While instant classic status was almost immediately bestowed upon The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, there was one aspect missing for franchise fans: dungeons. Nintendo hasn’t specifically mentioned their inclusion for the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. But the latest trailer sure does hint at their return.
The biggest tell featured in the newest The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer is the reveal of Gleeok in the game. The three-headed dragon goes all the way back to the original Zelda game on NES, where the foe served as the boss for the title’s first dungeon. So it’s not a stretch to think the upcoming Switch game may utilize the baddie for a dungeon as well.
Gleeok isn’t the only boss seen in the video, though. There also is an oozy, purple-mouthed alligator monster that attempts to gobble up Link on a platform among the clouds. Now, this could just be an encounter within the open world of Tears of the Kingdom. But it also could be a boss or miniboss as part of a Sky Temple-esque dungeon.
There’s also a minecart sequence that showcases Link battling an enemy as they ride along parallel tracks. The background showcases lava and heat, possibly implying the theme is similar to a traditional Zelda fire dungeon. Last but not least, Link pushes a horizontal wheel in the video at one point. This hints at a classic puzzle element of the series.
Nothing is confirmed, but Nintendo definitely seems to be signaling The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will offer more traditional dungeons in the game. Breath of the Wild boasted tons of shrines (mini-puzzles or battles) and four Divine Beasts in their stead. The Divine Beasts were knocked for how short they were and lack of challenging puzzles. Critics also noted each one didn’t feel unique inside like a traditional Zelda dungeon either.
The new Zelda trailer also is a painful reminder of how far away May 12 is until the Switch exclusive launches. To help their wait, fans have apparently turned Tears of the Kingdom’s Ganondorf into a thirst trap.
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