New gameplay has been released from Zelda: Wii U, with fans getting a peek into the sprawling new-look Hyrule at The Game Awards. Footage shows an art style somewhere between the gritty Twilight Princess and the watercolour Skyward Sword. Mechanics look very similar to Skyward Sword at this point, movement is much the same and some familiar items with Link jumping from a cliff and brought to safe rest by the Sailcloth from Skyward Sword.
The scene cuts to Link astride Epona making swift progress through some of the luscious new Hyrule greenery, simultaneously showcasing the updated horse riding mechanics, which require less actual involvement from the player than previous installments and their notoriously clunky equine experiences.
Miyamoto and Aonuma kept up their keynote mysticism, with some tantalizing comments regarding the ability of players to access ‘anything you can see in the horizon’. The new Hyrule is certainly awe-inspiring, with many commentators rightly suggesting a phantom reminiscence of Skyrim in the latest Zelda offering. Between the latest release and the E3 footage from earlier in the season, players are being drip-fed enigmatic tid-bits sure to incite rumors and  speculation (Who owns the prime real-estate tower in the background? Why are there suddenly wild horses?). As always, Nintendo keeps its fans in the dark until launch day. But from my brief experience with the trailers, I’d say that overcoming the challenges of a sprawling landscape will be the make or break for Zelda Wii U. But if it’s bridged the gap into 3D and then into motion control with seamless efficacy, with Ocarina of Time and now Majora’s Mask making the transition onto updated hardware,  I think we can expect Aonuma’s pet project to deliver.
Check out the latest Zelda Wii U footage with Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma here.
