In a recent interview with Nikkei Trendy, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma discussed Breath of the Wild’s development team and their responses to players’ creative gameplay tricks (via Japanese Nintendo).
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild development team was comprised of over 300 members. These developers worked to add layers upon layers of interactivity to Hyrule’s enemies, weapons, items, and environment. One of the first such interactions players discover is “Apple + Heat= Baked Apple.” Then comes the fun of discovering the “Heat” part of the equation can come from a campfire, wild fire, a bomb arrow explosion, a super hot environment, and a list of other sources.
The physics of the game have much to discover as well. Aonuma told Nikkei Trendy that the development team purposefully allowed players to have a lot of experimental freedom the with Breath of the Wild’s physics, but some elaborate player videos have still really surprised them.
“We intentionally give [much] freedom in testing them out, but I’m surprised on the tricks of using the Magnesis item that can carry anything metallic,” said Aonuma. “When you place a block on a metal trolley, and when you stand on top of it and then pull the trolley [with Magnesis], it will gradually soar up into the sky. When we saw the video that used that method to move mid-air, all the staff become speechless (laughs).”
The above video is the one Aonuma references in his statement. You can’t use Magnesis on an object you’re standing on, but you can use Magnesis on an object underneath the object you’re standing on. Then you have yourself a magical flying metal cart. Physics.
Don’t worry, the Breath of the Wild development team is definitely watching you try to break their game. And they’re “speechless.”
