5 'Zelda' Games To Play Before 'Tears Of The Kingdom’
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5. Breath of the Wild
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Breath of the Wild is the most obvious choice. Some games feature the same Link, but usually in different worlds, so the games can stand on their own. Tears of the Kingdom marks the first direct sequel in the series, which means the same Link from Breath of the Wild will be exploring a world he’s already saved. The world of this game is filled with clues to the sequel, particularly in reference to the Zonai tribe. The Zonai people worshipped the three aspects of the Triforce as animal deities. The dragon represents courage, the boar stands for power, and the owl symbolizes wisdom. The sequel’s logo features an ouroboros shape that looks exactly like the Zonai ruins found in the first game.
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4. Skyward Sword
Image Source: Switch RPG
The trailers confirm that a significant part of Tears of the Kingdom will take place in the sky. While other Zelda games have featured certain levels or dungeons up above, Skyward Sword saw Link returning to his home island in the sky to stock up on potions and upgrade his gear. From Skyloft, Link would dive down into pillars of light to explore the surface world that would eventually become Hyrule. Another connection to this game is the seven tears surrounding the owl figure. They have the same shape as the amber relics from Skyward Sword. In the later parts of the adventure, a major game mechanic involves collecting the tears of the three goddesses to prove the hero’s courage, strength, and wisdom. Many fans suspect that these tears are connected to the new game’s plot.
3. Twilight Princess
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Twilight Princess saw Wolf Link collecting tears of light to restore the spirits of light and the hero to their true form. A certain amiibo brings Wolf Link into the world of Breath of the Wild to join Link on his adventure, so the Hero of Twilight is canonically established in this version of Hyrule. Some Zelda fans have theorized that the Zonai and the Interlopers (a group of people from Twilight Princess who used dark magic) are members of the same tribe. Much of the Zonai tech we see in the trailers is reminiscent of the twilight runes on Midna’s arms. In the game’s finale, Midna, the Princess of Twilight, uses a tear to shatter the portal between worlds. If the Zonai and the Twilight People are from the same tribe, Tears of the Kingdom could refer to the Zonai or Twilight Kingdoms.
2. Ocarina Of Time
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Nintendo’s E3 trailer revealed a corrupted Master Sword featured in the Tears of the Kingdom logo. We don’t know what happened to it, but the legend of the Master Sword plays a pivotal role in Ocarina of Time. The initial announcement video showed a mummified Ganondorf, the Gerudo King from the Hero of Time era. In Breath of the Wild, the Gerudo champion Urbossa specifically mentioned Calamity Ganon’s origin in the Gerudo tribe. This is a clear reference to the Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time. Every time Ganondorf has appeared, he has been the same Gerudo from Ocarina of Time instead of a reincarnation like Link and Zelda. While this gives a hint as to how Calamity Ganon came into this version of Hyrule, it doesn’t solve any timeline issues, since Ocarina is the game that causes the split in the timeline. However, the presence of Ganondorf hints at the sacred realm playing a role, which brings us to the final game.
1. A Link To The Past
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In A Link to the Past, Link explores the Dark World, formerly the Sacred Realm but now corrupted by Ganon’s influence. In this realm, people take on an animal form that matches their personalities. Other than a few small parts of Skyward Sword, this is the only time that the Sacred Realm is explored in gameplay. Zelda producer Eiji Aunoma mentions that the expanded world goes beyond the ground and sky. Some fans think Link, or possibly Zelda, will explore an underground area. However, Aunoma’s comments could extend to Link exploring two worlds or two different time periods. Perhaps the Zonai tribe retreated to the Sacred Realm and is awaiting the hero. Tears of the Kingdom could feature two maps, one with the ground and sky features in the trailers and an alternate dimension of sorts that looks largely the same with a few key differences. This could be done through a portal that connects the world, or the switch-between-characters feature present in several Zelda games.
Tears of the Kingdom comes to Nintendo Switch on May 31, 2023. Until then, Zelda fans can explore these older entries to find hints about Hyrule’s future. The Zelda games have a wealth of lore hidden throughout their worlds. With five months until the next big entry, players will have plenty of time to catch up on the series.
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Source(s): Nintendo Life, Polygon, MartianCreeper, Hyrule Blog
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