Eagle-eyed fans might have uncovered a sign that Link will be able to travel underwater in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Recently, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma played through about 10 minutes of The Legends of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, showing viewers some of the new abilities Link can utilize in his latest open-world adventure. Many of these new powers seem to build on what made 2017’s Breath of the Wild one of the biggest games on the Nintendo Switch, namely the sheer freedom in exploring the world of Hyrule any way the player sees fit.
There will certainly be plenty of options in how Link travels in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. By using his time-manipulating Recall power, the hero of Hyrule can ascend to the floating Sky Islands using whatever fallen debris he comes across. He can also put together his own makeshift rafts and other vehicles using the Underhand ability, which doubles as a reference to the classic Nintendo toy of the late 1970s. Finally, players can reach high places with the Ascend power, which lets Link phase through ceilings.
While yesterday’s Tears of the Kingdom gameplay demonstration focused on how Ascend is used to travel up previously difficult hilltops and other high places, some fans think this new skill could also be a sign that Link can navigate the waters below Hyrule. Reddit user Xiaonann noticed that during a brief moment when Link is freefalling, the Ascend icon is greyed out - meaning that it can’t be performed at that time. However, when Link dives down into the water beneath him, the icon is lit up again - only to be greyed out once more when he surfaces.
Xiaonann believes that this could mean players will be able to travel underwater in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a theory that other users have supported by pointing out how Link’s Ascend animation resembles swimming. While it was possible for Link to dive underwater in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, he could only do so after jumping from a very tall cliff - and even then, he would surface almost immediately without any chance for players to explore beneath the surface. Furthermore, diving was really only useful for one particular Breath of the Wild quest.
This might change in Tears of the Kingdom if its new abilities are of any indication. Fans are already excited to see more of the Recall, Fuse, Underhand, and Ascend powers in action, especially with how they all seem to give players more options to explore and interact with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s open world - including the various lakes and rivers within Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be released on May 12, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.