Aonuma on Open World Zelda, GamePad Map

An interview with Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma sees the famed game designer comment about the open-world nature of the game.

The new game, currently on track for a 2015 release on Wii U, is boasting an "open world" for players to explore. However, Aonuma has been keen to clarify what that term actually means. Having broached the topic of "open world" in previous interviews, he expanded on past comments by noting how the scale of the world is dependent on what "can be realised with the hardware." 

"When I first showed off the new Zelda game on the Wii U, it seemed everyone was very excited and started proclaiming that a Zelda game had at last become open world! Zelda games have always allowed you to roam and explore a huge world.

Aonuma explained that the main difference in the new Wii U game is that it's a case of being able to "explore this vast world seamlessly", and how the "underpinning" of the adventure "hasn't changed."

As for the GamePad itself, Aonuma likened the device to that of holding a smartphone and using a map when "walking in a place I'm not familiar with." It seems that might be one of the approaches the team takes with the new Wii U game.

What do you think of the adventure so far?