Some of the most iconic moments in The Legend of Zelda's history take place in the games' dungeons and temples. These sprawling, labyrinthian areas have drawn inspiration from all sorts of different things over the course of the series but a common well the games have continually returned to is the theme of different elements. Elemental-themed areas such as the Earth Temple, the Temple of Time, and even Ocarina of Time's infamous Water Temple have all provided some of the best backdrops in the series' history, but there are still a number of elements that the games have yet to base a temple around.
Fresh elemental temple ideas are needed in The Legend of Zelda for a number of reasons, but none more important than the fact that the games have beaten the more basic elements to death at this point. For example, a Fire Temple appeared not only in Ocarina of Time, but also Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. And while Ocarina of Time might be home to the series' only official Water Temple, a water or ice-themed dungeon seems to pop up in each and every one of Link's adventures. Earth-themed areas are similarly common, with an official Earth Temple in both Wind Waker and Skyward Sword, and other earth-based dungeons appearing in multiple other entries in the series.
The Legend of Zelda franchise featured some fantastic dungeons over the years, but it's clear that it still desperately needs fresh elemental-oriented ideas. Breath of the Wild took a step away from the traditional dungeon/temple system in general, but if the series ever decides to go back in that direction, the following are elements that could all make for fresh and exciting temples.
It's surprising that the Zelda series has yet to incorporate some sort of Thunder/Lightning Temple, as this seems like it might be an obvious choice. A massive, towering temple set to the backdrop of pouring rain and roaring thunder seems like it would be right at home with other elemental environs the series has used, and it could easily incorporate clever gameplay mechanics, such as Link being forced to dodge lightning strikes or using the sound of roaring thunder to guide him through dark areas. A temple like this makes even more sense after Breath of the Wild put such an emphasis on lightning storms and other environmental elements, even using them as part of a questline and shrine. As long as it doesn't utilize BOTW's frustrating slippery-grip rain penalty concept, exploring a larger temple such as this could be a lot of fun.
Additionally, the series has used so many electricity-themed enemies and weapons over the years that filling a themed dungeon wouldn't even require coming up with that many fresh ideas. Breath of the Wild featured both a Lightning Rod and Thunderstorm Rod which would be natural choices for items the player could obtain in this area. Filling the temple with enemies would be an even easier ask for the developers, as they could feature series staples such as Electric Wizzrobes, Electric Keese, and Electric Chuchus.
To be fair, The Legend of Zelda has done a number of dungeons based around the sky or wind over the years, but its yet to do an official Air Temple. A temple such as this might struggle to differentiate itself from some other aerial-based dungeons in the series, but there are still interesting angles that could be possible. For one, many of the games' trademark items could play into a temple such as this in a natural way; puzzles based around redirecting gusts of wind with an item such as the Deku Leaf could provide a challenging puzzle perfectly in line with other Zelda dungeons, or players could use wind instruments to manipulate the environment. Even changes in air pressure and density at different elevations could play a role.
But perhaps most exciting could be the unprecedented level of verticality an Air Temple could provide. One of the more impressive moments from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was stepping out of the upper levels of The Tower of Gods and seeing the ocean stretch out around the player for miles. An Air Temple could provide something just as breathtaking by having Link scale to the top of a similarly massive tower and enjoy an even more visually impressive view thanks to the more powerful capabilities of the Nintendo Switch. Breath of the Wild 2's new trailer seemed to put more of an emphasis than ever on the sky, which means it would be the perfect game to finally introduce an official Air Temple.
Basing an entire temple around the element of force would certainly be a concept out of left field for the Zelda franchise, but it's an idea that has the potential to provide some truly unique concepts when compared to other temples the series has used. For one, many of its puzzles could be based around the concept of having to move objects with the proper amount of force. Hitting objects with different weapons could cause varying amounts of force to be applied, which could in turn affect how far the items are moved. Perhaps the player would be given a classic Zelda item such as the Megaton Hammer or the Skull Hammer, which would be needed to apply the maximum level of force to the temple's obstacles, thus giving the player the means to fully solve all its puzzles.
The element of force could be similarly applied to the temple's enemies, with behemoth creatures designed to inflict huge damage to Link if he isn't careful. The only part of this concept that would be difficult to implement would be the overall aesthetic of the area, as force isn't quite as vivid an element as something like water or fire generally is. However, a large temple with a mostly metallic or even futuristic design would fit within the general theme, while also providing a unique look that has never been seen in the series. It might be unorthodox, but a Force Temple has the potential to be one of the most unique dungeons in The Legend of Zelda's history.
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