It happened to Mario. Happened to Zelda, twice in a row. Happened to DK. This Metroid did it as an empty hub area with extremely linear levels. Happened to Sonic. Happened to Mario Kart. Almost happened to Kirby...
It didn’t happen to Mario. Odyssey’s levels were designed like a cross between SM64 and Banjo-Kazooie. Large and non-linear, but not connected together in an open world space. Bowser’s Fury is as close to open world* as it got for Mario in the last 10 years (open world as in all the levels exist in one space, but you linearly progress through that world and are gated by the number of collected stars).
We’re talking about BotW open worlds, so of course Zelda is currently open world. The series was naturally going to progress to this point anyway. And honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t mention Pokemon, but again, Pokemon was naturally going to reach this point anyway.
It didn’t happen with DK. Bananza’s design is the same as Mario Odyssey in that the levels are large, but designed to be moved through a certain way and not a part of a larger open space.
Metroid Prime 4’s Sol Valley is a hub world through and through. If we are calling hub worlds open worlds then I guess many 3D platformers and shooters from the 90s are open world too.
Sonic isn’t Nintendo and Kirby hasn’t done open world, so I don’t know what you’re talking about there.
Why do you think they added a massive open area to a game that is normally corridors? Its not like it was something they really really wanted to do but could realize on the Gamecube/Wii. It's obvious Nintendo wanted a big open area LIKE an open world because they think it will make the game sell better. I don't think Retro pitched picking up green crystals and Nintendo jumped over the table to give them money.
Yes, it's not exactly the same as BOTW's open world. But that doesn't mean it's not tacked on and wasn't done because "it worked for Zelda". You're just missing the point.
My thoughts on why Sol Valley exists is to make the space between levels feel more natural so you don’t have the weird juxtaposition of a stormy place next to a calm and serene forest next to basically Siberia, next to an active volcano. You’re reaching too hard to make this some nefarious plot to ruin your favorite games by making it BotW. I’m am definitely not saying it was executed well, but you don’t have to say it’s something it isn’t to hate it.