The Adventures of Elliot producer comments on Zelda comparisons

Since its reveal, The Adventures of Elliot: Millennium Tales, which launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 17, has often been compared to the Legend of Zelda series, especially the top-down entries, largely due to similarities in its gameplay style.

In an interview with JP Games, producer Naofumi Matsushita addressed those comparisons with a neutral reaction, while also revealing that the game’s true inspiration actually comes from the Mana series, more specifically, the Game Boy classic Final Fantasy Adventure.

Matsushita explained that he doesn’t see the Zelda comparisons as either positive or negative. Instead, he appreciates the feedback with an open mind and hopes more players will continue learning about what makes the game unique.

Check out the full translated response below:

Shrines, action-packed battles, a top-down perspective, classic dungeons and puzzles, a fairy companion… You certainly didn’t aim for it intentionally, but there are comparisons to famous titles in the genre. Do you welcome this challenge, or do you find such comparisons misplaced?

Naofumi Matsushita: As I mentioned earlier, the gameplay feel we were aiming for was inspired by the Mana series, particularly the Game Boy version of Final Fantasy Adventure so I hope players will be able to experience the unique kind of enjoyment that has grown out of that foundation. At the same time, I think players are free to share whatever impressions they have, including saying that the game reminds them of other titles. From our perspective, we don’t view those comments as either positive or negative. We’re simply grateful to receive all feedback with an open and neutral mindset. Above all, we hope as many people as possible will try the game for themselves, and we look forward to hearing a wide variety of impressions.

The Adventures of Elliot: Millennium Tales launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 17, and in case you missed it, the new Square Enix title recently received a brand new demo, which you can check out in more detail here.