There’s been talk of the next Wii Zelda title taking the series in a new direction. Some patents hinted at a hint system and drop in-drop out style of gameplay that would make the game more casual-friendly. In the lastest issue of Nintendo Power Shigeru Miyamoto said that this next game won’t be the one to take things in a new direction: “I don’t think it’s going to be that radically different.”

I’m guessing that any Zelda game which would be a radical departure from the standard formula will be developed separately from a standard Zelda title. While Mario games have benefitted from variety and changing gameplay experiences, the Zelda series has kept fans by keeping to its roots, requiring exploration and puzzle solving to advance. Nintendo relies heavily on their first party titles featuring their flagship characters and releasing a Zelda title that could potentially alienate fans is a big risk. They’ll likely release a fan-appeasing title before venturing forth with something different.