Editing Universe of The Legend of Zelda (section)

=== Concept and design ===
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| quote = "I went hiking and found a lake. It was quite a surprise for me to stumble upon it. When I traveled around the country without a map, trying to find my way, stumbling on amazing things as I went, I realized how it felt to go on an adventure like this".
| source = [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], on his inspiration for ''The Legend of Zelda''<ref>{{cite web|title=A Childhood in Hyrule|url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/a-childhood-in-hyrule/|website=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]|date=June 5, 2007|access-date=April 28, 2022|archive-date=April 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428161544/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/a-childhood-in-hyrule/|url-status=live}}</ref>
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Japanese video game designer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] conceived the land of Hyrule as the setting for the original ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]],'' describing it as "a miniature garden that you can put into a drawer and revisit anytime you like".<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2017-03-08 |title=The Dazzling Reinvention of Zelda |url=http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-dazzling-reinvention-of-zelda |access-date=2022-04-25 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |archive-date=July 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712150906/https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-dazzling-reinvention-of-zelda |url-status=live }}</ref> He drew his inspiration from the [[Kyoto]] countryside that he had explored in his childhood and wanted to recreate the experience of adventure and discovery. Alongside writer [[Takashi Tezuka]], Miyamoto created a fantasy world in the style of fantasy authors like [[Tolkien]], which was viewed from a [[top-down perspective]]. It was populated with colourful characters, monsters and dungeons for the player to explore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2019-02-21 |title=The Legend of Zelda: The Birth of Nintendo's Epic Fantasy Series |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-legend-of-zelda-history/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516144824/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-legend-of-zelda-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== 2D world design ====
Miyamoto and Tezuka started working on ''The Legend of Zelda'' during the development of ''[[Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Bros]]''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2011-11-22 |title=The inspiration behind The Legend Of Zelda |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-inspiration-behind-the-legend-of-zelda/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=May 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501230016/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-inspiration-behind-the-legend-of-zelda/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Initially, the game did not feature an overworld. In ''[[Hyrule Historia]]'', Miyamoto said that Nintendo aimed to develop a launch title for the [[Famicom Disk System]]. An early game was initially designed to make use of the Disk System's ability to rewrite data, allowing players to create dungeons and explore other players' creations. He explained: "We made a one-player game with dungeons under mountains that surrounded Death Mountain, but we couldn't shake that "I want to play above ground, too!" feeling, so we added forests and lakes, and eventually Hyrule Field".<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia |publisher=Dark Horse |year=2013 |pages=2}}</ref>

The first specifications were drawn up on a whiteboard by Miyamoto and then copied onto a document on 1 February 1985. The document detailed early concepts for items and enemies that would later feature in the game, such as a compass, bows and arrows and a boomerang, and "Hakkai", an early name given to [[Ganon]]. This was developed into rough sketches for various items and enemies within the following two weeks. The name for the game had not yet been decided, so the title was simply labelled "Adventure". Long paper was used to create the first land map of Hyrule, which was developed by Tezuka and Miyamoto sitting side by side and drawing together.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warmoth |first=Brian |title='Legend of Zelda' Concept Art Comes Out Of Nintendo's Archives |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2460471/legend-of-zelda-concept-art-comes-out-of-nintendos-archives/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=MTV News |language=en |archive-date=April 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430095246/http://www.mtv.com/news/2460471/legend-of-zelda-concept-art-comes-out-of-nintendos-archives/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Iwata Asks - The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Spirit-Tracks/Iwata-Asks-Zelda-Handheld-History-/Bonus-1-Ancient-Documents-from-1985/Bonus-1-Ancient-Documents-from-1985-233949.html |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |language=en-GB |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311134952/https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Spirit-Tracks/Iwata-Asks-Zelda-Handheld-History-/Bonus-1-Ancient-Documents-from-1985/Bonus-1-Ancient-Documents-from-1985-233949.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Miyamoto said that the name "Hyrule" seemed like the perfect choice during a discussion to find a name for a [[High fantasy|high-fantasy]] region. In Japan, ''The Legend of Zelda'' game was released as ''The Hyrule Fantasy'', which was almost chosen as the name for the entire franchise, but was dropped after the first game. Miyamoto said this could have been due to the name being too similar to ''[[Final Fantasy (video game)|Final Fantasy]]'', which was released soon afterwards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-30 |title=The Legend Of Zelda Was Almost Called The Hyrule Fantasy |url=https://screenrant.com/legend-zelda-hyrule-fantasy-game-name/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US |archive-date=April 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425221346/https://screenrant.com/legend-zelda-hyrule-fantasy-game-name/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Legend of Zelda Developer Interview - NES Classic Edition – Official Site |url=https://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/the-legend-of-zelda-developer-interview/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=www.nintendo.com |language=en-US |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205104238/https://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/the-legend-of-zelda-developer-interview/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

The original Hyrule map was designed to encourage exploration and discovery, requiring up to several hours to navigate. The map is [[Nonlinear gameplay|nonlinear]], so players are free to choose from several unmarked paths, with just a few areas being inaccessible at the start. Miyamoto was influenced by ''[[The Black Onyx]]'' and ''[[Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness|Ultima]]'', two games that centre around fantasy [[dungeon crawling]]. The ''Zelda'' world was defined by its mazes, hidden rooms and treasures. The game's nine dungeons were designed to be difficult to locate, forcing players to uncover the secrets of the map with little help. In addition to its underworld, the Hyrule map consists of a large overworld created out of a grid structure that is much larger than can be displayed on a single screen.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Altice |first=Nathan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1r34DwAAQBAJ&dq=hyrule+concept&pg=PA172 |title=I Am Error: The Nintendo Family Computer / Entertainment System Platform |date=2017-09-08 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-53454-3 |pages=172–175 |language=en |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527055638/https://books.google.com/books?id=1r34DwAAQBAJ&dq=hyrule+concept&pg=PA172 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is 16 blocks wide and eight blocks high and comprises 128 areas. Miyamoto said that maps for the game were included in North America: "The maps included various hints, but to be honest, I thought it would be more enjoyable to play the game without any help. So we sealed the map, with a message reading 'You should only use the map and strategic tips as a last resort'". Players were required to begin their adventure in the centre of Hyrule and use instinct alone to find an old man inside a cave who gives Link a sword and declares, "[[It's dangerous to go alone!]]". While navigating Hyrule's overworld and its many dangerous enemies, players must eventually find the dungeons, which each feature various enemies, items and a [[Boss (video games)|boss]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mejia |first=Ozzie |date=21 February 2021 |title=It's Dangerous to Go Alone: 35 Years of The Legend of Zelda |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/122832/its-dangerous-to-go-alone-35-years-of-the-legend-of-zelda |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Shacknews |language=en |archive-date=June 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602144749/https://www.shacknews.com/article/122832/its-dangerous-to-go-alone-35-years-of-the-legend-of-zelda |url-status=live }}</ref>

The concept of a [[role-playing game]] was a new experience for players in the 1980s. The gameplay diverged from the fast-paced games typically found in arcades like ''Super Mario Bros'', by offering players an open world to explore, puzzles to solve and a fantasy story that centres on a protagonist embarking on an adventure to save a princess from an evil villain and bring peace to Hyrule. The new game concept caused concern with Nintendo's management. In 2003, Miyamoto stated in an interview for Superplay magazine: "I remember that we were very nervous, because ''The Legend Of Zelda'' was our first game that forced the players to think about what they should do next. We were afraid that gamers would become bored and stressed by the new concept". During the testing phase, players complained about getting lost inside the game's dungeons, but rather than making the game more simplistic, Miyamoto decided to make it more challenging by removing Link's sword at the beginning of the game and forcing players to locate it. He wanted to encourage players to communicate with each other while solving the game's puzzles.<ref name=":5" />

==== Transition to 3D ====
Hyrule continued to evolve over the course of successive games. The transition from a 2D to 3D world occurred with the release of ''[[Ocarina of Time]]'', due to the capabilities of the [[Nintendo 64]], which gave players the opportunity to experience a more realistic game environment. The 3D world was also accompanied by an expanding fictional lore that laid the foundation for other games in the series within an [[The Legend of Zelda#Fictional chronology|official fictional timeline]]. The game's dungeons were each unique and connected to a specific area of Hyrule and its inhabitants. Several recurring races, such as the Gorons, Zora and Gerudo were introduced and given a distinct history and culture.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vito Oddo |first=Marco |date=2021-06-18 |title=How Ocarina of Time Defined The Legend of Zelda Franchise |url=https://collider.com/ocarina-of-time-zelda-games-legacy/ |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Collider |language=en-US |archive-date=May 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507181114/https://collider.com/ocarina-of-time-zelda-games-legacy/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hyrule Field, an expansive open grassy area, was positioned at the centre of Hyrule, acting as a hub that connects other areas to create the illusion of a vast world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parish |first=Jeremy |date=2018-11-21 |title=Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Hyrule Field changed how we think about game worlds |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/21/18107024/zelda-ocarina-of-time-anniversary-hyrule-field |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Polygon |language=en-US |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424211004/https://www.polygon.com/2018/11/21/18107024/zelda-ocarina-of-time-anniversary-hyrule-field |url-status=live }}</ref> The game's time travel mechanic also introduced a dark version of Hyrule Kingdom, a land corrupted by Ganondorf's influence, with Hyrule Castle Town in ruins and Redead zombies as its inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oxford |first=Nadia |date=2018-11-21 |title=The Complex Legacy of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on its 20th Anniversary |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-complex-legacy-of-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-on-its-20th-anniversary |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=USgamer |language=en |archive-date=May 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504200532/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-complex-legacy-of-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-on-its-20th-anniversary |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Due to concerns about the limitations of the Nintendo 64, Miyamoto initially conceived the game taking place within a central hub in the confines of Ganon's Castle, similar to Peach's Castle in ''[[Super Mario 64]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Cork |first=Jeff |title='Iwata Asks' Takes On Ocarina Of Time [laughs] |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/29/39-iwata-asks-39-takes-on-ocarina-of-time-laughs.aspx |access-date=2022-05-05 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=April 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430152651/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/29/39-iwata-asks-39-takes-on-ocarina-of-time-laughs.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> He described ''Ocarina of Time'' as a "huge project" due to the fact that it involved making the game environment from 3D [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]] and was larger in scale than anything that he had previously worked on.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iwata Asks: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Ocarina-of-Time-3D/Vol-5-Mr-Shigeru-Miyamoto/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-224548.html |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |language=en-GB |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311135053/https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-The-Legend-of-Zelda-Ocarina-of-Time-3D/Vol-5-Mr-Shigeru-Miyamoto/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-/1-Ganon-s-Castle-as-the-Only-Setting-224548.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He said that he had approached the game by first focusing on what types of characters he wanted to include, rather than on the story or the game functions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ocarina of Time Had Mario 64-Esque Paintings Early in Development - News |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/26851/ocarina-of-time-had-mario-64-esque-paintings-early-in-development |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=Nintendo World Report |archive-date=May 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514064830/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/26851/ocarina-of-time-had-mario-64-esque-paintings-early-in-development |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Ocarina of Time'' was designed with several innovations to help the player navigate the expansive 3D world and interact with the environment. The camera system was designed to integrate with the 3D world of Hyrule, giving the player a sense of perspective and tracking the movements of Link. The game's Z-targeting system was created to provide the player with a simple way to lock on and interact with objects, characters and enemies in the game world. The game also made use of context sensitive controls by using the A button for a range of interactions, such as mounting a horse or opening a treasure chest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2018-02-21 |title=The Many Innovations of The Legend of Zelda |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-many-innovations-of-the-legend-of-zelda/ |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429192853/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-many-innovations-of-the-legend-of-zelda/ |url-status=live }}</ref> These features were landmarks for Nintendo and influenced 3D world development within the games industry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craddock |first=David |date=25 November 2016 |title=Triforce-fecta: Celebrating Zelda: A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/97839/triforce-fecta-celebrating-zelda-a-link-to-the-past-ocarina-of-time-and-twilight-princess |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=Shacknews |language=en |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515074719/https://www.shacknews.com/article/97839/triforce-fecta-celebrating-zelda-a-link-to-the-past-ocarina-of-time-and-twilight-princess |url-status=live }}</ref>

During development, the staff spent less time on developing the dungeons. According to Miyamoto: "Instead of mapping your way through a maze, I think what's more important is a sense of dread, a sense of pressure, and of course an opportunity for finding secrets and solving puzzles—we should be pursuing an emotional immediacy, the sense that you are really there".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-26 |title=Ocarina of Time – 1999 Developer Interview - shmuplations.com |url=https://shmuplations.com/ocarinaoftime/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |language=en-US |archive-date=March 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311135906/https://shmuplations.com/ocarinaoftime/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hyrule and its characters in ''Ocarina of Time'' were depicted in an art style that drifted towards Western fantasy, although Miyamoto said there was no intentional replication of cultural elements from one specific country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2011-11-21 |title=The evolution of The Legend Of Zelda's visual style |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-evolution-of-the-legend-of-zeldas-visual-style/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=June 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607132806/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-evolution-of-the-legend-of-zeldas-visual-style/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hyrule's fantasy characters were partially inspired by the American television series ''[[Twin Peaks]]''.<ref name=":0"/> In an interview, Takashi Tezuka said he had used the series as inspiration when creating ''[[Link's Awakening]]'': "After that, in ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time'' and ''The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'', all kinds of suspicious characters appeared".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Gavin |date=2019-12-26 |title=How David Lynch's Twin Peaks Influenced The Legend Of Zelda Series |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/12/feature_how_david_lynchrs_twin_peaks_influenced_the_legend_of_zelda_series |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB |archive-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419235229/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/12/feature_how_david_lynchrs_twin_peaks_influenced_the_legend_of_zelda_series |url-status=live }}</ref> Many assets and character models in the game were later reused for ''[[Majora's Mask]]'', both for stylistic purposes and to save development time.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hilliard |first=Kyle |title=Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma Talks Creating Majora's Mask And His Personal Hobbies |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/02/21/zelda-eiji-aonuma-interview.aspx |access-date=2022-05-05 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170407/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/02/21/zelda-eiji-aonuma-interview.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Open air concept ====
Producer [[Eiji Aonuma]] approached ''[[Breath of the wild|Breath of the Wild]]'' by breaking the conventions of previous games.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Peckham |first=Matt |date=15 June 2016 |title=Why Nintendo Had to Destroy Tradition to Create the New 'Zelda' |url=https://time.com/4369527/zelda-breath-wild-open-world/ |access-date=2022-05-06 |magazine=Time |language=en |archive-date=October 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009030546/https://time.com/4369527/zelda-breath-wild-open-world/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He explained that in ''Ocarina of Time'', the game world featured "routes" to help players navigate the 3D environment without getting lost, but that certain handholding and blockages had caused players to feel frustrated. By contrast, ''Breath of the Wild''<nowiki/>'s Hyrule was designed to allow the player to explore a vast world in any way they liked.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oxford |first=Nadia |date=2017-05-09 |title=Zelda: Breath of the Wild Is Tailored to Be Ocarina of Time's Opposite |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-tailored-to-be-ocarina-of-times-opposite |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=USgamer |language=en |archive-date=May 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522055820/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-tailored-to-be-ocarina-of-times-opposite |url-status=dead }}</ref> Nintendo's senior product marketing manager [[Bill Trinen]] described the game as "open air": "I look at this game and I see a world that is fully integrated into the exploration and the adventure. It's not just a world that you're passing through. It's sort of a world that you're a part of".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otero |first=Jose |date=2016-06-22 |title=Why Miyamoto Didn't Want to Call Zelda: Breath of the Wild An Open World Game |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/22/why-miyamoto-didnt-want-to-call-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-an-open-world-game |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506195547/https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/22/why-miyamoto-didnt-want-to-call-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-an-open-world-game |url-status=live }}</ref> The game world benefited from advancements in Nintendo hardware. Earlier games had been restricted by the available technology, creating the need to separate Hyrule into individual connecting areas, but the game world could now be experienced as a seamless environment. The concept of an "open air" environment began during work on ''[[The Wind Waker]]''. Aonuma said that he wanted to remove the small connecting areas of ''The Wind Waker'' and replace them with open expanses, but the world ended up feeling smaller than he intended.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Faulkner |first=Jason |date=14 March 2017 |title=Breath of the Wild's Making-Of is Full of Surprising Facts |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/99404/breath-of-the-wilds-making-of-is-full-of-surprising-facts |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=Shacknews |language=en |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506210343/https://www.shacknews.com/article/99404/breath-of-the-wilds-making-of-is-full-of-surprising-facts |url-status=live }}</ref> 

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| quote = "In ''Breath of the Wild'', the fact that the world is supported by a coherent physics engine has a major effect on the possible actions. It sounds obvious, but for example, if you push down a rock, it's going to roll according to the slope. We wanted people to be able to feel things in a "realistic" way, to break or move around big objects in the game and believe they could have had the same feeling in real life. This physically lived experience is very important".
| source = [[Eiji Aonuma]] on realism in ''[[Breath of the Wild]]'''s game world<ref>{{cite web|title=I Don't Always Agree With Shigeru Miyamoto On The Essence of Zelda, Admits Eiji Aonuma|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/i_dont_always_agree_with_shigeru_miyamoto_on_the_essence_of_zelda_admits_eiji_aonuma|website=Nintendo Life|date=January 30, 2017|access-date=May 7, 2022|archive-date=May 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507202458/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/i_dont_always_agree_with_shigeru_miyamoto_on_the_essence_of_zelda_admits_eiji_aonuma|url-status=live}}</ref>
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''Breath of the Wild'''s open world was inspired by other video games. The game's director [[Hidemaro Fujibayashi]] named ''[[Minecraft]]'' and ''[[Terraria]]'' as his inspirations for "the sense of adventure, exploration and how it inspired curiosity". Aonuma also mentioned several other games that he had played, including ''[[The Witcher (video game series)|The Witcher]]'', ''[[Far Cry]]'' and ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]''. He also cited ''[[Skyward Sword]]'' as the basis for many of the world's mechanics, such as the ability to climb and explore between areas. The development team began ''Breath of the Wild'' by working on a 2D prototype of Hyrule to test interactions between objects. This was developed into a complex physics and chemistry engine that would present a higher level of realism. The chemistry engine allowed for elements, such as fire, water and electricity to interact with each other and objects in the game world. This was designed to provide the player with a more interactive gameplay that was coined "chemical reaction play". Hyrule in ''Breath of the Wild'' was depicted using an art style that was based on the stylised visuals of ''The Wind Waker'' but developed into a more realistic, detailed style. The civilization of the Hylians was developed with a focus on their castle in the style of [[Middle Ages|medieval Europe]] to return to the roots of the series,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craddock |first=David |date=2017-03-03 |title=How Breath of the Wild Challenged Conventions in Zelda Games |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/99265/how-breath-of-the-wild-challenged-conventions-in-zelda-games |website=Shack News |language=en |access-date=May 8, 2022 |archive-date=May 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508213755/https://www.shacknews.com/article/99265/how-breath-of-the-wild-challenged-conventions-in-zelda-games |url-status=live }}</ref> while the ancient technological features of the Sheikah were inspired by the [[Jōmon period]] of Japanese history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shea |first=Cam |date=2022-02-28 |title=Breath of the Wild - 19 Fascinating Facts From The Game's Development |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-development-five-year-anniversary-fascinating-facts |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=May 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522134947/https://www.ign.com/articles/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-development-five-year-anniversary-fascinating-facts |url-status=live }}</ref>

Fujibayashi stated that the layout of Hyrule in ''[[Breath of the Wild]]'' was inspired in part by his hometown of Kyoto: "I took a map of Kyoto and overlaid it on the game world, and I tried to imagine going to places that I know in Kyoto. I'd think 'It takes this much time to get from point A to point B, so how does that translate to the game?' And that's how we started mapping out the world in ''Breath of the Wild''". The development team used landmarks in Kyoto as a way of comparing the distance between landmarks in the game world, which helped staff during the development of the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Andrew |date=2017-03-06 |title=The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's map is based on Kyoto |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/6/14827832/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-map-kyoto-japan |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=March 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307021057/http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/6/14827832/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-map-kyoto-japan |url-status=live }}</ref> This measurement of distance allowed Hyrule to be scaled up to an enormous world that appears twelve times the size of its predecessor in ''[[Twilight Princess]]''.<ref name=":6" /> 

For ''[[Tears of the Kingdom]]'', Aonuma used the same map of Hyrule as the one players experienced in ''Breath of the Wild'' to create a continuation of the same world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thier |first=Dave |title=The New Zelda Game Will Use The Same Hyrule Map As 'Breath Of The Wild' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/06/13/sequel-the-new-zelda-game-will-use-the-same-map-as-breath-of-the-wild/ |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=April 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423231832/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/06/13/sequel-the-new-zelda-game-will-use-the-same-map-as-breath-of-the-wild/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Hyrule was extensively expanded, by introducing Sky Islands to the map to place emphasis on vertical gameplay.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Shea |first=Brian |title=Interview: Tears Of The Kingdom And The State Of Zelda With Aonuma And Fujibayashi |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/interview/2023/05/12/interview-tears-of-the-kingdom-and-the-state-of-zelda-with-aonuma-and |access-date=2023-05-13 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en |archive-date=December 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228172316/https://www.gameinformer.com/interview/2023/05/12/interview-tears-of-the-kingdom-and-the-state-of-zelda-with-aonuma-and |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to its sky expansion, the game introduced the Depths, a vast pitch-black area beneath the surface of Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stedman |first=Alex |date=2023-05-12 |title=Nintendo Managed to Hold Back Tears of the Kingdom's Biggest Secret Until Launch |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-managed-to-hold-back-tears-of-the-kingdoms-biggest-secret-until-launch |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514114908/https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-managed-to-hold-back-tears-of-the-kingdoms-biggest-secret-until-launch |url-status=live }}</ref> Aonuma said the development team had learned lessons from ''Skyward Sword'', where Link was restricted by the hardware to descend from particular points. He explained that the team had wanted to create the ability to "traverse a world that's not only horizontally connected in a single world, but vertically connected as well", noting the sense of freedom the player experiences by diving into that.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hogan |first=Mike |date=2023-05-12 |title=How Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Creators Opened Up a New "Realm of Possibility" |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/05/zelda-tears-kingdom-aonuma-fujibayashi |access-date=2023-05-18 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US |archive-date=May 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512215255/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/05/zelda-tears-kingdom-aonuma-fujibayashi |url-status=live }}</ref>