If The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is 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 Wild and Tears of the Kingdom handled 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 Kingdom has made a powerful argument that could change the series’ future where armor is concerned, though.

Over the course of Link’s history in The Legend of Zelda games, he has primarily been associated with his iconic green tunic and hat. Breath of the Wild changing 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 previous Zelda titles. 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 Kingdom expanded on this, giving Link an impressive collection of armor to wear in-game.

Tears of the Kingdom Proves the Worth of Armor in the Zelda Franchise

The most obvious perk that is associated with finding new armor in Tears of the Kingdom is 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 of Tears 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 the story of Tears 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 in Tears of the Kingdom.

The many armor sets of Tears of the Kingdom also provide an extra role. Of course, players can wear Link’s original outfit in Tears 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, so Tears 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 Kingdom did an excellent job of showing how good armor sets are for the series. Similarly to Tears of the Kingdom‘s Secret Stones, it’s a newer mechanic that managed to fit perfectly into the adventure. The next game in The Legend of Zelda series 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 of Tears of the Kingdom.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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.

Released

May 12, 2023

Developer(s)

Nintendo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

Adventure

ESRB

Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes

How Long To Beat

59 Hours

Metascore

96