NEWS | ALPHA
Eiji Aonuma (far left) and Koji Kondo (left) wanted to use an orchestra to help bring Skyward’s grand scale to life
Twilight Princess was a very big
environment, and what we were really aiming for was realness; we wanted to have this real world experience. Looking back I feel that it was maybe too big and there were maybe not enough things in the environment for players to enjoy and challenge. Looking back at Twilight Princess, my
determination and my aim with the new Zelda was to make the game not only big and the environment very large, but to offer many experiences along the way as people journey through the world. This is why there are three big areas on the surface and the huge town Skyloft. Even when you revisit areas all over the environment there are new experiences and themes that can help the player connect their memories through the game and let them get to know the world more deeply.
Was there an overarching design theme or idea that directed the game’s development? Aonuma:Where Twilight Princess was about realness, this time it is really about bringing
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the game’s areas to life; to make players understand and feel the history behind the game, and to deepen the feeling of experiencing it.
It is really about bringing the game’s
areas to life; to make players understand and feel the history behind the game.
Eiji Aonuma, Nintendo
And does working in the shadow of the success of Ocarina of Time concern you? Aonuma: Of course, I wouldn’t deny that I am always aware of the game and the praise it has received, and how much people like the game. On the other hand, I do believe that all the
Zelda games since have offered new aspects to the gameplay and setting.
We just recently did the 3DS version of
Ocarina where we changed some things, and there were still difficulties. Even with that version of the game there were things we could improve upon. One big issue we have dealt with is the saving system, where now you do not have to start the game over from the start point.
So does bettering Ocarina motivate you? Aonuma: Yes, absolutely. But it’s not only Ocarina of Time. We look at every past Zelda title in the franchise, with a view to make people realise that the game has grown and improved. This is what we are aiming for with every release.
How do you approach making the music distinct to Skyward Sword in particular? Kondo: Today I find myself only creating a very few pieces of music for the new games. My concern is about my new younger staff who are creating all sorts of music for Skyward Sword. What I always say is that they must go ahead and create new things. Of
DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012 | 07
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