Nintendo’s “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” was released on May 12 exclusively for the Gaming console Nintendo Switch. This is a review with zero spoilers.

Story

Following the events of the previous game, Zelda, Hyrule’s Princess, and Link, the protagonist and Zelda’s appointed knight, search for ruins under the castle. In their search, Zelda accidentally awakens a mummy who possesses mysterious powers. The mummy uses its powers to ascend to the castle and all the ruins into the sky. Amid this chaos, Zelda disappears and Link falls into a coma. As Link returns to Hyrule, his main goal is to defeat the mummy and save the princess. To do this, Link must investigate several “regional phenomenas” in hope that they will supply him with the required power.

Jack Uftring, a junior at Carlsbad High School and avid Zelda fan, said, “The story building so far for me is pretty good but nothing too extraordinary. But I love the memories of the past I have unlocked so far!”

Gameplay

Waking up on a massive sky island with unseen technology,  Link finds himself with a brand new mechanical “Zonai” arm. After completing a few tasks on the island, Link is able to use several of the arm’s abilities. These include Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, Recall and two others unlocked later in the game.

“Ultrahand” allows Link to move any objects from a distance, like telekinesis, essentially creating a building tool for wacky vehicles that can be used to traverse the world or to fight enemies. “Fuse” allows Link to fuse any item in his surroundings to his weapon, adding unique and sometimes bizarre capabilities. “Ascend” allows Link to travel to any surface above him and “Recall” moves any object’s movement backward for a set time.

“Thanks to the addition of the Ultrahand ability, everyone can find something they enjoy doing with the game,” said Samson Olson, a freshman at Carlsbad High School. “ You can build, do puzzles, cook and just enjoy the scenery and can also try adventures and challenges that are pretty hard.” 

 The introduction of these abilities, combined with the new Sky Islands and deep caverns, make for an excellent gameplay experience. The combat and exploration is similar to the first game, but still manages to feel fresh, making every bit of a playthrough an entertaining ride.

Graphics

The “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s” graphics and visual scenes are no less than beautiful. Compared to its predecessor, “Tears of the Kingdom” features a completely new look and feel that is both rich and vibrant. The world of Zelda builds on Nintendo’s capabilities by creating spectacular landscapes throughout the vast world.

Vic Hood, a video game reviewer, points out that “the graphics are significantly upgraded compared to Breath of the Wild.“

The capabilities of “Tears of the Kingdom” are even more impressive when you consider the limitations of the hardware it runs on.  The game manages to pull off beautiful graphics and run at 30-60 frames per second on the Nintendo Switch (depending on the age of the console).

Soundtrack 

Zelda’s soundtrack is cleverly designed to keep players engaged by matching exactly what’s happening in the game. The type of design is called “invisible sound design” and allows every bit of the soundtrack (which is playing at all times) to flow perfectly without any cuts or unnecessary fade-outs. This is achieved by making every song match with each other, like an infinite puzzle.

The game also has parts that can be added in by the player. For example, during a battle theme, a chime can be played at the same time the player hits an enemy with an arrow. This leads to a flawless experience that enhances the feeling of gameplay, rather than interrupting it.

To conclude, “Tears of the Kingdom” builds on the success and experience of its predecessor, while offering a rich, captivating world and endless opportunities for a player to express their own creativity.