Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is taking fans’ hearts by storm. In our test on Nintendo Switch, you will also find out what was not so successful about the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom im Test
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One of the best Zelda games ever
Nintendo actually did it and released an even better Zelda game for the Switch after Breath of the Wild. Tears of the Kingdom pushes the console noticeably to its limits, but it’s worth the buy because you won’t find a charming and creative open-world adventure like this anywhere else.
We liked that
- Pure good mood feeling, charming sound throughout
- Creative craft opportunities
- Beautiful game world from the sky down to the depths
- Incredibly much to discover
- Shrines are even more fun
- Enemy AI improved
- Beautiful music
We didn’t like that
- Control and inventory sometimes overloaded
- Long loading times
- Doesn’t always run smoothly
- Dialogues a little flat
- More accessibility settings would be nice
current news
There’s no denying that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a hit game and fans around the world are enjoying Link’s new adventure.
The hype is real, online fans are flooding their creations with Link’s new crafting skills, and Nintendo has confirmed that it has sold 10 million copies of the action-adventure in the first three days of its release – impressive.
There are really great things to tell about the game, but more on that later, because with all the positive vibes on the internet, let’s start with what we think didn’t work out so well or at least should be looked at with a critical eye.
Weak points show up quickly
Let’s start with the story, without real spoilers of course. As Nintendo reveals in advance, Zelda has disappeared and Hyrule is threatened by the cataclysm. Link should of course, again, be the savior.
This plot thread runs through the history of the Zelda series and Nintendo could have mustered a little more courage to come up with new story tricks. The dialogues are also filled with irrelevant passages from time to time. You read certain lines over and over again and pushing away sentences that you already know in advance takes too long. Of course, the texts also fill the characters with life and sometimes there are a few funny statements. For example, if the bird says, “We’ve got our fill of feathers.” Nevertheless, the main story together with the texts seems a bit flat so far (after 40 hours of play).
That doesn’t have to bother everyone and actually this was never really one of the greatest strengths of the Zelda games anyway.
Frowning at graphics, frame rate, load times
“Graphics aren’t everything” – that’s often heard and true, but game fans keep talking about the graphics. Now it was clear in advance that Zelda Tears of the Kingdom would not look like God of War Ragnarök or Horizon Forbidden West, but that the graphics look like Zelda Breath of the Wild, which was released six years earlier, you can already do with one comment sigh.
Of course, there is also the perspective: It is impressive what the developers have managed to get out of the technical possibilities of the Nintendo Switch with this game, but the game could have run even better on a “Switch Pro”. Nintendo missed an opportunity here to release a new console model with even more power and that’s where Tears of the Kingdom could have shined even more. It’s a strategic omission on the part of the publisher.
Too bad, because some elements in the game world are unfortunately not very nice, to put it mildly. Trees look really careless and poor in detail. The branches are supposed to blow in the wind, but it looks enormously unnatural. The immersion sometimes suffers when you take a closer look.
Then there would be drops in the frame rate, which are clearly noticeable from time to time. Overall, the game is still playable. It’s not critical, but sometimes the frame rate drops visibly below 30 frames per second.
The fact that the switch does not have an SSD is particularly evident in this game, especially for players who have a PS5, Xbox Series X or a PC with this storage medium. Traveling to mapping towers or entering shrines takes quite a while. Again, a Switch Pro could have improved the gaming experience.
control and accessibility
We also find the controls and the inventory quite challenging. Players will get used to it after a while, but be advised not to pause Zelda Tears of the Kingdom for several weeks and then continue playing. There is a risk of forgetting a lot and having to get used to it again.
Even when using Link’s abilities, the controls are sometimes a bit cumbersome, especially when rotating objects. After all, Link can find a blueprint ability that lets him craft vehicles with just the push of a button. We can only recommend acquiring this skill sooner rather than later. You save a lot of time with it.
In terms of accessibility, we’re a bit disappointed that Nintendo doesn’t offer more options. Sony offers significantly more consideration and setting options for exclusive games, such as God of War Ragnarök.
For example, it would have been great to be able to adjust the contrast better, color-code collectible objects, and be able to provide a warning sound for movements near a cliff.
Why it is still a mega hit
That’s some critiques of the game, but let’s talk about the strengths that make this game one of the best of its kind.
There would of course be the Zelda flair in all its facets. The charming character designs, iconic heroes and objects (like the Master Sword) and of course the famous sound effects when you solve a puzzle or something meaningful happens. The music is great anyway.
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Here you can see some screenshots of the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Nintendo fans feast on this world, this feel-good atmosphere with a charm that other action-adventures can hardly muster.
The game world is similar to that of Breath of the Wild (BOTW), but Nintendo has changed it significantly, so that even BOTW warri ors discover an incredible amount of new things.
game world everywhere
The reason for this is the extensive vertical structure of the game world. You travel the sky, the land and the underground. This makes the open-world feel even more interesting than titles that only present breadth on one level. We think that’s great.
craft paradise
The same applies to Link’s new abilities, which some gamers could almost call cheats. An ability now allows Link to slide through walls above him and reappear on the surface.
Build useful means of transportation. (Source: Screenshot Nintendo)
He can also attach items to his weapon or shield through “synthesis”. These then become stronger or acquire special properties. Attaches a missile device to a staff and fires missiles with it. Reinforce your shield with a large stone slab. Anything goes. You can even use your shield as a skateboard.
With the Ultrahand, Link moves and connects various objects such as boards, boxes or balls to solve puzzles or indulge in creative ideas, just for fun. Be prepared to use these abilities in the more than 100 mystery shrines. However, there is not always just one solution. You can find solutions that others may not have come up with. This game embraces the creative among you. Here you can let off steam and it is really remarkable what you can build.
The puzzles in the shrines are, we think, even more fun than in Breath of the Wild. They seem more playful, more intuitive to solve and that motivates again and again. It’s just as exciting to get to the bottom of all the secrets and Easter eggs.
Much like the predecessor
Otherwise, it remains playful for the most part like Breath of the Wild. You explore the regions around Hyrule Castle, uncover the map above the towers, ride horses, glide through the air with your parasail and also encounter old companions on your quests.
The spirit of discovery can develop well again and there are enough quests to have fun for a long time. When you sit down at Tears of the Kingdom, the time goes by faster than you would like – because it’s just so much fun. You can also see how many hours you’ve played Zelda TOTK on the Switch.
Presenting the complete game in every detail is hardly possible, it is so extensive. But we will summarize what else we noticed in a list:
- Opponents (groups) act even more intelligently
- Cooking is possible and useful again
- There are Shrines, Krogs and Krogseeds again
- Amiibo support available
- In the event of a thunderstorm, a lightning strike threatens you again (put metal objects down!)
- Fast travel works through the towers
- Crafting creations disappear after exiting the game, even after saving
We’ll update the review once we’ve completed the game. If you still need a little help, take a look at our Zelda Tears of the Kingdom tips and tricks.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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