NICOLAS CANNASSE

EVOLAND’S CREATOR OPENS UP ON ZELDA’S OPEN WORLDS

Why do you think Zelda’s overworld is so fun to explore?

There’s a lot of sense of exploration in a Zelda overworld. First there’s different distinct areas which you can explore individually, but also you are not very limited in the order in which you can discover them. It’s also full of secrets and surprises, so the exploration, and in general, the player’s curiosity, is rewarded.

Zelda games often contain two dual worlds. Did this influence the changing worlds of Evoland?

Yes definitely, I remember classics like A Link To The Past which had this Dark World where you could teleport between the two and use it to access secrets, that was very fun. It’s a great way to have a more complex way to travel between worlds. Who would not love to be able to do that?

What’s the most impressive Zelda overworld you’ve encountered and why?

I’m personally a big fan of The Wind Waker. Having the world divided into islands which you can freely navigate and explore really felt awesome the first time I played it.

What do the 3D overworlds of Zelda offer compared to their 2D counterparts?

In a 3D Zelda you have to use your camera to get insight about secrets that you can’t reach yet, or access some places that were not visible by default. That’s a very good tool to hide secrets, and also create a sense of being actually part of the world. On the other hand, a 2D top-down view is always perfect for complex puzzles! That’s why in Evoland we enjoyed going from 2D to 3D, so we could use the best parts of both to create a unique experience.