NewThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomgameplay has given players a glimpse of the many abilities, environments, and even enemies coming toBreath of the Wild’s sequel, though “Constructs” appear to have missed out on the perfect opportunity to channel more inspiration fromSkyward Sword. The upcoming title has fostered ample speculation from fans about its potential connections to earlierZeldagames owing to the series' long-standing timeline continuity. Whether due to the floating islands in the sky ora damaged Master Sword evoking theories about Fi,Tears of the KingdomandSkyward Swordseem inseparable.
In spite of these two games' similarities, the new Construct enemies revealed forThe Legend of Zelda:Tears of the Kingdomseem to have passed up the chance to reintroduce one ofSkyward Sword’smore 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 withSkyward Sword’sprecise motion-control weak points. WithBreath of the Wildrighting the shortfalls ofSkywardSword’s stamina to resource management, perhapsTears of the Kingdomcould go further with motion control sword-fighting.
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Taking Control From Skyward Sword to Tears of the Kingdom
Of the various design choicesSkyward Swordmade that are still contested among fans, it was the firstZeldagame 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 toSkyward Sword’scombatrequired players to slash their swords in particular directions, either to counter an enemy’s attack or exploit a certain weakness.
SinceBreath of the Wildalready has a general counter, the latter could helpTears of the Kingdomenhance its enemiesbeyond 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 asSkyward Sword’sDeku Babas needed precise attacks aligned with their mouths, so too couldTears of the Kingdom’sConstructs 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 thisSkyward Swordconcept, it seems unlikely thatTears of the Kingdom’scombat mechanicswill stray too far from its predecessor’s foundations. Motion controls in bothBreath of the Wildand nowTears of the Kingdomappear 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 futureZeldagames.
But the recent gameplay showcased demonstrates thatTears of the Kingdom’scombat has undergone some significant changes sinceBreath of the Wild. So, whileTears of the Kingdom’sgimmick of fusing weaponsand gear opens up many new possibilities, the overlooked opportunity with Constructs could prompt new styles of swordplay based onSkyward Sword’scombat. Just as enemies had certain weaknesses to precise attacks,Tears of the Kingdomhas 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 Kingdomis set to release onMay 12, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
