The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most critically acclaimed games ever made, so it's no surprise that players are hungry for more content. Later this week, Nintendo will release a DLC package called The Master Trials, and it's set to feature a piece of equipment inspired by a character from the series' past.

The mischievous Midna debuted in Twilight Princess, and in preparation for her helmet being added to Breath of the Wild, Nintendo has published some new interviews detailing the inspiration behind the character. As it turns out, she was originally conceived as part of a mysterious project that never saw the light of day.

Breath of the Wild art director Satoru Takizawa notes that Midna's design actually came from a project that was being developed well ahead of Twilight Princess. When production shifted toward the game that actually saw release, Midna was one of a handful of elements that survived.

"Looking back at the development notes from that time, there are some descriptions left on the notes clearly reminiscent of Midna," said Takizawa. "Including 'the appearance looks like a monster or a child,' 'can't tell if she's enemy or ally,' 'can't really tell what she's thinking,' 'sometimes selfish, but sometimes cute and naïve.'"

Takizawa doesn't say it outright, but it seems reasonable to assume that the project in question was the direct sequel to The Wind Waker that was eventually cancelled in favor of Twilight Princess. The artist himself has spoken about this game in the past, and the timeline certainly lines up.

The complexities of game development mean that many ideas and concepts will inevitably be reused. However, it's pretty fascinating to think about the links between Twilight Princess and the cancelled Wind Waker sequel, given the major differences between those two projects.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available now for the Nintendo Switch. The Master Trials DLC is scheduled to launch on June 30, 2017.

Source: Eurogamer