The wait is nearly over for patient fans ofThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomas it approaches its upcoming release. From Nintendo’s gorgeous trailer and gameplay demos to the leaks and data mines of the internet, fans have been up to their ears these past several weeks with information aboutZelda: Tears of the Kingdom.The anticipated sequel is jam-packed with features both old and new for the beloved series.
Players return to the Hyrule they came to love inBreath of the Wild, but with a significant twist. The land has broken apart, and players are presented with a multitude of islands in the sky as well as several mysterious caverns below, all ripe for exploration. Link must unlock new abilities, master new mechanics, and battle through hordes of enemies to overcome thereturn of Ganondorf inTears of the Kingdomand restore the land of Hyrule to its former glory. While most of this information has been outright confirmed by Nintendo, others were discovered in leaks and datamines. This means some of this information may not be entirely accurate, but it does all seem legit.
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All Confirmed Features for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s New Hyrule
When the sequel toZelda: Breath of the Wildwas first announced, some fans were concerned that they would find themselves in a carbon copy of the same overworld. Those fears were quickly put to rest when Nintendo dropped its final trailer for the game. Not only will players be able to explore a new, shaken-up version ofHyrule in Zelda:Tears of the Kingdom, but they’ll be able to explore sky islands above and winding caverns below that appear to be just as sprawling as the overworld. All of these areas will be inhabited by enemies old and new ready to give players a challenging new experience.
Players will still be able to find familiarity in several corners of Hyrule, including memorable ruins, mountains, and other major landmarks.Villages have progressed since players last visited them inZelda: Breath of the Wildand might be found thriving with new energy or devastated by the changes to the landscape. New Ancient Shrines have appeared after the changes to Hyrule, and newly unearthed dungeons hold secrets waiting to be discovered.
Link’s New Abilities in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
As if Hyrule hasn’t been transformed enough,Link’s new powers inZelda: Tears of the Kingdomallow players to interact with the environment in even more creative ways. Rocket cars, flamethrower effigies, and extra-long pitchforks are just a few of the ways fans have been able to experiment with their new abilities during a handful of preview events. Link can also saddle up his favorite horse fromZelda: Breath of the Wildand attach carts or any other mobile inventions.
Link no longer has access to theSheikah Slate inZelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and now harnesses the power of his fancy new glowing arm. Players that enjoyed pushing the world’s physics to their limits will enjoy their new abilities to fuse, move, and reverse the momentum of the many objects around them. Link will reportedly gain additional powers to help solve the game’s new dungeons and can take them out into the world, too, upon defeating the dungeon’s boss.
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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s QOL Updates
With all the excitingnew content inZelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it’s easy to miss some of the quality-of-life improvements to the player’s experience in Hyrule afterBreath of the Wild. Menus and item selection have been streamlined and become easier to access; a quick hold of the R Button brings up a wheel of all of Link’s abilities instead of having to scroll left and right to find one. In what may come as a very welcome change for players, Flurry Rush and “Bullet Time” no longer drain stamina until the player has performed an action, giving them more time to make calculated decisions. Recipe cards come as an additional exciting update, allowing the player to save successful recipes without repeatedly opening the notes app on their phone.
Customization in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Link maintains his status as a fashion icon as several armor sets fromBreath of the Wildreturn inTears of the Kingdomincluding the Champion’s Tunic, Hylian Hood, Soldier’s Armor, Snowquill Set, and Flamebreaker Armor. The latest trailer also teased fans with glimpses of armor covered in ice spikes, a feathered paraglider suit, and armor matching the aesthetic of the mysterious Zonai characters. In addition, players will once again be able to create dye to color their armor.Amiibo functionality returns inZelda: Tears of the Kingdomas well to provide players with special customization options for their armor and paraglider. However, the full extent of the Amiibo support won’t be seen until the game is released.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleases May 12 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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