After weeks of checking to see where to buy Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it’s finally here. And wow, it’s a MASSIVE game. This is why my Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom beginner tips are just what you need!
It doesn’t matter if you’re an avid Legend of Zelda fan, tips and tricks are always worth reading whenever a new game comes out. This is because game mechanics can change, or be totally new, meaning we’re left stumbling around Hyrule.
Well, that’s not going to happen on my watch! Zelda is in trouble (once again), and Link is the only one with the power to stop the Upheaval.
This guide is by no means definitive; as the team here at Retro Dodo explore this epic new installment in the franchise, we’ll update with useful tips and tricks. From cooking, to Shrines, to using your Scope, we’re going to cover it all.
Ready to confidently traverse Hyrule and the skies above? Then let’s crack on with these Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom beginner tips!
Table of Contents
13. Get Exploring
It would be hard not to explore the world of such a big game, but I know how easy it can be falling into the trap of pushing on ahead to the next main quest. My advice is don’t.
The main quests aren’t going anywhere, and the more time you spend exploring and discovering new items, locations, characters, the better position you’ll be in to tackle challenging quests later on.
12. Take Your Time
Yes, I just told you to explore, but that doesn’t mean you should rush that exploration – embrace Link’s sense of adventure and immerse yourselves into every nook and cranny of this story.
Take the Great Sky Island as a prime example: you want to stay there and really comb the landscape. Who knows who or what you may find… perhaps some curious Koroks… maybe underwater chests you’ll need to return to later. Whatever you discover, don’t rush through it.
11. Build And Experiment
Ultrahand is a fantastic new feature which really opens up the possibilities of Tears of the Kingdom. Consequently, you should be building your little hearts out whenever you get the chance.
Build rafts, craft carts, attach fans, and see where those rockets can propel you to. Sometimes you have to do this to progress the main story, but other times it’s worth tinkering to simply find little extras and bonuses.
10. Fuse Items
In addition to being able to build just about anything, you can also Fuse items together to create stronger, more aggressive weapons. I never thought I’d see the day where Link is running around holding a stick with a boulder attached, but I have, and it’s great.
In the beginning, your weaponry will be limited and quite weak, so being able to enhance what you’ve got is vital if you’re to destroy enemies. Unlock the Fuse ability and see where your creativity takes you.
9. Go Hunting
I’m not a massive fan of hunting in games, but when it comes to an open world expedition like Tears of the Kingdom, hunting is essential.
Food is going to keep Link alive, as well as replenish his health when he’s injured, meaning you need a plentiful inventory of ingredients. Yes, you can simply forage for fruit and nuts, but they won’t offer you the same HP boost as meat will.
8. Ready, Steady… Get Cooking!
Going hand-in-hand with hunting is cooking. There’ll be plenty of chances to do this, whether you’re just tossing some food onto an open fire, or using one of the many cooking pots scattered across the map.
Regardless of your cooking style, turning those raw ingredients into a bountiful meal is how you’re going to keep Link strong.
7. Don’t Hoard
As someone who hoards in games, I understand that urge to keep everything in your inventory. But there’s really no point having multiples of the same items if you never use them.
Obviously, don’t just waste resources willy-nilly, but on the other hand, take the plunge and see what you can concoct when you’re not worrying about having an empty inventory. Besides, there’s so many resources around, it’s unlikely you’ll be without a certain item for long.
6. Tame Horses
I’m not great at taming horses, but it’s worth doing if you want to get anywhere in a timely fashion.
My advice to those of you who aren’t skilled at this (like me), opt for the spotted horses you see in the wild. I’ve found them easier to sneak up on and mount, and they calm down a lot quicker when you soothe them.
5. Sell Ore/Gemstones
Unlike previous games, there aren’t Rupees stashed in jars wherever you go – trust me, I’ve looked. This means you need to sell what you don’t need regularly to keep your funds up.
Mining for ore and gems will allow you to build up a consistent income, with you selling what you don’t need so you can purchase better armour and items.
4. Save, Save, Save
The autosave in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is pretty reliable, but manually saving, especially before heading into a fight or unknown territory, is always a smart move.
All you need to do is open your Inventory using the + button, then scroll along using the L and R bumpers until you reach the settings menu. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and it’ll save your ass when Autosave doesn’t.
3. Use Your Scope
Marking points of interest on your Purah Pad is an effective means of ensuring you’re headed in the right direction. But a faster and more handy feature, in my opinion, is the Scope.
You can access this at any time by pressing in your right thumbstick, allowing you to scout ahead and pin Shrines or Towers in the near distance.
2. Activate Towers
If Link is going to save Hyrule, he needs to have a full map, and for that he needs to use Sheikah Towers.
For those of you who played Breath of the Wild, these Towers will be somewhat familiar to you. However, they’ve had a slight upgrade courtesy of that Purah Pad. Finding them and reaching the top will allow Link to scan the area so it’s marked down on your map.
1. Visit Shrines
Seen a Shrine? Visit it. Don’t put it off, do it now. There’s two reasons for this: one, you’ll obtain Light of Blessings, which are necessary to get more Heart and Stamina Containers. And two, they open up a handy fast travel portal.
Without visiting these Shrines you’re going to flounder very early on, which is no fun for anyone, especially Zelda. The poor thing is lost once again and in dire need of our help, so sort out your priorities and put Shrines at the top of your list.
These Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom beginner tips are based on my experience thus far; they’ll likely change and/or be updated, and you might find some more useful than others. Still, without them, you might remain stuck on Great Sky Island for longer than you’d hoped.
As obsessed with every Legend of Zelda as we are? Then I think you should indulge your passion and see what made the cut in our best Legend of Zelda gifts of 2023 list.
For any newbies to the franchise, familiarising yourselves with all Legend of Zelda games in order is going to make you feel more at home as you roam the vastness of Hyrule and beyond.
