The release date of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is moving ever closer, and a recent preview event revealed even more of what the game has to offer. While Nintendo is keeping the story of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom firmly under wraps, they've allowed a group of gamers and outlets to test out Link's new Zonai abilities on the ground and in the skies.
While players got to a limited amount of what the new and improved Hyrule has to offer, these previews confirmed the return of fan-favorite features like the Travel Medallion from the Master Trials DLC and Koroks, in addition to brand-new gameplay mechanics.
8 Improved UI
As expected, Tears of the Kingdom greatly improves upon the UI providing a streamlined approach to Link's inventory and other elements. There's now an Ability Wheel to facilitate the six new abilities Link possesses, in addition to the Map and Amiibo connectivity, which are accessed by holding down L and using the R analog stick to cycle through them.
The inventory has been streamlined, with players using the L and R buttons to cycle through it rather than the analog sticks. And as for the map, there are two separate ones for the grounds of Hyrule and the Sky Islands. Players can switch between them using Up and Down on the D-Pad.
7 Ultrahand & Autobuild
Ultrahand is essentially Magnesis, but for everything. While the primary use of the ability is to build vehicles, Link can also use it in combat to pick up and drop objects like Bomb Barrels on unsuspecting enemies or to solve puzzles.
Back to the vehicles, Link can make all manner of things with Ultrahand. All players have to do is grab and glue objects together, which are automatically assembled when in position. Zonai Devices like Fans or Rockets can be rotated when fitted to a vehicle to facilitate the direction in which players want the vehicle to travel. The Autobuild ability works in tandem with Ultrahand, providing players the opportunity to save vehicles they've made so they can remake them (with the right components on hand, of course).
6 Zonai Devices
A handful of Zonai Devices are at Link's disposal in Tears of the Kingdom, which are used to power and propel vehicles and enhance weapons. Devices like Zonai Rockets and Flame Emitters can be extremely useful in battle when not used as vehicles' engines. The Zonai Rocket can even be used as a traversal option by attaching it to a shield, replicating the effect of Revali's Gale in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These devices are sourced from Gachapon-like machines, accessed by Link trading Zonai Charges dropped by Zonai Constructs.
One of the most common is the Zonai Battery, which gives vehicles extra oomph when in use. Link has his own supply of batteries attached to an upgradable Zonai device on his hip, stored in energy vials. Batteries will recharge when not powered by anything, so once they are used up, the weapon or device will turn off and recharge, much like Stamina.
5 Fuse
The possibilities are endless with Link's Fuse ability, which lets players get creative by attaching objects together. While the ability can be used for pretty much anything, its main purpose is for Link to fuse two weapons together to increase power and durability, or an item that can produce a status or elemental effect. A bunch of new elemental materials have been introduced in Tears of the Kingdom for this ability, including the Muddle Bud, which can confuse enemies, and the Puffshroom, which can cloud their vision, to fuse onto arrows.
Zonai Devices can also be attached to weapons and shields, in addition to monster parts. Classic Zelda enemies like Bokoblins and Lizalfos have received new horns that can be fused to weapons, and Zonai Constructs will always drop a Soldier Construct Horn to be used in the same way.
4 Ascend
Gone are the days of endless climbing, as Link can travel through ceilings with the Ascend ability. Similar to how Link could swim up waterfalls with the Zora armor set, Ascend sees him swim upwards through a solid object so long as it's at a suitable height.
Once Link has reached the top of whatever ceiling he is traveling through, time will stop once he appears so players can survey the surroundings. So if they find they've accidentally reared their head in the middle of an enemy camp, players can return to the ground to prepare or take another route.
3 Recall
Link can now reverse time with the Recall ability. Like Statis in reverse, this ability is used as a way for Link to travel to the Sky Islands from the ground. As shown in the first gameplay demo with series producer Eiji Aonuma, Recall can be used on fallen chunks of Sky Island to repurpose them into elevators.
Aside from traversal, Recall can be used in puzzle-solving and during combat. As shown in the previews, a group of Bokoblins set a trap consisting of a large, iron-spiked ball rolling toward Link. But using the Recall ability, Link could reverse the trap back into the group of enemies, dealing damage in the process.
2 Cooking
Cooking is back in Tears of the Kingdom, and the process has received a significant overhaul. Gone are the days of players seeking out recipes online or via apps, as each meal Link makes will automatically be recorded on a recipe card for future reference. These cards are numbered, and show pictures of the ingredients needed to make the dish and the amount of hearts or effects the meal provides. Gamers can check these recipes by pressing X when in the food menu.
Link can find pots spread around Hyrule, like in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but he can also craft his own portable pot courtesy of the Zonai. While the Zonai Portable Pot is a one-time use object, it means that players don't have to rely on finding a cooking pot if Link needs a meal that provides an increase in attack, defense, or something to keep him warm or cool.
1 Skyview Towers
Sheikah Towers have been noticeably absent in the trailers and demo, but players have finally been given a glimpse at what has replaced these monuments - Skyview Towers. Assumed to be named after the Skyview Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, these monuments provide a detailed map of the surrounding area to Link once activated and are a fast travel destination. To activate a Skyview Tower, Link must first clear an obstacle to reach it – like defeating an enemy encampment at its base, as demonstrated in the previews, which took place at the Hyrule Field Skyview Tower, situated north of Lake Kolomo.
However, as the map extends upwards in Tears of the Kingdom, it seems that a Skyview Tower will be Link's main way of traveling to the Sky Islands. While not explored extensively in the previews, some show Link being catapulted into the sky before assuming a skydiving position as he falls.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release on May 12, 2023, for Switch.