Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has admitted that The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds has presented a challenge in keeping fans of the original happy while avoiding alienating newcomers.
During an interview with Edge, Zelda producer Elji Aonuma admitted there is concern when making a sequel to A Link to the Past with regards to fan expectations.
"Fans of the original game have a lot of fond memories," he says, "and when we announced this sequel I know that some were dubious about the idea of us adding to that game's lore."
He explains that the challenge lies in finding out exactly what it was in the original that people loved, and respecting it.
"It's been a big point of discussion among the staff - how much fan service to give without blowing it. We've been thinking about how to make the new one in a way that will excite the fans without alienating people who haven't played the original. We're paying close attention to that."
When asked about returning to the world of A Link to the Past some 22 years later, Aonuma said, "it was the first game I played that opened up my eyes to all the things a videogame can be. It's the game that inspired me to make games.
"When the 3DS came along, I thought it would be cool to make a 2D-style Zelda game that you could play in 3D - it seemed like a challenge. I thought it might be interesting to combine a side-on view with the top-down view of A Link To The Past. So we arrived at the idea of making a new game set in the existing world of A Link To The Past."
Aonuma says that, above all else, "the main thing I wanted to get back to was the jaunty tempo of a top-down game. In a 2D Zelda game, you can zip through the stage at a faster pace, which brings the action to the fore. I wanted players to revisit that style."
A Link to the Past 2 was renamed A Link Between Worlds during this year's E3, with a new trailer, and a confirmed release for November.
During an interview earlier this month, Anouma tells us to expect a new art style and necessary changes when Zelda hits the Wii U.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...ing-newcomers/