The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a fantastic game, and after you’ve played it all the way through you might be tempted to say it’s void The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Why play the first iteration of this particular Hyrule when this new remixed version exists? You have many of the same landmarks, characters and enemies, but Tears offers more bad guys, the depths, the air islands and the ability to create massive war machines.
To this I ask: why should we have two strong queens fight? Both games are better for the other existing ones, and Tears of the Kingdom wouldn’t be nearly as good if I hadn’t spent so much time in it Breath of the Wild.
I picked up Tears of the Kingdom at launch, determined not to experience even a bit of FOMO. But I bounced off the game, rummaging through the learning islands. By the time I made landfall at Lookout Landing, I could see a whole world to explore, but I didn’t have much desire. Ultrahand felt awkward and janky, it was weird how everyone was so happy to see me when I had no idea who they were, and my greatest achievement was fusing one stick with another.
Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
So I went back to Breath of the Wild. After just a few hours, I had done my homework and was ready to move on Tears. I had originally played Breath of the Wild at launch and finally got to about half way through the game; I had done my time. Instead, I found myself entranced. I hung around, felled all four Divine Beasts, completed the Master Trials, and found a giant horse. Only then did I return to Tears of the Kingdomand I had a blast.
You might think I’d satiated myself on Zelda thanks to all that Breath-ing, but jump to instead Tears felt more like a graduation. I’ve watched all my friends grow up, have families, or achieve big goals. Arriving at Lookout Landing felt like a real homecoming and I was looking forward to meeting characters like Purah and Sidon again. Losing the Master Sword during the dramatic opening felt so much worse – I’d just spent hours running trials to power up that sucker!
I didn’t participate in that Korok torture either – nothing for me, thanks! See, not only am I a morally superior person, but I remember the nice Koroks in the Lost Woods selling supplies and letting me stay in their little tree inn for free.
Each game can stand on its own. Zelda’s emotional journey captured in the memories Link finds everywhere Breath of the Wild, is a full arc. There are no “to be continued” or cliffhangers. Likewise, Tears of the Kingdom has its own storyline told through flashbacks centered on Hyrule’s distant past. Each title feels like its own experience, despite everything they have in common.
Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
It’s also interesting to see how Nintendo has changed the same well-known locations with just a few minor tweaks. The Great Plateau went from a learning area to a dangerous land full of Yiga ninjas and grabbing Gloom Hands. Hateno Village is now a bustling fashion capital and Hyrule Castle floats in the sky.
Breath of the Wild is definitely a simpler and more stripped down take on the formula, and Tears of the Kingdom builds on that to excellent effect. But simpler is not worse; instead, I see myself playing both games for years to come. I grew up playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a game where Link travels between two different time periods. The jump in between Breath of the Wild And Tears of the Kingdom feels similar, and I don’t think the old Hyrule has become obsolete because of the new one.
Over time as Tears of the Kingdom settles into the lineup and players have time to digest all his twists and turns, I think we’ll probably see people coming in to defend Breath of the Wild. There’s a simplicity to it that really shines, while Tears of the Kingdom can feel a little clunky by comparison. The Zonai tools pack a lot of power, but the multiple currencies and upgrades can confuse the game a bit.
No need to throw Breath of the Wild in the trashcan; Tears of the Kingdom is a fantastic experience, but does not detract from its predecessor. Playing them both will give you the best experience, and I can’t imagine a world in which Tears of the Kingdom could be as ambitious as Breath of the Wild had not cleared such a path by its own excellent design.