The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has sat down with IGN to discuss the Zelda series. Aonuma talks about a range of things including working with other developers, adding complexity to the game, and how the tutorial process in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword worked. Here’s a few choice extracts from the interview:

“I’m not really opposed to adding more complexity to Zelda,” Aonuma told us. “However, I don’t think Zelda needs complicated elements that have to be mastered before a player can enjoy the core of the game’s appeal. I think Zelda should be a game that is simple but that also has enough depth and variety to enable players to continue to make new discoveries.”

“The tutorial process in [Skyward Sword] wasn’t designed with the specific goal of educating new players. The process was designed to let the player become familiar with the world of Skyloft and to communicate with its residents,” Aonuma told us. “After the tutorial process, Zelda disappears and Link has to descend by himself to the unexplored surface world. The intent of the tutorial is to give players a strong connection to Skyloft, which is Link’s home, and to Zelda.”

“Nintendo’s developers will continue to work on a number of different titles, and I think that we will have to rely on outside companies for graphics and other elements that require massive resources,” Aonuma said, specifically addressing the idea of future partnerships. “I’m satisfied when the cooperation between Nintendo and other companies becomes something meaningful for both parties.”