By Michael Castro

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has taken the gaming world by storm, capturing the hearts of fans and newcomers alike. While there are a couple of notable complaints surrounding the game, a deeper look reveals that they can be attributed to factors beyond the control of the talented development team. As Link, players embark on a quest to rescue Princess Zelda (again) and restore peace to the kingdom with new powers, new ways to travel, and a more immersive and much larger world than previous games of the series.

The gameplay in Tears of the Kingdom remains true to the beloved Legend of Zelda franchise, blending exploration, puzzle-solving, and thrilling combat. Players traverse vast and visually stunning landscapes, uncovering secrets, battling enemies, and completing quests. Link’s new arsenal of powers such as recall which makes an object traverse backward to its original spot, ultra hand which allows the players to pick up objects and fuse them together with other things to make personal creations, fuse which allows the players to fuse weapons and items together, and ascend which lets the players go through floors and roofs as long as they are above Link’s head.

In a testament to its popularity, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shattered records by selling an astounding 10 million copies within the first three days of its release. This achievement is a testament to the game’s widespread appeal and the enduring legacy of The Legend of Zelda franchise. There is also a special edition Zelda Switch console to completely immerse yourself in the Zelda action, though that system will not save you from buying the game for seventy dollars. It does not come with it.

Some players have voiced concerns regarding two aspects of the game: repetitive character interactions and the lack of graphical improvements. However, it is important to recognize that these issues can be attributed to external factors rather than the developers’ capabilities. The following is based on personal research of many hours of, well, research, not play on the game.

Firstly, the repetitive character interactions can be seen as a deliberate narrative choice to maintain consistency in the game’s world. While it may seem repetitive on the surface, these interactions often unveil subtle nuances and deeper insights into the story, enhancing the overall experience.

Secondly, the perceived lack of graphical improvement is not solely the fault of the developers. Nintendo’s decision not to upgrade the hardware capabilities of the Nintendo Switch limits the graphical advancements that developers can achieve. Despite this limitation, Tears of the Kingdom still manages to deliver visually stunning environments and beautifully designed characters that stay true to the series’ distinct art style.

The overall impression of the game is that it is a worthy entry to the Zelda franchise. It is a fun game for Zelda fans of many years and for those that never played Zelda before. It is worth the investment and the increased price for a Switch game. You will certainly get many hours of enjoyment worthing through Hirule and facing all the challenges.