Of all the things that return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, out of all the legendary weapons and iconic outfits, there may be nothing that provides as much joy and utility as the paraglider. Though it wasn't the first entry to feature it, Breath of the Wild made it more essential than ever, allowing Link to traverse large sections of the map in seconds. Given how important it was to the previous game, there was little doubt that the Breath of the Wild sequel would once again feature the paraglider prominently.
Like Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom does not provide Link with the paraglider right out of the gate. After a lengthy opening section, which takes place on several of the new sky islands, Link will descend to the surface. Not long after, Link will receive the paraglider from a familiar face, providing him with one of the game's most reliable transportation methods.
Meet Purah at Lookout Landing
As should be clear at this point, Link must complete the entire opening section and descend to the surface of Hyrule to begin the process of getting the paraglider. Luckily for Link, he will not have to wait long after reaching the surface before it is obtainable.
The first steps to obtaining the paraglider require Link to reach Lookout Landing and begin the first main quest on the surface, "To the Kingdom of Hyrule." This will lead Link to Purah, the former head of the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab. She now leads a small settlement whose sole purpose is the successful rescue of Princess Zelda.
How to Get the Paraglider in Tears of the Kingdom
Once Link has successfully interacted with Purah and completed the first steps in "Crisis at Hyrule Castle," Purah will introduce Link to the Lookout Landing Skyview Tower and the process by which he will unlock sections of Tears of the Kingdom's map. It is during this conversation that she will simply hand over the paraglider.
Simply put, Link need only follow the natural progression of Purah's missions to unlock the paraglider, giving him easy access to a huge number of previously hard-to-reach areas.
How to Use the Paraglider in Tears of the Kingdom
In Tears of the Kingdom, the paraglider functions much the same way it did in Breath of the Wild. When Link jumps from a high place, he will be prompted to press X, which will allow him to glide until his stamina gauge is depleted. This simple mechanic opens a wide range of traversal opportunities. Consider the following uses for the paraglider:
- Players likely noticed that the Sky Islands are multileveled, with large gaps between sections of land. While the paraglider does not have any form of propulsion, it still makes it far easier for Link to travel between islands. Just look for an elevated area, and keep an eye on the stamina gauge when crossing.
- Link can eat stamina-increasing meals in the air to increase range.
- When jumping from the Sky Islands down to Hyrule, Link no longer needs to aim for water. Simply engage the paraglider near the ground to avoid a dangerous impact.
- Look for falling debris coming from the many islands above Hyrule. Link can use the Recall ability on an applicable object to head high up into the air, then use the paraglider to cross vast distances.
- Look for gusts of wind heading in any direction. These powerful blasts of air will allow Link to travel much faster, and in a variety of directions. Some mountainous areas will have wind vents to help Link reach high areas.
This is just a small amount of what is possible in Tears of the Kingdom. Link's ability to experiment with his inventory of tools and weapons is one of the great joys of the game.
How to Change the Paraglider Fabric in Tears of the Kingdom
One major change that Tears of the Kingdom brings to the paraglider, is the ability to alter the fabric sail that allows it to function. While Link cannot change it immediately upon receiving the paraglider, the wait to do so is not long.
Once Link makes his way to Hateno Village, he will have access to the Kochi Dye Shop. Speaking to Sayge will reveal the shop's full list of options, which includes the ability to both add and remove dye from Link's armor, as well as alter the fabric of the paraglider.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available on the Nintendo Switch.