Fans have long been spotting references to previous Zelda games in the promotional materials for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and now the game has released, it seems there's even more classic Easter eggs to be found - including a nod to Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Tears of the Kingdom released today, Friday May 12, nearly four years after it was first announced.
Redditor CleanCookies took to the Tears of the Kingdom subreddit to share an easy-to-miss nod to Ocarina of Time, found when Link is cooking in the latest Zelda title. As seen in their video below, TOTK's Link will hum along to the Lost Woods theme - also known as Saria's Song - while preparing a tasty meal.
The Easter egg is one of many fans have already uncovered in the recently-released Zelda title, but so far, this is definitely one of the most wholesome moments from the almost-entirely-silent protagonist. Keen-eared listeners might also hear Link hum other Zelda tunes while cooking, including the opening to Zelda's Lullaby.
TOTK Has A Good Reason For Its Zelda Easter Eggs
The Legend of Zelda series is known for having a pretty convoluted timeline thanks to a multiway split that occurs after the events of Ocarina of Time. Breath of the Wild took place at the very end of the timeline split, making its direct sequel Tears of the Kingdom the latest game to take place in the entire timeline. With that in mind, it's easy to see why the developers chose to include some of the more classic elements of Zelda titles that were missing from BOTW, bringing back items like the Bomb Flower, long-lost bosses, and traditional dungeons in the form of Temples.
Of course, in bringing back classic Zelda features, it makes a lot of sense to include Easter eggs and references to earlier games in the series. Even before TOTK's release, fans speculated that the title would harken back to earlier games, with many even theorizing it might serve as an ending to the entire Zelda series. Themes from Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, and Skyward Sword might be the most prevalent in TOTK, but eagle-eyed players will find even more nods if they look hard enough.
One thing that BOTW became famous for was its many, many secrets. Even years after its release fans were still stumbling across rare events, Easter eggs, or random discoveries, which help keep Breath of the Wild relevant to this day. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom seems to already be following suit, but whether any future finds will be as wholesome as Link humming Saria's Song is still unclear.
Source: CleanCookies/Reddit