A new Zelda main-line title is upon us! It’s always an event, but especially when it comes to the sequel to one of the most popular and successful The Legend of Zelda games to date, Breath of the Wild. Although fans somehow managed to fit all the Zelda games into a timeline that connects them, which even Nintendo made official later, this is still the first time in the history of this franchise that we have a direct continuation of the game. So, do you have to play Breath of the Wild to jump into Tears of the Kingdom on May 12? Let’s find out.
Do I Need to Play Breath of the Wild Before Zelda Tears of the Kingdom?
Although Tears of the Kingdom is set in the same world and continues the story of Breath of the Wild, playing the new game without prior knowledge is still possible because it is a completely different story. Also, all important characters, new and old, will have a proper introduction, so even new players who jump into the sequel will not feel lost. The game from 2017 has more or less wrapped up its story, and Nintendo thinks that everyone must have played Breath of the Wild already because Tears of the Kingdom starts in its own way, without any recap of the events of the prior game; there is no “Previously on The Legend of Zelda,” which sets the tone that this is a title that can be seen as a standalone experience.
Related: How Big is The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom? File Size Guide
If you still don’t want a single tiny bit of lore to slip under your radar, you can watch one of the many Breath of the Wild story recap videos on YouTube; some are hours long, while there are also crash course clips that explain the most important things in about 15 minutes.
But seriously, the only real reason why you should play or at least try Breath of the Wild, if you haven’t already, is because of the similarities in gameplay. Tears of the Kingdom introduces a bunch of new original mechanics. Still, the essence of the open world or “open air” previous title is more or less the same and it differs enormously from all other Zelda games. So, if you don’t like the gameplay of Breath of the Wild, there is little chance that Tears of the Kingdom will change your mind because this is still a very different type of Zelda compared to the classics that you may have played before.
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