In the gaming world, The Legend of Zelda has the greatest games, captivating players with high-quality graphics, great mechanics, enemies, weapons, and more.

As the first game in the Zelda series to adopt an open-world format, Breath of the Wild set a new standard for other games. With the Tears of the Kingdom releasing, you are given a complete guide to a new chapter in the Zelda saga.

However, the question is in the air: is the sequel truly superior to its predecessor, or does it fall short, perhaps due to the high expectations set by it? Let's discover which one is better among all Zelda games.

• Release Date : March 3, 2017.

•  Developer : Nintendo EPD.

•  Metascore : 97.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a great game that has enchanted players worldwide with its expansive and immersive world of Hyrule. As Link, you are drawn into an adventure filled with exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat across a breathtaking landscape.

This Zelda game stands out for its open-world design, allowing those who have played Breath of the Wild to experience the thrill of discovery and freedom as they traverse the diverse terrains of Hyrule, uncovering its secrets and history.

Expansions such as "The Master Trials" and "The Champions' Ballad" inject depth into the adventure, offering new challenges and insights into the character of Link and the game's expansive world.

 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch CD Key  is available for purchase on RoyalCDKeys.

• Release Date : May 12, 2023.

•  Developer : Nintendo EPD.

•  Metascore : 96.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom emerges as a fresh and exhilarating chapter in the Zelda game series, serving as a direct sequel to its predecessor, Breath of the Wild. Six years after the original game captivated players, this new installment elevates the adventure in almost every way, introducing innovative ideas and gameplay mechanics.

Once again, you step into Link's boots, embarking on a journey that not only revisits the familiar landscapes of Hyrule but also expands into the mysterious sky islands and the enigmatic depths below.

This sequel introduces vehicles and new tools that redefine how you interact with the world and tackle challenges. Tear of the Kingdom encourages you to experiment and play with the environment in ways previously unimaginable, making every moment in the game a discovery of new possibilities.

 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch CD Key  is available for purchase on RoyalCDKeys.

The evolution of their graphics and visuals is notable when comparing both games. They showcase the enchanting world of Hyrule, but they do so with distinct artistic and technical approaches that enhance the player's experience as Link.

Breath of the Wild

This title sets a high standard for open-world visuals, blending a captivating art style with breathtaking landscapes. The game's visuals create a sense of wonder at every turn, from the Hyrule's plains to the intricate details of ancient ruins.

Dynamic lighting and weather effects enhance the world, making itching moments in the game feel alive and immersive.

Tears of the Kingdom

It builds upon the visual foundation laid by its predecessor, pushing the boundaries of the game's graphics engine. This title shows improved textures, lighting, and particle effects.

The attention to detail in the environment, combined with the enhanced character models and animations, makes Tears of the Kingdom a visually stunning experience.

Verdict - Tears of the Kingdom

While Breath of the Wild introduced a visually stunning version of Hyrule in 2017, Tears of the Kingdom takes the crown for its graphical enhancements and richer, more detailed environments, retaining the artistic charm and elevating the visual experience.

The narratives of both games are essential to the Zelda series, weaving intricate tales that deeply engage players. As we explore the main story arcs, we see how they contribute to the legend of Link and his enduring quest to protect Hyrule.

Breath of the Wild

In this title, you are in a Harule ravaged by Calamity Ganon, with Link awakening on the Great Plateau without memory of his past. The main quest unfolds as players traverse the world, piecing together Link's memories and rallying the power of the Divine Beasts to confront Ganon.

The storyline allows you to uncover the narrative at your own pace, and the hours spent playing are filled with moments of discovery that gradually reveal Link's connection to his allies and the kingdom.

Tears of the Kingdom

The story in this game continues the saga, expanding on the lore established in its predecessor. The main story delves deeper into the mysteries of Hyrule and the forces that shape its destiny.

With new threats and challenges, Link's journey is a personal and epic quest that tests his resolve character. The narrative is enriched with new characters, locales, and lore, expanding the game's story and Link's destiny.

Verdict - Tears of the Kingdom

Breath of the Wild offers a compelling story of recovery, unity, and resilience. Still, Tears of the Kingdom takes the narrative to new heights, again winning the crown in this contest.

The sequel builds upon the established lore and introduces fresh elements that enrich the storyline, making it more engaging and complex.

Let's explore the character dynamics in each game and uncover the unique contributions they make to the world of Hyrule and to Link's journey to find out who is the winner.

Breath of the Wild

It introduces a diverse cast, each bringing charm and story to the adventure. From the Champions to Hyrule, the game offers multiple personalities that add depth and color to the world.

Characters like Mipha, Revali, and the fun-loving Sidon assist Link in his quest and provide emotional depth to the narrative. Also, Including Wolf Link as a companion through amiibo adds a nostalgic and functional element to the gameplay, enhancing the exploration experience.

Tears of the Kingdom

This title, of course, expands on the character roster, introducing new faces like Zonai, who guides Link through the Sky Islands, and bringing back familiar ones with expanded roles like Master Kohga, who died in Breath of the Wild but came back from the depths to challenge Link again in a boss fight.

While the game continues exploring the relationships and histories established in Breath of the Wild, it delves into new dynamics and challenges that test Link and his allies.

Verdict - Breath of the Wild

Despite the new additions and expanded roles in Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild stands out for its character development and the emotional connections it establishes between the player and the inhabitants of Hyrule.

The Champions, in particular, leave a lasting impact with their stories of bravery and sacrifice, making Breath of the Wild the winner in the characters category.

Both titles are in the same world, but each game offers a unique approach to world-building, inviting players to delve into the depths, soar to sky islands, and traverse the expansive open world.

Breath of the Wild

When Nintendo first released this game, they introduced an open-world Hyrule like never seen before, with vast landscapes ranging from towering mountains to sprawling plains. The sense of freedom and exploration was unparalleled, with each location filled with secrets and challenges.

The game's world encourages you to explore every nook and cranny, offering endless adventures. The Great Plateau alone was a microcosm of the larger world, setting the stage for the rest of Hyrule's diverse environments.

Tears of the Kingdom

On the other hand, Tears of the Kingdom takes the world scale to new heights, quite literally, with the addition of Sky Islands and the Depths below Hyrule. This expanded the map vertically and introduced new locations and challenges that weren't present in its predecessor.

The sky islands offer a fresh perspective on exploration, while the depths add a mysterious and uncharted territory for players to discover.

Verdict - Tears of the Kingdom

Tears of the Kingdom is the winner regarding world scale because it expanded the open-world experience that started in Breath of the Wild, enhancing the sense of discovery and adventure.

The shrine puzzles in these games are integral for building Link's stamina and health. They offer a mix of challenges that test your problem-solving skills and ingenuity. Let's delve into how each game approaches these puzzles and which one offers a more engaging experience.

Breath of the Wild

The Sheikah Shrines are scattered throughout Hyrule, each presenting a unique trial for Link to overcome. These puzzles leverage the game's physics engine and Link's abilities in creative ways, encouraging you to think outside the box.

From manipulating time to controlling elements, the variety and inventiveness of these puzzles make exploring every shrine a fun and rewarding experience.

Tears of the Kingdom

It introduces Shrines of Light, continuing the tradition of shrine puzzles but with a twist. While the game brings new mechanics and abilities like Fuse and Ultrahand, many of the shire puzzles lean heavily on tutorial-like trials, which some players find lack the creativity and challenge of Sheikah Shrines.

Verdict - Breath of the Wild

Considering the balance between creativity, challenge, and the sense of accomplishment they provide, Breath of the Wild takes the lead in the Shrine puzzles.

The Sheikah Shrines offer diverse trials that effectively utilize the game's mechanics and encourage creative problem-solving.

The abilities in these games significantly shape the gameplay, offering unique ways for players to interact with the world, solve the shrines, and engage in combat. Let's compare how each game utilizes Link's abilities to enhance the player's experience.

Breath of the Wild

Link's abilities are primarily centered around the Sheikah Slate, providing him with tools like Magnesis, Stasis, Bombs, and Cryonis. For example, Magnesis can move metal objects to solve puzzles or create makeshift weapons, while Stasis can freeze objects in time.

The champion abilities, such as Revali's Gale and Urbosa's Fury, offer powerful, game-changing skills that can turn the tide of battle or aid exploration.

Tears of the Kingdom

This title introduces new mechanics: Fuse, Ultrahand, Ascend, and Recall, allowing greater creativity, such as fusing objects to create new weapons or using Ultrahand to manipulate the environment.

Compared to its predecessor, there's a lack of bomb runes to attack enemies, forcing players to rely on just bomb flowers. Some players also feel that these new abilities, while innovative, can sometimes overshadow the simplicity and directness of the abilities found in Breath of the Wild.

Verdict - Tie

Both games offer compelling abilities that enhance gameplay, making it difficult to set a clear winner.

Breath of the Wild is celebrated for its intuitive and versatile Sheikah Slate abilities. Tears of the Kingdom introduces innovative mechanics that push the boundaries of creativity and player interaction with the game world.

Each game's approach to abilities uniquely enriches the player's experience, making this category a tie.

Dragon farming presents unique challenges and rewards, offering the opportunity to collect valuable dragon parts for upgrading armor and crafting.

Breath of the Wild

Here, you'll find three majestic dragons: Dinraal, Naydra, and Faroch, each representing one of the goddesses in the Zelda lore. They are crucial for obtaining the materials needed to upgrade Link's armor.

The dragons follow specific flight paths and appear at certain times, allowing you to set up a camp and farm these materials by "waiting" for the right moment. All this methodical approach adds a layer of planning and strategy to the farming process.

Tears of the Kingdom

The sequel retains the concept of dragon farming but introduces significant changes. The dragons' flight paths are now split between the Surface and the Depths, enhancing the complexity of tracking them down.

Additionally, the dragons no longer spawn at fixed times, and there's a real-time 10-minute cooldown period before players can farm parts from them again. These changes, combined with the environmental hazards posed by the dragons (excluding the Light Dragon), make farming more challenging and sometimes frustrating.

Verdict - Breath of the Wild

Considering the accessibility, predictability, and overall player experience, Breath of the Wild offers a more player-friendly approach to dragon farming. While Tears of the Kingdom adds new dimensions, the process is more tedious. The increased complexity and real-time waiting period may cause you some problems experiencing the game fully.

Lastly, we'll discover which game has the most complex gameplay. Challenge and difficulty are vital in the Legend of Zelda series, defining your gaming experience and pushing you to adapt and overcome obstacles creatively.

Breath of the Wild

You might run into some small Bokoblins or a big, mean Moblin as you start playing. Link might die in many ways and multiple times, giving you a hint of what's coming in the rest of the game, so you'll need to grab whatever you can find to help you win battles.

The game is challenging but fair, and your gaming experience will depend on your skills and the weapons you find. Ultimately, it's all about having fun and getting creative with tackling enemies and quests, especially the first time you play.

Tears of the Kingdom

This sequel takes the challenge further by introducing even more adaptable enemies and hazardous environments. The game ups the ante with Gloom Hands and other new threats that require mastering the game's mechanics.

The increased enemy variety and the need to navigate dangerous locales like the Depths highlight the sequel's emphasis on a higher difficulty level.

Verdict - Tears of the Kingdom

While Breath of the Wild offers a formidable challenge that tests your survival skills and creativity, Tears of the Kingdom is the winner regarding difficulty. 

The sequel maintains the tough, fair challenge established by its predecessor. It introduces new mechanics that provide a more intense and rewarding challenge, making every victory feel earned and every defeat a lesson for improvement.

After an extensive comparison between both titles, it's clear that the sequel emerges as the better game in several key aspects. While Breath of the Wild laid the groundwork with its revolutionary open-world concept and set of abilities, Tears of the Kingdom builds upon this foundation and elevates the experience to new heights.

Nintendo has once again outdone itself, delivering a sequel that meets and exceeds the expectations set by Breath of the Wild. With its expansive world, visuals, storyline, and new abilities, Tears of the Kingdom offers a more fulfilling experience that captivates both new and returning players.