Zelda games tend to follow a familiar path: gain an item, use it to navigate a dungeon, then use it to beat the boss. Sometimes it would help unlock the path to the next dungeon as well. But the upcoming Link Between Worlds is taking an entirely different tactic, in an attempt to freshen up the formula.

During a Nintendo Direct presentation today, president Satoru Iwata explained that you'll be able to take on dungeons in any order. A shopkeeper name Ravio will offer most of the in-game items near the beginning of the game, first to rent and eventually to buy. You'll be able to pick which item you want to purchase based on which dungeon you want to tackle next. So rather than being granted the tools conveniently inside the dungeon they're most suited for, it sounds like you'll be exploring to find which tools are needed and then going to purchase them.

A screenshot of the shop (above) shows off several of the items that will be available for purchase. They include some mainstays like the bow and the hookshot, alongside what appear to be returns of unique items like the two canes and hammer from A Link to the Past.

"The order you approach each dungeon and the way you do so is up to you. To a large degree, the player can decide how to progress through the story," Iwata said. "I hope you enjoy the flexibility provided by this unique Zelda adventure."