In terms of gameplay, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the greatest departure for the Zelda series yet. The level of exploration that makes Zelda such a beloved franchise was increased tenfold, and it made BOTW a trendsetting game with an influence still being felt in the industry today. Based on the little information given so far, Tears of the Kingdom seems to follow that trend very closely, but it's also accentuating another, perhaps subtler trend in the Zelda series: its sci-fi influence.

The Legend of Zelda has always had a distinctly high fantasy setting and lore. However, considering Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom's emphasis on Sheikah technology, The Legend of Zelda seems to be looking toward its futuristic side more than ever before. With TOTK's newest trailer featuring flying vehicles and crude cars, the series appears to be slowly evolving from fantasy toward something more akin to sci-fi, and this may be exactly the change needed to keep the Zelda series fresh and exciting.

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Sheikah Technology Is the Most Advanced Seen in Any Zelda Game

The skeikah slate in breath of the Wild

In Breath of the Wild, the ancient Sheikah people left behind highly advanced technology that was used to fight off and seal away Ganon over 10,000 years prior to the events of the game. This technology included a collection of powerful robotic sentries called Guardians, teleportation devices in the form of the travel gates, and even the computer-like Sheikah Slate, which is the source of many of Link's abilities in the game. While other Zelda games have explored advanced technology, they have rarely exceeded the capabilities of modern tech to the same degree that the Sheikah did.

A telling aspect of the difference between the Guardians and past Zelda enemies is the nature of their weapons. The smaller Guardians use energy beams that Link can carry and use himself, while the larger Guardians have lasers that fire from their eyes. In past games, the Beamos would also fire similar beams from their eyes, though they were clearly statues imbued with Ganon's magical powers -- not the result of scientific ingenuity.

The Sheikah also developed the Master Cycle Zero: a Divine Beast that Link can ride as a motorcycle after completing all the trials in the Champions Ballad DLC. The Master Cycle Zero was also Link’s chosen vehicle in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, proving that it wasn't just a one-off appearance. As a sequel to BOTW, fans can expect Tears of the Kingdom to continue this trend of using Sheikah tech. In fact, if the trailers are any indication, things will get even more sophisticated as Link takes control of more modernized vehicles, weapons that fire like cannons, and even a prosthetic mechanical arm.

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Technology Has Always Factored Into Zelda Games

Link using the hookshot in The legend of Zelda A Link to the Past

Despite the medieval "swords and magic" setting of Zelda games, many of Link's most iconic tools have been instances of advanced technology placed right under fans' noses. For example, his famous Hookshot is a mechanical wonder, and Bombs have been used in every Zelda since the first one. Even more interesting are Bombchus: a kind of mobile Bomb that can travel across the ground and even up walls and ceilings.

Similarly, the Pictograph boxes in Wind Waker and Majora's Mask are certainly far more advanced than anything in the Middle Ages, as was Wind Waker's Tingle Tuner -- a handheld device that appeared all too similar to a Game Boy Advance. Still, these items were distinctly Zelda-esque in that they fit into the quirky atmosphere of those games and never needed to be questioned beyond their uses in terms of gameplay. However, Majora's Mask has one instance of technology that is too sci-fi to ignore: the kidnapped cattle side-quest at Romani Ranch. Though Romani insists that "ghosts" are stealing her cattle, the fact that they abduct the cows by pulling them into the sky through a beam of light reveals their true other-worldly nature.

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The Zelda Franchise Has Flirted With Sci-Fi Concepts in the Past

Futuristic Zelda concept art from the legend of Zelda a link to the past in Hyrule historia

In 2011, Nintendo released Hyrule Historia, a collector's book that finally put speculation to rest about Zelda's heavily debated timeline. That wasn't the only interesting thing in the book though: fans noticed an interesting piece of concept art from A Link to the Past consisting of Princess Zelda in what looked like a futuristic outfit. While no further information was provided in the text, the mere existence of this art suggests that developers may have always had the idea of bringing Link and Zelda into a futuristic fantasy world, even in the franchise's earliest days.

This kind of conceptualizing is far from being left in the past though. During a video detailing the creation of Breath of the Wild, the game's Art director, Satoru Takizawa, revealed that some of the game's designers presented the idea of a UFO coming to abduct cattle as a side-quest, similar to the aforementioned one from Majora's Mask. Though this concept was never actually carried out, it does show that sci-fi concepts are continuing to be explored by Zelda's designers.

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The Future of Zelda Could Be a Zelda Game Based in the Future

Link flying on some kind of large drone in Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda has been dealing with science fiction concepts since its inception. Futuristic technology is far from a new concept in Zelda, but its design often blends so well into the game's backdrop that it never stands out as noticeable. However, in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, the new tech has become too obvious to overlook. It isn't just a matter of a few tech-based items, but rather a societal level of technology that is distinctly defined as such.

Given the increasing popularity of the cyberpunk aesthetic in gaming, now might be a perfect time for the Zelda franchise to make the transition from medieval to intergalactic. As subsequent games have Link exploring civilizations in the sky, the possibility of his exploring places a bit higher -- like space -- becomes more conceivable. Zelda players are well aware that future and past are relative terms for the series anyway; Link will always return to save Hyrule and rescue Princess Zelda no matter what time period into which he's reborn.