Summary
The long awaitedTears of the Kingdomhas finally been released as of May 2023, and now fans are once again wanting more. Yet with this latest iteration ofThe Legend of Zelda, Link and Zelda’s journey this cycle seems to have come to an end. But reincarnation will never let these two rest. In this new timeline introduced withBreath of the Wild, there could be room for an extended continuity, similar to whatSpirit Tracksdid forWind WakerandPhantom Hourglass.
One hundred years prior to the start ofSpirit Tracks, the Link and Zelda of the past founded a new land which would later become Hyrule. By the start of the game, a new Link takes the role of a train conductor, or more precisely, a Royal Engineer personally appointed by Princess Zelda herself. However, due to her suspicions of her royal advisor, Zelda requests Link’s help to escape the castle, only for the railroad to disappear mid-ride, preventing them from fleeing. With a precise backstory similar toSpirit Tracks, a spiritual successor toTears of the Kingdommay very well be a possibility.
New Technology in a TotK Successor
Since the story would take place so far in the future, there’s more that can be worked with. ReferencingSpirit Tracks, players will notice a big change from the previous game: improved vehicles, technology, and trains. InBreath of the Wild, Nintendo goes all out with the concept of technology and even mecha themes with the Divine Beasts. A motorcycle concept has already been explored inBreath of the Wild’s second DLC, so there may lie the possibility of more vehicles in the future.
WhileTears of the Kingdomdelved into Zonai tech rather than Sheikah, this hypothetical sequel could use both. Purah dedicates herself to the development of technology; inTears of the Kingdom, rather than theSheikah Slate, Link had the Purah Pad instead. In a hypothetical successor, also taking place 100 years later, there lies potential for future technological advancement, including Purah Pad-like devices far more advanced than her original work.
Reusing Tears of the Kingdom’s Characters
Some of the smaller and finerdetails inThe Legend of Zeldaseriesare the characters. InSpirit Tracks, Niko made an appearance in his old age, and offered exposition for the player to fill in the blanks between the events ofPhantom HourglassandSpirit Tracks. If a similar approach was taken, the ageless Purah may be the “Niko” ofTotK’s successor, providing context for the story. Like the games before it, this may be incorporated into the gameplay as well, such as upgrades. Additionally, because this is a spiritual successor, there’s a wider range of opportunities for more characters due to a clean slate. Overworld NPCs like the ones in Tarrey Town could inspire new but familiar characters descended from the originals.
Returning to Hyrule
InSpirit Tracks, it’s revealed that the Link and Zelda of the past founded the “New Hyrule” that the game is set in. If a similar concept was applied toTotK’s successor, the same setting may be reused after years of reconstruction.Hyrule Castleand other villages in the kingdom could be fully rebuilt with new technology, refreshing familiar locations.
Crafting in a Spiritual TotK Successor
Phantom HourglassandSpirit Tracksmade heavy use of the DS stylus where the player had to rely on it to solve puzzles and progress through the game. The SwitchZeldatitles have their own gameplay system to pass over to a spiritual sequel. One of players' most important systems inTotKis crafting. A spiritual successor could very well refine and reintroduce crafting with a modern touch, introducing new components or entirely new systems based on updated tech.
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.
