Nintendo’s Hylian hero Link is most recognizable in a green tunic and matching pointy hat. It’s the outfit he dons upon starting upThe Legend of Zeldaon NES, and future titles includingThe Wind WakerandTwilight Princessspend time showing their respective heroes receiving the iconic look.Skyward Sword, which acts as a sort of origin story, had Link receive the green tunic upon graduating from Skyloft’s Knight Academy. However,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildshook things up with the blue Champion’s Tunic.
Breath of the Wildwas a huge departure from priorZeldagames, placing an emphasis on open-world exploration and the freedom to approach combat as desired rather than apredictable gauntlet of dungeons. Thus, it made sense for Link to have a new look coinciding with his more unique backstory as part of a larger team. A traditional green tunic does appear via the Armor of the Wild, but this optional late-game item has a questionable canonicity thatBreath of the Wild 2should address.
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Outfit Changes Across Zelda History
Though Link may be best-known for wearing green, even with crossovers such asSoulcalibur 2, there are costume changes in just about everyZeldagame. The original NES title let players upgrade Link to blue and red tunics by collecting damage-reducing rings. That green, blue, and red color motif has become defining for the franchise via items like thePendants of Virtue inA Link to the Past, or the three Golden Goddesses - Farore, Nayru, and Din - further defined inOcarina of Time.
Ocarina of Timealso provided Link access to the red Goron and blue Zora tunics, which allow him tosurvive the volcanic heat of Death Mountainand breath underwater, respectively. Subsequent games likeTwilight Princesscarried on the trend through outfits like the Zora Armor and (one could argue) the Magic Armor.The Wind Wakerintroduced Magic Armor as a spell coating that turned Link invincible, butTwilight Princessturned it into literal golden armor with red highlights. The Hero of Twilight would also be invincible while wearing Magic Armor so long as he was holding Rupees; otherwise it weighed him down.
It’s hard to discuss outfit changes inZeldagames without looking at the multiplayer-focusedTri Force Heroes,released on 3DS in 2015. The game’s main gimmick let three friends complete objective-based levels in the same engine asA Link Between Worlds, butTri Force Heroes' theming was based around fashion. Players bring rare materials to Madame Couture in exchange for a variety of costumes, ranging from practical pieces like a parka that removed ice physics to silly gear like a cheerleader outfit that boosts the team’s energy gauge. Plenty of references were also snuck into this game, from a Hammer Bro to a blockyMinecraft-inspired look.
Breath of the Wild’s Armor System
In terms of cosmetics,Breath of the Wildis closer toTri Force Heroesthan just about any other game in the franchise. Link wakes up from his 100-year hibernation in the Shrine of Resurrection with nothing but underwear, and it’s up to players to gather resources or overcome challenges that unlock outfits across Hyrule. Just about every outfit offers a different benefit, from the Snowquill set that protects from cold weather to the Climbing Gear that reduces stamina consumption. Really dedicated players can find sets like the Barbarian Armor by completing Shrines, and almost every set can be dyed in Hateno Village.
The Champion’s Tunic is only a chest piece, obtained from Impa after recovering some of Link’s memories. It has a high maximum defense and allows players to see how much health their opponents have, though its real value is in lore-building. This blue tunic bears the crest of Hyrule’s royal family, and the same fabric is worn in different configurations byPrincess Zelda and the four Champions of Hyrule. These characters only appear in flashbacks throughoutBreath of the Wild, but have more prominent roles inHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
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Where the Armor of the Wild Fits In
BecauseBreath of the Wildachieved such blockbuster status, the Champion’s Tunic has also appeared in numerous crossovers - from first-party Nintendo games likeMario Kart 8 DeluxeandSuper Smash Bros. UltimatetoBethesda’sThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimand Capcom’sMonster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Yet the big rewardBreath of the Wildplayers can work toward is the Armor of the Wild, which emulates muted key art from the NESZeldagame and can be dyed a variety of colors.
The Armor of the Wild is the closest thing to a completion reward inBreath of the Wild, unlocked by going to the giant Goddess Statue in the Forgotten Temple afterbeating all 120 Shrines. Upgrading this set at Great Fairy Fountains will unlock the “Master Sword Beam Up” trait. It’s clearly intended to be the true companion for the Master Sword, with in-game text referencing its use by other heroes of antiquity, and Armor of the Wild appears as an alternate costume inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
That being said, fans are left wondering whether the armor set will play a role inBreath of the Wild 2. One could argue it’s unlikely Armor of the Wild is considered a “canon” acquisition for Link givenBreath of the Wild’s open-ended nature let players go straight to Hyrule Castle. However, marketing for this upcoming sequel shows Link wielding the Master Sword, which was also technically optional. Multiple pieces of gear likeLink’s Hylian Shield are also in fluxgiven the original game’s dubious canon elements, but this armor is a particularly interesting case.
Breath of the Wild 2’s E3 2019 trailershows Link traveling with Zelda in his blue Champion’s Tunic. Just about all future footage shows him running around Hyrule in a new, lighter outfit with his right arm exposed. It appears Link is going back to a more traditional color scheme given green clothe covers his left shoulder, so Nintendo may reveal a connection to the Armor of the Wild. Perhaps Link cobbled his new outfit together using the classic hero’s garb after his Champion’s Tunic was affected by the malicious energy beneath Hyrule Castle. Fans will just have to wait and see.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2releases spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
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