Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 9 Fascinating Facts About Its Development

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A full year has passed since Nintendo launched The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, yet its appeal remains remarkably fresh. Unlike typical games that lose momentum within weeks, this Zelda masterpiece continues delivering novel experiences. Players persistently discover inventive methods to manipulate the physics engine, whether for pure entertainment or tactical advantages during critical encounters. The pursuit of every equipment enhancement and elusive Korok seed continues, driven not by necessity but by the sheer joy of exploring Hyrule’s vast landscapes.

Beyond player discoveries, Nintendo developers have shared fascinating behind-the-scenes stories through numerous interviews. These revelations provide invaluable perspective on what makes Breath of the Wild one of gaming’s most compelling creations. Join us as we explore these development insights and share your own adventure stories in the comments.

Breath of the Wild remains available on both Nintendo Switch and Wii U platforms. For comprehensive assistance, consult our cooking recipe manual, beginner’s guide, or complete help directory. Don’t overlook our official review and comprehensive feature analysis detailing essential game knowledge.

The game’s anniversary coincides with Nintendo Switch’s first year. For detailed analysis of the console’s inaugural year, explore our examination of its achievements and shortcomings. Additionally, discover our features covering Wii U to Switch ports, 13 desired console improvements, top 2018 Switch titles, and budget-friendly gaming options under $20.

Climbing represents a fundamental gameplay element in Breath of the Wild, with stamina depletion posing significant challenges during steep ascents. During development, the team experimented with mechanics to alleviate this limitation, but Nintendo veteran Shigeru Miyamoto rejected the proposed solution.

“Until approximately midway through development,” Fujibiyashi recalled, “we designed a system allowing players to embed weapons into cliff faces. When stamina levels dropped critically, you could implant your weapon to create temporary resting points.”

What caused this feature’s removal? According to the director, “Mr. Miyamoto reviewed the concept and stated, ‘Standing on sword tips defies physics. This seems unnatural.’ We countered, ‘No, you’re embedding the blade deeply.’ He responded, ‘The concept remains impractical.’ Additional considerations included the physical improbability of forcing swords through solid rock formations. The team contemplated restricting usage to wall fissures and crevices, but this limitation undermined the feature’s universal application, leading to its eventual cancellation.

In discussions with The Verge near launch, director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and technical director Takuhiro Dohta explained two crucial development components. The initial tool provided comprehensive player behavior analytics, offering essential design intelligence: “Our development infrastructure aggregates all monitor test data into centralized real-time visualization. This system displays heart counts, fatality locations, and navigation patterns across a unified timeline. Observing where players encountered difficulties, experienced frequent deaths, and chosen routes informed our balancing decisions.”

Dohta further disclosed their success in automating Link’s movements throughout Hyrule, utilizing these passive playthroughs to naturally detect issues requiring adjustment: “We developed multiple scripts enabling autonomous gameplay, allowing Link to navigate various game sections automatically. During these automated sessions, quality assurance teams received immediate notification when bugs emerged, creating an exceptionally efficient troubleshooting workflow.”

Mastering climbing efficiency requires strategic stamina management. Experienced players recommend identifying intermediate resting spots during ascents and utilizing stamina-replenishing foods before challenging climbs. A common mistake involves attempting continuous climbs without breaks—instead, scan for protruding ledges and platforms where temporary recovery becomes possible.

Advanced exploration tactics include planning routes that incorporate natural terrain features for stamina conservation. Weather conditions significantly impact climbing effectiveness—wet surfaces dramatically increase stamina consumption, making climbing during rainfall particularly challenging.

For weapon optimization, consider our BF6 Weapons Unlock Guide for comprehensive equipment strategies. Understanding character capabilities is equally crucial—our BF6 Class Selection Guide provides essential insights for maximizing gameplay effectiveness. These development revelations underscore why certain mechanics were implemented while others were abandoned, providing deeper appreciation for Nintendo’s design philosophy.

During a revealing Game Informer interview, director Fujibayashi disclosed that the development team seriously considered implementing weather manipulation mechanics before ultimately deciding against it.

“We initially explored giving players direct control over weather patterns,” Fujibayashi explained, “but discovered that working within environmental constraints actually enhanced the gameplay experience. Weather control didn’t align with our core design vision. In Ocarina of Time, players experienced predetermined weather states that created specific gameplay scenarios. Introducing dynamic weather control would have significantly increased world complexity variables. We found it more compelling to position Link as someone who must adapt to nature’s challenges rather than dominate them. This approach ultimately felt more authentic and engaging for players.”

Source: Game Informer

Aonuma recognized the innovative potential of the Switch’s HD Rumble technology and had ambitious plans to integrate it into Breath of the Wild, as revealed in a Gamereactor discussion. However, simultaneous development for Wii U created technical limitations that prevented full implementation.

“To provide a specific illustration,” Aonuma noted, “the Switch’s unique HD vibration capabilities allow players to physically sense what their character experiences during interactions. For instance, when picking up objects, the controller vibrations create tactile feedback that enhances immersion. This represents a fascinating technological approach that significantly boosts realism. Implementing these features would have required designing specific gameplay sequences around the technology. The primary obstacle wasn’t development time constraints but rather the necessity to maintain parity between the Wii U and Switch versions, requiring identical gameplay experiences across platforms. Now that we’ve moved beyond this technical limitation with the Switch’s successful adoption, we can fully leverage these capabilities in future Zelda titles.”

While Nintendo Power magazine may no longer publish (rest in peace), its spirit continues through the Nintendo Power Podcast. In the inaugural episode last year, Aonuma and Fujibayashi appeared as special guests, offering fresh perspectives on Breath of the Wild’s development. They particularly elaborated on the inclusion of dragons and the deliberate choice to make them non-combat entities.

“Regarding the dragon designs,” Fujibayashi shared, “as I mentioned previously, we aimed to incorporate elements visible from great distances, similar to the Divine Beasts concept. While we successfully achieved this objective with the Divine Beasts, we believed adding additional majestic creatures would further enrich the world. We wanted to introduce elements with romantic, almost mythical qualities. Perhaps due to our Japanese development team background, we preferred mystical, serene encounters over adrenaline-fueled combat scenarios. We felt these tranquil, spiritually resonant experiences would make the player’s adventure more memorable and diverse. This philosophy guided our decision to avoid traditional boss battle mechanics. Drawing from traditional Japanese dragon portrayals, we sought to capture that divine, reverential quality.”

Aonuma supplemented: “Japanese folklore frequently depicts dragons as physical manifestations of deities. This cultural foundation significantly influenced our creative decisions for incorporating them into the game.”

Source: Nintendo Power Podcast

It’s completely understandable that encountering friendly canines naturally inspires the desire to interact affectionately. Given Breath of the Wild’s exceptionally open-ended and flexible design, players reasonably expected the ability to pet the charming dogs scattered throughout Hyrule, yet this feature remains unavailable. IGN secured an explanation from Fujibayashi regarding this design choice, which stems from a fundamental gameplay philosophy.

This intentional limitation reflects a broader design principle where developers carefully curate player interactions to maintain narrative focus and gameplay pacing. While seemingly restrictive, such decisions often enhance overall immersion by preventing distraction from core gameplay loops. Understanding these deliberate constraints can help players appreciate the careful balance developers strike between freedom and directed experience in open-world games.

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