Summary
The Switch was a phenomenon at launch and part of the reason why it succeeded so well out the gate wasThe 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.
Now, at the end of the Switch’s life,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas 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 theZeldaseries, 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 June 21, 2025 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.
14More Enemy Variety
A Wider Array Of Creative Foes To Deal With
If there’s one thing that fans are glad about inTears 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 fromThe Legend of Zeldaseries. 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, makesTears of the Kingdoma far more engaging game for players who love more enemy variety, even if the dreaded guardians are missing.
13Better Verticality
The Vertically-Layered World Map Is A Lot Of Fun To Traverse
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 inTears of the Kingdomwhere moving upward is downright necessary to reach unique areas and secrets.
12Less Empty Spaces
Adds Way More Landmarks, Making The World Feel Less Empty
Breath of the Wildwas 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 ofBreath of the Wild’s map could become quite aggravating for players who wanted more things to do in the open world.
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.
11More Creative Runes
Ultrahand And Fuse Are Game-Changers
Perhaps the biggest and most notable change inTears of the Kingdomis the impressive manner in which runes have been expanded upon in this title. Sure,Breath of the Wildhad 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.
10Bigger World
The Sky Islands And The Depths Increase The Scale Of The Game World
There were some people who were worried that exploring the same world of Hyrule once again inTears of the Kingdomwould 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 arefilled to the brim with their fair share of secrets and encountersthat will remain fresh in the minds of players long after they’re finished playing through this amazing game.
9Less Irritating Rain
There Are Ways To Circumvent The Annoyances Caused By Climbing In The Rain
If there’s one thing that most fans hated inBreath 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 inTears of the Kingdomin a nifty manner.
Players canhunt down Sticky Frogs and make a Sticky Elixir, giving themSlip 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.
8The Story
Told In A Direct And More Engaging Manner Compared To Its Predecessor
The narrative inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwas 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.
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 offast traveling inThe 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 likePokemon Scarlet/Violet.
6That Sense Of Discovery
There Are So Many Things To Find In Tears Of The Kingdom That It Truly Boggles The Mind
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 toaZeldagamelet 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.
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.
5The Side Quests
Well-Structured And A Lot Of Fun To Follow Up On, Compared To Their Vague Nature In Breath Of The Wild
The side quests inBreath of the Wildare fun but not quite as intricate or memorable as, for example,The Witcher 3’sintegrated quest system. They’re still not quite as good as that game inThe 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.
