The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis set to be one of the most highly-anticipated video game releases of 2023. The follow-up toBreath of the Wild, one of the most successful Nintendo titles of all time, is already garnering high expectations. Even the game’s most diehard fans have been blown away by the early looks at the open-world game.
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In Nintendo’s February 2023 Direct, a new trailer forTears of the Kingdomshowed off the most gameplay fans have seen yet. It looks to be following through on its promise of elevating the franchise both story-wise and gameplay-wise. However, what caught fans' eyes the most were these eight Easter eggs which may allude to some of the game’s features.
8The Blood Moon Is Back
One of the more infamous aspects ofBreath of the Wildis the Blood Moon, a rare natural occurrence that will reset the map of Hyrule,reviving fallen enemies and resetting weapon drops. It’s a clever mechanic to make sure the player doesn’t leave the open world empty. However, it also plays a big role in the game’s story as a result of Calamity Ganon’s power.
Given that the Blood Moon appears in the most recent trailer forTears of the Kingdom, fans can assume that we haven’t seen the end of Calamity Ganon. It’s possible that, with the evil force returning, the Blood Moon will spell even more danger for Link and his allies. Nevertheless, it’ll likely serve a similar purpose as it did inBreath of the Wild.
7Returning Enemies From The Franchise
Some eagle-eyed fans have noticedsome new enemies appearing in the trailer, including a monster made of blocks and a tentacled Sheikah Plate. However, some fans have also pointed out the return of some classic enemies from theZeldafranchise, such as a fatter Bokoblin which resembles the Moblin designs fromSkyward SwordandWind Waker.
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Another possible returning enemy is the Re-Dead, who appears in a cinematic in theTears of the Kingdomtrailer alongside Bokoblins and Moblins. The Re-Dead first appeared inOcarina of Time, creepily latching onto Link if he got too close. Odds are, if the Re-Dead is truly returning inTears of the Kingdom, players will have to keep their distance.
6Link’s Got A New Look
Many fans noticed that Link seems to look a lot different from hisBreath of the Wildversion.Though little is known about the game’s story, there seems to be something wrong with Link’s arm. Link getting somehow cursed or possessed was originally teased in the game’s first trailer all the way back in E3 2019, as an evil entity entered Link’s arm.
In more recent trailers, it appears that this evil has gravely affected Link, deadening his arm in some scenes. In other scenes, it appears that Link’s arm has received an upgrade that resembles the Sheikah Slate, which Link uses to enact certain abilities in gameplay footage. Perhaps Link’s new arm is turning out to be a big benefit for the Hylian hero’s move pool.
5Locations From Breath Of The Wild
Many fans are excitedto re-explore Hyrule inTears of the Kingdom, as the exploration aspect ofBreath of the Wildwas the best part for many fans.Tears of the Kingdomseems to be offering many new locales, such as the sky region resembling Skyloft, but fans are perhaps more excited to return to some of their favorite places fromBreath of the Wild.
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Among the returning locales showcased in the most recentTears of the Kingdomtrailer, fans spotted glimpses of Hateno Village, Gerudo Desert, and Death Mountain. Hopefully, hardcore fans of the game will get to reunite with some of their favorite NPCs from these areas, such as Purah, the scientist who works in a lab near Hateno Village.
4Link Upgrades His Transportation Methods
While horse-riding is confirmed to be returninginTears of the Kingdom, the even bigger reveal for fans may be Link’s all-new forms of transportation. In the second trailer, looks at hot air balloons, flying machines, and cars impressed fans and drew comparisons toBanjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. It seems navigating Hyrule will be an adventure of its own.
Other scenes from the trailer seem to allude to Link being able to craft, which may mean players can make their own vehicles. This could’ve possibly been added to the sequel after clever fans tried to create flying machines inBreath of the Wildusing rafts and balloons, though their success rate inTears of the Kingdomwill likely be greater.
3Zelda Possesses The Sheikah Slate
With Link potentially no longer needing the Sheikah Slate thanks to his new arm, many fans keenly noticed that Princess Zelda is holding the Sheikah Slate in promotional material. This, combined with speculation that Zelda could be playable for at least some parts of the game, has led lots of fans to become excited by what’s in store for the iconic damsel-in-distress.
However, some fans have an opposite opinion that, given the title ofTears of the Kingdom,Princess Zelda may see her demise in the game. Longtime fans of the franchise hope that this won’t happen, especially if it’s possible Zelda will be playable for the first time outside aSuper Smash Brostitle.
2Borrowing Mechanics From Sonic Frontiers
One gameplay feature that caught fans' eyes in the most recentTears of the Kingdomtrailer is a moment where Link seems to be gliding along rails. While many fans felt this evoked iconic moments from theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise, it could be a lot more than that.Sonic Frontiersis a recently-released Switch title that could’ve been the inspiration.
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As fans pointed out whenSonic Frontierswas announced, the game borrows a lot of its gameplay mechanics fromBreath of the Wild. It’s the firstSonictitle to be mostly open-world, even resembling the appearance of Hyrule in Nintendo’s own game. Perhaps grinding inTears of the Kingdomis an Easter egg to thatBreath of the Wildspiritual successor.
1The Potential Return Of A Former Companion
One major Easter egg in the latestTears of the Kingdomtrailer could offer a lot of context to the game’s tightly-kept secret of a story. Fans noticed the various voice actors in the trailer, which could be attributed to either Princess Zelda or Ganondorf. However, there’s another female voice in the trailer, which some fans believe could be an old ally of Link’s.
The destroyedMaster Swordappearing in the game’s promotional material has led fans to believe that Fi fromSkyward Swordwill be appearing in the game. Fi is notably the spirit that lives inside the Master Sword,whose fate may be doomedbased on the game’s promo. Hopefully, this time around Fi isn’t as annoying as she was in the Nintendo Wii game.
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