Discover the 3D Zelda Maker You’ve Been Waiting for on Steam!

After Super Mario Maker, it seemed like Nintendo might extend a similar DIY approach to its other classic franchises. However, since that hasn’t happened, other developers are stepping in to fill the gap. So far, this has primarily resulted in 2D creation tools that let players design levels inspired by The Legend of Zelda with a Super NES vibe. But one developer is taking the concept into the 3D realm.

Temple Maker 64 is the brainchild of Akela-morse, a solo developer who left his job a year and a half ago to pursue this vision full-time. In a conversation, the 27-year-old shared that the idea sparked after he encountered games like Quest Master, Super Dungeon Maker, and Super Dungeon Designer. He felt that adopting a N64 aesthetic was a natural fit since all those titles are top-down 2D pixel art games.

This level design suite equips players with all the classic weapons, items, and enemies you’d expect from a 3D Zelda game like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. However, Temple Maker 64 is careful to avoid using any names associated with Nintendo. The protagonist, while reminiscent of Link, has a design that stands on its own. This careful approach might help Temple Maker 64 attract an audience, especially since other high-profile attempts to create similar experiences, like a dungeon-making party game, have struggled despite offering robust level design and community-sharing features.

The challenge isn’t in gameplay mechanics; it’s that players often prefer to create games featuring characters they feel a connection to. Titles like Super Mario Maker and its sequel tend to thrive because players come in with a deep understanding of the series, which informs their level design. While crafting a level isn’t easy, most players have a grasp of how a Zelda dungeon operates.

For instance, although Temple Maker 64 isn’t released yet, play testers are already diving in. Akela-morse recently shared a video where one tester crafted a Zelda-style Kaizo level. Kaizo levels, known for their extreme difficulty in Super Mario, require precise platforming skills. Similarly, Kaizo Zelda levels demand mastery of movements like rolls, backflips, and side hops, along with a solid understanding of how these actions interact with the game world. In a brief 33-second clip, the tester demonstrates advanced techniques that many players would find challenging.

Akela-morse aims to launch a demo for Steam players soon and has ambitious plans for the full version. Key features like comments, tagging, and lists are high on the priority list. The developer is also considering a single-player campaign and collaborating with other developers inspired by Zelda to create maps for the game.

For all these plans to materialize, Temple Maker 64 needs to be released. Nintendo is known for being protective of its intellectual property, but Akela-morse remains optimistic.

“Nintendo is aggressive about people using IPs, assets, or code they don’t own,” the developer noted. “They also try to patent game mechanics, but those patents are often either rejected or accepted in such a specific way that they’re rarely enforced. I’m steering clear of that. Legally, there’s not much they can do but watch.”

While Akela-morse hopes for success with this project, he’s also realistic about the odds. To diversify his efforts, he’s working on another project called Seed of Life, which seems to draw inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Regardless of the outcome, he plans to release the framework for Temple Maker 64 as an open-source project to assist others in creating their own games.

The developer is prepared to return to a traditional job if things don’t pan out, but he’s excited to see where this journey leads. The enduring legacy of Zelda is nothing short of remarkable.