Daily Debate: How Does Tears of the Kingdom’s Main Theme Compare to the Rest of the Series?
Posted on April 09 2023 by Chakell Herbert
As a long-time Zelda fan, I have a plethora of reasons to love the series as much as I do. From the dungeons, the puzzles, the stories (all the things, really)—I love it all! However, it’s often the music from each game that brings out feelings of nostalgia and other powerful emotions in me! Each Zelda game is jam-packed with memorable tunes that can transport you to memory lane, like the moment when you took your first steps in a certain dungeon, or when you first faced-off with a threatening boss. I have my share of favorite tunes from the series; but to me, the most important piece of music in each game is its overall theme song. Sure, most of the games are connected by the original theme for The Legend of Zelda, but each game also has a specific tune that sets it apart as its own story in the world of Hyrule—and most are iconic.
For example, when I hear Epona galloping and the first few notes of Ocarina of Time’s main theme, I always get goosebumps. The Wind Waker‘s opening notes used to make me smile as a child, and now sometimes bring me to tears because of the fond memories I have of playing that game. And Twilight Princess‘s opening theme always gives me a sense of adventure. I also adored Breath of the Wild’s epic theme song that made itself known through multiple moments in that specific adventure (with even a wicked remixed version playing during the final boss fight against Dark Beast Ganon).
Which brings me to my next question: How do you think Tears of the Kingdom’s theme song is going to compare to the rest of the series? I don’t think we have heard the tune in its entirety quite yet; but from snippets making appearances in multiple trailers (and a longer version recently featured in the gameplay showcase), I feel like we have another winner of a theme on our hands. To me, the theme sounds absolutely epic. The music sounds similar to Breath of the Wild‘s to the point where you can sense a connection there, but it also stands out, showing that Tears of the Kingdom is equally a sequel as it is an independent adventure.
I am so excited to finally hear the full track and the rest of the new music from the game in the coming month! Not long now, friends!
What do you think of Tears of the Kingdom’s theme song so far? Let me know in the comments below!
Chakell (pronounced shuh-kell) is an associate editor for Zelda Dungeon! She has loved The Legend of Zelda series since she was a little girl because of its equal mix of princesses, besting bad guys, and heartfelt stories. Chakell lives in the overall tame state of Utah, but holds onto her childhood hopes to find an adventure in her backyard one day. She has a degree in English and is a full-time editor for a magazine. You can usually find her gaming (obviously), laughing with her husband, taking a long time to tell stories because she keeps getting distracted; getting sucked into books and podcasts; or snuggling her cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
