A number of brand-new gameplay features have been confirmed for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As a sequel to 2017's Breath of the Wild, it'll likely borrow greatly from the positive aspects of its predecessor. However, some of its changes seem designed to address BOTW's shortcomings, while others will help give the sequel its own identity.
Changes to BOTW's gameplay appearing in TOTK have been spotted in trailers and previews, as well as leaked online ahead of the game's release. The changes seem to be wide-ranging, varying from minor visual touch-ups to game changing mechanics. Some of these have been long since predicted by fans, while others may come as a complete surprise.
10 Fuse
One of the most maligned features of BOTW was its weapon durability, but a new TOTK feature aims to change that. Link's new Fuse ability lets him graft items together in order to create improvised weapons. This will likely give new life to half-broken weapons, allowing players to hang onto their favorite equipment for longer, perhaps even powering it up with a clever fusion. The Fuse ability for weapons should reduce the frustration of weapon durability while still requiring the player to be adaptable in combat, affording them more options than ever before.
9 Vehicle/Machine Building
Also governed by the Fuse skill is Link's ability to build vehicles in TOTK. Trailers have shown Link puttling together makeshift tanks, boats, and helicopters. These vehicles will probably be used to travel between the sky islands and the ground in TOTK's split map. They can also add a new dimension to creative problem-solving in the sequel. With the freedom afforded by item fusing and the Ultrahand ability, the only limit to what can be built is the player's imagination.
8 Ultrahand
Ultrahand is another new ability coming to TOTK. It allows players to move pieces of the environment around at will, like a powered-up Magnesis that works even on nonmetal objects. This has mainly been shown in trailers as a complement to the Fuse ability - players can use Ultrahand to move objects into place, then fuse them to build contraptions. However, it may be just as useful on its own. Moving tree trunks to build a simple bridge, shifting ancient orbs to solve a puzzle, or even drawing distant Fuse-able resources closer in the heat of battle - all have uses outside more complex vehicle construction.
7 Sky Exploration
TOTK will take place in the same Hyrule as BOTW - though certain changes will likely make the sequel distinct, the two games will have similar maps. To keep things fresh, TOTK will provide ample new territory to explore with the addition of floating islands in the sky. In trailers, Link can be seen skydiving and soaring around on an enormous glider, two new methods of traversal that'll likely guide players' exploration of the skies. This is a creative way to expand BOTW's map while still allowing players to revisit areas from the first game and see what's changed.
6 Ascend
Ascend is another new ability for Link, and one that'll likely factor into the sky exploration mechanic. It works something like Revali's Gale in BOTW, as a quick way to gain some elevation, but this time, Link can pass through solid rock on his way up. This makes getting to the top of any mountain a breeze; gone are the days of players having to find shelter because it started raining as soon as they got halfway up the slope. It might also prove useful in traveling between the ground and the sky islands in TOTK.
5 Recall
Perhaps the most unexpected new ability for Link in TOTK is Recall, which allows him to turn back time. This could prove an incredibly powerful tool in combat, allowing players to negate a particularly nasty blow or take advantage of an otherwise brief opening. It'll probably also factor into time-based puzzles in shrines and dungeons. Besides the many gameplay implications, the new Recall ability could also reflect details of the game's story; it goes a long way in supporting TOTK time travel theories.
4 New Traversal Mechanics
Shown briefly in the last pre-launch trailer for Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel appears to feature a handful of new traversal mechanics. Link briefly appears suspended in floating droplets of water, and performs low-gravity jumps between platforms in the air. It's not clear whether these are just part of particular, individual challenges in TOTK or more extensive, recurring mechanics. Unique, one-time traversal mechanics are common in classic Zelda dungeons, so it wouldn't be too much of a surprise to see them used this way. However, these features have potential to be used and reused creatively throughout the game.
3 New Enemy Types
The new enemy types in TOTK range from recolors of classic BOTW foes to entirely new categories. The Constructs, a class of synthetic beings who appear to be cobbled together from spare parts, are some of the most prominent. TOTK will also feature a new flying enemy that somewhat resembles a giant bat - distinct from the more manageable Keese in BOTW. Moblins and Bokoblins will return, although now better equipped; some of them will have armor in TOTK. The sequel will also debut a ferocious Lynel with a new color scheme. Since BOTW enemies' colors denote their strength, this new Lynel will likely pose a greater challenge than ever before.
2 New UI
Along with the sweeping gameplay changes come a couple of quality-of-life tweaks. TOTK will use an updated UI system, featuring weapon and ability wheels for quick switching in combat. Items for crafting and cooking will also have a pop-up menu, so there's no need to pause the game in order to select ingredients. The map and minimap will now feature coordinates for Link's position and elevation, which can help with navigation. The menus and maps will also feature a new design similar to BOTW's, but visually distinct.
1 Classic Zelda Dungeons
One of the biggest criticisms of BOTW was that it lacked dungeons in the traditional Zelda sense. Its Divine Beasts and miniature puzzle shrines helped fill the void, but it lacked extended dungeon areas with unique bosses and individual themes. TOTK will seemingly address that by including dungeons that are closer to classic Zelda style: bigger and more visually distinct than BOTW's Divine Beasts. However, TOTK's dungeons won't be identical to classic Zelda’s - they won't have small keys, instead using a series of access points to unlock a boss fight. The boss fights will also be more varied than BOTW's avatars of Ganon, with each one themed to its dungeon's aesthetic.
With so much praise awarded to BOTW's satisfying core gameplay loop, it's unlikely that TOTK will try to reinvent the wheel. The heart of TOTK's gameplay will probably be the same as its predecessor: exploring Hyrule, clearing out dungeons, and gaining new abilities as the final battle draws nearer. The sweeping changes to BOTW's structure can compensate for its drawbacks while making TOTK feel fresh and exciting. The full depth of these gameplay changes - as well as some new ones - will only become clear after The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases on May 12, 2023.