It’s easy to wonder what you should do first in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, considering the gargantuan size of the map and the sheer number of activities available. Even if you’re trying to focus on the main story alone, you’re likely to get distracted by side adventures, treasure hunts, and fellow travelers who will share tips on locales to investigate.
If you’re feeling intimidated, don’t fret. This beginner’s guide covers what you should do first in Tears of the Kingdom, from quality-of-life changes that make traveling much easier to mechanics that will help you throughout the entire adventure.
Don’t leave the starting area without Archaic Warm Greaves
Cold resistance is not to be taken lightly in Tears of the Kingdom, and it’s important to have the right equipment for it. In the Great Sky Island, you’ll stumble upon the Zonai Dispenser on the eastern side of the map. On your way there, close to the Bottomless Cave nearby, you’ll spot a massive tree cut in half, which you can enter.
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There, alongside some helpful materials, you’ll find a chest containing the Archaic Warm Greaves. They not only look great, but they also help with cold resistance. You can always come back and grab it later if you missed it, but you should try and save yourself the additional trip if you can. (You’ll also find the Archaic Tunic on the Great Sky Island, but note that it doesn’t grant cold resistance.)
This armor piece will be super helpful on your journey ahead, especially if you want to head over to Rito Village. We liked it so much that we had to add it to our dedicated best armor page, where we discuss other pieces and sets that you should be on the lookout for.
As soon as you’re on the ground, head over to the Castle Ruins
After the tutorial, you might be enticed to just roam around and explore. While that’s definitely a valid sentiment, you should follow the main questline and visit the Castle Ruins when prompted.
Upon your return to Lookout Landing, Purah will share details about how to unlock the paraglider, which is vital for the experience. You shouldn’t go out into the wild without it!
Visit Lookout Landing (and then do it again, and again, and again)
There’s a reason why Lookout Landing is the first village you come across. Hyrule is a big place, but this hub is central to the experience.
Right from the start, if you talk to Purah after you’ve received the task to visit the four main regions, she will actually mark them on your map. Chatting with Robbie will lead to multiple leads about the possibilities of your Purah Pad. Eventually, a Refinery will appear as well, and the clothing shop will rotate the armor pieces depending on your main story progress.
In essence, make sure to check on Lookout Landing as early as possible, then come back every now and then, making sure to chat to the main characters.
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Interact with these shrines to make your life easier
You don’t need to actually complete a shrine in order to unlock a fast travel point to it. In Tears of the Kingdom, all it takes is for you to interact with it.
Make sure to always interact with shrines across Hyrule, even if you’re not interested in tackling the puzzle inside them just yet. This is especially useful for regions you’re only passing by, as it’ll make returning to them a lot easier later on. In addition, for facilities that don’t have a direct fast travel gateway, there’s usually a shrine nearby that you can activate to make traveling around the world easier.
Here are a few suggestions for shrines that make for helpful fast travel spots early on:
- Kyonosis Shrine: Found on your way to the Castle Ruins, great for inevitable backtracking.
- Ekochiu Shrine: Northeast of Lookout Landing, close to Woodland Stable.
- Makasura Shrine: East of Hyrule Field and right before Kakariko Village, making it a great fast travel spot for the town.
- Sinakawak Shrine: Northwest of Lookout Landing, perfect for quickly reaching New Serenne Stable.
- Orochium Shrine: Up north near the Tabantha Tundra, helpful for reaching the Snowfield Stable.
Head to this Tower
After you gain access to Skyview Towers in Lookout Landing, I recommend heading northwest to Lindor’s Brow Skyview Tower at the coordinates (-1903, 1243, 0297). All you have to do is stick to the main road toward Hyrule Ridge, and keep moving north until you stumble upon the tower up the hill.
This is a good area to explore during the early hours of your playthrough, as the enemies are fairly amenable and resources are plentiful. You’ll also be a step closer to Rito Village, too, making your eventual visit a lot easier.
From that moment on, you can continue to tackle the towers gradually or in quick succession as early as possible — in either case, you’ll be only helping yourself in the short to long run, especially since you’ll also be unlocking the sky portion of the map.
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Stop by New Serenne Stable
The stable at Lookout Landing isn’t available right away, but there’s one nearby that can be of help. You can find New Serenne Stable at the coordinates (-1349, 0736, 0085), following the main road northwest of Lookout Landing. If you’re making the trip to Lindor’s Brow, you’ll stumble upon it.
New Serenne Stable is a great early spot to get yourself a horse registered, making it easier to traverse the roads until you get the hang of building Zonai devices. Plus, stables are great gathering places for fellow travelers who are keen on sharing potential leads to treasure and quests.
Most importantly, chatting with the person at the counter will kick off the Pony Points mechanic, which offers plenty of rewards — from a harness for your horse to a ticket to sleep at stables for free.
Tackling main story temples provides a traversal advantage
Hyrule’s four main regions are all suffering from specific environmental conditions that make traversal quite complicated. Thankfully, you can remove the hazards of each primary village by completing the main story temples.
Our recommendation is to start at Rito Village. In Lookout Landing, Purah will recommend you to head over to the Rito region first, and for good reason. As long as you’re carrying the best armor pieces to resist the blizzard up north, the dangers you’ll face on the way are fairly beginner friendly. Plus, while I won’t spoil the reward at the end of the Wind Temple, it’s definitely worth pursuing before the other three.
As for where to head next after Rito Village, that’s up to you — though our Regional Phenomena best order can help if you need a guiding hand.
Get Link’s remaining ability as soon as possible
[Ed. note: This section contains spoilers for a neat mechanic in Tears of the Kingdom.]
Once you’re out and abound in Hyrule, you’ll notice there’s a gap in your abilities wheel. The one missing here is — spoilers — Autobuild, which you can obtain by following Robbie’s questline as part of the main story. After you receive the assignment to help the four main regions, make sure to talk to Robbie in Lookout Landing.
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He’ll then have you traversing through the Depths for the first time (for the appropriately titled “Camera Work in the Depths” quest). Continue playing, and you’ll have access to a second investigation that leads to Autobuild, under the name “A Mystery in The Depths.” This is a great skill to prioritize, as it’ll allow you to build Zonai constructions from schematics, saving you from the hassle of having to combine materials by hand every single time.
FAQs
Beginner’s guide for what to do first in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? ›
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is now available, and for those who want to get their hands on a guide to help them explore every inch of it, both the Standard and Collector's Edition Official Guides are now up for preorder with a release date of June 16, 2023.
Where should I go first in Tears of the Kingdom? ›- Start With the Wind Temple First. There are quite a few reasons why you should start with the Wind Temple before any of the other three. ...
- Take on the Fire Temple Second. ...
- Take on the Water Temple Third. ...
- Take on the Lightning Temple Last.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is now available, and for those who want to get their hands on a guide to help them explore every inch of it, both the Standard and Collector's Edition Official Guides are now up for preorder with a release date of June 16, 2023.
Are there shrines in Tears of the Kingdom? ›Shrines are scattered all over the world, and some of them are very well hidden. Luckily the Jikais Shrine is in an open area and is just waiting for you to find it. Therefore, go southeast of Mount Lanayru, and you will find the entrance to the Jikais Shrine in Tears of the Kingdom.
How long until Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom? ›After six long years between mainline Zelda games, the wait is almost over for the latest entry in the series (well, at least if you've been patient enough to avoid playing the leaked version). The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will arrive on May 12 and Nintendo has revealed the exact release time.
Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel or prequel? ›It was announced at E3 2019 as a sequel to Breath of the Wild. At E3 2021, Nintendo debuted a trailer revealing gameplay, story elements and a 2022 release window, but Nintendo later changed the release window to Q2 2023.
Is Zelda Tears of the Kingdom a sequel to Breath of the Wild? ›Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel to Breath of the Wild? Yes, Tears of the Kingdom is a sequel to 2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
How many temples are in Tears of the Kingdom? ›Tears of the Kingdom's four temples can be completed in any order, but there is an optimal route for those who want to have the smoothest experience.
Does Tears of the Kingdom have durability? ›A gameplay mechanic that sees Link's weapons degrade after continual use. Some end up being sturdier than others, but eventually, all succumb to wear and tear and eventually break. It's fair to say that the news of weapon durability returning in the game received a mixed response.
Will Tears of the Kingdom have DLC? ›This means we may be getting new content for the Zelda sequel towards the end of the year and possibly more in 2024. The potential DLC will likely cost around $20. We can assume that any potential DLC for Tears of the Kingdom would cost around $20 or more on top of the $70 price tag for the base game.
Who is the villain of Tears of the Kingdom? ›
The main antagonist in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Ganondorf – but who exactly is he and how is he related to the wider Zelda franchise? Here's everything you need to know about the legendary villain.
How many side quests are in Tears of the Kingdom? ›This will set them on a path of 12 separate side quests with the final reward being a heavy paycheck and the full Froggy Armor Set. The side quests from Lucky Gazette aren't too difficult and easy to solve, but some require a bit more work than others.
Can you max out hearts and stamina in Tears of the Kingdom? ›Increasing Link's Hearts and Stamina to their max amount in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom works the same way as in the previous game. Complete Shrines to gain Light of Blessings and pray at any Goddess Statues all over Hyrule to exchange them. You should obtain one Light of Blessing by clearing out one Shrine.
Where do the 4 shrines meet? ›Open your map, and trace a line in your mind from the four distance Shrines, and they'll connect over the Temple of Time, just off center of the Great Plateau.
How long will it take to 100% Tears of the Kingdom? ›The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's main quest line will take around 50 hours to complete without touching the side quests. With that in mind, the average completion of Tears of the Kingdom will likely range from 65-75 hours, with 100% completion taking much longer.
Do you have to play Breath of the Wild before Tears of the Kingdom? ›The basic controls are the same in the sequel, too, so BOTW veterans will naturally hit the ground running quicker in TOTK. So, no, you don't have to play Breath of the Wild before Tears of the Kingdom.
Does The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom come to switch in May 2023? ›About The Game
Look forward to Link's massive adventure starting again when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, drops for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.
Epona is a recurring fictional horse in The Legend of Zelda series of video games that debuted in Ocarina of Time. She was created by Yoshiaki Koizumi as the main form of transportation and steed of Link, the series protagonist. Her name is derived from the Celtic goddess of horses of the same name.
Where is the fastest horse in Zelda? ›The best horses can be found in Ridgeland Tower region, in the grassland just above Maag No'rah Shrine, near Serenne Stable. When you go to the grassland, find the horses with the color you like, mount them and take them to the Serenne Stable to check their stats and register.
Will Link talk in Tears of the Kingdom? ›With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom diving deeper into the narrative well than its predecessor, it comes to suffer all the more from the fact that Link still doesn't speak. There are several key dramatic moments where Link's silence simply hurts the story to an extreme degree.
Will Prince Sidon be in Tears of the Kingdom? ›
As a direct follow-up to Breath of the Wild, it brings back a lot of familiar characters from the first game, in addition to introducing new faces. Prince Sidon is among the characters who make a return, but it appears he's been getting busy in the time between the two stories.
Why is Tears of the Kingdom $70? ›Bowser goes on to say that the price "reflects the type of experience fans can expect" in that specific game. That implies that Tears of the Kingdom will be an especially large and content-filled game. That'll actually be a change from Breath of the Wild, which was extremely large, but not particularly deep.
How will Tears of the Kingdom be different? ›One of the major new developments in Tears of the Kingdom is the appearance of a variety of floating islands all over the map of Hyrule. These range from scattered tiny platforms, to giant landmasses full of enemies and different environments.
Will weapons break in Tears of the Kingdom? ›Yes, there is weapon degradation in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. What that means in this game in particular is that a basic weapon with no fused qualities will break very quickly, usually in 20 hits or less.
What language is Tears of the Kingdom? ›Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: How To Change The Language
Open the Pause Menu by pressing the + Button. Select "Options" from the menu. Scroll down to the bottom until you see "Voice language." Choose the desired language for the in-game dialogue.
Tears of the Kingdom has been released in the following languages: Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Dutch, European French, German, Italian, Korean, European Portuguese, European Spanish and Latin American Spanish.
How do I get to the fire Temple Tears of the Kingdom? ›Go to the Fire Temple
Go inside the Death Mountain Chasm and land near the Mustis Lightroot. Fix the cart nearby and use it to travel to the Fire Temple. Getting into the Fire Temple is the final part of completing Yunobo of Goron City in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.
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Nintendo offered fans a lengthy new look at The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Tuesday, showing off new facets of Link's sky-high adventures in Hyrule. That gameplay footage also confirmed that the weapon durability system from Breath of the Wild will return in Tears of the Kingdom.
Sabres are among the weakest weapons in KCD, with the only real advantage being that they show up abundantly due to being carried in huge quantities by the Cumans. The best Sabre in Kingdom Come Deliverance is the Decorated Sabre whichh has high Stab (58) and Slash (42) damage, along with a decent Defence stat (69).
Does Tears of the Kingdom have dungeons? ›There are dungeons in Tears of the Kingdom, but they differ from entries in the past. In this game, they are called Temples, and are major story sections you'll come to after making progress during story missions.
Will there be a new switch for Tears of the Kingdom? ›
Nintendo unveiled last month a new special-edition OLED Switch inspired by the highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The new console is set to launch April 28, and preorders are available at Best Buy, Target, GameStop and Amazon.
When should I start the DLC Kingdom Come? ›Most of the DLC can only be started once completing that quest anyway. You should definitely hold the main quest once you have done the bandit camp. The DLC open up and new side quests too. Start the next main quest after the camp but don't do anymore or go anywhere near where it tells you to go.
Is Tears of the Kingdom a sequel to Age of Calamity? ›Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel; however, if you hoped to learn more about Breath of the Wild's past, Hyrule Warriors: Age of the Calamity fills that void.
Is Ganon and Ganondorf the same person? ›Ganon is the archenemy of the protagonist Link and originally the leader of the Gerudo, a race of humanoid desert nomads before becoming the ruler of his demons. In his original Gerudo form, from which he can change magically, he is known as Ganondorf.
Who is the true villain in Kingdom Hearts? ›Master Xehanort is a Keyblade Master who is the main antagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series.
What is the difference between Ganon and Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom? ›What is the difference between Ganon and Ganondorf? It's very simple: Ganon is used to refer to the villain's beast form and Ganondorf is used to refer to his human Gerudo form. That's it! The distinction between the two is confirmed in The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia entry for Ganondorf.
How long is Blood and Wine main quests? ›Blood and Wine, the second and much bigger expansion, comes in with a 15-hour main quest line.
Where is the goddess statue in Tears of the Kingdom? ›For this Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Goddess Statue quest, you'll want to go to Mount Lanayru Skyview Tower. There's a spring below the tower, and you can speak to the statue there. The coordinates are 3919, -1332, 0466.
How many potential Princess sightings are there? ›Once you've completed all 12 “Potential Princess Sightings!” side adventures, head back to the Lucky Clover Gazette and speak with Traysi. She'll reward you with the Froggy Hood.
Should I get stamina or hearts first? ›Choose stamina over hearts
Although some of the additions to Tears of the Kingdom minimize the need to prioritize acquiring stamina vessels, the large range of verticality in the game increases your need to rely on gliding.
Is it better to upgrade hearts or stamina? ›
I would say that stamina is better. Though hearts keep you alive, you usually have a good amount of food, in your almost endless and invisible backpack, to restore your health. While in cases when you are climbing dueling peaks to get to those twin shrines, you don't have the right gear or food.
How many Stamina Vessels should I get? ›Link can obtain a maximum of 10 Stamina Vessels in order to gain 2 extra Stamina Wheels. As shown in the graphic, should the player choose to have full health, a maximum of 7 Stamina Vessels can be gained because there's only so many slots to allot for each type of vessel.
How do you find hidden shrines? ›Beyond just wandering around and stumbling upon them, the easiest way to find shrines is to climb to high ground and survey the surrounding area. Climb high, press the right analog stick to pull out your Sheikah slate and look all around you. New shrines will glow a shade of yellow (or amber, if you prefer).
How many hidden shrines are there? ›In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, of the 120 Shrines there are 42 which are hidden and only become available following the completion of Shrine Quests - usually in the form of a puzzle or riddle.
What religion is connected to shrines? ›Shrines are found in many of the world's religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Shinto, indigenous Philippine folk religions, and Asatru as well as in secular and non-religious settings such as a war memorial.
What is the first dungeon in Zelda 1? ›The first dungeon of the game is located right in the center of the Overworld and it is a rather straight forward path to get there. The enemies encountered along the way are fairly simple and shouldn't give you too much trouble, especially if you've gathered all the upgrades from the first chapter.
Is Skyward Sword too easy? ›Fans consider Skyward Sword to be among the easier games in the Zelda franchise, though the game's boss fights require more precision than in any other game.
Can you miss things in Skyward Sword? ›Skyward Sword
Although it is hard to miss at the beginning of the game because Fi leads Link past it, the Chest disappears once the Sky Keep is revealed.
Most likely because Nintendo wanted enemies to deal a full heart of damage from the start, but realized that it would be too difficult if you only had three hearts. So to fake difficulty, they started you off with six hearts so you're still losing that full heart, but actually losing less.
How many hearts should I have to fight Ganon? ›If Link has at least 13 Hearts, go to the Lost Woods and obtain the Master Sword. Attempting to free the Master Sword from its resting place with fewer than 13 hearts results in game over, so yeah.
Can you get into Hyrule Castle without fighting Ganon? ›
The Ganon fight will trigger when you cross the threshold of the door frame. You can still crawl up and around on top of the roof of the sanctum, just don't go in it.
What is the best armor to fight Ganon? ›Ancient Armor: As Ganon - and many of the enemies at Hyrule Castle - seems to rely on ancient tech to power his attacks, the Ancient Armor is an optimal choice. It can be acquired at the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab.
What is the first boss in Zelda 1? ›Aquamentus. Aquamentus is the first boss Link encounters in The Legend of Zelda.
What Shields can deflect Guardian beams? ›The Ancient Shield is for defense in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This shield was made using ancient Sheikah technology. Its surface glows blue when raised in defense. Enhanced functionality allows it to deflect Guardian beams.
What is the easiest Zelda dungeon? ›Ocarina Of Time's Easiest Dungeon - Inside the Deku Tree
At the start of Ocarina of Time, players will visit the Great Deku Tree and begin their first dungeon. As the first dungeon in the game, Inside the Deku Tree is very straightforward, there aren't many enemies, and the boss, Queen Gohma, is easy to defeat.
If you're new to the Zelda series, why not start with the game that started it all? The original The Legend of Zelda launched in 1986 and sparked a legacy of incredible fantasy adventures in the decades to come. As the first in the series, it is one of the most popular Zelda games.
Can you do the Zelda 1 dungeons in any order? ›Contrary to popular belief, however, The Legend of Zelda does not allow players to complete any dungeon in any order.