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(Image: Nintendo)

Is the hookshot returning for Breath of the Wild 2?

Announced at the end of the E3 Nintendo Direct, Breath of the Wild 2 (working title) surprised fans, many of whom were not expecting news of a BOTW sequel in a presentation that showcased two other Zelda games. Naturally, the reveal has raised questions about what the sequel may include.

BOTW introduced an open-world dynamic that allowed players to do whatever they wanted in any order they wanted. Almost every Zelda game prior to the release of BOTW followed a more linear path, with set key items to obtain and a series of dungeons to complete in a specific order.

Speaking of items, the BOTW2 announcement has fans of the series wondering if the hookshot (a beloved item in the franchise) will be making a reappearance. We may have only received a short announcement trailer for the upcoming sequel, but fans think it’s possible that we’ll be seeing the hookshot again, potentially used in a brand-new style.

During the BOTW2 trailer, an undead Ganondorf seems to be in the process of escaping his confines but, before he can attack Link, a green glowing arm, which was previously containing Ganondorf, now seems to save Link from him. Fans are speculating that this arm may be a new form of magical hookshot.

Back in 2017 BOTW Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi revealed that the hookshot was actually considered to be a part of the original BOTW game, stating in an interview with IGN that:

‘In the early stages of development, we did actually do some tests with double hookshots and just being able to kind of go anywhere.’

Of course, with Link being able to traverse most environments simply by climbing them, it’s perhaps clear why this idea was eventually considered superfluous. Could we see the hookshot return in the sequel, however? Only time (and hopefully more trailers) will tell.

(Image: Nintendo)

More dungeon builder info for Link’s Awakening

Staying with Zelda, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (a Switch remake of the 1993 Game Boy game by the same name) officially contains a dungeon builder, a mechanic akin to the level builder in Super Mario Maker but somewhat more limited.

Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma recently shared more details about this aspect of gameplay, stating on Nintendo’s own website:

‘After completing a dungeon in the main adventure, you’ll earn rooms from that dungeon known as Chambers that you can rearrange to form a new Chamber Dungeon. Dampé will also task you with arranging dungeons that fit specific criteria too.’

Chamber Dungeon custodian Dampé is a gravedigger who first appeared in Ocarina of Time, taking players on his patented ‘Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour’ before returning as a spirit to award you with the hookshot later in the game. Armed with his trusty shovel, Dampé seems like the perfect candidate to construct and rearrange the player’s Chamber Dungeons. But what kind of challenges will he offer?

Eiji Aonuma went on to say that the Chamber Dungeon feature would be kept ‘simple’ and would be a ‘puzzle-solving experience where players can discover and complete the dungeon they arranged themselves.’

The introduction of these Chamber Dungeons promises to provide players with enjoyment outside of the main campaign as they revisit memorable sections of Link’s Awakening’s famous world.

(Image: Giant Sparrow)

What Remains of Edith Finch coming to Switch

It’s not just Zelda news from Nintendo this week though, as critically acclaimed indie game What Remains of Edith Finch has been listed on the Japanese Switch eShop. According to the listing, What Remains of Edith Finch is set to release next week, on July the 4th.

For those who aren’t familiar with Giant Sparrow's award-winning masterpiece, What Remains of Edith Finch is a 3D walking simulator which sees the central character, Edith Finch, returning to her family home to learn the secrets of her family and that curse that plagues them.

In 2018 What Remains of Edith Finch won the BAFTA for Best Game and has won many other awards at various ceremonies including Best Narrative, Best Indie Game and Best Original Adventure. In theory, its gameplay style (essentially a sequence of short stories) is a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch and the game is widely expected to have a £15 - £20 price point when it releases.

That’s your roundup of big Nintendo News this week. Stay tuned to Daily Star Gaming for more Nintendo announcements as they come!