As fans build a better idea of whatThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomwill look like, how it will play, and what additions it will make, one change the sequel should consider is moving away from the iconic soundtrack ofBreath of the Wild.To complement the game’s post-apocalyptic atmosphere and open world,Breath of the Wild’ssoundtrack focused on quiet, ambient musicrather than the traditional, upbeat soundtracks of previous games. It’s likelyTears of the Kingdommight carry this idea forward, but the opportunity to go in a new direction has a lot of potential.
WhileBreath of the Wildreflected the game’s story about Hyrule a century after Calamity Ganon left the land to be overtaken by nature,Tears of the Kingdomwill pick up where its predecessor left off. The sequel’s environment is populated by floating islands as communities and characters rebuild their lives following Ganon’s defeat, and it’s unclear ifBreath of the Wild’ssoundtrack approach fits within this framework.Tears of the Kingdomwill have to make a decision whether to continueBreath of the Wild’sambience, return to the musical traditions of earlier games, or forge its own identity.
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Music From Tears of the Kingdom’s Trailers
The trailers already released forTears of the Kingdomgive players a sense of the direction the sequel’s soundtrack will be going in.Breath of the Wild’strailersutilized the music that players would later hear in-game, including the recognizablepiano melody that has become emblematic ofZelda. Fans believeTears of the Kingdomwill not be an exception to this, and music from the trailers will similarly be used in-game.
Building from this, fans have noted the increased use of certain instruments atopBreath of the Wild’spiano, such as trumpets used to create a more impactful, dramatic soundtrack. Leaning into this idea, it seemsTears of the Kingdomwill reflect the expanded scale of the sequel and give the world a more impressive feel. Fans hope that these trailers indicate Nintendo’s decision to makeTears of the Kingdom’smusic more impressive for enemy encountersand flying through the sky.
Tears of the Kingdom’s Potential Soundtrack
Though the trailers are a good starting point to suggest whereTears of the Kingdom’ssoundtrack might go, fans are unsure whether the game’s soundtrack is ultimately embracing the sequel’s darker elements. For example, theE3 2021 trailer forBreath of the Wild’ssequel reversed its music, leaving many to start hypothesizing what this might mean. Most agree thatTears of theKingdomlooks to be a creepier, darker game thanBreath of the Wild, mirroringOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask’srelationship.
This could be whereTears of the Kingdomdiverges from traditionalZeldagames' upbeat music andBreath of the Wild’sambience, taking the game in a darker direction reflected by its soundtrack. One possible way of achieving this would be an extension of its reversed music, factoring this into the game’s story for creepier moments like Ganondorf’s revival,Link’s arm getting corrupted, or Zelda’s abduction. Other options could make use of existing mechanics, such as the blood moon or malice corruption, and create dynamic music that reflects sinister environments.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis set to release onMay 12, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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