Summary
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas been released, and fans have spoken. Many are relieved to report that it’s a worthy successor toBreath of the Wildand a strong entry in theLegend of Zeldaseries. No matter how accomplished it is, however, no game is safe from ridicule.
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Tears of the Kingdomhas naturally spawned a slew of memes. This goes with the territory of being such a cultural phenomenon. Few of these are malicious, though, as players make them in good humor. They love to poke fun at sillier aspects or point out various nitpicks. Not only does this amuse them in the moment, but they know that legions of like-minded fans will get the joke and laugh along with them.
6Climbing
It’s no secret that climbing was a prominent part ofBreath of the Wild. Cliffs and mountains made up most of its vast landscape. As such,exploration involved Link clambering up by hand. The folks atNintendodecided to incorporate that into the marketing, with the promo image showing the hero scaling a cliff face. Whether intentional or not, they followed up on that visual withTears of the Kingdom.
The sequel shows Link perched at the top of a cliff. Given his similar clothing, fans have taken it as a continuation of the previous game’s artwork. Yep, Link’s finally made it…after five years. That’s oddly appropriate given how slow the climbing was. Scaling a mountain seemed to take at least that long. If anything, it’s surprising that he had the stamina.
5Student Studies
For better or worse, the release of a newZeldagame is a momentous event with effects well outside the gaming realm.The assumption is that everyone will put their lives on hold to play it right away, even when the logical option is to do the opposite.
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One of those situations is school. Whether in grade school or college, students have exams. The smart choice would be to use their free time to study for those exams. Then again,Zeldagives them infinitely more enjoyment. Their passion for the series is likely stronger and goes back further than any class. Sure, they may flunk the test, but they’ll clear a really tough dungeon. Priorities are important, after all.
4The Real Man’s Game
No matterhow hyped a game is, there will always be people who prefer another. What’s more, those people have no problem degrading the mainstream title instead of the one they like. Such is the case here, but the meme presents a hilarious irony in its choice of game.
In this case, the “real man’s” title isPikmin 4. Not only is it another cartoonish adventure, but the box art doesn’t do it any favors.Zeldais beautiful and majestic whilePikminlooks like a bunch of silly rainbow creatures hanging out in a garden. To say that it’s counterintuitive would be an understatement. Then again,some of the most challenging games have the most innocent aesthetics.
3Perplexing Puzzles
Puzzles were a common complaint inBreath of the Wild. They were too simple.Many felt like the shape puzzles that toddlers play with. The fact that they involved pushing blocks and other objects didn’t help.Tears of the Kingdomseeks to remedy that, but it goes to the opposite end of the spectrum.
Some of the puzzles here are abstract to the point of confusion. It’s hard to know where to start. Tackling them after the previous entry is like going from kindergarten to high school. Players will be wishing for a guide, as they’ll be just as perplexed as these construction workers.
2Fusion Fiasco
The fusion system inTears of the Kingdomis among its most engaging aspects. The game sports countless combinations for players to craft, and they can go toward either combat or navigation. This approach rewards creativity andensures that no two playthroughs are the same. However, such freedom also has an inevitable side effect.
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Some of these creations are just plain weird. For instance, Link can walk into battle with onion arrows and a literal meat shield. They may be useful, but they don’t change the fact that he’s battling the forces of evil with food. Any sane person would react similarly to Barbie here. MaybeZeldashould rely on a different hero, preferably one with actual weapons. This isn’t the only meme making fun of this mechanic, though.
1Darker Than Majora’s Mask?
At the outset,Tears of the Kingdomseemed to beone of the darkerZeldaentries. Fans wondered if it would be the nextMajora’s Maskin tone. It even has the eponymous mask as an unlockable item. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
While the game definitely has dark moments throughout, that sinister atmosphere goes out the window thanks to the fusion system. It’s hard to maintain a foreboding mood when Link shows up with a mushroom on his shield. That said, this image makes for a hilarious contrast with the scarier stuff. It’s even more amusing in hindsight, as people truly thought that the game would be more intense than it is.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis currently available on Nintendo Switch.
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