Link's house in Breath of the Wild was never much to look at, but The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could make it into something better. A legendary character like Link deserves a place that they can call their own, especially after saving the world. Tears of the Kingdom could let players give Link the kind of house that he deserves.
In Breath of the Wild, Link can buy a house in Hateno village that was set for demolition, and there is even a side quest based around renovating it. However, said quest amounts to little more than paying for new additions to the house, and the only interesting addition is restricted to DLC. Although Link's house in BOTW was interesting among Link's houses in the Zelda games, fixing it up amounted to little more than busywork when so much more could have been done with it.
Tears Of The Kingdom Can Give Players More Variety In Decorations
Link's house in Breath of the Wild offered players little variation in terms of possible decorations. Players could only buy a few upgrades for the house, and none of them were particularly distinctive. The player couldn't do much of anything to make the house feel like their own. If Link's house is brought back for Breath of the Wild, then one of the most important changes that needs to be made is to give players more of a chance to actually customize it.
Rather than a small selection of furniture and decorations, players could instead have several different pieces and styles to choose from. For example, beds, chairs, and other furniture could range in style from basic to fanciful gilded furniture, to possibly even ancient Hylian and Sheikah pieces. With the Sheikah being so important to Zelda's lore, letting players design a Sheikah-themed house could be a proper tribute. Other ideas could include ornaments crafted from bones could give Link's house a more gothic or primitive look, or a collection of weapons on display that would give the vibe of a seasoned warrior. More importantly, increased variety would mean that every player's home for Link could look different.
Letting players give Link a more distinctive house would turn renovation from a chore to an endeavor. More freedom in designing could even lead to the community sharing their own layouts for Link's house, further energizing the fanbase and encouraging them to play more. A more customizable home for Link could be another reason to draw players into the next game.
Tears Of The Kingdom Can Expand Crafting To Include Link's House
Breath of the Wild's cooking mechanic has been one of the series' best recent innovations. By cooking meals in Breath of the Wild, the player can restore a lot of health in an instant, while potentially benefitting from bonus effects. The simple and useful nature of cooking proved that Zelda games could support a crafting mechanic that blended perfectly with the rest of the game. A similar system could be put in place to make decorating Link's house a more satisfying experience.
Similar to how players would collect ingredients in Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom could offer players the option to collect resources such as wood and stone to work with. Players could use what they collect to make new, more unique items. Stone or metal could be crafted into sculptures or idols, while wood could be made into woodcarvings that could be mounted on the walls. Even some enemy materials could be collected for materials to convert into decorations, such as Lizalfos claws and Moblin necklaces. If Tears of the Kingdom brings back classic enemies, then the ability to craft trinkets themed after them would be a bonus.
A robust crafting system can offer players a lot of options for customization, and Tears of the Kingdom could use what was learned from BOTW's cooking mechanic to build an excellent one. After all, in Breath of the Wild, players could spend plenty of time creating new recipes, scavenging new weapons, and acquiring new armor. Letting Link create new decorations for his house as well feels like a natural evolution of those mechanics. Not to mention, having Link build his own furniture would be a perfect follow-up to Breath of the Wild's survival focus.
Tears Of The Kingdom Could Turn Boss Fights Into Trophies
In Breath of the Wild, the best piece of decoration, the Picture of the Champions, could only be received after completing the Ballad of the Champions DLC. Tears of the Kingdom shouldn't have DLC, but there is potential for achievement-based decorations for Link's house. Offering more decorations for Link's house as milestones to mark player achievements can be a source of pride for players, as well as a constant reminder of their successes.
In addition to the usual rewards for defeating bosses, it would be cool to see each fight provide Link with a memento that he could place around his house. For example, if link were to defeat a giant knight boss, he could take the knight's sword or helmet as a decoration for his garden. There is also the option for Link to take an item or artifact from the boss' arena rather than a piece of the boss itself. If handled correctly, these souvenirs could be just as reliable a sign of the player's progress as the new items that Link collects in The Legend of Zelda's dangerous dungeons.
A lot of players like to have reminders of their successes, and the ability to turn Link's house into a shrine of their accomplishments would be an added reward for them. By letting players collect trophies from boss fights, they would be able to enjoy their victories in addition to adding more flavor to their homes. This could be a great way for players to celebrate their victories in Tears of the Kingdom.
Link's house in Breath of the Wild was one of the most underwhelming parts of that game. With its version of Link being more customizable than ever, it was a shame that he had to live in such an uninteresting house. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could reverse this disappointment by letting players build Link a house that is truly fit for a hero.
Source: GameSpot/YouTube