This article is part of a directory: The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom - Complete Guide And Walkthrough
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an absolutely enormous entry in the storied Nintendo series. The game carries over many of the characters and gameplay mechanics of its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, while introducing unique elements both new to the game and borrowed from the franchise’s history.

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With such a deep reverence for Zelda’s lore, story, and characters, there is no shortage of allusions and references to past Zelda games in Tears of the Kingdom. Many fans of the series will pick up on these right away, but here are a few that you just might have missed.

7 The Concept Of Sages Dates Back To The Original Zelda

Tears of the Kingdom screenshot of Tulin

Tears of the Kingdom returns Zelda to its roots in many ways, with its elemental dungeons littered across Hyrule. These dungeons are each tied to one of the sages, a diverse group of significant individuals representing a variety of Hyrule's citizens.

This is not a new concept, as tenured fans will recognize the series' tradition of including a group of sacred Sages with ties to the elements. While most fans will think back to the seven sages in games like Ocarina of Time and A Link To The Past, the series has included sages since its first entry, with the wise old men who grant Link his original weapons.

6 The Sage's Masks Represent Their Respective Divine Beasts

Tears of the Kingdom screenshot of the Water Sage wearing a mask

With four of the Sages representing the four prominent kingdoms of Hyrule, their locations should prove familiar for fans of Breath of the Wild. The Goron, Zora, Gerudo, and Rito Sages are all represented, and they all come equipped with special masks in the flashbacks that showcase them.

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Keen-eyed fans will notice that these masks are fashioned after the Divine Beasts, the four sacred protectors of the domain that you explored in Breath of the Wild. While you won't spot these massive beasts in the game's open world this time around, it's nice to see them being represented here.

5 Rauru's Name Has Its Own History

Tears Of The Kingdom screenshot of Rauru

Among the sages from past Zelda titles, one name may stand out to players of Tears of the Kingdom. Rauru is one of the sages from Ocarina of Time, the group who built that game's version of the Temple of Time.

This is, of course, also the name of King Rauru, the ancient Zonai ruler and one of the founders of Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom. With Zelda's propensity toward twisting its timeline to tell its story, it should come as little surprise that this generation of Zelda has its own Rauru as well.

4 The Master Sword Still Sounds Like Fi

Tears of the Kingdom screenshot of Link grabbing the broken Master Sword

The Master Sword is severely damaged in the early moments of Tears of the Kingdom, plagued by the gloom that shoots from the Demon King Gannondorf's mummified corpse. While Link continues to travel with the sword for a bit, it begins to pulse with light and emit a specific sound.

This sound, also heard during key moments of Breath of the Wild, is recognizable to those who've played Skyward Sword as the chime of Link's companion character, Fi. Fi is the spirit of the sword itself, so longtime fans are sure to notice this continued nod to her even early in the game's story.

3 Various Enemies Types Have Returned...

Image showing two Like Likes in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom..

Tears of the Kingdom puts Gannondorf's minions at the front and center, showcasing the new and improved forms of Bokoblins, Moblins, and the like. While many of these enemies have returned from Breath of the Wild, fans who have played Zelda for years are in for a number of surprises when facing down the game's latest foes.

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A whole host of monsters from older Zelda games, such as Like Likes and Gleeoks, have returned for the Switch Zelda title. Though these are certainly formidable foes, it's nice to see a few familiar faces, albeit with brand-new designs exclusive to Tears of the Kingdom.

2 ... Including Remixed Bosses

Tears of the Kingdom screenshot of the Mucktorok boss

With the return of more traditional dungeons, Tears of the Kingdom reintroduces a handful of classic Zelda elements, providing obstacles that wouldn't be out of place in the series' classic adventures. What's more, each of the major dungeons ends in a boss fight that should make returning fans feel right at home.

While some of the game's bosses feel unique, most of them are remixed iterations of bosses from the series' past. Familiar foes from the standard Octorok to the formidable Gohma have been transformed into monstrous versions of themselves, combining these timeless designs with new elements and an updated feel.

1 Your Horses From Breath of the Wild Are Back

Link riding a horse near other horses.

If you want to experience one of Tears of the Kingdom's coolest easter eggs, you'll want to make sure you're playing under the same Switch profile that you played Breath of the Wild on. If you are, you'll be in for a treat once you visit the sequel's stables.

Players with save data from Breath of the Wild will quickly realize that Tears of the Kingdom transfers your horses over to the sequel seamlessly. If you've grown attached to your horses, this is a lovely way to keep them around for at least one more adventure with Link and Zelda.

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