Summary
- The addition of Zonai devices in Tears of the Kingdom sets a high bar for open-world games, providing players with endless possibilities to overcome obstacles.
- The Well-Worn Hair Band in the game is a charming throwback to Breath of the Wild, but it offers no defense and occupies the headwear slot, limiting its usefulness.
- The franchise should allow for more customization options for Link's appearance, similar to how Red Dead Redemption 2 allows players to tailor Arthur Morgan without fundamentally changing the character.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a game that grants players a near-endless possibility for user-generated fun. The addition of Zonai devices means the potential to overcome any obstacle or circumvent any challenge is high, and in doing so feels like it sets the bar for all open-world games, not just the franchise it sits in.
Link's appearance is something that has also changed over the years, and while he has always been a blonde elf-looking boy destined to save the world, Nintendo has taken liberties with the art style. The cel-shading of The Wind Waker or the dark, brooding feeling of Twilight Princess makes them unique, but The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its predecessor go one further by dressing him in something new and adding more armor sets. There's one cosmetic item, however, that could be a spark for more customization moving forward.
Link's Well-Worn Hair Band is Charming But Largely Useless
The Well-Worn Hair Band in Tears of the Kingdom is a wonderful call back to Breath of the Wild for fans of the 2017 game, as it allows players to have Link return to the default hairstyle he had in that title. It's a charming inclusion, and finding it in the well outside Zelda's house is one of the game's best moments and one of the few times when the gameplay and exploration truly connect to the story being told.
"An old, worn, simple hair band. Its color has long faded, but it still has some life left in it. Wearing it in your hair makes you sentimental about times past."
However, while it's a lovely moment and a cool thing to find, the hairband offers no defense, so it's generally not a good idea to use it, especially given how Tears of the Kingdom can be a difficult game to master so people will need all the help they can get. Not only does it not offer any resistance to speak of, but it also occupies the headwear slot, so blocks the use of any head armor that can actually be worthwhile.
Link's Silence Can be Balanced by being Visually Loud
The limitations of the hardware the franchise began on meant voice acting wasn't possible, but Link being mute is getting more and more noticeable, especially now that his contemporaries are suitably voiced in cutscenes. Making Link more customizable would serve to give the player some self-expression, and ensure it's easier for people to project themselves onto the character.
Nintendo Could Give Fans the Chance to Customise Link
The Well-Worn Hair Band can't be upgraded or dyed, so while it's technically an armor piece, it only serves to change the way Link looks, and prevents him from being shielded by something that actually offers defense. It's entirely cosmetic, which is a rare thing for the series as its inclusion in Tears of the Kingdom offers a level of free customizability, just for the sake of diversity. It's something that the franchise would do well to allow players to do more of, especially as Breath of the Wild changed his appearance to where he does not don his ionic green tunic unless players achieve a specific feat.
Armor sets can be dyed, mixed, and matched to make Link look different between unique playthroughs, but the Well-Worn Hair Band that can be found in Hateno Village shows the potential for more emphasis on changing his appearance while still keeping the things that make Link so instantly recognizable.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Shows Zelda Can Make it Work
This is similar to how Red Dead Redemption 2 allows players to tailor Arthur Morgan to their liking, with hairstyle, beard, and clothing options that can alter the way he looks, but nothing that fundamentally changes him to the point where he no longer feels like the same character. Zelda should learn from this, and do more like the Well-Worn Hair Band from Tears of the Kingdom to let players get creative with the way Link looks.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
- Cross Save
- N/A
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
- How Long To Beat
- 59 Hours
- Metascore
- 96
