The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch (US Version)

Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t just follow up Breath of the Wild—it elevates it. It honors everything that made the first game legendary and then builds on it with boldness, depth, and insane creativity. This is what a sequel should be.The world is the same Hyrule you know, but not at all the same. It's deeper. It’s grown. The sky islands and underground layers take that already-massive world and stretch it vertically, giving it new life. If you played Breath of the Wild, your familiarity becomes your strength—but it doesn’t make you comfortable. There’s mystery layered into everything, and just when you think you’ve seen it all, the game hits you with something new.The story continues beautifully. It’s emotional, spiritual, and deeply tied to the world you already care about. You’re not starting over—you’re moving forward. This isn’t just another Zelda cycle—it feels like the weight of everything from Breath of the Wild is still alive in Link’s silence and Zelda’s sacrifice.And then there’s the new gameplay mechanics. Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend—they completely change how you think. You don’t just solve puzzles—you invent solutions. You build, experiment, and improvise like never before. It’s not hand-fed. It rewards curiosity and patience. The physics engine alone feels like magic.Visually, it keeps that same timeless style and somehow makes it feel even more epic. The music, the weather, the mood—it all hits deeper. Everything feels more alive, more layered, more intentional.Five stars. No hesitation. Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t just live up to the legacy—it expands it. A sequel that respects your journey, challenges your mind, and rewards your heart.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom turned out to be the rest of the story that BOTW created! As a lifelong fan of the Zelda franchise and an avid follower of its enchanting history, this game has absolutely blown me away on how it told a story that we all know and love from the games, and gave it even more depth!From the very first moment I stepped dove off sky island into the beautifully rendered kingdom of Hyrule, I knew I was in for a treat; as I could tell this was not the same Hyrule I had left at the end of BOTW. The attention to detail is simply astounding, and it felt like I was part of a living, breathing world that is teeming with secrets waiting to be unraveled. The familiar sights and iconic landmarks left me with a sense of nostalgia, while the fresh and innovative twists kept me glued to my controller.What sets Tears of the Kingdom apart is its compelling story that delves deep into the Zelda lore. I was thrilled to discover ancient artifacts and hidden manuscripts that shed light on the series' mythos, piecing together parts of the puzzle I've longed to uncover. The way the game weaves together the past and present is nothing short of a masterpiece.The gameplay mechanics were a true delight. Navigating through timeless forests, solving intricate puzzles in cunning shrines, and engaging in exhilarating combat against menacing foes that seem to have upgraded their techniques since last we fought provided an unmatched sense of accomplishment. And let's not forget the ingenious temples —each one presented a unique challenge that tested my wits and rewarded my perseverance.The music, oh the music! Tears of the Kingdom boasts a mesmerizing soundtrack that perfectly captures the essence of the Zelda universe. The familiar tunes intertwined with new melodies added a soul-stirring dimension to my journey, further immersing me into the game's magical realm. Nothing is as relaxing as hanging out in Zora's domain just to enjoy the music.Without giving away any spoilers, let me just say that the climactic moments and surprising plot twists had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly awaiting the next revelation. The emotional depth and character development added layers to the story, making me feel genuinely connected to the cast of new and even the familiar characters.In conclusion, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an absolute triumph. It pays homage to the beloved series while crafting a captivating tale that Zelda fans, like myself, will cherish. Whether you're a newcomer to the franchise or a long-time admirer of the Zelda lore, this game promises an unforgettable journey. Bravo, Nintendo!

Perfect sequel to Zelda Breath of The Wild. Link has several new abilities (will list later) to play around withWorld is more expansive: There’s the Great Plateau (old Breath of the Wild map) with slightly altered environments due to gloom infection, the sky city, and the depths (huge underground cave network below hyrule). Smoke and highlighted light pillars shows points of interest in the overworld without having to look at the mapWeapon durability is back. I know some people don’t like breakable items/weapons, but it teaches kids to be more adaptable rather than have constant/sustainable gains all the time. Also helps them be more creative in the fusing items together. Items are less scarce this time around giving you more opportunities to experiment with new combinationsStill have freedom to be creative and do what you want. Can think of creative ways to cheat the puzzle with new abilities instead of the intended way of doing it, making the experience your own. Gives you the ‘I don’t think we are supposed to do that, but it worked!’ momentsTemples return. Each one have a companion character which grants you special abilities for that temple/dungeon. Bosses at end of temples are really powerful and not just simple advanced moving puzzles-Menu/UI is more streamline.Inventory tabs can be changed via L1 R1 trigger instead of thumbstick. No need to go through multiple pages to get to the next tab. Instead you scroll down if you have a lot of itemsSettings is at the end of inventory tab instead of a separate pageAble to view recipes on sub menu for each item-Story/Plot:Link and Zelda is exploring a unknown area under hyrule castle. They accidentally awaken an mummy and he uses gloom ability to attack them. Link arm and master sword gets infected during initial battle, and the mummy released gloom infecting hyrule. There’s a huge quake and Link both get separated during the scuffle. You wake up and go on a quest to find Zelda, re-forge the master sword and save hyrule.Story is the most expansive than any other Zelda title focusing a lot of character developmentLike Breath of the Wild; there’s limited voice acting and not fully voiced. But that doesn’t detract from the experience--- Abilities1. Ultra HandUse this to lift large heavy object and fuse them together. Can use it to solve puzzles lifting heavy objects to build bridges, ramps, ladders, etc) but also use as a vehicle creator for traversal. It’s very similar to Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts vehicle creator. Vehicles you create use fuel/battery to operate, collecting/using zonai charges refuels your vehicle giving you the ability to travel longer distances especially when creating gliders. You can also upgrade maximum battery as you progress through he game. Note that our creation despawns if you’re too far away from it, so best not abandon it2. Merge itemsFuse any two items together in inventory. Mainly use to create weapons with different properties (higher attack, range, elemental damage etc) and increase durability. Seeing weapon durability is back gives players ways to experiment and be resourceful with what they have in their inventoryDuring combat you’re able to able to throw individual items3. AsendAble to teleport to above flat platform when directly under it. Some areas are restricted if it’s too high. The cursor on your screen when using ability turns green to indicate if it’s possible to ascend or not4. RecallRewind time for a brief second. Great for puzzle solving like climbing up a rock that fell off the cliff and rewind time to ride it up5. Auto buildAble to re-create previous creations you made with ultra-hand. Just have all items in one spot and use ability to re-create it instead of starting from scratch6. AmiiboSimilar to last game, you can in amiibo daily and items will fall in front of you. Amiibo give armor skins, fabrics, and other common items. No exclusive content from Amiibos this time. Able to obtain them via quests. Scanning amiibos just give you them early and more items daily. Disappointed the wolf link amiibo doesn’t give you wolf companion like the last game7. CameraBasically an ability to take pictures to fill out the hyrule compendiumOverall extremely fun game giving you freedom to explore and be creative. Best Legend of Zelda game to date.