Elden Ring
9.5/10FromSoftware took the Souls formula into an open world and produced the studio's most approachable and most expansive game at the same time.
PlayStation 5PlayStation 4Xbox Series X and Series S+2 more
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo rebuilt Breath of the Wild around player-authored physics, turning a world you explore into a world you build machines inside.
Draft. Not fact-checked against primary sources yet, so this entry is excluded from search indexing and the sitemap.
Our score
9.6/10
- Released
- 12 May 2023
- Developer
- Nintendo EPD
- Platforms
- 1 systems
- Length
- 59h main
- Players
- 1 player
- Rating
- E10+
9.6/10
A sequel that reuses a map and still feels new, because the tools you bring to it change everything.
What is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?
Reusing the Breath of the Wild map should have been a problem. It is not, because Tears of the Kingdom does not ask you to explore the same Hyrule, it asks you to solve it differently. Ultrahand and Fuse hand you a physics-driven construction system, and once you have them the terrain stops being a route and becomes a set of raw materials.
The measure of the design is how rarely the game says no. Build a bridge out of planks and a fan, and it works. Weld a rocket to a shield and launch yourself off a cliff, and it works. Very few games this large are this permissive.
What is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom about?
The story is told mostly through recovered memories, which is a structure carried over from Breath of the Wild and which has the same weakness: you can find the ending before the beginning. When it lands, it lands hard, and Zelda is given far more to do here than in any recent entry.
The Depths, an enormous dark underworld beneath the surface map, carry most of the game's atmosphere. They are genuinely unsettling in a way Zelda rarely attempts.
How The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom plays
Fuse is the quiet masterpiece. Attaching any object to a weapon or shield turns Breath of the Wild's much-criticised weapon durability into a resource loop rather than a punishment, because breakage now means recombining rather than losing.
The four main dungeons are a clear improvement on the Divine Beasts, with distinct identities and better boss design, though they still do not reach the intricacy of the pre-2017 dungeon template.
Shrines remain the connective tissue, and the best of them are short physics problems with several valid answers. A minority still resolve into combat trials, which feel like filler by the fortieth hour.
What works
- Ultrahand and Fuse are genuinely new mechanics, not iterations
- The Depths add a second world with a distinct tone
- Dungeons improve substantially over Breath of the Wild
- Enormous amount of content that rewards experimentation
What does not
- Frame rate dips under heavy physics load
- Memory-based story can be experienced out of order
- Some shrines are recycled combat trials
- Surface map is familiar if you played the previous game
What the review sites say
Read directly from each source rather than aggregated from a third party, for the Nintendo Switch version. Sample sizes differ by orders of magnitude between critics and players, which matters more than the gap in the scores.
Not published yet. These figures are deliberately blank. Metacritic, OpenCritic and Steam all block automated collection, so every number here has to be read by hand off the source page, dated, and re-checked before this page goes live. Fill in externalScores in data/games.json, set checkedBy and checkedOn, and they will render.
Aggregators
MetacriticWeighted critic averageNot read yet
OpenCriticUnweighted critic medianNot read yet
Metacritic weights outlets by its own undisclosed formula. OpenCritic publishes an unweighted median. They disagree for structural reasons, not because one is wrong.
Named outlets
IGNNot read yet
GameSpotNot read yet
Nintendo LifeNot read yet
EurogamerNot read yet
Individual publications, each scoring one platform on a review build at launch. A single outlet's score tells you what one reviewer thought, which is often more useful than an average.
Players
Metacritic user scoreNot read yet
User scores accumulate over years and absorb every patch, price change and outage. They are noisier than critic scores and they are also the only signal that reflects the game as it exists now.
Aggregators, individual outlets and players are answering different questions. Critics score a game at launch on a review build. Player scores accumulate for years and absorb every patch, price change and server outage, which is why the two diverge most on live-service releases. Read every number next to its sample size.
Method. Scores are read from each source page by a named editor, on a stated date, for the platform named above. They are not pulled from an API and not aggregated from another site. Third-party review platforms block automated collection, so each figure is re-checked by hand before publication rather than trusted from an old file. Not yet read for this entry.
What players actually argue about
Discussion centres on whether reusing the map was a fair trade for the new toolset, and the answer generally tracks how much of Breath of the Wild a player had already finished.
Recurring praise
- Ultrahand is described less as a mechanic and more as a permission slip, and the shared build videos became their own subculture
- The Depths are the most commonly praised new addition, mostly for tone rather than content
- The four main dungeons are treated as a clear correction to the Divine Beasts
Recurring complaints
- Frame rate dips under heavy physics load are the most cited technical complaint
- Reuse of the Breath of the Wild overworld divides players who had already completed it
- Weapon durability remains contentious even with Fuse softening it
- Korok seed fatigue and memory-based story ordering come up repeatedly
Citations pending. The two lists above are our editor's summary of themes that recur across community discussion. They are characterisations, not quotes, and nothing here is attributed to any individual. Before publishing, add the specific threads you read to community.threads with their URL, score and the date you read them, so a reader can check the summary against the source.
Method. We read the largest discussion threads on the game's main subreddit and note themes that appear repeatedly across independent threads, not single strong opinions. Upvotes measure agreement among people who are already engaged enough to post, which is not the same as agreement among everyone who played. We never quote an individual without linking the thread.
How long is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?
Single-player only. The critical path runs around sixty hours. Full completion, meaning all shrines, all Lightroots, the Korok seeds and the side adventures, runs well past two hundred.
There is no downloadable expansion. Nintendo released no story DLC for this entry.
What platforms is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on?
| Platform | Release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | 12 May 2023 | — |
It targets 30 frames per second on Switch and mostly holds it, with drops in dense construction scenes and in some surface towns. Resolution is dynamic and drops noticeably in handheld mode.
This is the most technically ambitious game on the hardware, and the compromises are visible. It remains stable enough that the physics never break.
| Platform | Mode | Resolution | Frame rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | Standard | Dynamic, up to 900p docked | 30 fps |
Do you need to play anything first?
You can start hereDirect sequel to Breath of the Wild.
You can start here and follow everything. You will miss the recognition of returning locations, which is a real part of what the game is doing.
Play these first
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSame map, several returning characters, and a handful of scenes that land harder if you know where you are standing.
Suggested order
- Breath of the Wild
- Tears of the Kingdom
Ordered for a newcomer rather than by release date or internal chronology.
Can you play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in short sessions?
- YesSave anywhereQuit without losing progress
- YesPause anywhereStop instantly when someone needs you
- YesCheckpoints before bossesNo long re-run after a death
The best short-session game here. Shrines are self-contained ten to fifteen minute puzzles, you can save manually anywhere, and fast travel means no travel overhead.
It also absorbs four hour sessions without a problem. The structure genuinely does not care how long you have.
Can you play The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?
No accessibility data. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not on Steam, which is where we read declared accessibility features from. Nintendo and mobile storefronts publish nothing equivalent, so this has to be filled in by hand from the game's own options menus. Add findings to accessibility.notes.
Method. Features listed are what the publisher declared on its own store page, read on a stated date and linked. A declaration is a floor, not a review: a game can tick "subtitle options" and still have subtitles you cannot read. Where we have played a game ourselves we say so separately.
Is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom suitable for children?
Things a rating letter does not tell you
- NoIn-game purchasesReal money spending inside the game
- NoOnline interactionCan play with or against strangers
- NoPlayer-made contentContent Valve does not review
Method. Age ratings come from the ratings boards. The descriptors and flags come from the publisher's own store listing. We flag in-game purchases and online interaction separately from the age rating on purpose, because those are usually what a parent is actually asking about and a rating letter does not cover them.
Before you download The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Awards
1 won of 2 nominations
- Game of the Year, The Game Awards 2023 nominated
- Best Action/Adventure, The Game Awards 2023 won
Where to buy and what it costs
Lowest list price$69.99across 2 stores, US MSRP
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom lists at $69.99 at its cheapest official platform. Street prices fall well below list within a year of release, so the current column is the one that matters once a live check has run.
Disclosure. Some links below are affiliate links, marked in the table. If you buy through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate arrangements never influence a score, a ranking, or which stores appear here. Official first-party stores carry no affiliate programme and are listed anyway.
| Store | Platform | MSRP | Current | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo eShopLowest list | Nintendo Switch | $69.99 | Not checked | Official store |
| Amazon | Nintendo Switch | $69.99 | Not checked | Affiliate |
MSRP is the publisher list price in the United States and does not change. The current column is filled from a live price check and is empty until one has run.
No live prices yet. MSRP above is the publisher list price and is accurate, but almost nobody pays list after launch year. Run npm run prices with an IsThereAnyDeal API key to fill the current column, or set pricing.offers[].price and pricing.checkedOn by hand. We leave it blank rather than show a stale number as if it were current.
Method. MSRP is the publisher list price in the United States, excluding tax, and does not change. The current column is a live price read from each store and is only shown with a check date attached. Regional pricing differs substantially. We list official first-party stores whether or not they pay us, and we mark every affiliate link and every key reseller. No live price check has run for this entry. Full pricing methodology.
Where it sits on the grid
QuadrantPremium picks4 of 6 on value
On The GamingPickz Grid, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom scores 34 for value and 96 for quality, which places it in Premium picks. At the price we last observed, that works out to about $1.19 per hour of main story.
Also in Premium picks: Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok.
Value is recomputed whenever a tracked price changes, so this position is not fixed. How the axes work.
Price history
No history yet. This chart fills itself once the hourly price check has been running. Each run appends one point, so the graph becomes useful after a few days and genuinely informative after a sale cycle. Run npm run prices with an IsThereAnyDeal key, or npm run prices -- --demo to preview the chart with clearly-labelled synthetic data.
Which edition should you buy?
| Edition | What you get | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | Base game | $69.99 |
| Collector's Edition | Base game, steelbook, art book, poster, pin set | $129.99 |
There is a standard edition and a Collector's Edition with physical extras. No content differs.
It is a Nintendo first-party title, which means it rarely discounts steeply. Expect small reductions rather than deep sales.
Prices are manufacturer suggested retail prices in US dollars and are shown for reference only. They are not live prices and we do not sell games.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom compared with Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok
| The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Elden Ring | God of War Ragnarok | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 9.6 / 10 | 9.5 / 10 | 9.2 / 10 |
| Main story | 59 hours | 58 hours | 21 hours |
| To complete | 230 hours | 132 hours | 51 hours |
| Price now | $69.99 | $59.99 | $59.99 |
| Released | 2023 | 2022 | 2022 |
| Platforms | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Shortest session | 15 min | 25 min | 30 min |
| Start here? | With caveats | Yes | No |
Every figure here comes from the same fields as each game's own page, so the two can never disagree. Prices move; scores do not.
Trailers and gameplay
Method. Every video here is embedded from the rights holder's own channel, verified by resolving the ID through YouTube's oEmbed endpoint and checking the channel against an allowlist before it is stored. We do not embed reuploads: a copy on a third-party channel is someone else's infringement, and linking it makes it partly ours. Embeds use youtube-nocookie.com, so no tracking cookie is set until a reader presses play.
Who made The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo EPD was formed in 2015 by merging Entertainment Analysis and Development with Software Planning and Development, putting hardware-facing and software-facing teams under one roof.
It is the group responsible for Mario, Zelda, Splatoon and Animal Crossing. Its house style is to build a game around one mechanic taught without text, then push that mechanic further than seems reasonable.
Also madeSuper Mario OdysseyBreath of the WildTears of the KingdomSplatoonAnimal Crossing: New Horizons
Owned by Nintendo.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 making hanafuda playing cards and did not enter video games until the 1970s. It is the only major platform holder that develops the majority of its own flagship software.
Its strategy is to avoid competing on raw hardware power, instead pairing modest specifications with an interface idea, as with the Wii's motion controls and the Switch's hybrid docking.
Also madeSuper Mario Bros.The Legend of ZeldaMario Kart 8 DeluxeTears of the Kingdom
How it was made, and what it cost to make
Tease to release47 mopublic runway
EngineProprietary Nintendo engine with Havok physicsin-house
Team sizeUndisclosed, Nintendo EPD internalat or near launch
Delays1public slips
BudgetUndisclosednot published
Teased at E3 2019 as an untitled sequel with a short, deliberately cryptic trailer. The actual title was withheld for over three years, which Nintendo said was itself a spoiler.
Development reused the Breath of the Wild map as a base, which the team has described as a way to spend the budget on systems rather than terrain.
Timeline
- 11 June 2019First teasedAnnounced publicly, usually with no gameplay
- 2022Delayed to 12 May 2023Moved from a 2022 window to spring 2023, announced March 2022
- 13 September 2022Gameplay revealedFirst look at how it actually plays
- 12 May 2023ReleasedFirst platform release
On budgets. We list a budget only when a primary source stated one: a regulatory filing, a court document, an executive on the record, or a published post-mortem. Most figures circulating for big-budget games are estimates repeated until they read as fact. Where nobody credible has said a number, this field stays undisclosed rather than carrying a guess.
How many people bought it
No sales figures recorded. Publishers announce these irregularly, in press releases, quarterly filings and milestone posts, and the wording differs every time. Add each announcement to sales.milestones with its date, who said it and a source URL, and this section renders a chart of the run-up. We do not estimate sales, and we do not repeat a figure we cannot link.
Method. Sales figures come from publisher announcements, quarterly filings or platform milestone posts. They are claims by an interested party, not audited numbers, and the wording matters: "sold" can mean units shipped to retail rather than units bought by players, and "players" counts anyone who launched the game including on a subscription.
Recent news
No news items yet. Add dated entries to news[] with a source and URL. Keep each one to a couple of sentences in your own words with a link out. Republishing another outlet's article in full is both a copyright problem and a scraped-content problem under AdSense, and a link plus your own summary is worth more to a reader anyway.
How current is this review?
- Scored on30 August 2026
- Played onNintendo Switch
- Game versionNot recorded
- Hours played
- Page last updated30 August 2026
No version recorded. A score without a build number ages badly, especially on a live-service game where the thing being scored changes under you. Set reviewContext.versionReviewed before publishing.
Corrections
No corrections have been made to this page. When we get something wrong we fix it and log it here with a date, rather than editing quietly.
Our verdict on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Tears of the Kingdom is the strongest argument in years that mechanics, not content volume, are what make an open world worth being in.
If you skipped Breath of the Wild, you can start here. If you played it to completion, this is still worth full price.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to play Breath of the Wild first?
No, but it helps. Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel on the same map, and several returning characters and locations carry more weight if you know them.
Is Tears of the Kingdom on other consoles?
No. It is a Nintendo Switch exclusive. Nintendo does not publish its first-party games on PlayStation, Xbox or PC.
Does weapon durability still break weapons?
Yes, but Fuse changes the economics. Weapons break, and you rebuild them from materials you are constantly collecting, so breakage becomes a crafting loop instead of a loss.
How long is Tears of the Kingdom?
Around sixty hours for the main story, and over two hundred for full completion including all shrines, Lightroots and Korok seeds.
