Hyrule Looks a Whole Lot Bigger
A new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has just dropped and it showcases more of the game than we have ever seen up to this point. This time, the trailer is much more focused on the story, showcasing Link, Zelda, and the new champions in various cutscenes. That doesn’t mean that gameplay is left out though. New mechanics such as a wingsuit and what look to be traditional dungeons make an appearance.
A Lot to Digest
This comes after a fairly modest 10-minute gameplay showcase which gave us a look at the new fusion mechanics and not much else. While the time-rewinding and boat-making looked fun, nothing really blew me away. I was on the verge of disappointment as the game otherwise looked mostly identical to its prequel. That was until the new trailer, which was streamed live to thousands of fans. Among all of the new details, it shows these mechanics being put to use.
It shows Link going to battle against an armored Talus with a makeshift tank, making some kind of laser turret to take out a bokoblin camp and grafting a shield onto a sword to parry attacks. What really excites me is that all this is the tip of the iceberg. There’s the aforementioned wingsuit that Link uses to glide through a laser grid (there are a lot of lasers in this trailer), a section with floaty platforming, and even a duel that takes place on a minecart. That’s not even mentioning the three-headed dragon or the giant flying centipede thing. Every time I watch the trailer I see something new and that’s finally getting me excited.
Everything looks like it’s got a bit more energy than Breath of the Wild. For everything its predecessor does right, Tears of the Kingdom looks to improve on its few flaws. There’s more variety in the locations, each area looks more tightly designed and the new mechanics look like they redefine how the game is played.
A Little More on the Story
Another thing that got me excited was the trailer’s emphasis on the game’s story. Again, Breath of the Wild was light on its story for the most part. However, with Link’s past explored and the champions avenged, it looks like Tears of the Kingdom is finally making the most of its Hyrule.
I’m not going to theorize or speculate, but I am excited to see Ganondorf make his return. He’s been gone for a while, too. If you can believe it (and if we don’t count Demise), Twilight Princess was the last time Ganondorf has been in a mainline Zelda game. That was nearly 17 years ago. While the series has had some great villains since then, you just can’t beat the king of evil. It’ll also be refreshing to have a proper villain in the game, as while Calamity Ganon was a fun spin on the formula, it wasn’t a particularly active part of the story. Even from this trailer alone, Ganondorf is already making an impact on the world and clearly driving the story forward.
Closing Thoughts
There’s a lot more going on with this trailer that I haven’t covered, but it’s that sheer amount of ideas shown that has gotten me so excited. Now that we’re so close to the game’s release on May 12, the wait for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is getting unbearable. If nothing else, this trailer shows that the hype is through the roof and I’m finally getting on the train.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom Trailer
You can watch the trailer for yourself here:
