The Legend of Zelda franchise is no stranger to discussions about art style, since the series has experimented quite a bit over the decades. When it comes to the style used for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, series producer Eiji Aonuma has said that the team actively worked on finding the “best fit” for the story that is being told in the game. In an interview with Polygon, he discussed how the team went with a completely different art style from recent entries like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and the decisions behind the look chosen for the Ocarina of Time remake.
Noting that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom both share a similar aesthetic since the titles are connected through their stories, Aonuma brought up the fact that Ocarina of Time doesn’t have the same connections, which would mean that the team would be better off choosing a different look altogether. Along with this, going with a new art style also certainly ends up having an impact on players who weren’t expecting it.
“I think something that’s kind of interesting about Zelda is you often have a very big graphical shift of art style from one title to the next. But for us, it’s all about finding the best fit, like what works well with the game and what we’re trying to do here. It’s not just change for change’s sake, of course. Now you will have some similarities in games that are connected.
“So, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have a connected story, so you would understand why they share a similar art style. But if you don’t have that connection, then it’s really about finding the expression that works best for what you’re trying to do there. And that art direction has to have its own unique feel. If it’s something that is expected, I think you’re losing a bit of an opportunity in terms of having an impact on the player.”
On the subject of players experiencing Ocarina of Time Remake for the first time, Aonuma spoke about how the team wanted to keep players in a state of surprise before they eventually got used to everything. The team achieved this by even surprising itself with how some of the iconic game’s locations and characters looked.
“For example, even ourselves, when we see a new art style for the very first time, sometimes we have that direct reaction of like, ‘What!?’ And so, we go through the same kind of cycle that you mentioned. First there’s a surprise moment, and then you get used to it. You really like it, and you understand why it’s a good fit for this game’s unique qualities. So, if we can have other people experience that cycle as well, then I think surprise can be a good start for all of that. It’s all about finding the best fit, and sometimes that’s a long road to finish that task.”
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is out today on Nintendo Switch 2. For more details, here are 15 of its essential features that you should know about.
