After first being teased at E3 2019, with out an official title, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is out now for the Nintendo Swap. As a sequel to the critically and commercially acclaimed Breath of the Wild, which reimagined the fashionable open-world formulation, it introduces a number of new mechanics to the established formulation. Contemplating how nicely its predecessor holds up, what are a few of the greatest variations followers can look ahead to within the sequel? Let’s take a look at 16 of them right here.
Hyrule Adjustments and Sky Islands
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launched us to a model new model of Hyrule, one the place gamers may go wherever and climb absolutely anything. Most of the sequence’ acquainted races, just like the Zora, Goron, Rito, and Gerudo, seem together with the Hylians.
Although Tears of the Kingdom takes place in the identical Hyrule, it’s after the primary recreation’s occasions and sees Hyperlink investigating a wierd new gloom. The world has modified, from the Sky Islands showing over the floor to adjustments in acquainted places. Gamers start their journey on the Sky Islands and judging by the screenshots and gameplay shared to this point, you’ll be skydiving so much.
Weapon Sturdiness
One of many extra divisive mechanics in Breath of the Wild revolved round weapon sturdiness. Other than the Grasp Sword, which “recharges” after a while, each weapon may break with sufficient utilization. In Tears of the Kingdom, weapon sturdiness remains to be a factor, however now you can use Fuse to mitigate a few of it. Fuse allows you to mix gadgets with weapons, making a sword on a stick for further vary, Keese Eyes on arrows for monitoring, and many others. Not solely does this reinforce weapons, making them extra sturdy, however will increase their harm.
Traversal Strategies
The primary recreation gave you fairly just a few choices for traversal. You would use horses as mounts, slide down a slope in your defend, and use the Paraglider. Different strategies included Stasis on a boulder, hitting it sufficient instances for momentum, after which leaping on prime to go flying. That final one appears up for debate since Stasis doesn’t look to be in Tears of the Kingdom (barring some huge twist).
Nonetheless, gamers can mix totally different objects to create autos, bridges, and extra, courtesy of the Ultrahand means. You’ll be able to craft gliders, hot-air balloons, and extra to journey round. There’s additionally Ascend, which permits for passing by means of the ceiling of an space and rising into the area above. It has loads of potential for puzzle-solving, and from what we’ve seen to this point, it helps save stamina when climbing rocks. After all, you continue to have mounts and the Paraglider for getting round, so don’t fear.
Recall
One other fascinating new means within the sequel is Recall. Whereas Stasis in Breath of the Wild permits gamers to freeze an object in place, Recall rewinds the trail of an object. So if rocks fall from the sky, you possibly can solid Recall and hop on to trip them again up, as seen within the 10-minute gameplay preview with sequence producer Eiji Aonuma. It’s additionally an awesome defensive software – if an enemy chucks a boulder at Hyperlink, use Recall to ship it again at them.
Cities and Settlements
The primary recreation had its fair proportion of cities and settlements, together with acquainted hubs of exercise like Kakariko Village and Hateno Village. Whereas it’s unknown how locations like Gerudo City, Goron Metropolis, Rito Village and Zora’s Area have modified in Tears of the Kingdom, a current trailer has proven Hateno, which appears totally different from earlier than. Nintendo additionally confirmed on the sport’s official web page that new cities have emerged, so there shall be new havens to hunt shelter in.
Aspect Quests and Actions
We don’t know a lot about all the brand new quests and actions in Tears of the Kingdom. Nonetheless, Koroks return, and one such aspect quest sees gamers attempting to reunite a Korok with their buddy as an alternative of merely discovering them within the setting. It additionally appears potential for settlements to face assaults, with Hyperlink using across the battlefield to help characters in opposition to monsters. You’ll be able to even pull carts with horses and ferry NPCs to totally different locations. These weren’t in Breath of the Wild, and we will’t wait to see what else is in retailer.
Skyview Towers vs Sheikah Towers
Breath of the Wild’s Sheikah Towers had been noteworthy components of the panorama, not simply because they offered fascinating platforming challenges but in addition for unlocking that area on the map. In addition they wouldn’t bathe you in icons to discover a lot as present vantage factors to scope out the terrain and paraglide off of. The Towers are seemingly absent in Tears of the Kingdom, however current previews have showcased a Skyview Tower. Enemies guard it on the floor degree, however there appears to be an elevator that takes you up. Nonetheless, its operate is unknown at this level.
Caves and Chasms
Along with new settlements, Skyview Towers and altered places in Tears of the Kingdom, Hyperlink can even enterprise into caves and discover chasms which have all of the sudden sprung up by means of Hyrule. Nintendo didn’t present too many particulars on the latter, but it surely’s an fascinating new addition to the world in comparison with Breath of the Wild. There are undoubtedly some new secrets and techniques and threats that await inside.
Monster Forts
All through Hyrule, monsters would arrange camps that Hyperlink may clear for crafting supplies, weapons and meals. They had been fairly easy, however in Tears of the Kingdom, the Bokoblins have just a few upgrades. The third official trailer showcases a Bokoblin camp with a tool that fires lasers outward whereas spinning (which Hyperlink can set off). It additionally sees them establishing a rudimentary base on prime of a Stone Talus, readying to battle Hyperlink on his shuffling contraption.
Constructs vs Guardians
One of many new enemy varieties in Tears of the Kingdom is the Constructs, mechanical beings that appear considerably akin to the Guardians from Breath of the Wild. Whereas they will additionally wield a number of weapons without delay, maybe their most original means can also be with the ability to wield fused weapons. Slaying them additionally grants supplies for acquiring new Zonai Units, whereas the Guardians’ supplies can craft highly effective weapons, armor and arrows.
New Bosses
As beforehand famous, the Stone Talus returns in Tears of the Kingdom, encountered on the earth as a separate boss. Nonetheless, we have now seen different huge enemies that might be bosses. A big Assemble fabricated from blocks is seen in the identical trailer, whereas a fair bigger, mech-like Assemble may be seen within the third (although it’s unconfirmed if that is really a boss). There’s additionally this huge three-head hydra-like boss with hearth current on the earth.
New Beasts (?)
The trailers for Tears of the Kingdom have additionally showcased some huge creatures, not in contrast to the Beasts from Breath of the Wild. We see Hyperlink and a brand new Rito character in what appears to be a twister whereas a large centipede-like monster emerges from beneath them. Are they model new Beasts or simply new bosses that Hyperlink should defeat? Does this imply that we’ll encounter new Dungeons, and the way will they work within the bigger context of the world? Will they be elective, like in Breath of the Wild? As at all times, time will inform.
Zonai Units
As famous in current previews for Tears of the Kingdom, gamers can acquire Zonai Costs from defeating Constructs. By inserting these in dispensers, they will internet Zonai components in little capsules, which may be deployed to assemble issues at any time. Sure, it’s gacha, however extra of the enjoyable sort, as an alternative of the “lose your life financial savings” sort. There was no such gacha in Breath of the Wild, so rating one for the sequel (we expect).
Ganondorf vs Calamity Ganon
The third trailer for Tears of the Kingdom basically confirmed what many had suspected – that someway, a way, Ganondorf has returned, voiced by Matthew Mercer of Overwatch and Baldur’s Gate 3 fame. Not Calamity Ganon, who plagued Hyrule in Breath of the Wild however Ganondorf, within the flesh. He has a bizarre means that engulfed Hyperlink’s arm, however the full extent of his powers is unknown.
$70 versus $60
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a $70 title, the primary from Nintendo’s first-party builders within the Swap period (and perhaps earlier ones). Breath of the Wild retailed for $60, but it surely didn’t appear all that stunning contemplating PlayStation and Xbox have embraced the identical pricing construction. Nonetheless, Nintendo assured that recreation costs had been decided on a “case-by-case foundation” and that this isn’t the development for all its titles. Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser additionally felt that the value mirrored “the kind of expertise followers can count on,” and that it could be “extremely full” and “deeply immersive.” So there’s that.
File Dimension
When the Nintendo eShop itemizing for Tears of the Kingdom first went dwell, it was revealed to be a whopping 18.2 GB, the largest of any first-party launch on the Nintendo Swap. It then up to date to 16.3 GB, which is smaller, however nonetheless greater than The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is 14.4 GB. Both method, it’s trying to be a large expertise.
