There are many minigames found in The Legend of Zeldabut a recurring classic that's been missing for over a decade could provide the basis for an entire spin-off game. Minigames are often valuable distractions from the main plots of the game. Zelda games, offering tests of skill and luck that can bring impressive prizes. Of course, most of these minigames have no way of expanding, but the core concept of one of them could easily be scaled up to a much larger format.
The history of minigames in The Legend of Zelda it is extensive, even appearing in the original title of the same name; A gambling mini-game hosted by an old man offers Link the chance to win an incredible amount of rupees by making lucky choices to increase his prize money. The game itself is a common theme in the franchise's minigames, most often in the form of the Treasure Chest Game. Of course, it is also important to note that some Zelda the minigames are just terrible, unlike the few that have stood the test of time.
The Legend Of Zelda deserves a fishing spin-off
The classic minigame should be revived as a full title
Fishing is undoubtedly one of the most popular activities Zelda minigamesand has appeared in various forms throughout the franchise. For example, Twilight Princess' minigame arguably features some of the best fishing mechanics in non-fishing based games. It's easy to spend hours in the peaceful environment offered by this and other fishing minigames in The Legend of Zelda. However, there have been no new incarnations of this minigame since 2007. Phantom Hourglassalthough it's worth noting that the Nintendo Switch remake of Link's Awakening includes the same simplistic fishing minigame found in the original version.
With that in mind, It's easy to see the appeal of a full game based on fishing in Hyrule instead of fighting the forces of darkness. Given the popularity of previous minigames, there is clearly great potential for an expansive game. Zelda fishing game, with some engaging mechanics already perfectly demonstrated by previous titles. A side game like this would also benefit immensely from developments on both Nintendo consoles, particularly the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its updated features, as well as the franchise itself.
TOTK provides perfect material for a fishing adventure
A variety of environments and fish are already provided by the game
The incredible amount of worldbuilding presented in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom alone offers a perfect setting for a new fishing game. From TOTKThere are dozens of species of fish that live in various environments in Hyrule, presenting a lot of variety for a fishing spin-off even without any new additions. Additionally, although Link can still collect fish in both games, it was a notable disappointment that the Fishing Rod was a missing item in the game. BOTH and TOTKand a side game would more than make up for it.
The world presented by TOTK it would also be perfectly suited to framing a fishing game. Mechanically speaking, it would practically be expected that different rods and lures would be unlocked as the game progresses, and the different capabilities of such equipment could easily be justified by one or more Sheikah scientists being responsible for the new equipment. Likewise, the entire game could be framed as ecological research for Zelda, giving the player objectives to capture different sizes and species of fish to study (and perhaps even cook and eat in some missions).
A fishing spin-off could explore Hyrule in new ways
Hyrule has never had such a relaxed atmosphere
A fishing game would also give people a chance to see Hyrule in a more relaxed way. For example, it could place special emphasis on the beauty of the world's environments and encourage attention to details such as the depth of various wells and streams. Other NPCs could also be shown engaging in fishing in various ways, offering insight into their lives outside the predefined routines of TOTK. Of course, a game like this could still expand Hyrule's bestiary, such as reintroducing The Legend of ZeldaThe recurring legendary fish as the game's ultimate objective.
A fishing game would be a refreshing change of pace for Zeldaoffering a more relaxed experience in contrast to the typical action of the main games in the franchise. Tears of the Kingdom in particular, it offers a perfect setting for a game like this, although further expanding the fish available in Hyrule would also undoubtedly be a positive development. Ultimately, it's been a long time since a new version of the classic minigame was introduced in The Legend of ZeldaThere has probably never been a better time for Link to pick up a fishing rod once again.