New The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay has given players a glimpse of the many abilities, environments, and even enemies coming to Breath of the Wild's sequel, though "Constructs" appear to have missed out on the perfect opportunity to channel more inspiration from Skyward Sword. The upcoming title has fostered ample speculation from fans about its potential connections to earlier Zelda games owing to the series' long-standing timeline continuity. Whether due to the floating islands in the sky or a damaged Master Sword evoking theories about Fi, Tears of the Kingdom and Skyward Sword seem inseparable.
In spite of these two games' similarities, the new Construct enemies revealed for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom seem to have passed up the chance to reintroduce one of Skyward Sword's more unique features. While there is plenty left unknown about who or what these enemies are and why they've appeared in Hyrule, their distinctive design of segmented bodies would have meshed well with Skyward Sword's precise motion-control weak points. With Breath of the Wild righting the shortfalls of Skyward Sword's stamina to resource management, perhaps Tears of the Kingdom could go further with motion control sword-fighting.
Taking Control From Skyward Sword to Tears of the Kingdom
Of the various design choices Skyward Sword made that are still contested among fans, it was the first Zelda game to let players take full control of Link's sword. Capitalizing on the Wii's motion controls, Nintendo went to great lengths to ensure that combat fit - even going so far as to make Link right-handed so that the game would align with the majority of players. As part of this, a new layer added to Skyward Sword's combat required players to slash their swords in particular directions, either to counter an enemy's attack or exploit a certain weakness.
Since Breath of the Wild already has a general counter, the latter could help Tears of the Kingdom enhance its enemies beyond very obvious eye-based or element disadvantages. For instance, the Constructs seen in the recent gameplay trailer have divided bodies, which means a well-placed slash could be a more effective way to kill them. Just as Skyward Sword's Deku Babas needed precise attacks aligned with their mouths, so too could Tears of the Kingdom's Constructs be attacked between their armor-like bodies through to whatever energy is driving them from within.
Tears of the Kingdom Could Advance Combat Even Further
Despite the opportunity Constructs presents for the comeback of this Skyward Sword concept, it seems unlikely that Tears of the Kingdom's combat mechanics will stray too far from its predecessor's foundations. Motion controls in both Breath of the Wild and now Tears of the Kingdom appear to be secondary aspects of gameplay that players can turn off if they so choose. Though all the pieces are there with perfectly designed enemies and joy-cons motion controls, literal sword-fighting will probably have to wait for a return in future Zelda games.
But the recent gameplay showcased demonstrates that Tears of the Kingdom's combat has undergone some significant changes since Breath of the Wild. So, while Tears of the Kingdom's gimmick of fusing weapons and gear opens up many new possibilities, the overlooked opportunity with Constructs could prompt new styles of swordplay based on Skyward Sword's combat. Just as enemies had certain weaknesses to precise attacks, Tears of the Kingdom has the chance to expand how weapons can be used, such as letting Link stab with a sword and not just slash, or sweep with a spear instead of just thrusting forward.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release on May 12, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
