Summary
IfThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis any indication, armor should become a recurring element of the franchise. While the series lasted for a long time without armor as a mechanic,Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomhandled it so well that it may be worth changing. Getting armor for Link was a hugely important part of the game, then previous entries almost always had Link in the same gear from the start.Tears of the Kingdomhas made a powerful argument that could change the series' future where armor is concerned, though.
Over the course ofLink’s history inThe Legend of Zeldagames, he has primarily been associated with his iconic green tunic and hat.Breath of the Wildchanging his main outfit to a distinctive blue tunic was a major shift and one of the first hints at how different the game would be from previousZeldatitles. Indeed, that would not be the only outfit that Link would don, as he would have access to several different armor sets throughout the game.Tears of the Kingdomexpanded on this, giving Link an impressive collection of armor to wear in-game.
Armor isn’t the first way that Link has changed his look, with several masks inMajora’s Masktransforming him when worn.
Tears of the Kingdom Proves the Worth of Armor in the Zelda Franchise
The most obvious perk that is associated withfinding new armor inTears of the Kingdomis the buffs that they grant Link. After all, Link starts the game with practically nothing, and pretty much every armor set he finds is an improvement on his base outfit in some way. There are even some outfits that grant bonuses beyond simple stat boosts. For example, the Desert Voe outfit provides heat resistance, while the Zora armor makes Link a much better swimmer, among others. The many benefits ofTears of the Kingdom’s various armors make them well worth collecting for Link’s adventure.
Link’s many sets of armor do more than empower him during thestory ofTears of the Kingdom. Collecting new, stronger armor gives a good sense of progression as the player gets further in the game. Just like collecting new items or getting new Zonai powers, better sets of armor grant Link the ability to take on new, tougher challenges. Whether they come from Link buying the armor or finding it somewhere around Hyrule, the player has to work hard to expand their collection. A bigger selection of armor is a good sign of the player making progress inTears of the Kingdom.
The many benefits ofTears of the Kingdom’s various armors make them well worth collecting for Link’s adventure.
The many armor sets ofTears of the Kingdomalso provide an extra role. Of course, players can wearLink’s original outfit inTears of the Kingdom, but the vast selection gives them many more options as well. The ability to change Link’s appearance has rarely been available to players, soTears of the Kingdom’s armor lets players experiment in ways that are still quite new for the series. Thanks to the ability to upgrade armor, many sets are viable for Link to wear for a significant time, so players can have him use their favorite armor set for a good while.
Tears of the Kingdomdid an excellent job of showing how good armor sets are for the series. Similarly toTears of the Kingdom’s Secret Stones, it’s a newer mechanic that managed to fit perfectly into the adventure. The next game inThe Legend of Zeldaseries would have a lot to gain by repeating the way that armor was used, especially if it got even more creative with the concept. Armor would do well to become an established part of the series thanks to the influence ofTears of the Kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
