Highlights

  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom features better enemy variety than past games, making battles more engaging and diverse.
  • Improved verticality in the game allows players to explore unique locations using Ascend and other abilities for a more dynamic experience.
  • The game world in Tears of the Kingdom feels less empty than Breath of the Wild, with more landmarks and activities to discover, enhancing the overall exploration aspect.

The Switch was a phenomenon at launch and part of the reason why it succeeded so well out the gate was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was all fans could talk about. It was a portable game with home console-level quality that featured an open world that felt near endless. It was such an amazing game that fans couldn't wait for the sequel to come out, with this wait being positively agonizing for some players.

Related
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Complete Guide & Walkthrough
A complete guide to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, featuring a full walkthrough, shrine solutions, and side quest and collectible guides.

Now, at the end of the Switch’s life, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has arrived to sort of bookend the console. This sequel may look like a rehash of the first game but there’s so much more to it than what the trailers showed off. Many concepts are better than other games in the Zelda series, which is a testament to just how much love and effort was put into this title. The six-year wait was worthwhile for many players, which is not a statement that most people hear for games with lengthy development periods.

Updated on February 18, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Tears of the Kingdom was a natural step forward for Breath of the Wild's formula that many people enjoyed, even if most people felt like it wasn't as groundbreaking as the game that preceded it. Still, if players looked at this game from a purely objective viewpoint, there's no denying that Tears of the Kingdom features several improvements over Breath of the Wild's formula that make it a far better game from a technical standpoint in the eyes of many.

14 More Enemy Variety

A Wider Array Of Creative Foes To Deal With

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom TOTK King Gleeok flying

If there's one thing that fans are glad about in Tears of the Kingdom, it's the fact that they can now find and battle against a wealth of unique enemies that are either new introductions to the game or serve as modern renditions of past enemies from The Legend of Zelda series. Along with the many familiar enemies from past games, there are new foes that players can tackle as well.

Notable mentions include the Gibdos, Gleeoks, and Constructs, to name a few. This, coupled with unique variants of existing enemies, makes Tears of the Kingdom a far more engaging game for players who love more enemy variety, even if the dreaded guardians are missing.

13 Better Verticality

The Vertically-Layered World Map Is A Lot Of Fun To Traverse

Link swimming up while using his Ascend ability in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Ascend is a power that many may consider overpowered, and rightfully so. There's something cathartic about exploring deep cave systems and bidding adieu at a moment's notice once players are tired of the cramped quarters.

However, Ascend, and other devices that Link can use to move upward, can be used to explore a myriad of unique locations. The Sky Islands are an obvious mention, but there are many other locations in Tears of the Kingdom where moving upward is downright necessary to reach unique areas and secrets.

12 Less Empty Spaces

Adds Way More Landmarks, Making The World Feel Less Empty

Tears of the kingdom physics

Breath of the Wild was a serene experience, there's no doubting that. Players loved that they could take their sweet time exploring the game world, uncovering many secrets and locations at their own pace by either traveling on foot or using a horse. However, after a point, the emptiness of Breath of the Wild's map could become quite aggravating for players who wanted more things to do in the open world.

Related
Tears Of The Kingdom: Every Legendary Weapon, Ranked
Legendary weapons in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are worth tracking down, and here is how they compare to one another.

Players can travel the game world using vehicles now, and it felt like there were more things to do in Hyrule compared to the previous game. The Sky Islands served as fun remote locations to explore, the Depths felt empty but in a meaningful way, and the overworld of Hyrule was bursting with life in a way that was completely different from the previous game.

11 More Creative Runes

Ultrahand And Fuse Are Game-Changers

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Player Turns Link Into Barbie

Perhaps the biggest and most notable change in Tears of the Kingdom is the impressive manner in which runes have been expanded upon in this title. Sure, Breath of the Wild had pretty interesting runes in its own right, but they pale in comparison to the amazing powers on display in its sequel.

Players can now fuse things together to make unique weapons, shields, and items. Ultrahand is a power that speaks for itself, allowing players to build incredible contraptions that truly boggle the mind. Ascend is another great rune that is essentially a get-out-of-jail-free card for Link whenever he's stuck, and Recall helps players accomplish a bevy of actions ranging from undoing their mistakes to making enemies pay for chucking a volatile projectile.

10 Bigger World

The Sky Islands And The Depths Increase The Scale Of The Game World

loz totk deep firefly depths

There were some people who were worried that exploring the same world of Hyrule once again in Tears of the Kingdom would not be as engaging as the first time around. However, these fans underestimated Nintendo's zeal to develop fresh and unique experiences, with the world of Hyrule also seeing a massive overhaul in this regard.

There are three layers to the world of this game now, which is truly incredible. Both the Sky Islands and the underground portions of Hyrule are filled to the brim with their fair share of secrets and encounters that will remain fresh in the minds of players long after they're finished playing through this amazing game.

9 Less Irritating Rain

There Are Ways To Circumvent The Annoyances Caused By Climbing In The Rain

Rain in Tears of the Kingdom

If there's one thing that most fans hated in Breath of the Wild, it was the rain and how it put a stop to their climbing activities. Players either had to go the long way around to reach a location or wait it out as the storm passed, which could get really irritating after a point. This problem has thankfully been rectified in Tears of the Kingdom in a nifty manner.

Related
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Where to Get All Divine Beasts Helms
Seek out these powerful artifacts of legendary beasts long gone in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Players can hunt down Sticky Frogs and make a Sticky Elixir, giving them Slip Resistance. This is incredibly useful for obvious reasons and makes the rain less of a hassle to get through in this game, which is always welcome.

8 The Story

Told In A Direct And More Engaging Manner Compared To Its Predecessor

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Armor Uses Good News For DLC

The narrative in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was kind of depressing. Link wakes up from a long nap only to find Hyrule in shambles. Every character he meets is met with a tragic backstory, especially with the flashback scenes.

While there are dark moments in the sequel, they are not as devastating. Link must once again try and rescue Zelda from disaster, but it feels more hopeful. This should give players a greater sense of adventure even though the world is still practically empty in its ruined state.

7 The Load Times

Optimized Load Times Make Fast Travel Less Grating

The load screen in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Breath of the Wild's load times on both the Switch and Wii U were not good. It was common for players to wait for a minute sometimes to load back into the game. In the sequel, somehow Nintendo unlocked a secret because load times only last about ten seconds.

Players are going to do a lot of fast traveling in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which makes this an amazing upgrade. Plus, there are rarely any weird texture glitches, unlike other recent open-world Nintendo games like Pokemon Scarlet/Violet.

6 That Sense Of Discovery

There Are So Many Things To Find In Tears Of The Kingdom That It Truly Boggles The Mind

Gliding in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Getting out of the cave in the first game to see the giant world before Link ranks up there as one of the coolest intros to a Zelda game let alone any game. Players were limited to ground exploration, though, with very few buildings to traverse into. The sequel's biggest selling point is the sky islands that burst out of nowhere.

Related
7 First Things You Should Do in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Just starting the latest Legend of Zelda game? Here are Link's first priorities in Tears of the Kingdom.

However, there are also a lot more caves to explore too on top of a vast chasm exploration section for the main story. The first game was huge, but this sequel is gigantic.

5 The Side Quests

Well-Structured And A Lot Of Fun To Follow Up On, Compared To Their Vague Nature In Breath Of The Wild

Talking to Hestu in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

The side quests in Breath of the Wild are fun but not quite as intricate or memorable as, for example, The Witcher 3’s integrated quest system. They’re still not quite as good as that game in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but they have been improved.

Importantly, it is now easier to track these quest lines in the travel log, more so even though some details are still vague. The key thing to take away is that even the smallest quests have some fun interactions with NPCs, especially near stables. For example, there is one involving a talking Cucco that has a fun surprise twist ending after completing some basic trials.

4 Getting Around

Numerous Options To Travel Around Hastily Across The World Of Hyrule

Riding a mine cart in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Link's travel options are limited in Breath of the Wild. Horses are still available in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but players can now build vehicles with a set of new powers. There are machine parts and wooden parts strewn throughout Hyrule.

Players can create makeshift boats, cars, and even planes if they have the right materials around them. It feels like a spiritual sequel to Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts in terms of the oddball mechanics. Getting to Shrines will help unlock ideas for players to experiment with.

3 The Puzzles

The New Abilities Make Puzzles More Dynamic And Engaging

Driving in lava in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

The aforementioned Shrines return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as a way for Link to level up. Once a Shrine is completed, players will earn light that they can then exchange for either a heart or stamina upgrade. Also, unlocking these Shrines will create fast travel points on the map which is more than handy.

Related
10 Common Mistakes To Avoid In Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Players should be avoiding these mistakes at all costs in Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom.

Those are all great to help players level up fast in the game, but the Shrines are more than a means to an end. They are fun to traverse because the puzzles rival that of Portal as far as creativity goes.

2 Weapon Creation

Fuse Lets Players Create Near-Endless Combination Of Weapons

Fighting enemies in The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Vehicles are not the only thing players can build in the game. Fuse is another power in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that allows players to combine weapons and items. For example, a player can attach a spear to a wooden pole to extend its reach. They can also place objects on shields to give them special properties like rockets to shoot Link into the sky.

Also, items can be attached to arrows which opens up so much to both combat and puzzle solving. It’s more fun than ever to get creative in battle.

1 A Watercolor Painting Come To Life

It's Unbelievable That Such A Beautiful-Looking Game Works On The Aging Switch Hardware

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom TOTK Link looking at distant flock of birds composite

Visually, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is stunning and amazing at this point in the console generation. It does look a lot like the first game, but there are subtle differences if one were to compare them side by side. The frame rate runs better and the lack of environmental glitches makes this thing a miracle not to mention the aforementioned load times.

This sequel could very well go down as the best-looking game on the Switch if the project's scale is taken into account.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Platform(s)
Switch
Released
May 12, 2023
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Genre(s)
Adventure