Tears of the Kingdom helped me realize I’ve been playing Zelda wrong for years
No more tears
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I have a confession: I’ve never got on with TheLegend of Zeldagames.
For those of you who are still with me, let me explain. It is the turn of the millennium and Pokémon fever is sweeping the globe. I am the proud owner ofPokémon Yellow, alongside the special edition yellow Game Boy Color. A classmate of mine approaches. He shows me a game which, while not new at the time, was to me.
A rectangular little man in a funny hat makes his way across the world. I’m told that this is a copy ofThe Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. The monochrome scenes grate on my eyes, accustomed as they are to the colorful pocket monsters of Game Freak’s newer opus. I wander the 2D plane of the world, any sense of wonder and joy eclipsed by a sense of aimlessness. After 30 minutes of struggle, I give up, and return to the familiar haven ofPokémon Yellow.
Several years later, I would try again. My newly acquired GameCube came free with aLegend of Zelda Collector’s Edition“promotional disc” complete withOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask. Unfortunately, I found the former’s tutorial (which famously took place inside an irritating giant tree) baffling and offputting, while the latter gave me nightmares.
Modern Zelda looks breathtaking, so why hasn’t it drawn me in until now?
Having grown up on RPGs such asBaldur’s GateandFinal FantasyX, I found the world of the Zelda games to be lacking in scale and grandeur.
Modern Zelda, however, boasts buckets of grandeur; the open world ofBreath of the Wildbringing the series into a new mode of immersive open-world adventure. Unfortunately, the open-world ambition ofBreath of the Wildwasn’t enough to pique my interest back in 2017, since the likes ofThe Witcher3: Wild Hunthad already allowed me to have my fill.
WithThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdompoised to iterate on its predecessor’s features, it’s possible that Link’s latest outing might be enough to finally pull me into the series., not because of any sense of grandeur or scale, but because it so obviously wears the series' best feature on its sleeve: its puzzles.
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Puzzle: solved
It started when I saw therecent Nintendo Direct, which showed off the upcoming title’s fusing and crafting mechanics. Something about the new mechanics scratched an itch inside me that I didn’t know I had.
Here was Link using objects in the environment to solve problems, not unlike what you might expect from the likes ofMinecraftor evenPortal 2before it. Link could build vehicles in the overworld and then use fans and motors to power them. Renowned as modern Zelda games are for expansive and well-designed environments, these new puzzle-solving elements are an inspired move from Nintendo to have that very same environment be your toolbox.
Link is a puzzle-solver, not a warrior
This is when I realized a truth about The Legend of Zelda series that has alluded me for all these years: Link is a puzzle-solver, not a warrior. While he may carry a sword and shield, Link is here to find practical solutions to problems, not to just fight them. Link will ford rivers, enter temples, unearth relics, and save the world through ingenuity and quick thinking.
After all, Link bears the Triforce of Courage,notthe Triforce of Power. He is not Kratos fromGod of War: Ragnarok, nor is he Geralt of Rivia fromThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Link is the thinking person’s protagonist.
It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure this out. However, seeing Link in this new light has given me a new appreciation for the series and a willingness to break my die-hard habit of avoiding the Zelda games.The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdommay finally set me free.
The sky’s the limit
With that revelation out of the way, I could finally allow myself to embrace the hype surroundingTears of the Kingdom’s upcoming release. I got over my childhood ambivalence and dove into the trailers, headfirst – even watchingNintendo’s handy recap videoto bring me up to speed.
To my misfortune, my childhood gaming experiences were insulated by the predictable comfort of the likes of Pokémon. I had allowed myself to become blinkered by the possibilities inherent in Zelda’s freeform action-adventure puzzles. In the wake ofTears of the Kingdom’s imminent release, I recant my foolish ways. I am ready to be a convert, to lose myself in Hyrule’s lavish environments.
I do not yet know if my time withTears of the Kingdomwill live up to these expectations. However, thanks to the unique position of modern Zelda in our shared gaming tapestry, I am well and truly ready to give Link’s latest adventure every chance to win me over. See you in Hyrule.
An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.
A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.
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