What Could The Legend of Zelda Borrow from Xenoblade Chronicles?

Xenoblade Chronicles is yet another great series published by Nintendo. Since Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition launched on the Nintendo Switch system March 20, 2025, let’s take a look at certain elements that The Legend of Zelda could potentially borrow in future entries!

First of all… What do the franchises have most in common?

Both The Legend of Zelda and Xenoblade Chronicles instil a sense of grand adventure, deep world-building, and real-time combat mechanics that set them apart from traditional turn-based RPGs.

Both series place a strong emphasis on exploration, with vast open landscapes filled with secrets, enemies, and lore waiting to be uncovered. Xenoblade Chronicles echoes Zelda’s focus on a protagonist wielding a legendary weapon, both of which are key to overcoming powerful foes and unlocking the mysteries of their respective worlds.

Additionally, both series’ gameplay feature real-time combat that requires strategic positioning and timing, whether it’s executing combos in Xenoblade Chronicles or dodging and counterattacking in Breath of the Wild. The narratives often revolve around ancient prophecies, divine intervention, and the clash between organic life and otherworldly forces.

Xenoblade Chronicles’ party system is a pretty cool setup

The party system in Xenoblade Chronicles sees players control a party of three characters, offering strategic flexibility in combat. Each character brings unique skills to the battlefield, allowing for a variety of playstyles and tactics. Whether favoring offense, defense, or support roles, the party system encourages players to experiment with different combinations to optimize their approach to battles. Since positioning, Chain Attacks, and Skill Links all play a crucial role, carefully selecting party members based on their abilities and affinities can make a significant difference in both regular encounters and boss fights.

Of course, we’ve seen this kind of setup in some Legend of Zelda entries before, namely, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, where the player can choose from a selection of up to four characters at a time to fight across the battlefield simultaneously. This could similarly be done in the Definitive Edition of the original Hyrule Warriors.

However, the Hyrule Warriors games are more of a hack-and-slash as opposed to a fully-fledged main entry in the series.

This aspect of gameplay could lead to interesting new developments in a main Zelda title

Recently, Echoes of Wisdom has signified a different approach to traditional franchise choices regarding the main character. The choice was refreshing, met with positive reviews, and has opened up a possibility for the main character – apart from Link or Zelda – to be the hero.

Having more characters to work with in a main entry would sure be an interesting approach for the franchise. It took a while for the main protagonist to be someone else other than Link, so it’s likely a pipe dream that players would be able to enjoy a Legend of Zelda party. But even having a different playable character as an option alongside Link or Zelda could breathe fresh air into the classic storylines.

A diverse roster of playable characters in Xenoblade Chronicles enriches its storytelling by offering multiple perspectives, personal motivations, and evolving relationships that the player can really dive into. One of the game’s strengths is the sheer depth of customization available to players. Each character has a unique skill tree, allowing for different playstyles and synergy within the party, and they all bring their own struggles, histories, and ambitions, adding layers of depth to the overarching narrative.

Through party interactions, Heart-to-Hearts, and Affinity-driven dialogue, players witness dynamic character development that extends beyond the main protagonist’s journey. This interconnected storytelling allows for emotional investment in the entire cast, making their victories, conflicts, and growth feel personal.

What comes after that?

Who knows? But The Legend of Zelda has only just begun, and there are many possibilities it is yet to explore.