The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis about half a year away, but the excitement is palpable. Fans have eaten up what little marketing there’s been, and are hungry for more. It seems like those who enjoyedBreath of the Wildwill feel the same aboutThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, as no details on any major changes to the gameplay have come out yet. The only things that may be certain are that Link will start with a broken Master Sword, and the Sheikah Slate could be replaced by Link’s glowing arm.
There’s going to be a lot of developments in the lead-up toTears of the Kingdom’s release, but theZeldacommunity is already trying to build up a picture of the game with what they have. The base map seems to be intact,although Sheikah Shrines and Towersmay have been replaced by new mystical attractions and cave entrances. There’s also the matter of the sky islands, with various methods present to ascend and descend from them. Link’s latest adventure will take him from the very top of Hyrule to the absolute bottom, and tons of places in between. However, close examination of theBreath of the WildMaster Mode DLC indicates that some design considerations for the new game may be rather old.
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The expansion pass forThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildgarnered mixed receptions, but it did give the game some extra content for players to chew on. Plenty of cosmetic items were included, and the second DLC pack even added a new major quest with unique content.The Champions’ Ballad had Link face new trialsand a brand new boss fight, all while having more meetings with Kass and experiencing several new flashbacks. With improved Champion powers and the Master Cycle thrown on top, it was a fairly meaty package.
The first DLC pack, The Master Trials, mostly added remixed difficult content. The Trial of the Sword was a series of challenge rooms where Link needed to procure his own equipment, and the reward was a stronger Master Sword. As this was just the latest incarnation ofThe Wind Waker’scombat-heavy Savage Labyrinth mixed with Eventide Island, many players didn’t see much reason to go through it more than once, if at all. The other major addition in this pack was Master Mode, anotherZeldastaple that was essentially a hard mode. Enemies and bosses were made stronger, non-boss enemies increased one tier of power and new golden enemies became the biggest threat. However, closer inspection reveals that this is not merely a generic power imbalance, as Master Mode has more in common with the Second Quest of the originalLegend of Zelda.
Master Mode May Have Been A Preview for Tears of the Kingdom
Not only did Master Mode power up enemies, but it rearranged them as well. Players beginning Master Mode on a new save file will notice that a black Lynel is now wandering the Great Plateau. Combined with the regenerating health that foes benefit from and a lack of the base game’s one-hit kill protection,Master Mode encourages playersto use a cautious style of gameplay. The slow and stealthy approach is mandatory in the early game, and picking up more durable weapons is a must. Archery is not only important for the normal reasons, but also to deal with another threat currently exclusive to Master Mode.
Tears of the Kingdomwon’t be the first time that Hyrule’s skies have been filled with dangers and treasure.Breath of the Wild’s Master Mode introducesSky Octoroks, living versions of the Octo Balloonsthat Link can harvest in the base game. These creatures are exclusively used to propel small platforms across Hyrule’s skies, meaning that deadly arrows could rain down upon seemingly defensible areas if Link is spotted. Players are encouraged to bring these platforms down however they can, as they often contain treasure chests with much rarer items than what can be found on the surface. This adds a new dimension toBreath of the Wild’s open gameplay, and the similarities toTears of the Kingdom’s sky islands are apparent.
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How Sky Platforms Transitioned to Tears of the Kingdom’s Sky Islands
Tears of the Kingdombegan its life as an excess of DLC ideas forBreath of the Wild. They coalesced and grew in scope until becoming their own game, but evidence of their roots remain. The biggest indicator of whatTears of the Kingdomwas is its sky islands, which seem to be an expanded form of Master Mode’s sky platforms. While not much has been seen of these islands' contents, most will be more fleshed out than their Master Mode equivalents.
The most humble floating platforms inBreath of the Wildare single rafts with a lone Bokoblin onboard, and can sometimes be found directly over water. The “fleets” of floating platforms tend not to grow much larger than three rafts, and only stay more threatening thanthe averageBotWBokoblin ground encampmentby hosting powerful ranged enemies. The rocky islands inTears of the Kingdomall look to be larger, more significant, and much higher in the sky than their wooden equivalents.
Still, the spirit of these flying sentries is maintained inTears of the Kingdom. Enemies now have access to mobile bases via Stone Talus, and there will probably be more aerial foes in the new game. The platforms themselves, Sky Octoroks and all, could easily make a return inTears of the Kingdomnow that Link can consistently fly above them. The lowest floating chunks will be perfect for ranged enemies and lookouts, expanding the potential encampment layouts inTotK.
A mysterious flying bird platform that Link lands on in the most recent trailer could also make for the center point of a small Bokoblin patrol. Regardless of what form it takes, the floating platforms inBreath of the Wild’s Master Mode gaveNintendosome valuable experience making aerial foes and skybound areas. The time spent outmaneuvering them should serveTears of the Kingdomplayers just as well.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomwill release on Jul 31, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch.
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