Breath of the Wild primarily allowed Link to explore Hyrule by climbing, gliding, or riding horses, with later DLC adding a motorcycle-like mount called the Master Cycle Zero. However, trailers for Tears of the Kingdom indicate that new transportation methods would be added. Link is shown riding a new, larger glider shaped like a large stone bird. He can also skydive, a mechanic that will likely be used in exploring the new Sky Islands. Some method of transportation between the Sky Islands and Hyrule’s surface will probably also exist, but has not been officially confirmed. In addition to these previously shown transportation methods, new mechanics could be added involving the four New Champions.
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Teba and Sidon Would Make Excellent Traveling Companions
Teba the Rito is the only one of the four New Champions who is able to fly, making it very likely that he will play a major role in the sky-focused Tears of the Kingdom. In Breath of the Wild, Teba’s flight was necessary to help Link attack Vah Medoh, the flying Divine Beast. However, that was the only section of the game in which Link was able to fly with the Rito. Teba or others of his species could make an appearance in Tears of the Kingdom teaching Link to fly or skydive, or providing upgrades to his air travel abilities. The Rito New Champion could be used to grant Link the ability to create an updraft, as his predecessor Champion Revali did in Breath of the Wild. Teba could also travel with Link to help him fly, especially if the stone glider is not acquired until later in the game.
Like Teba, the Zora prince Sidon aided Link in Breath of the Wild by utilizing his unique movement capabilities to battle a Divine Beast. An excellent swimmer and one of the largest of the Zora race, Sidon carried Link on his back during the fight against the water- and ice-spewing Vah Ruta. As Sidon quickly became one of Breath of the Wild’s most popular characters, fans are particularly hoping that this New Champion will appear in Tears of the Kingdom. He could serve as a traveling companion for Link who could allow the Hero to more easily cross bodies of water by riding on his back. Alternately, the Zora Prince could grant Link a power to breathe underwater or help him build some sort of boat or raft.
Sand Seal Racing Could Be More than a Mini-Game
Riju, the youthful leader of the Gerudo people, did not help Link fight a Divine Beast directly. Instead, she lent him a sand seal to ride on as he faced down the Divine Beast Vah Naboris in the depths of the desert. Sand seals were popular among the Gerudo in Breath of the Wild - in particular, Riju had a close bond with her sand seal Patricia, who was capable of dispensing wise advice. Link could rent a sand seal to travel around the desert surrounding Gerudo Town; he could also attempt to temporarily tame wild sand seals similar to horses. He could also enter into sand seal races after calming Vah Naboris; one sand seal race was necessary to complete an in-game quest involving besting the champion racer’s time.
If Riju appears as a traveling companion for Link in Tears of the Kingdom, then Patricia - and sand seals in general - could play a larger role. Link could use a sand seal to get around when he is traveling on the ground. Although Tears of the Kingdom seems to focus heavily on the newly introduced Sky Islands, there will likely still be large sections of Hyrule’s surface that need to be explored. Alternately, some variation on either shield surfing or sand seal “surfing” could be used to travel short distances between islands by jumping or skidding. This will be especially important if the desert area returns in Breath of the Wild’s sequel.
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Goron-Inspired Movement Could Let Yunobo Shine
A previously released trailer for Tears of the Kingdom shows Malice shooting out of Death Mountain, the home of the Goron race. This likely indicates that the Gorons will have a big role to play in the sequel, as they will be involved in defending their species’ ancestral home. Yunobo, the Goron member of the New Champions, received some criticism in Breath of the Wild due to his relatively small role and lack of interaction with or connection to the previous Goron champion, Daruk. Death Mountain’s situation in Tears of the Kingdom could give Yunobo greater focus; he could teach Link Goron-inspired methods of travel such as curling into a ball and rolling around or using heavy armored skin to traverse dangerously hot areas.
With Tears of the Kingdom’s release date finally set for spring 2023, fans’ questions regarding the New Champions and their potential roles will hopefully be answered soon. Currently, none of the four have appeared in any trailers, as the short glimpses of the game Nintendo has shown off have focused entirely on Link and the Sky Islands. Hopefully, the New Champions will show up soon, and they will be able to use their unique transportation- and movement-focused abilities to help Link explore all the new areas of Hyrule sure to be introduced in Tears of the Kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will release on May 12, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.
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