The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has become the gold standard that future Zelda games will likely be held up against. After all, Breath of the Wild completely transformed Nintendo’s fantastical and beloved series, stretching its appeal to fans old and new. This renewal was done in several clever ways, including Nintendo omitting one of the franchise’s most consistently important items from the game's inventory.

Breath of the Wild's open world is certainly part of what revolutionized its gameplay compared to the rest of the series. For the first time, the Kingdom of Hyrule became as much a character within the game as the series' long-standing hero, Link. Some might argue even more so, as the lush lands are always alive and dynamic at every turn, while Link remains Nintendo’s famous silent protagonist throughout the duration of the story.

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However, while it is apparent through all the Legend of Zelda games that Link does not talk (save for a few grunts of exertion), he can certainly play a tune. In fact, there doesn't seem to be an instrument that the plucky Hylian cannot turn his hand to. From Ocarina of Time, where melodies were needed to progress through Hyrule, to Link’s Awakening, where instruments were collected to eventually awaken the Wind Fish, Nintendo has never shied away from adding a musical element to their games. However, in Breath of the Wild, no tune passes Link’s lips or even gets tapped out by the hero. Rather, the Rito bard Kass takes on the musical mantle for the game, with his ancient songs and rhythmic clues being played out with an accordion, and it is Hestu, not Link, that shakes his maracas for item slots.

Will Breath Of The Wild 2 Feature Instruments?

Link Playing The Song Of Storms In Ocarina of Time

Truth be told, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is so immersive that this lack of harmonies isn't a huge miss. The game's inventory introduces a myriad of other fun items and weapons, including the rather grizzly monster parts Link can use for cooking, which means that the omission of a harp or any other instrument does not leave the game feeling incomplete. Despite this, there's another element lost along with the removal of this traditional Zelda mechanism of playing music to progress - that of a dynamic soundtrack.

The music from The Legend of Zelda series has become some of the most cherished in gaming. Even when not played by the protagonist or NPCs directly, the theme tunes for certain areas can immediately evoke strong memories for long-time fans of the franchise; the Gerudo Valley theme from Ocarina of Time alone is enough to make the hips of even the most uncoordinated Zelda fan start swaying. However, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's soundtrack, Nintendo opted for a more subtle approach, with atmospheric music to underscore the gameplay rather than overpower it.

This change worked beautifully with the whole tone of Breath of the Wild, where Link (along with the players) was discovering the seamless world as if for the first time. However, if Breath of the Wild 2 revisits this Hyrule rather than transporting players to another location altogether, Link may be required to unlock new places in the kingdom that are as yet undiscovered. If so, what better way than by returning to tradition? Link could strum a melodic chord or two, accompanied by the rousing swells of music the series is famed for, allowing new pathways to become unlocked and finally explored - and Link's musical dry spell finally at an end.

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