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Collecting heart pieces and containers has always played an important role in the Legend of Zelda series, with players needing to do so in order to increase their maximum health. Breath of the Wild changed all this, however, forcing players to make a choice between increasing Link's health or increasing his stamina.
Given that the game serves as a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, it's perhaps not all that surprising to see this choice returning in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This means that players will once again need to decide whether to prioritize Link's mobility or his durability, though some may be wondering whether one of these options is better than the other.
Should You Choose Stamina or Hearts in Tears of the Kingdom? (Spoiler Free)
Though both have their upsides, players should definitely prioritize stamina, at least to begin with. This is because there will come a point in the game where they will need at least two full stamina wheels in order to progress the main story. This means that players will have to get at least five Stamina Vessels from Goddess Statues, which will cost them a total of twenty Lights of Blessing.
For those who plan on taking their time exploring the game before pressing on with the main story, this likely won't be too much of an issue, as there are more than enough shrines in Tears of the Kingdom to max out Link's hearts and gain a second wheel of stamina. However, anybody who plans on mainlining the main story will definitely want to upgrade Link's stamina first, as, otherwise, they may well find themselves hitting a rather abrupt dead-end.
Warning: The section below contains minor spoilers for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Why You Should Upgrade Stamina First in Tears of the Kingdom (Minor Spoilers)
The reason why players should prioritize stamina over heart containers in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is that they will need two full wheels of stamina to obtain the Master Sword. Technically, players can get their hands on the legendary blade with only the four hearts that they have at the end of the tutorial section, but it's impossible for them to legitimately get the Master Sword with any less than two full wheels of stamina.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available for the Nintendo Switch.