Just like Breath of the Wild before it, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has given players a vast sandbox to explore. The kingdom of Hyrule is packed to the brim with things to discover and stories to tell, and many players will likely never see it all. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterclass in open-world design, and the new abilities at Link's disposal make it even better.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gives players access to new powerful abilities that help make this version of Hyrule into the sandbox to end all sandboxes. Players are given limitless freedom in what they want to do within this world, and some have already created wild contraptions with these powers. Nintendo was smart to add these unique Zelda abilities, and more open-world games may want to take some notes.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Tears of the Kingdom's World is Truly a Sandbox
At the start of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Link's right arm gets destroyed by Ganondorf and all his items vanish. He is then granted a new robotic right arm by a mysterious figure, and players spend the opening sequence learning the various powers that this right arm possesses. They will discover four unique powers in the first couple of hours, and those powers become vital for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's open world.
Once players leave the opening area, they arrive in the vast fields of Hyrule and they are let loose. Using these abilities, players can engage in all sorts of shenanigans during their adventures. The Ultrahand ability lets them build gigantic contraptions, the Fuse ability lets them connect the unlikeliest of objects, Ascend allows them to move through anything above them, and Recall lets them control time itself. These abilities form the backbone of this world, and the Zonai devices make them even better.
Zonai devices are also a brand-new addition to The Legend of Zelda, and the abilities would not be the same without them. These devices are spread out throughout Hyrule just waiting to be used in whatever contraption the player is building. There are also numerous Zonai dispensers that give players capsules containing even more devices in exchange for monster horns. These devices range from fans and fire engines to massive gliders and hot air balloons. As players progress through Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, they will uncover even more wild devices waiting to be tapped.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's abilities and Zonai devices help make Hyrule an actual sandbox. The only limits seem to be the ones players set for themselves, and many players have already built some impressive things within the first couple days of release. While some players may pass this feature by, many more will likely engage with it for years to come. It is a fantastic addition to an already great world and may once again redefine what it means to be an open-world title.
There are so many open-world games releasing constantly, but most of them do not take the concept as far as it can go. The worlds in games like Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto, and Assassin's Creed are mostly just used as set dressing. Players can engage in all sorts of mayhem within these worlds, but players are usually extremely limited in what they can actually do. The worlds can get stale after spending hours inside them, but Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom does not have that problem.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's abilities were one of the best additions to the open-world formula in years. Players will likely keep coming back to see what they can do with them, and it may be years before everything has been discovered. It is truly a unique experience that actually feels like a sandbox, and hopefully, it inspires future open-world titles to add something similar.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Switch.
