the formula, I certainly hear the thoughts of fans. The impressions of fans that maybe it’s getting a bit stale. …if we change it too much, I’m also concerned people will say, ‘Okay, is it no longer Zelda if we don’t have this formula?'”
Aonuma on making HD games…
“HD requires resources — resources in the form of money, in the form of people… in the form of time.”
Aonuma on N64’s “Dream Team” strategy…
“With regard to the Dream Team, I don’t see something like that happening again. Because, quite frankly… we didn’t know what we were trying to make. And then we brought people from the outside in to help us create this thing we weren’t really clear on…”
Aonuma on how games are made…
“… the way we make games is we’re very careful. We’re very thorough. We’re very detailed. We take a long time analyzing the different parts of a game… almost to our detriment. Almost too careful. I think the need is there for us to make decisions more quickly, weigh the risks [and] see what the payoff is.”
Aonuma on the lack of Wii U VC games for Wii U…
“for people that’ve played the [classic games] already, you can’t just give them something they’ve already experienced. You need to make it something special, something different. That’s something I’m always very conscious about.”
Aonuma on mixing things up and change with items…
“We’re trying to find new ways to play. Not only the kinds of items you find, but how you use those items. I want to give the player more freedom. I want them to be able to explore more. The concept of the item will be completely different than what you’ve experienced before.”
