Tears of the Kingdom’s New Abilities Revealed in Today’s Gameplay Showcase
Posted on March 28 2023 by John Piland
Today’s Tears of the Kingdom gameplay demonstration with series producer Eiji Aonuma revealed a few new abilities, and teased even more.
Where Breath of the Wild focused on Runes from the Sheikah Slate, it appears its sequel will focus on abilities from Link’s “new” arm. The first of these abilities, Recall, rewinds an object’s movements. In the demonstration, Aonuma uses it on a fallen rock to carry Link to the sky, and he mentions that there are other ways to move skyward as well. Recall also appears in the E3 2021 trailer, where Link sends a spiked ball rolling uphill to strike a line of enemies.
Next is Fuse, which allows the player to fuse items to gain new effects. Taking a badly damaged tree branch and a boulder, Aonuma fuses the two to create a hammer-like weapon featuring both greater damage output and higher durability. What’s more, rather than functioning like a hammer-class weapon, Link continues to wield it as a sword — or tree branch. Aonuma also demonstrates a pole arm, where he fuses a stick with a pitchfork, creating an extra-long weapon, increasing the distance between Link and his enemy. Enemies can also use fused weapons, creating new combat challenges for Link to face.
Fuse doesn’t end there, however, as Link can fuse a variety of items from his inventory with arrows to achieve different effects. If fused with a leaf, the arrow will create a gust of wind. A White Chu Jelly duplicates the effect of an Ice Arrow. And a Keese Eyeball will target the enemy and strike it like a heat-seeking missile, without having to aim at it. Aonuma reveals that items can be fused with shields, showing a Puffshroom — a new type of mushroom — used to create a cloud of smoke when struck, obscuring the enemy’s sight, allowing Link to maneuver behind it and strike a killing blow from behind. Fuse also seems to be in the 2021 trailer, where Link has what appears to be a flamethrower-like weapon attached to Link’s shield. There’s a large variety of items and objects to be found, leaving the combat potential of Fuse a great mystery for players to figure out.
The next ability, Ultrahand — itself a reference to one of Nintendo’s first toy products — allows Link to create vehicles to traverse the environment by fusing together objects in the environment. In order to cross a river that’s too wide to swim, Aonuma fuses together some logs and fans, crafting a make-shift boat. He also confirms that the vehicles seen in the February 2023 trailer are not in the game from the beginning, but must be created using the new Ultrahand ability.
The last of the abilities shown off, Ascend, allows Link to move through ceilings to the area above. In mountains with caves, Ascend is a quick alternative to climbing for reaching the top. While Aonuma hints that there are some restrictions, he expresses that the ability can be used anywhere. Perhaps one of these restrictions may be this game’s version of dungeons or Shrines, assuming they return in some form.
When falling through the sky, Link has the ability to dive, allowing him to reach the surface quicker.
Aonuma mentions that “some of Link’s new abilities were updated from the previous game,” which could hint at the return of Runes and other abilities from Breath of the Wild. In true Aonuma fashion, he teases that there is still much to be shown — “gameplay, mysteries, and encounters,” in his words — but leaves it for players to discover when the game launches on May 12th, 2023. Imagination is a key component in Tears of the Kingdom, and it looks like combat, travel, and more will be a unique experience for all.
It’s hard to believe this game is just over a month away, and this presentation only helps to fuel the hype. I personally can’t wait to experiment with the new abilities and see all they gave in store. What are your thoughts on the new abilities? How might they be upgradable? And how might the old Runes be used in this new adventure? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: Nintendo
John has been a Zelda fan for over 10 years now and is proud to say the series has had a major impact on his life (and wallet). After years of going to Zelda Dungeon for guides or the latest news on the series, John achieved their dream when they joined the writing team in 2019; John can hardly believe how long it’s been. A librarian, he loves meticulously arranging his library of Zelda games and collectibles. After what felt like an eternity of waiting for Tears of the Kingdom, John looks forward to the future of the Zelda franchise with enthusiasm, whether that’s the upcoming movie, a new spin-off/remake, or the next big game.
