The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – 8 New Mechanics

With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom May 12 upon us, here’s a roundup of the 8 new mechanics revealed in the recent preview event. While the story was kept very much a secret at the preview, Link’s new Zonai abilities in the sky and on the ground were on display.

While fans only got to see a small portion of what the new Hyrule has to offer, these previews confirmed the return of fan-favourite features like the Master Trials DLC’s Travel Medallion and Koroks, along with brand-new gameplay mechanics.

1 – Improved UI & Controls

Tears of the Kingdom, as promised, vastly enhances the UI by streamlining Link’s inventory and other features. In addition to the map and amiibo connectivity, there is now an ability wheel to support Link’s six new skills, which are activated by holding down L and cycling through them with the R analogue stick.

The inventory has been simplified, with players cycling through it using the L and R buttons rather than the analogue sticks. In terms of maps, there are two: one for Hyrule and one for the Sky Islands. Players can switch between them by pressing the Up and Down buttons on the D-Pad.

2 – Ultrahand & Autobuild

Magnesis is like Ultrahand but for everything. While the ability’s primary function is to construct vehicles, Link can also use it in combat to pick up and drop objects like Bomb Barrels on unsuspecting adversaries or to solve puzzles.

Back to the vehicles, Link’s Ultrahand may be used to create a variety of objects. All players need do is grab and glue things together, which are automatically assembled once in place. When connected to a vehicle, Zonai Devices like Fans or Rockets can be rotated to facilitate the direction in which players wish the vehicle to travel. The Autobuild feature works in tandem with Ultrahand, allowing players to save vehicles they’ve created so they can replicate them (with the appropriate components, of course).

3 – Zonai Devices

In Tears of the Kingdom, Link has access to a number of Zonai Devices, which are utilised to power and propel vehicles as well as augment weaponry. When not used as vehicle engines, devices such as Zonai Rockets and Flame Emitters can be immensely beneficial in warfare. By attaching it to a shield, the Zonai Rocket can even be utilised as a traversal option, mimicking the impact of Revali’s Gale in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These devices are obtained through Link exchanging Zonai Charges dropped by Zonai Constructs from Gachapon-like machines.

One of the most common is the Zonai Battery, which provides extra power to automobiles when in use. Link has his own battery supply, which is coupled to an upgradeable Zonai gadget on his hip and is stored in energy vials. Batteries recharge when they are not powered by anything, therefore when they are depleted, the weapon or equipment will turn off and recharge, similar to Stamina.

4 – Fuse

5 – Ascend

The days of perpetual climbing are over since Link’s Ascend ability allows him to travel through ceilings. Ascend sees Link swim upwards through a solid item as long as it’s at a suitable height, similar to how Link could swim up waterfalls with the Zora armour set.

A nice touch is when Link reaches the top of whatever ceiling he is traversing, time will pause so that players can view their surroundings. So, if they find themselves in the centre of an enemy camp by accident, they can return to the ground to prepare or take another route.

6 – Recall

With the Recall ability, Link may now go back in time. This ability, like Statis in reverse, allows Link to go to the Sky Islands from the ground. Recall, as seen in the first Tears of the Kingdom gameplay demo with series producer Eiji Aonuma, may be used to repurpose fallen portions of Sky Island into lifts.

Recall can be employed for puzzle-solving and warfare in addition to traversal. A bunch of Bokoblins, as seen in the trailers, set a trap consisting of a big, iron-spiked ball rolling towards Link. Link, on the other hand, might use the Recall ability to reverse the trap back into the gathering of enemies, dealing damage in the process.

7 – Cooking

Cooking is making a return in Tears of the Kingdom, and the technique has been greatly improved. Players will no longer need to look for recipes online since each meal Link prepares will be immediately stored on a recipe card for future reference. These cards are numbered and feature images of the items needed to cook the dish as well as the number of hearts or effects provided by the meal. When on the food menu, gamers can examine these recipes by pressing X.

Link can locate pots scattered throughout Hyrule, as he did in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but he can also use the Zonai to create his own portable pot. While the Zonai Portable Pot is a one-time use item, it means that players don’t have to rely on locating a cooking pot if Link requires a meal that boosts his attack or defence, warms him up or cools him down.

8 – Skyview Towers

Sheikah Towers have been glaringly absent from Tears of the Kingdom teasers and demos, but gamers have finally been shown what has taken their place – Skyview Towers. These monuments, thought to be named after the Skyview Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, show a detailed map of the surrounding area to Link once activated and serve as a quick trip destination. Link must first pass an impediment to access a Skyview Tower, like fighting an enemy encampment at its base. This was shown in the previews and took place at the Hyrule Field Skyview Tower, located north of Lake Kolomo.

​​​However, when the map expands upwards in Tears of the Kingdom, it appears that Link’s primary mode of transportation to the Sky Islands will be via a Skyview Tower. While not completely explored in the previews, several depict Link being propelled into the sky before falling into a skydiving posture.