Zelda is back! Should you care? The answer is yes. The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, has just come out for Nintendo Switch on May 12th, 2023. There are lines around the block at video game stores, and this is shaping up to be the game of the year. But, since Zelda games have been coming out since 1986, why does this one suddenly matter? Is the buzz on the newest Zelda game real? The answer is yes. For parents, this new Zelda game may actually present a fun and memorable opportunity for you to bond with your kids.
Let’s break down the massive popularity of this upcoming game, and why parents might want to pay attention to Tears of the Kingdom more than other Zelda games of the recent past.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Trailer
This Has Been The Longest Gap Between Zelda Games Ever
And we thirst. As of its May 2023 release date, it will have been six years since the last new installment in the series, Breath of the Wild.
Should you play Breath of the Wild first?
The answer is probably YES. It’s a great game and will get you even more amped for Tears of the Kingdom. That game is currently $39.99 for Switch.
The previous game, Breath of the Wild Was A Stunning Game That Vaulted The Series To A Permanently Higher Standard
And Tears of the Kingdom is more of that, as it takes place in the same enormous open-world environment and with the same versions of the main characters.
Zelda Has One Of The Few Kid-Friendly Worlds Out There
“Kid-friendly world” is a bizarre thing to say. What I mean is that right now there are no shortages of “open-world” concept games; games where you can freely explore every corner of an enormous and seamless environment without any artificial barriers or story getting in your way.
However, the majority of them are not all that appropriate for kiddos still in their single digits. They’re FUN, but you can’t really share the joy of d*ck jokes (Immortals: Fenyx Rising), microtransactions (Genshin Impact), elaborate climate control systems/robot dinosaurs/intertribal warfare (the Horizon games), a scary dad of war (God Of War), Geralt (The Witcher), nuclear abominations (the Fallout games), undead creatures from the mind of George R. R. Martin (Elden Ring), a frustratingly complex crafting system (No Man’s Sky), and just the entirety of the American West in the late 19th century (the Red Dead Redemption games) with your elementary schooler.
That pretty much leaves Minecraft, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. And of those three, The Legend of Zelda — and its world of Hyrule — really delivers something special for young ones. A detailed, colorful, grandiose fantasy tale between good and evil that will stick in your kiddo’s mind for decades because, well, it makes us feel like a kid again every time we play it.
Your Child Might Be Old Enough To Play This Zelda With You!
Breath of the Wild came out in 2017. Your first-grader was six. They’re twelve now. Your toddler was three. They’re nine now. Or maybe you were newly pregnant. That child is five now. This near-40-year game series is at the height of its creativity and now there are so many families who will get to experience the joy of a big, beautiful new Zelda game when Tears of the Kingdom drops in May.
Fair Warning: Kids Will Want To Drive Link’s Car
Link can make cars in this one. Doesn’t he usually rides horses? Hyrule barely has roads? I’m sure it will all make sense in May.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom comes out for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023, and is available for pre-order now ($69.99) at this, link.
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