Nintendo’s latest entry in the long-running RPG franchise The Legend of Zelda has finally been released and fans are already excited to explore this newest version of Hyrule. As a sequel to the incredibly popular The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has a lot to live up to.
Like its predecessor, Tears of the Kingdomplaces a large emphasis on letting its players explore for themselves. Though this is arguably one of the game’s best features, in addition to its rich and varied gameplay, it can be daunting for newer and less experienced gamers. There are plenty of pro tips out there, but here are things that players will want to avoid.
10 Not Making The Most Of The Tutorial
Tears of the Kingdom sees its players begin the game on a small, insulated sky island, with a level that functions much the same as a tutorial. For the most part, however, the learning is left up to players as the game gives little in the way of explicit directions. It can be hard, then, to make the most of this tutorial but there a few key things to keep in mind.
This beginning island is set up in a way that makes it ideal to explore in a counter-clockwise direction. Players might be tempted to leave some areas and come back later, but every puzzle is solvable with the tools around them. It’s also a good idea to kill every enemy on this island as the resources they drop will be crucial.
9 Ignoring Environmental Anomalies
The environment plays a big role in Tears of the Kingdom, similarly to the way it does in Breath of the Wild. So, being observant and keeping a close eye on the world around Link is crucial to success. Players will need to pay attention to the landscape of Hyrule to learn what’s usual and unusual for the area.
Environmental anomalies can mean a variety of things within the game. Primarily, it will be the key with which to solve many of the game’s puzzles. Items lying around usually have a specific use, so be sure to note anything in the area. The same goes for enemy encounters, as there are often non-combat ways to get past them.
8 Neglecting The Koroks
It’s not just puzzles and enemies that require a keen eye, but the Koroks too. Returning to their same role in Breath of the Wild, players will find Koroks hidden in various places around the map. Solving an environmental mini puzzle will prompt the Korok to appear and gift the player a Korok seed.
Korok seeds are essential to successful gameplay, as they can be used to grant players more weapon slots in their inventory. Just like in Breath of the Wild, players can trade Korok seeds with Hestu to do so. Having plenty of weapons on hand will make things a lot easier for players, so finding as many Korok seeds as possible is important.
7 Not Using Recipes
One of the most difficult aspects of cooking in Breath of the Wild was the heavy reliance on players' memories of successful dishes. Thankfully, Tears of the Kingdom does away with this with the introduction of the recipe system.
When selecting ingredients to cook on the inventory screen, players can use the ‘select for recipe’ option to check the dishes they’ve made with that ingredient before. The recipe screen will show stats and all ingredients used for everything players have made, so it’s a handy resource to make the most of.
6 Discarding Items Too Quickly
One of the new gameplay mechanics that Tears of the Kingdom introduces is the ability to fuse items together to create elaborate structures and weaponry. With this ability, the options are truly endless in what players can create. But it also means players will have to manage their resources accordingly.
With this new fuse mechanic, even seemingly useless items have a great capacity for solving puzzles or enhancing weapons. This means it’s a good idea for players to collect everything they can and be careful when throwing things away or selling them. Always be sure an item is not needed before discarding it.
5 Leaving Crates & Barrels Intact
If there’s one constant in The Legend of Zelda universe, it’s the prevalence of smashable items in Link’s path. Experienced players will remember the days of rolling through pots and chopping through boxes in many of the past games. As fun as the destruction is, it’s also a key way to get one of the most important resources in Tears of the Kingdom.
Players should never leave a crate or barrel intact as they are often the easiest place to find arrows. With the new ability to fuse items, arrows are one of the most valuable weapons a player can have. Rather than spending valuable rupees, players should instead focus on smashing crates and barrels to find them for free.
4 Expecting Elemental Weapons
Elements have always played a role in The Legend of Zelda, and in Breath of the Wild this came in the form of elemental weaponry. Imbued with fire, ice, or electricity, elemental weapons were handy for a variety of purposes. But these kinds of weapons are entirely absent in Tears of the Kingdom, as the game relies on fused weaponry instead.
Thankfully, elemental weapons can still be created via the fused weaponry mechanic. One of the easiest ways to do this is using Chuchu jelly. The different colors of Chuchu jelly correspond to different elements and apply the associated elemental force to weapons it is attached to. Players can even transform different types of Chuchu jelly so that they always have plenty of each on hand.
3 Being Afraid To Progress
Breath of the Wild was undoubtedly one of the best open-world games Nintendo has created, and Tears of the Kingdom is another level up again. In this game, the familiar map has been granted added verticality with the addition of the sky islands and a vast underworld in the gloom below. With such a huge new world to explore, it can be tempting to take things slow.
However, this might prove to be a detriment to players’ experiences. Some of the most essential game mechanics and abilities can only be unlocked by completing keys points in the overarching story of the game. Hesitating in story progression ultimately leads to players missing out on the unique and entertaining aspects of the game.
2 Neglecting The Depths
The underground world of the Depths is a new addition to the series and brings with it a vast new region of the map to explore. This underworld is accessible through Chasms in the Surface world which are dotted around the map and marked with red Gloom. Though this underworld may be scary, exploring these Chasms at every opportunity is essential for success.
Chasms can be entered by jumping down and accelerating into the darkness below. Gliding will allow players to reach the ground safely. Each Chasm will take players to a Lightroot which will allow for that section of the map to be revealed. As the Depths are hard to explore otherwise, players should be sure to trigger these Lightroots wherever possible.
1 Staying Grounded
In addition to the Depths and the Surface, Tears of the Kingdom also allows players to take to the Sky. The Sky is comprised of the Sky Islands, which are floating masses of land above the map. Though there is much to explore on the Surface and in the Depths, the Sky is just as important of an area to explore.
To get to the Sky players can teleport to Shrines, glide from a Skyview Tower, use the Travel Medallion, or use recall ability to ride an object. Exploring the Sky Islands will allow players to scout the Surface map from above to mark structures and points of interest. It’s also an essential location to access Zonai devices, which play a huge role in combat and puzzle solving. So, players should be sure to take advantage of this lofty location.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.