The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Gets Gameplay Demonstration

by Alex Fuller · Published March 28, 2023 · Updated March 28, 2023

Nintendo posted a new gameplay demonstration video for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ahead of the game’s release for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023. Presented by series producer Eiji Aonuma, the thirteen-minute video shows various elements of the game.

Taking place after the events of Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sees Link embarking on a new journey. His new adventure takes him across an expanded world, including floating landmasses in the skies of Hyrule. Objects can fall from these landmasses and Link can use his new Recall ability to take rewind these objects movement, riding them into the sky in the process and using his paraglider to get between them. There will be multiple ways to reach the sky islands, which have trees and man-made structures.

Tears of the Kingdom features new enemies including Constructs and the return of weapon degradation and breaking. Link has the new Fuse ability that combines items together; for example, combining a rock and a tree branch creates a makeshift hammer that has greater durability than the base branch. Different weapons can be combined, such as a large stick and pitchfork making an extended pitchfork with much greater range, or adding elemental materials and homing items to arrows. Link can also add items to his shield, such as a mushroom that released a cloud of smoke when struck. Enemies can also make use of fused weapons.

Other options for crafting and combining items include being able to create a makeshift boat out of logs and fans, with players able to determine how items are attached. Players can also create more complicated machines such as a car and a flying machine shown in the previous trailer. Other new abilities include Ascend, which lets Link phase through a ceiling to the floor above with a fairly loose definition of ceiling. If players are knocked off or jump of the islands, Link can glide across Hyrule to return to the surface somewhere useful.

In addition to showing the new gameplay, Nintendo also announced a special edition Nintendo Switch OLED Model. The model will feature a special design based on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, including the Joy-Cons and dock, and will be priced at $359.99. It will release on April 28, 2023, and does not include a copy of the game. Nintendo will also release a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (MSRP $74.99) and a Nintendo Switch carrying case (MSRP $24.99) with Tears of the Kingdom designs that will release alongside the game on May 12, 2023.