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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Release date, trailers & everything we know

Meg Bethany Koepp
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom logoNintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the long-awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild is just around the corner, so here’s everything you need to know about the game before it releases for the Nintendo Switch.

Breath of the Wild was instrumental in inspiring and shaping a generation of open-world games. With a vibrant open world that encouraged players to explore, and its engaging story it’s no wonder the game is now widely regarded as one of the best Nintendo Switch titles of all time.

The follow-up, officially titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, has been highly anticipated for years now, and it’s set to release in 2023.

Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming game that’s sure to be one of the most exciting releases of the year.

While you’re here, make sure to check out the latest The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom deals from Amazon and Best Buy.

Contents:

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom release date

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will release on May 12, 2023. This was confirmed during a Nintendo Direct presentation. It will release exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailers

The first look at the next mainline Zelda entry came during Nintendo’s presentation at E3 2019, surprising fans who didn’t expect a sequel to be announced so soon.

In it, Link and Princess Zelda can be seen traveling through a cave filled with darkness and danger, before approaching what is thought to be Ganon’s mummified body which then awakens.

The trailer ended with a black screen that simply read “The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development,” but that was enough to send players into overdrive with excitement.

The next look at the sequel came a whole two years later at E3 2021, this time giving a dive into gameplay and the world of Hyrule. It was revealed that Link’s escapades will now involve the Sky islands, much like Skyward Sword did in 2011.

Hyrule Castle is also seen being yanked out of the ground at the end of the trailer, being left suspended in mid-air. How our courageous hero clad in green will get there now is currently unknown.

The release date and title trailer were unveiled during the 2022 Nintendo Direct:

Another trailer was shared during the February 8, 2023, Nintendo Direct stream, showcasing the return of new and familiar enemies, puzzles, and the flight system. 

 

On April 13, 2023, fans were treated to the final trailer for Tears of the Kingdom. Similarly to Breath of the Wild, this trailer gives fans their best look yet at the upcoming game. If finally reveals Ganondorf, who will be voiced by Matthew Mercer for the english version.

As well as this, it includes new enemies, locations and an in depth look at gameplay mechanics and more. The full trailer can be viewed here:

 

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay

The first and only look at the gameplay so far was during the E3 2021 trailer. In it, fans were treated to a big glimpse at the world above the clouds, as well as new and returning foes.

Bokoblins can now camp on and ride a Stone Talus, and there appears to be a new Guardian-like enemy too. There’s also a new flower snake opponent, which Link fiercely fends off with a new flamethrower power.

The hero can also now warp through objects, and it’s hinted massively that he will be able to manipulate time somehow to his advantage. Though details on that are currently unknown.

New free-falling mechanic

As originally reported by Gamereactor, a new patent has revealed that the game will feature a free-falling mechanic which will allow Link to perform some cool moves and attacks while in midair. We saw the free-falling mechanic in action in the trailer, but the patent suggests this will be more developed than we previously thought.

It appears that Link will be able to string combos together and prolong his time in the air by stacking attacks. He’ll also be able to transition into rolls and a swan dive into water.

Of course, take this with a pinch of salt until we see more evidence, but this information tracks with what we’ve seen so far, and with how combos worked in the first BoTW. It also seems likely that these mechanics will be combined with gliding, allowing players to switch between the two with ease.

New building & combining weapons mechanic

One way that Breath of the Wild players were able to add longevity to the gaming experience was by getting creative. With many posting videos online of building vehicles, new weapons and the like through the game’s items and the terrain. 

In light of this, Nintendo have fully embraced the ability to be as creative as possible with Tears of the Kingdom. Players will have the option to combine weapon types together, build vehicles out of fans and logs and even use these machines to fight against enemies in similarly designed equipment.

It’s safe to say that when Tears of the Kingdom released, Zelda fans will be hard at work building and making the most out of the box weapons and vehicles they can.

Tears of the Kingdom preorders

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is open for preorder at certain retailers. There is a standard edition and a recently announced Collectors edition. 

Check out our preorder guide for the full list of where to preorder and the best prices.

That’s everything we know about Tears of the Kingdom so far! For more Zelda content, check out our guides below:

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