The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for Nintendo Switch

Nintendo’s outstanding sequel to one of the best games on the Switch

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the long-awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed Breath of the Wild. Nintendo’s open-world action-adventure Switch exclusive puts us once again in the shoes of Link for an epic quest through the land and skies of Hyrule. With a damaged Master Sword and new abilities, our silent hero will have to aid Princess Zelda by facing a powerful new adversary controlling the forces of Malice. However, as usual, saving the Kingdom won’t be an easy task. With a map almost three times larger than its predecessor and improved gameplay, TotK revamps all features that made BotW revolutionary, bringing us what could be one of the best games of 2023.

The Upheaval is coming

Tears of the Kingdom  takes place following the events of Breath of the Wild. After the defeat of Calamity Ganon, Hyrule is slowly recovering and returning to its old splendor. But these peaceful days weren’t meant to last long. While exploring the depths of Hyrule Castle, Link and Zelda come across a strange mummified corpse whose name is well known to franchise fans: Ganondorf. After its sudden revival, a surge of chaotic energy will send the castle to the skies, separating one more time the (now finally canon) couple. This event, known as The Upheaval, will send Link into an epic quest to find Zelda and put an end to the devastating disturbance that is slowly swallowing Hyrule.

A bigger, better and more ambitious addition to the Zelda franchise

Exploration and discovery have always been one of the key elements in Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series and the team behind TotK know that well. Much like its predecessor, Tears of the Kingdom invites us to explore Hyrule to our heart’s content, visiting the well-known landscapes as well as newly designed areas such as the Sky Islands. Players that enjoyed traveling across the Breath of the Wild’s vast world will rejoice knowing that TotK offers a much better experience. The map isn’t just three times bigger, but has also been expanded vertically thanks to Link’s new ability to roam through the skies. From the heights of the sky towers to the depths of a whole new underground realm, you’re in for a whole new adventure discovering the secrets and wonders of Hyrule.

Link’s new skills are the greatest innovation to the series

The adventures of Link in Breath of the Wild were a turning point in the Zelda series, setting the bar really high for a sequel. The game’s success was so big that by its first trailer, everyone was expecting TotK could even just be a “DLC for BotW”. However, Nintendo managed to pull it off again and instead of playing safe by offering us the same game with a new story, they have completely renovated its gameplay by giving us one of the best features seen in the genre. We’re talking about Link’s new abilities. Do you want to know what makes them so brilliant?

Tears of the Kingdom introduces new skills such as Ultrahand or Fuse that lets Link manipulate objects like you’ve never imagined. Anything that isn’t stuck to the floor -and we mean ANYTHING- can be taken and stuck together to create a new object. The same can be done with weapons and items in your inventory. While this might remind you of the weapon creating system from the Dead Rising series or even the cutesy furniture creator mode from MySims, TotK’s abilities take creation and DIY to the next level. You will be able to chop trees to build a bridge and cross a chasm, design a wacky car and drive at full speed around Hyrule or prepare a deadly trap to beat that boss that has been defeating you for the past hour. If you can imagine it, you can build it. This ability to create and manipulate the world opens an infinite range of possibilities that make exploring Hyrule an unforgettable experience.

Minimal changes to its graphics and sound

Tears of the Kingdom is, without a doubt, a great evolution to Breath of the Wild’s gameplay. However, the changes made to its visuals might disappoint some fans since they can only be described as sparse. While the beautiful cel-shaded graphics are a bit clearer than the ones seen in BotW, the game still looks almost the same. In fact, if you haven’t played Breath of the Wild recently, you may not feel the visual changes when playing TotK. It’s important to keep in mind though that the game’s scope is three times bigger than its predecessor and that the game is pushing the Switch capabilities to its limits.

One clear example of this can be found in the occasional stuttering  that, from time to time, tarnishes gameplay. The game runs at near-locked 30 fps but can consistently drop when visiting certain lively towns. The same happens when creating and moving big buildings or objects using the Ultrahand ability. Outside of that, the game works flawlessly on the Switch. 

Regarding its soundtrack, TotK features the same minimalistic approach as its predecessor. Through Link’s journey you’ll be welcomed by soaring soft tunes, piano cues and some classic Zelda melodies. However, apart from the classics, the original tracks are hardly ones that you will remember hours after playing the game since their purpose tends to be to immerse you in the game and build atmosphere, without interfering in your play experience.

How long is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is about 50 to 60 hours long when completing the main quest. However, players that want to explore and experience everything the game has to offer will need to spend at least 100 hours traveling through Hyrule. 

Do I need to play Breath of the Wild before Tears of the Kingdom?

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the direct sequel  to BotW, for that reason it is recommended that you play the first game before you venture into Link’s new adventure. However, TotK tells a self-contained story and you’ll easily understand the narrative even if you have no previous knowledge of Breath of the Wild.

The game every Switch owner should play

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom  is not just the best game released on the Switch so far, but also a clear contender for this year’s GOTY. Nintendo has managed to improve BotW in nearly every possible way, offering us an exciting new adventure with extremely fun and creative building mechanics. Hyrule has never felt better and exploring both old and new areas is a real pleasure. With thousands of quests, tasks and mysteries to discover, Tears of the Kingdom is a must-play for anyone looking for a brilliantly crafted open-world action-adventure game.