For almost four decades, fans have been obsessed with the “Legend of Zelda” franchise. The game’s tricky puzzles, storyline, and characters have hooked people for generations. However, as of late, the people who once enjoyed these games have felt bored within their game play. Due to this, fewer fans are purchasing the newer games. But with the new release of “Tears of the Kingdom,” fans have come to love its new lore for the franchise. 

Before Tears of the Kingdom

In early March of 2017, Nintendo released its 28th adventure game, “Zelda:  Breath of the Wild.” During this time, fans were ecstatic because of the high potential the game had. This allowed for the  possibility of a new storyline and addition to the game’s puzzles and abilities. However, when the game was released, some fans were disappointed due to the similarity that “Breath of the Wild” had to Nintendo’s previous games. Most people were tired of the “hero saves princess from monster” story. Despite the improved graphics, they still felt that they were playing the same story time and time again. Although they still wanted the same protagonist, fans were expecting a more in-depth explanation in the world of Hyrule, the setting of most Zelda games. With the release of “Tears of the Kingdom,” supporters hoped for a new change. 

Due to the letdown of some fans’ expectations, this led people to become hesitant for the new release of Nintendo’s “Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.” Although they wanted the franchise to continue, they were desperate for a continuation of the story. Sophomore Wyatt Mcintyre is one of the many fans of Zelda. “I was pretty excited and scared at the same time. I wanted something more to come out of [‘Tears of the Kingdom’],” he said. Despite the doubts people had, they were still excited for the next game to be released.

The New Adventure

In May, “Zelda’s Tears of the Kingdom” was released. Within the game, fans were given what they had been hoping for in the previous game: a new storyline that allowed fans to experience Zelda in a way they hadn’t before.

Among the variety of new developments, “Tears of the Kingdom” introduces a new aspect to the map of Hyrule: floating islands, something only seen in another game. This piqued fans’ interest on why these were brought back into the game and how they fit into the story. However, not only were there new landforms, but also there were new characters as well. Because of these characters, it gave players more information on the story of Hyrule. This helped motivate players to continue playing the games. “I really enjoyed everything about the new stuff,” Mcintyre said, “I think it made it more interesting.” 

With everything players were given, it made Link’s [the main protagonist throughout all “Zelda” games] story more engaging. This was mainly because of Nintendo [creators of the “Zelda” franchise] choosing to go a different route with the game. Although the “main” storyline stayed the same, [e.g. the kingdom getting attacked,] the creators focused on revealing more of the backstory of Hyrule and using those characters to help Link in his adventure. This was something that fans were hoping to see in “Breath of the Wild.” Players wanted to know what set up the world that they were playing in. With “Tears of the Kingdom,” it gives fans that closure of  what they were looking for in the previous game/.

Despite The Challenges

Despite the hesitance fans had prior to the release of “Tears of the Kingdom,” the game brought various new opportunities for gamers. Because of this, people have felt that this has become one of the best games of the franchise. Sophomore Brian Pham, a gamer and  part of the E-Sports Club, had similar feelings. “It just feels more unique compared to the others,” Pham said. “They really did well with it.” 

Because of the new aspects of “Tears of the Kingdom,” the new release allowed fans to fall in love with the game again. It brought qualities from old games in the franchise that people enjoyed, such as, the difficult puzzles, exciting characters, and bringing side quests that people liked. While being able to balance giving the game its own special features that is unique to the rest of the franchise. For instance, Link is given a new ability [“god-like” powers] through his hands. This allows the player to experience the game in a new way. Usually, players merely use a sword and shield to battle against monsters. However, with these abilities, it causes gamers to get out of their comfort zone. Through these changes, it helped make “Tears of the Kingdom” feel like a new experience for both new and old fans. Without the use of these changes, fans would have felt similar to the previous game, making it feel boring and unoriginal. 

When not having the relief of new content, the game begins to drift away from what it used to be. Using the same villain and storyline becomes repetitive to players. It makes them seem to forget what they once liked about the game. However, within this new game, it not only gives fans new characters, but information to add to the timeline of the franchise. This gives players the ability to not only discuss the quality of the game, but also the deeper meanings it has within it. Without these changes, “Tears of the Kingdom” would have been seen as “just another game.” 

Although fans were afraid of the turn out of “Tears of the Kingdom”, this is not what people wanted. They wanted the experience they once had playing these games. They wanted something that felt fresh and new. 

Despite the hesitation leading up to this game starting to get to players, Nintendo saved it through the hard work they put into listening to their supporters’ requests. Making “Tears of the Kingdom” feel worthwhile. Having the ability to give fans the spark for “Zelda” gives all the games a new light. This is what the franchise needed.