From the Ocarina of Time itself to the Godesses’ Harp and all the way back to the recorder in the original Legend of Zelda, magical musical instruments have often played a significant role in the series. While Link himself doesn’t play any tunes in Breath of the Wild, players are at least treated to the melodious musings of Kass, the Rito minstrel whose quest is to collect all the Ancient Songs that detail the history of Hyrule. Unfortunately, based on everything that has been revealed about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so far, it looks like players will be musically sidelined once again in the highly anticipated sequel.
When Breath of the Wild came out in 2017, it turned many of the Legend of Zelda’s series traditions on their heads. Gone were dungeons, unlockable items, and, for the first time ever in a 3D Zelda game (excluding the top-down Nintendo DS-exclusive Phantom Hourglass), gone was a playable instrument - as in this instance the voice of a howling wolf is being counted as a playable instrument. This, combined with an emphasis on the sounds of nature and the occasional tinkling on a piano while exploring Hyrule left Link’s adventure lacking in the traditional music department. Trailers and previews have indicated that Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will treat music in much the same way.
Tears Because of No Music in the Kingdom
Mechanically speaking, plenty of the abilities that The Legend of Zelda’s music enabled have been carried into Tears of the Kingdom. Fast travel is covered by the Travel Medallion and likely other fast-travel destinations, such as the Shrines and Sheikah Towers. Summoning a horse is accomplished by whistling, which is as musical as Link got in Breath of the Wild. Even making the sun rise or set is technically covered by the ability to sit down by the fire and select the preferred time of day. That said, none of those options feel as good, or as magical, as playing a catchy tune on a unique instrument to activate a supernatural phenomenon.
While the mechanics themselves persist, something special is definitely lost in translation. Take the “Song of Storms,” for instance. When played, its primary function is to affect the weather. This can be used to water bean sprouts, reveal a hidden grotto, and sometimes even summon fairies to restore health or mana. All of those gameplay mechanics could be replaced with non-musical, non-magical options instead - but then the player wouldn’t be able to summon a storm that damages the windmill while also driving the windmill keeper insane, creating one of the most memorable Zelda characters of all time.
It’s Not Over Until the Great Fairy Sings
Music has always played a major role in The Legend of Zelda. Including Tears of the Kingdom, one-third of the mainline 3D Zelda games are named after the titular musical instrument Link plays (though it’s technically a baton, the Windwaker makes music, so it counts). When the final story trailer for Tears of the Kingdom was released, many people referenced the music for why it was so effective as a hype machine. By releasing another game in the series that downplays the importance of music as a mechanic, Nintendo is setting a sad trend for its beloved franchise.
All that being said, it’s important to note how secretive Nintendo has been about the game. The title, Tears of the Kingdom, was kept secret for years after the game was first announced, as apparently the title itself is a spoiler - though what that spoiler is remains unknown. Trailers and previews have been kept short and contained. It's possible that Tears of the Kingdom is hiding a magical, playable instrument after all. The word “Tar” technically refers to an instrument, so maybe Nintendo revealed a slightly wrong title and Hyrule will be filled with Persian Lute players in “Tars” of the Kingdom. While that specific outcome is rather unlikely, what is likely is that Nintendo has stuffed Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with exciting new mechanics and secrets to be discovered, even if those discoveries aren’t music related.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases May 12 for Nintendo Switch.
