Aonuma on why Zelda: A Link Between Worlds’ Hero mode isn’t available from the start

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds both offer Hero modes. In the former title, it’s accessible right away. But in A Link Between Worlds, players must complete the game before tackling the more difficult mode.

Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma discussed why this is so while speaking with ONM. In the magazine’s latest issue, he explained that some gamers may have already played Wind Waker on GameCube, but since A Link Between Worlds is brand new, the team “felt that it was more suitable to have the players first enjoy the game at an appropriate difficulty level and then let them try a harder challenge.”

Aonuma’s comments in full:

“With The Wind Waker HD we naturally expected many people to have played the previous version, so we made the harder Hero mode available from the beginning. However, although it is a sequel, this time we have a brand new game.

We felt that it was more suitable to have the players first enjoy the game at an appropriate difficulty level and then let them try a harder challenge.

Thanks to joclo for the tip.