The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is keeping BOTW’s most hated feature

Although Nintendo has finally deemed it fit to show the first ever gameplay of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, its ten minutes barely seem to have shown the tip of the iceberg. This direct sequel to Breath of the Wild is still surrounded by questions and mysteries, but there is one that has already been cleared up. A detail confirms that the most hated feature of that installment will continue to be present in the new game: weapon durability. This means that every weapon we find will break eventually, forcing us to change from one to another every couple of swings.

In the Tears of the Kingdom gameplay video, we can see Link fighting a new kind of enemy called a “Construct”, with a tree branch. They show how these continue to wear down after each blow and, after a few impacts, it breaks. Of course, in the sequel, we will have the ability to fuse objects, and combining a stick with a stone as done in the video seems to increase the lifespan of the weapon in question. An intriguing mechanic that does not end the problem, but could help us cope with it.

The gameplay also presented other novelties, such as the possibility of building vehicles, rewinding certain objects to the past, and passing through certain ceilings, sort of like in Link Between Worlds. All of these features combined helped to elevate what truly amazed us about the original: the physics and interaction between objects in the world and the playable possibilities they created.

In addition, Nintendo took advantage of the video to make the official reveal of a stunning special edition Nintendo Switch OLED, which will commemorate the launch of the game. It will go on sale on April 28, 2023 (the game will be sold separately on May 12, 2023) and will be accompanied by a new Pro controller and a new case with the triforce and other decorative motifs of this installment. Have you already preordered it?

Full screen

Full screen